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10 Things To Do for National Preparedness Month

Wed, 30 Sep 2015 19:05:17 +0000

Each year, our nation faces diverse threats and hazards reinforcing the need to strengthen national preparedness and resilience. On August 31st, 2015, President Obama issued a proclamation declaring September as National Preparedness Month with the theme: “Don’t Wait. Communicate. Make Your Emergency Plan Today.” National Preparedness Month serves as a reminder to prepare, now and throughout the year, for a wide range of emergencies.

Over 20 million registered participants will take part in the 2015 America’s PrepareAthon! This isn’t just about making a plan for your home; encouraging your workplace to be more prepared for a disaster can have a significant impact. Studies show that when employers urge their staff to prepare for disasters, employees are 75 percent more likely to take preparedness actions. The workplace can be one of the most effective environments for educating and encouraging people to take steps to be ready for disasters. There are plenty of resources available at ready.gov/prepare.

Here are 10 simple things you can do right now to become more prepared and resilient:

Sign up for local alerts and warnings, download apps, and/or check access for wireless emergency alerts;
Create and test emergency communications plans;
Assemble or update emergency supplies;
Conduct a drill to practice emergency response actions for local hazards;
Participate in a preparedness training or class;
Collect and safeguard critical documents;
Document property and obtain appropriate insurance for relevant hazards;
Make property improvements to reduce potential injury and property damage;
Conduct an exercise or test your emergency plan; and,
Plan with neighbors to help each other and share resources.

If you’d like to learn more about how to take any of these actions, download the free guide from FEMA.

Also, take a look at the Public Service Announcement prepared by the Ready Campaign and Ad Council. It provides helpful tips about how preparedness actions now can keep us and those we care for safe during an emergency.

Finally, you can participate in National PrepareAthon! Day on September 30 by visiting ready.gov/prepare to register your activities.

Lisa Monaco is the Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.

Why Diplomacy Matters: Follow Along as the President Heads to the 70th UN General Assembly

Tue, 29 Sep 2015 13:19:54 +0000

“The people of our United Nations are not as different as they are told. They can be made to fear, they can be taught to hate, but they also respond to hope. History is littered with the failure of false prophets and fallen empires who insisted that might makes right, and that will continue to be the case. You can count on that. But we are called upon to offer a different leadership - leadership strong enough to recognize that nations share common interests and people share a common humanity.”
President Barack Obama

Why Diplomacy Matters – 70 Years of the United Nations

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Closing Session: Post-2015 Development Agenda, in General Assembly Hall at the United Nations in New York, N.Y. Sept. 27, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In 1945, after two world wars had laid waste to lands and people across the globe, forty-five nations gathered together in San Francisco to find a new way forward – one that made resolution between countries possible without resorting to violence. They committed to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war, to “promote social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom.”

From that pledge was born the Charter of the United Nations – an international institution dedicated to international security and an enduring symbol of a simple idea: We, as people, can always find a way to ensure the dignity and worth of human life.

Seventy years later, that mission remains an ever-important guide in our path to a more peaceful world. Todays’ conflicts are numerous and they are chronic – and every nation with the power and capacity to address these issues have an equal obligation to work together to do so effectively.

That is what diplomacy is: Using the influence we have to resolve conflicts, protect the most vulnerable among us, and strengthen international cooperation in the pursuit of peace.

This week, President Obama is headed to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) to convene with other world leaders on how we can do just that.

From renewing sustainable development goals to combating violent extremism, here’s what the President is doing at this year’s UNGA:

Sunday, September 27:

Speak at the closing session of the Summit to adopt the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Watch the video
Hold a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Watch the video

Monday, September 28:

Speak at the Opening Session of the 70th United Nations General Assembly. Watch the video
Deliver remarks at the UN Peacekeeping Summit. Watch the video
Hold a bilateral meeting with President Vladimir Putin

Tuesday, September 29:

Speak at the Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism. Watch live
Hold a bilateral meeting with President Raul Castro of Cuba
Hold a bilateral meeting with President Nursultan Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan

AidRefugees.gov

Read this message from U.S. Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power.

Visit AidRefugees.gov

What’s Up At #UNGA

Check out the latest from UN headquarters in New York City:

On my way to NY for Leaders Summit & saw this great blog @USAID on preventing violent extremism and development: https://t.co/o3ym1P6nRP
— Susan Reichle (@SusanReichle) September 29, 2015

ICYMI: The First Lady Launches #62MillionGirls

Today, more than 62 million girls worldwide are out of school. Many of them simply can’t afford the school fees, or the nearest school is miles away, or they just can’t break through the cultural norms and traditions that deem girls unworthy of an education.

That is why the First Lady teamed up with Girl Rising to launch a new education campaign: 62 Million Girls.

In school, I learned how to speak up for myself. #62MillionGirls don't have that chance. http://t.co/xzBLsIl16r –mo pic.twitter.com/lVVkv7vcDD
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) September 26, 2015

All you have to do is share a photo of yourself on Twitter or Instagram telling the world what you learned in school – something you want 62 million girls to have the opportunity to learn. Make sure you use the hashtag #62MillionGirls and then go to 62MillionGirls.com to see what other people like Stephen Colbert, Misty Copeland, Freida Pinto, and more are sharing and learn why this is a moral crisis that we can help address.

If you don't think young girls around the world understand just how important their own education is, read this letter that Chawanzi – a "girl guide" from Zambia – who wrote to the President about the importance of empowering girls and women with opportunity:

Read the First Lady's message about this campaign and then check out 62MillionGirls.com to learn more.

The Leader's Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism

At last year’s UNGA, President Obama chaired a session of the United Nations Security Council where UNSCR 2178 was passed, which requires member states to take steps to counter the travel of foreign terrorist fighters, and calls upon them to do more to counter violent extremism. He also called for the creation of a global coalition to counter ISIL, which now has grown to 62 members. This past February in Washington, DC, President Obama hosted the White House Summit on Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) bringing together leaders from national and local governments, civil society, the private sector, and multilateral organizations to develop a whole of society action agenda to counter radicalism and increase community resilience. The Summit launched a global effort, which includes several regional conferences, to produce practical and tangible CVE policies and programmatic outcomes. On the margins of the UNGA 70 General Debate, government and non-government leaders from around the world will meet at the Leaders’ Summit on Countering ISIL and Violent Extremism to report on the steps they have taken to counter ISIL, foreign terrorist fighters, and violent extremism more broadly, and to commit to new and renewed action.

The UN Peacekeeping Summit: #UNGA

In September 2014, more than 30 countries gathered on the margins of UNGA 69 to reaffirm their support for UN peacekeeping operations and offer concrete pledges of assistance. They did so in recognition that UN peacekeeping operations are more critical than ever to international peace and security and to help fill key gaps. But we are at a time where we are asking the UN and these peacekeeping missions to do more in more complex conflicts and these missions are under enormous strain. So this September 28th President Obama, the UN Secretary-General, and several heads of state and government will co-host a summit to convene the leaders of countries that are prepared to make significant, new, and concrete commitments to peacekeeping operations. The summit will also encourage reforms to make UN peacekeeping more effective to complement the parallel effort of the Secretary-General’s High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations.

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development: #GlobalGoals

In September of 2000, the largest gathering of world leaders came together to declare something entirely new: Together, we would form a new global partnership to reduce extreme poverty through clear cut, time-bound goals known as the Millennium Development Goals. These goals would be last for 15 years, world leaders would assess how far we’ve come and adopt new, sustainable goals for to build on that progress for the next 15 years.

It’s 2015, and we’ve seen tangible progress on what we set out to do:

The global share of people living on less than $1.25 per day has been slashed by more than two-thirds since 1990;
We have reached gender parity in primary-school enrollment, and the worldwide number of out-of-school children has been cut nearly in half;
The rate of child mortality has been more than halved, and the proportion of malnourished children has fallen by nearly as much;
2.6 billion people gained access to clean drinking water;
Every continent has seen extraordinary gains – individual incomes have grown by more than one-third, at least, in every region of the developing world.

This week, President Obama is joining other world leaders to adopt new global goals which set out a global development vision and priorities for the next 15 years. This is a pivotal year for global development, in which the United States is joining countries around the world in pledging to leave no one behind based on the fundamental premise that societies are far more likely to secure lasting growth if all individuals have greater access to economic and political opportunities.

Check out the 17 new goals for sustainable development and how they will help end poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity for all:

Email from Ambassador Power: "A Chance to Help:"

Mon, 28 Sep 2015 20:38:26 +0000

This morning, Samantha Power, the U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, sent the following message on the refugee crisis the world is facing and what Americans can do to help relieve the suffering of so many.

Missed her message? Stay in touch with the White House by signing up for email updates here.

Earlier this year, a Syrian father of eight received a text message.

It informed him that the stipend he had been receiving each month to buy food for his family was being cut from $19 to $13.50 per person. This was half of what he had been receiving the year before—when his family first reached Lebanon from the war-torn Syrian city of Raqqa—and would not be enough to feed his kids.

With that amount, he told a reporter, "You can't even get bread."

Across the region, refugees fleeing the brutality of the Assad regime and ISIL have received similar news of declining support. Just this month, 229,000 Syrian refugees in Jordan learned they would no longer receive any food assistance.

There are ways you can help. Find out how at AidRefugees.gov.

Nearly 12 million Syrians have been forced from their homes by Syria's devastating conflict, four million of whom have fled their country. Syrians given refuge in neighboring countries are safe from the barrel bombings, chemical attacks, and deadly sieges they faced at home. But with few opportunities to work, most must rely on the international community to meet their most basic needs: a roof over their heads, food on their table, a classroom for their children.

This morning, President Obama spoke to the United Nations about American leadership. As the President said, America is the strongest nation in the world, and one of the ways we have always demonstrated that strength is through our compassion for people who are less fortunate.

Syria is no exception. Our government leads the world in contributions to the Syrian crisis, having given $4.5 billion to assist those in need. We have also significantly increased the number of refugees we will admit to the United States, including Syrians. And we continue to work tirelessly towards the political solution that will bring the bloodshed to an end and allow displaced Syrians to return home, as so many wish to do.

But the profound challenges faced by these families cannot be tackled by governments alone. Americans understand this, and many are asking what they can do.

We encourage you to visit AidRefugees.gov and see how you can use your skills, resources, and energy to help Syrians and other refugees in need.

Thank you,

Ambassador Samantha Power

Email from First Lady Michelle Obama: "What did you learn in school?"

Sun, 27 Sep 2015 15:00:56 +0000

This morning, the First Lady sent the following message to the White House email list, highlighting a new campaign to raise awareness about the millions of girls who are locked out of brighter futures because they can't get the education they deserve. Learn more about how you can help create awareness around this issue. Didn't get the First Lady's email? Sign up for email updates here.

Hi everyone --

Right now, more than 62 million girls worldwide are out of school.

Many of them simply can't afford the school fees, or the nearest school is miles away and they don’t have safe transportation to get there -- or maybe there's a school nearby, but it doesn't have adequate bathroom facilities for girls. And for many girls, the obstacles they face aren't just about resources, but about cultural norms and traditions that deem girls unworthy of an education.

That's why yesterday, along with Girl Rising, we announced a new education campaign called 62 Million Girls -- and we need you to join right now:

Share a photo of yourself on Twitter or Instagram, and tell the world what you learned in school using #62MillionGirls.

In school, I learned how to speak up for myself. #62MillionGirls don't have that chance. http://t.co/xzBLsIl16r –mo pic.twitter.com/lVVkv7vcDD
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) September 26, 2015

Those photos will be posted to Girl Rising's yearbook at 62MillionGirls.com, and you'll help us raise awareness about all the girls who aren’t in school and show the power of education to transform their lives.

That's why earlier this year, the President and I launched an initiative called Let Girls Learn. Working with the Peace Corps, businesses and organizations, and countries across the globe, we're helping adolescent girls worldwide go to school. Now, the 62 Million Girls campaign is working to raise awareness for this cause and for these girls.

As I've traveled the world, I have met so many of these girls -- and they are so bright, so determined and so eager to learn.

I see myself in these girls. I see my daughters in these girls. These girls are our girls, and I simply cannot walk away from them.

So I'm looking forward to seeing what you learned in school to help us make sure 62 million girls get that chance.

Thanks.

First Lady Michelle Obama

Chart of the Week: How President Obama Plans to Put an AIDS-Free Generation Within Our Reach

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 16:26:42 +0000

We believe if we all – governments, the private sector, civil society, including faith-based organizations – bring our collective will and energy together we can achieve an AIDS-free generation and bring this epidemic to a halt.
National Security Advisor Susan Rice

For decades, all we knew about the HIV disease was the devastation it inflicted on millions across the globe. Too often, those suffering from the disease were forced to fight not only for their lives, but for the dignity and compassion they deserved. Today, the United States is a global leader in treating this terrible disease and is dedicated to making an AIDS-free generation a reality.

We’ve made significant progress in the last decades, bending the curve of the epidemic overall – but our fight is far from over. Right now, more than 30 million people in the world are suffering with the disease. More than 95% of HIV infections are in developing countries, with two-thirds of them in sub-Saharan Africa.

Take a look at this chart to see where people are suffering under the burden of this disease the most:

An epidemic like this requires an equally comprehensive strategy to quell it. That is why President Obama is committed to supporting the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) – the largest investment by any nation to combat a single disease across the globe. Under President Obama, we’ve committed nearly $50 billion to PEPFAR, allowing for coordinated, strategic, and focused action with one overarching objective: Control the spread of HIV.

To date, we have worked with countries across the globe to:

Provide life-saving antiretroviral treatment for 7.7 million people worldwide
Offer HIV testing and counseling for more than 56.7 million people, including 14.2 million pregnant women, which has led to more than 1 million babies born HIV-free
Ensure over 140,000 new health care workers are trained and ready in PEPFAR-supported countries to deliver HIV and other health services

That has taken collaboration among countries, the private sector, civil society, faith-based organizations, and more, to make PEPFAR a success and bring an AIDS-free generation within our reach. But there’s more we can do. Today, President Obama is announcing ambitious new PEPFAR targets for the next two years on treatment and prevention.

Here’s what that looks like:

On Treatment:

Access to treatment is essential to save lives but also to prevent transmission to others. So, by the end of 2016, the U.S. will support a total of 11.4 million children and pregnant women receiving Option B+ – an approach to treatment that prevents mother to child transmission of HIV – and adults on life saving treatment. By the end of 2017, we will support a total of 12.9 million children and pregnant women receiving this treatment.

On Prevention

But we can’t just rely on treatment to curb this epidemic, prevention interventions are necessary too – methods like voluntary medical male circumcisions. So, by the end of 2016, we will provide 11 million voluntary procedures. By the end of 2017, we will have provided 13 million procedures, cumulatively.

But any focus on preventing HIV transmission must expand well beyond men. After all, Girls and young women are specifically and especially at risk for HIV. That’s why, for the first time ever, the President is creating a deliberative and definitive focus on preventing new HIV/AIDS infections in adolescent girls and young women.

By the end of 2016, we aim to achieve a 25% decrease in HIV incidence among women aged 15-24 within the highest burden geographic areas of 10 sub-Saharan African countries. By the end of 2017, we will decrease that incidence among young women by 40%.

America’s unprecedented focus on an AIDS-free generation under President Obama is not only saving lives, but changing the course of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Learn more about PEPFAR here: http://www.pepfar.gov

Weekly Address: Dispose of Your Expired and Unwanted Prescription Drugs

Sat, 26 Sep 2015 10:00:00 +0000

In this week's address, on “National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day,” the President spoke about the importance of preventing and treating substance use disorders. Overdoses from prescription pain medications kill thousands of Americans every year, and more often than not, those drugs come from the family medicine cabinet. In addition, many heroin users started out by misusing prescription drugs. That’s why it’s important to take advantage of the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day and safely, conveniently, and responsibly dispose of expired and unwanted prescription drugs at collection sites throughout your community—no questions asked. Drug disposal programs are part of the President’s 2011 Prescription Drug Abuse Prevention Plan, which also included increasing education for prescribers, expanding Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs, and pursuing Smart on Crime enforcement. In his address, the President called on us all to continue to work to reduce substance use disorders through evidence-based treatment, prevention, and recovery.

The prescription pain medication and heroin epidemic is claiming the lives of too many men, women, and young people.

You can help protect yourself and your loved ones from prescription drug misuse, heroin use and related overdoses:

Ask your doctor about prescription pain medication risks and use only as instructed.
Talk with your kids and family about prescription pain medication safety
Help prevent misuse by storing prescription pain medication safely and not sharing it with other people.
Learn where you can safely dispose of unused medications as part of National Prescription Drug Take Back Day.
Get help for prescription pain medication and heroin use disorders by calling 1-800-662-HELP or by using the national treatment locator.

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

More than 4.83 Million Records Released

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 19:00:18 +0000

In September 2009, the President announced that—for the first time in history—White House visitor records would be made available to the public on an ongoing basis. Today, the White House releases visitor records that were generated in June 2015. This release brings the total number of records made public by this White House to more than 4.83 million—all of which can be viewed in our Disclosures section.

In Photos: Pope Francis Visits the White House

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 16:39:00 +0000

President Obama, the First Lady, the Vice President, and Dr. Biden welcomed His Holiness Pope Francis this week during his first official trip to the United States. On Tuesday, they greeted him as he landed in the United States. And on Wednesday, they welcomed him to the White House in the largest State Arrival Ceremony since President Obama took office. Check out the Pope’s visit in photos:

Shepherd One with Pope Francis aboard lands at Joint Base Andrews, Md., Sept. 22, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon) Pope Francis disembarks Shepherd One. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon) President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Sasha and Malia arrive to greet Pope Francis during the Welcome Ceremony at Joint Base Andrews. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) President Obama and the First Family greet Pope Francis as he steps off Shephard One. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Malia shakes hands with Pope Francis. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) Vice President Joe Biden greets the Pope. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Pope Francis greets Catholic school children. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The President and First Family escort Pope Francis from the tarmac. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Pope Francis prepares to depart following his Arrival Ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The President and First Lady wave to Pope Francis at the conclusion of the ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Preparations are made for the State Arrival Ceremony for Pope Francis on the South Lawn, Sept. 23, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) Vice President Biden talks with Cardinal Donald Wuerl and Cardinal Pietro Parolin before the ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) A guest holds up the American flag, the Vatican City flag, and a cross. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) President Obama and the First Lady wait to greet Pope Francis as he arrives. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Guests watch as the Pope arrives. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) President Obama and the First Lady greet Pope Francis upon arrival for the State Arrival Ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The President and First Lady walk with Pope Francis at the start of the ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama and Mrs. Obama escort the Pope to the stage. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) President Obama and Pope Francis listen to the national anthem of the Holy See. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) Guests watch and take photos. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon) President Obama talks to Pope Francis as the Army Fife and Drum Corps march. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) President Obama delivers remarks. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) The President welcomes Pope Francis to the podium to speak. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon) Pope Francis delivers remarks. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama speaks to Pope Francis on stage. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The President and Mrs. Obama escort the Pope into the White House. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann) The Pope waves from the Blue Room Balcony with the President and First Lady. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon) The Pope waves from the Blue Room Balcony with the President and First Lady. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The First Lady introduces Pope Francis to their family pets Bo and Sunny following the ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama introduces Pope Francis to Ethel Kennedy. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama and Pope Francis walk along the Colonnade. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama and Pope Francis talk before a meeting in the Oval Office. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama meets with the Pope. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The President and Pope Francis conclude their meeting. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) President Obama introduces Pope Francis to his Personal Aide Ferial Govashiri. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) The President walks Pope Francis to his motorcade on the South Lawn. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) The President bids the Pope farewell. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson) The President waves goodbye as Pope Francis departs in the Pope Mobile. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

West Wing Week: 9/25/15 or, “Our Common Home”

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 15:49:26 +0000

Welcome to a very special Papal edition of your West Wing Week, your guide to everything that’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week, the White House was abuzz with preparation for the Pope’s arrival and the China State Visit, back-to-back ceremonies that kept the President and his staff very busy. That’s September 18th to September 24th or, “Our Common Home.”

Friday, September 18th

On Friday, the President met with his science and technology advisers in the Roosevelt Room.
Later that afternoon, the President welcomed an audience of moviegoers to a screening of “Fixing the System” – a VICE Media documentary on criminal justice reform, featuring the President’s visit to a federal prison back in July. Catch the documentary on September 27th on HBO.

Saturday, September 19th

On Saturday, the President and First Lady celebrated the Congressional Black Caucus – an organization representing the black members of the U.S. Congress – at its annual awards dinner.

Monday, September 20th

On Monday, preparations were in full swing for the Papal Arrival Ceremony, taking place later in the week.

Tuesday, September 21st

On Tuesday, His Holiness Pope Francis arrived at Joint Base Andrews in “Shepherd One” to a friendly welcoming committee, including the President, First Lady, Vice President, Dr. Biden, and their families.

Wednesday, September 22nd

On Wednesday, Washington, DC, opened its arms to Pope Francis. After months of preparation, the White House hosted an Arrival Ceremony for the Pope and 11,000 guests on the South Lawn. His arrival marks the Holy Father’s first visit to the U.S.

Thursday, September 23rd

On Thursday, the President gave awards to public servants from the Department of Health and Human Services, for their significant contributions in the fight to contain the Ebola outbreak in Africa.
Later that evening, the President welcomed the President of China to the White House – the night before the official State Arrival Ceremony, which you can catch in next week’s episode.

Stay engaged with us online and on Periscope. Remember, you can find out more about any of these topics and see complete videos at whitehouse.gov.

Thanks so much for checking out this “Pope and Change” edition of your West Wing Week.

Third Estimate of Gross Domestic Product for the Second Quarter of 2015

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 13:30:00 +0000

Real GDP growth in the second quarter was revised up for a second time, as consumers spent more and businesses invested more than previously estimated. This morning’s report confirms that the economy grew at a much faster pace in the second quarter than in the first, with strong personal consumption leading the rebound. Over the first half of 2015, domestic demand remained robust, even as slowing foreign demand and reduced oil-driven drilling investment dragged on growth. Because we face global headwinds, it is essential that we continue to do everything we can to maintain America’s domestic economic momentum—including avoiding a return to fiscal brinksmanship or unnecessary austerity by passing a budget that reverses the sequester and avoids another government shutdown, increasing investments in infrastructure as part of a long-term transportation reauthorization, and other steps to foster long-term growth.

FIVE KEY POINTS IN TODAY'S REPORT FROM THE BUREAU OF ECONOMIC ANALYSIS (BEA)

1. Real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) rose 3.9 percent at an annual rate in the second quarter according to the BEA’s third estimate, well above the first quarter’s 0.6 percent pace. In the second quarter, the increase in GDP growth was led by a faster pace of personal consumption growth than in the first quarter. Structures investment, which declined in the first quarter amid low oil prices, was revised up and grew 6.2 percent at an annual rate. Overall, real GDP has now risen 2.7 percent over the past four quarters. Real Gross Domestic Output (GDO) — an alternative gauge of economic output that is potentially more accurate (though not typically stronger or weaker) over the long term, which BEA calls “the average of GDP and Gross Domestic Income (GDI)”— rose 2.3 percent in the second quarter and has risen 2.5 percent over the past four quarters, indicating a similar trend for growth as GDP albeit with a different quarterly pattern.

2. The 0.2 percentage point upward revision to real second-quarter GDP growth is more than accounted for by improvements in the most stable and persistent components of economic output. Personal consumption growth contributed 0.3 percentage point to the total revision, reflecting upward revisions to various components of services consumption. Fixed investment contributed 0.2 percentage point, reflecting upward revisions to both business fixed investment and residential investment. Together, consumption and fixed investment constitute Private Domestic Final Purchases (PDFP), the largest and most stable component of output (see point 3 for more on PDFP). These revisions were partially offset by small downward revisions to inventory investment and net exports, two especially volatile components that generally provide less information about the path of future growth.

3. Real private domestic final purchases (PDFP)—the sum of consumption and fixed investment—rose 3.9 percent at an annual rate in the second quarter and is growing at a faster year-over-year pace than overall GDP. Real PDFP—which excludes noisy components like net exports, inventories, and government spending—is generally a more reliable indicator of next-quarter GDP growth than current GDP. PDFP aims to measure signals of future economic growth by eliminating some of the noisy components in GDP. Of course, to the extent that systematic patterns emerge in global growth, for example, the information contained in noisier components like net exports may be valuable—and they should not be ignored.

Because the GDP revision was concentrated in consumption and fixed investment, PDFP was revised up by 0.6 percentage point, considerably more than overall GDP. Over the past four quarters, PDFP grew by 3.5 percent, a faster rate than overall GDP growth. Similar to the relationship between GDP and PDFP, the sum of wages and corporate profits is an especially important component of Gross Domestic Income (GDI), the income-side output measure that is averaged with GDP to produce GDO. While PDFP tends to predict next-quarter GDP especially well, wages and profits tend to predict GDP over the next four quarters well—despite being more volatile than PDFP. Real wages and profits have grown 2.6 percent over the past four quarters, roughly in line with current trends in GDP and GDO.

4. Gross domestic output (GDO)—the average of GDP and GDI—does a better job predicting next quarter’s GDP growth than GDP itself, but PDFP has even more predictive power. The table below shows the results from a series of regressions in which the last four quarters of output growth—according to various measures—are used to predict next quarter’s GDP growth. The analysis uses data from 1984 to 2014. The results show that the growth rate of GDO in each of the last four quarters is a better predictor of GDP than GDP itself—and just as good a predictor as GDI. In addition to the three measures of aggregate output, the table shows the predictive power of PDFP and wages and profits. PDFP has the most power of any of the measures to predict future economic growth.

5. Over the first half of 2015, GDP grew at a slightly lower pace than in the prior two years, as exports and drilling investment grew below the earlier pace but non-drilling business investment grew faster. Two major headwinds weighed on GDP in the first half of the year: a slight decline in exports as we faced slowing demand from abroad and a sharp decline in drilling investment as producers faced lower oil prices. But core components of domestic demand remained resilient. Personal consumption contributed roughly the same amount to growth over the first half of 2015 as it did over 2013 and 2014. Business fixed investment—when excluding the contributions of drilling—has grown at a successively faster pace in each calendar year, led by rising investment in research and development and other intellectual property investment.

As the Administration stresses every quarter, GDP figures can be volatile and are subject to substantial revision. Therefore, it is important not to read too much into any one single report, and it is informative to consider each report in the context of other data that are becoming available.

Follow Along: Official China State Visit

Fri, 25 Sep 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Today, President Obama welcomes His Excellency Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, to the White House for an official State Visit. This reciprocates President Obama’s State Visit to China in November 2014, making it the tenth state affair of the Obama Administration.

The visit is an opportunity for the two leaders to discuss a range of global, regional, and bilateral issues of interest to both countries, and to outline a joint vision for an international agreement on climate change that builds upon last year's historic announcement.

The Schedule

President Obama, the First Lady, Vice President Biden & Dr. Biden Welcome President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan to the White House
The White House, 9:00 AM
Watch the Video
President Obama and President Xi Hold a Joint Press Conference
The White House, 12:00 PM
Watch the Video
Vice President Biden Participates in a State Luncheon with President Xi
Washington, DC, 1:30 PM
Watch the Video
President Obama and the First Lady Welcome President Xi and Madame Peng Liyuan
The White House, 7:00 PM
President Obama and President Xi Deliver a Toast at the State Dinner
The White House, 8:40 PM
Watch the Video

Check out a photo gallery from the first China State Dinner with President Hu Jintao.
Curious about State Dinners? Take a look back at the history behind these events.

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Follow Along

Watch @POTUS speak on the U.S. and China's common vision for an ambitious global agreement to #ActOnClimate. http://t.co/MikT6DQKA4
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 25, 2015

We’re honored @FLOTUS & Mme. Peng Liyuan named our panda cub. Meet Bei Bei, meaning precious, treasure #PandaStory pic.twitter.com/icNxm8IddX
— National Zoo (@NationalZoo) September 25, 2015

From food to décor and calligraphy to entertainment, we’re taking you behind-the-scenes of tonight’s China State Dinner! Follow along as we give you an inside look at the @WhiteHouse.

A photo posted by First Lady Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Sep 25, 2015 at 11:53am PDT

Inspired by the harvest of the late summer and fall, @WhiteHouse chefs have created a menu that fuses a mix of traditional American and Chinese culture and cuisine.

A photo posted by First Lady Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Sep 25, 2015 at 12:48pm PDT

Tonight’s China State Dinner includes fresh squash and peppers straight from the @WhiteHouse Kitchen Garden! These vegetables were planted earlier this year by the First Lady and local students as part of her #LetsMove initiative.

A photo posted by First Lady Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Sep 25, 2015 at 1:43pm PDT

Pumpkin moonpies, mango kiwi cups, and apple cider tarts – oh my! @WhiteHouse Pastry Chef Susie Morrison previews “A Stroll Through the Garden,” a dessert display that pays tribute to the beauty of gardens and celebrates Chinese and American cuisine.

A photo posted by First Lady Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Sep 25, 2015 at 2:42pm PDT

Crossing the t's and dotting the i's for tonight's China State Dinner.

A photo posted by First Lady Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Sep 25, 2015 at 3:07pm PDT

First glance at tonight's China State Dinner.

A photo posted by First Lady Michelle Obama (@michelleobama) on Sep 25, 2015 at 4:34pm PDT

See related resources from the State Visit:

Fact Sheets:

President Xi Jinping’s State Visit to the United States
U.S.-China Economic Relations
Joint Presidential Statement on Climate Change
U.S. Fact Sheet on Climate Change

Remarks:

Remarks by President Obama and President Xi of the People's Republic of China in Joint Press Conference
Remarks by President Obama and President Xi of the People's Republic of China at Arrival Ceremony
Remarks by First Lady Michelle Obama and First Lady of The People's Republic of China Madame Peng at Panda-Naming Ceremony

A Look Back at White House State Dinners

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 21:42:37 +0000

Guests attend the State Dinner honoring President Hu Jintao of China in State Dining Room of the White House, Jan. 19, 2011.

On Friday, September 25, the President and the First Lady will welcome China’s President Xi Jinping as the guest of honor to a White House State Dinner. Earlier that morning, the White House and thousands of guests will greet President Jinping at the Arrival Ceremony on the South Lawn.

In the nineteenth century, the term “State Dinner” was used to denote any affair that honored the President’s Cabinet, Congress, or other dignitaries. However, President Ulysses S. Grant changed the meaning of the term when he welcomed King David Kalakua of the Kingdom of Hawaii in 1874. Now, State Dinners are grand affairs hosted by the President to welcome a visiting head of state.

See a gallery of past White House state visits.

A State Dinner requires at minimum, six months of preparation. From the guest list and invitations, to the menus and seating arrangements, all require the careful attention of the First Lady, State Department, and White House Social Secretary.

Here’s a brief history of White House State Dinners:

President and Mrs. Eisenhower at the State Dinner for French President and Madame de Gaulle. 4/22/60.

June 8, 1939: President Franklin D. Roosevelt invited England’s King George VI to the United States marking the first time a British monarch set foot on American soil. The meticulously planned State Dinner was the beginning of a strong political alliance between the U.S. and Great Britain.

June 12, 1964: President Lyndon B. Johnson and First Lady “Lady Bird” Johnson hosted the first State Dinner outdoors in the White House Rose Garden for Chancellor Ludwig Erhard of West Germany.

July 7, 1976: In celebration of the 200th anniversary of the American Revolution, President Gerald Ford and First Lady Betty Ford hosted a tented State Dinner on the White House South Lawn for the distinguished guests of honor: Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

March 26, 1979: Within the first month of his administration, President Carter aided the end to a 30-year-long state of war between Egypt and Israel with the historic signing of the Camp David Accords. In celebration, President Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter held a State Dinner for Prime Minister Menachem Begin of Israel and President Anwar Sadat of Egypt.

December 8, 1987: President Ronald Reagan and First Lady Nancy Reagan hosted a State Dinner for General Secretary Mikhail S. Gorbachev of the Soviet Union. The President and Mr. Gorbachev toasted the signing of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty, symbolizing a future of diplomatic relations.

October 4, 1994: President Bill Clinton and First Lady Hillary Clinton hosted a State Dinner for Nelson Mandela, the first black president of South Africa. Earlier that day, President Mandela received one of the largest crowds in the history of state arrival ceremonies.

January 19, 2011: President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama hosted a State Dinner in honor of the President of China, Hu Jintao, during his final trip to Washington as the Chinese leader.

President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao of China toast during the State Dinner in the State Dining Room of the White House, Jan. 19, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Sandra Shim, Michael Lomio, Hannah Flom, and Julia Laurence are interns in the Office of Digital Strategy.

If You Have a Stake in Public Health Preparedness, You Have a Stake in the Budget Debate:

Thu, 24 Sep 2015 19:36:19 +0000

This morning, the President awarded the Presidential Unit Citation to a group of professionals from the U.S. Public Health Service—acknowledging their extraordinary heroism on the front lines of our successful effort to combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Our ability to lead an effective global response—one that turned the tide of the epidemic—was ultimately a matter of resources.

And the fact is that right now, the House and Senate Republican budgets shortchange our country on the resources we need to effectively prepare for, respond to, and recover from future public health emergencies.

It’s yet another example of the mindless cuts forced by sequestration. And, it could mean a less-effective response to an outbreak on the scale of last year's Ebola outbreak — but also to a host of other potential disasters, such as an anthrax attack.

So as you hear a lot of talk in the news about a potential government shutdown, make sure you understand exactly what's at stake in the broader budget debate.

Here's exactly what the current Republican budget proposals would mean to our nation's (and our global) public health, and our ability to respond effectively to disasters:

They fail to meet the President’s FY 2016 Budget request for $110 million to respond to an urgent or emergency need that could cause severe consequences. Why does that matter? Because it's the funding that HHS needs to respond quickly to an infectious disease outbreak -- such as influenza or another public health crisis.
They would underfund our ability to procure safe and effective medical countermeasures to protect Americans against potential chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear attacks through the BioShield program.
The Senate appropriations bill provides insufficient funding for maternal and child health programs at USAID, including $35 million less than the President's Budget request for the U.S. contribution to Gavi, the Vaccine Initiative -- a necessary investment that provides children around the world with access to life-saving vaccines.
The House appropriations bill cuts the Contributions and International Organizations account by $67 million and provides no funding for the International Organizations and Programs account. These accounts support critical collective efforts by international organizations to combat violent extremism, limit the spread of nuclear and chemical weapons, reach agreement to impose sanctions on rogue states and actors, promote children's health, and promote and protect human rights.

As we look back at the government's aggressive response to the Ebola outbreak, and commend those who helped spearhead it, we can see that it's also irresponsible to shortchange the profoundly important work of responding to public health emergencies.

Unprecedented Collaboration to Save Sage-Grouse is the Largest Wildlife Conservation Effort in U.S.

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 18:27:21 +0000

A male greater sage grouse struts at a lek, near Bridgeport, CA to attract a mate. Photo by Jeannie Stafford, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Today marks an historic win for conservation and communities in the West and for the United States. Thanks to unprecedented conservation cooperation across the western United States, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced earlier today that the charismatic rangeland bird – the greater sage-grouse – does not need to be protected under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The greater sage-grouse conservation strategy comprises the largest landscape-level conservation effort in U.S. history and demonstrates that through strong Federal, state, and private collaboration, the ESA can be an effective and flexible tool in encouraging conservation and providing the certainty needed for sustainable economic development in our states and communities.

This success was only possible through close collaboration among western states, the Department of the Interior, USDA, and more than 1,100 ranchers across eleven states. The bipartisan leadership of many western governors, including Colorado Governor Hickenlooper, Wyoming Governor Mead, Nevada Governor Sandoval, and Montana Governor Bullock is a testament that when we work together, we can successfully conserve landscapes and help save species, while providing certainty to rural economies.

Roughly half of the sage grouse’s remaining habitat is found on public lands, primarily managed by the Bureau of Land Management and the U.S. Forest Service. After taking into account extensive public and state input, Federal agencies also announced today the finalization of 98 resource management plans that are based on the best available science and address the primary threats to the sage-grouse and its habitat. These plans and other actions by Federal and state agencies will also help reduce the threat of wildfire in western portions of the range. In total, these plans will put in place protections on nearly 70 million acres of important sage-grouse habitat.

These collective conservation efforts achieve more than protecting one species. The sagebrush habitat is shared with more than 350 other wildlife species, including world-class populations of mule deer, elk, pronghorn and golden eagles. They also provide sustainable development benefits that help local communities and the U.S. economy. More than 1,100 ranchers are voluntarily working with Federal and state agencies to conserve the greater sage-grouse. Since 2010, USDA has partnered with these landowners to conserve or restore 4.4 million acres of key habitat through programs that provide financial assistance for conservation, and hundreds of other properties are enrolled through similar state or Federal programs.

Today’s announcements mark an incredible milestone, proving that collaborative, science-based, forward-looking efforts can conserve an entire landscape. There’s no doubt that important work remains to ensure a bright future for the sage-grouse and the sagebrush habitat. This includes implementing the state and Federal plans, as well as the comprehensive rangeland fire strategy. USDA has announced plans to spend another $211 million by the end of 2018 to help hundreds of ranchers conserve or restore more habitat, bringing the total to 8 million acres. And Congress still needs to pass the Administration’s $45 million proposed increase in funds to help implement these public land management plans. We are confident they will benefit both rural communities and the Western sagebrush landscape now and in the future.

New Data Show Slow Health Care Cost Growth is Continuing

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 17:09:08 +0000

New data released today by the Kaiser Family Foundation show that premium growth in employer-sponsored coverage remained slow in 2015, extending the recent streak of unusually slow growth. Taken together with estimates of current trends in Medicare spending released this summer, these data suggest that underlying growth in per-enrollee health care costs remains low, even as the dramatic expansion in coverage since early 2014 drives a temporary uptick in the growth of aggregate health care spending. Recent years’ slow growth in health care costs—which is thanks in part to the Affordable Care Act—is already generating major benefits for workers and our fiscal outlook. Looking ahead, keeping these positive trends going will require that we continue to make good use of the tools provided by the Affordable Care Act, including: moving our health care system toward payment models that reward efficient, high-quality care; continuing to foster a transparent and competitive Health Insurance Marketplace; and implementing the law’s tax provision that encourages high-cost employer plans to become more efficient.

SIX KEY POINTS ON NEW DATA ON EMPLOYER COVERAGE IN 2015

1. Premiums in employer-based coverage continued to grow slowly in 2015. The new Kaiser survey finds that the average premium for employer-based family coverage grew 4.2 percent in 2015. While slightly faster than the record-tying 3 percent rate recorded in 2014, this reading for 2015 continues the recent pattern of unusually slow growth; the last four years account for four of the five lowest growth rates since the survey began in 1999. The Kaiser estimates corroborate earlier estimates from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employer Cost Index that showed that slow growth in employers’ health benefit costs continued into 2015, as well as results from a national survey released last week by the consulting firm Mercer, which found that employers have seen slow growth persist through 2015 and expect it to continue into 2016.

Sustained slow premium growth is generating major benefits for families and businesses. Had premium growth since 2010 matched the average rate recorded over the preceding decade, the average total premium for employer-based family coverage would have been nearly $2,600 higher in 2015. A large portion of these savings have accrued directly to workers in the form of lower premium contributions. Employers’ savings on their portion of premium spending may be reducing total compensation costs in the short run, helping to boost job growth; economic theory and evidence indicate that these savings will be passed on to workers as higher wages in the long run.

2. Recent estimates suggest that Medicare spending per enrollee is continuing to grow slowly as well. In July, the Office of the Actuary at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services released updated projections of growth in per-enrollee spending in Medicare for 2014 and 2015. While these estimates are projections, they reflect data on actual Medicare spending for all of 2014 and part of 2015, so they tend to be particularly reliable. Nominal Medicare spending per beneficiary is projected to grow just 1.0 percent in 2015, only slightly faster than recent projections of overall inflation in 2015 and slower than measures of inflation that exclude the recent sharp decline in energy prices. If this projection holds, then 2015 will be the sixth consecutive year in which growth in Medicare spending per beneficiary was roughly in line with overall inflation economy-wide, a stark contrast to trends over the decade preceding 2010.

3. The continued slow growth in per-enrollee spending in employer coverage and Medicare shows that the pickup in aggregate health care spending growth since the start of 2014 largely reflects transient effects of expanding coverage. Data for the last several quarters have shown a turn toward faster (though still moderate in historical terms) growth in aggregate spending on the three largest categories of health care goods and services: hospital services, ambulatory services, and prescription drugs.

However, this faster aggregate growth does not reflect rapid growth in the cost of health care for an individual or a family; the data presented above for the two largest segments of the United States health care system indicate that growth in per-enrollee costs has ticked up only modestly, if at all. Rather, the driving factor is likely the significant expansion in insurance coverage since late 2013 as the main coverage provisions of the Affordable Care Act have taken effect, an expansion of coverage that is by far the largest since the decade following the creation of Medicare and Medicaid. As we have noted on several prior occasions, it is not a surprise, nor a cause for concern, to see a temporary period of faster growth as newly insured individuals begin to access care.

The exception is prescription drug spending, where the uptick in spending growth is much larger than can be accounted for by recent coverage expansions. Available data indicate that the main factor driving faster drug spending has been the arrival of costly, though often effective, new therapies. While the implications of the recent acceleration in drug spending for the overall health care spending outlook should not be overstated since drug spending currently accounts for only about one-tenth of total health care spending and drug spending growth may decline somewhat relative to its recent rapid pace, trends in this area have raised concerns about access and affordability in both the public and private sectors.

4. Average deductibles in employer coverage rose again in 2015, but the increase was in line with trends stretching back more than a decade. Typical deductibles in employer coverage have been rising for more than a decade, and the new Kaiser data indicate that that trend continued in 2015. As demonstrated in the figure above, however, neither the Kaiser data nor the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (which provides a longer-term view on these trends) indicate that deductibles have risen more quickly in recent years. This means that there is no sense in which continued growth in deductibles is “cancelling out” the benefits to workers stemming from recent years’ very slow premium growth and that rising deductibles are unlikely to be an important reason that premium growth has been so much slower recently than in the past.

5. Virtually all workers enrolled in employer coverage now have a limit on their annual out-of-pocket spending, a protection that more than one in six enrolled workers lacked when the ACA became law. One core function of health insurance is to provide protection against catastrophic costs in the face of serious illness. Starting in 2014, the ACA required that all non-grandfathered health insurance plans place a limit on total annual out-of-pocket spending, protection which 18 percent of workers enrolled in single coverage lacked as of 2010, according to the Kaiser survey. The share without an out-of-pocket limit drifted lower after 2010 (possibly in part because firms were preparing for 2014), then fell sharply as the ACA requirement took effect; today’s data show that just 2 percent of workers in single coverage lacked such a limit in 2015. If the prevalence of out-of-pocket limits had remained at its 2010 level, we estimate that at least 22 million people enrolled in employer coverage would lack this protection today.

6. The persistence of slow health care cost growth raises the likelihood that much of the health care cost slowdown reflects long-lasting structural changes in the health care sector, including changes in public policy, not the aftereffects of the Great Recession or other transitory factors. As we have discussed previously, the Great Recession likely played some role in reducing health care cost growth during the downturn itself and in the early stages of the recovery (at least in the private sector). However, the United States is now more than six years into an economic recovery that has created 13.1 million private sector jobs over 66 months of job growth and driven the unemployment rate back to levels last seen in the spring of 2008, before the worst of the financial crisis hit. It is therefore increasingly likely that whatever role macroeconomic factors may have played in the immediate aftermath of the Great Recession, structural changes in the health care system—including changes in public policy and other factors that would have a persistent effect on health care spending over the long run—are playing the lead role in keeping health care cost growth low today.

Matt Fiedler is Chief Economist of the Council of Economic Advisers.

Email from Janelle Monáe: "More Important than a Selfie"

Tue, 22 Sep 2015 16:25:17 +0000

This morning, artist Janelle Monáe sent the following message to the White House email list. Raise your voice with Janelle, and celebrate National Voter Registration Day by registering to vote at vote.USA.gov.

There was once a time when young African-American women like myself did not get the opportunity to vote. They simply could not.

I think about that every time I go to the polls to exercise that fundamental right -- not just to honor those who fought so I could have it, but because, simply put, I know that this is an essential part of our democracy.

Whether we want to change our communities, or have a say in the public issues we care about the most -- the power we have to make that happen is the power we have at the polls.

That's why I exercise my right to vote.

Are you with me?

It starts with getting registered. And today, people of all ages, of all points of view, all across the country, are doing that together. It's easy. It's fast. And you can do it right here -- no matter which state you live in.

Get registered to vote right now.

In 2015, the fact is this: We have more voices on more platforms than ever before. It's easier than ever to post an opinion or raise a complaint on any number of social sites, and with any number of people.

But here's what I want to say to you:

You should be thinking long and hard about sharing those opinions, and saying you want action, if you aren't willing to share your most fundamental opinion where it has a direct ability to make a difference: In the voting booth.

Think about that. And go register to vote right now.

See you at the polls -

Janelle Monáe

Janelle Monáe is an American musical recording artist.

Delivering on Broadband Opportunity:

Mon, 21 Sep 2015 18:48:55 +0000

Internet Adoption in United States by County, 2013

Over the past six years, under President Obama’s leadership the United States has expanded broadband access, bringing millions of people online and creating significant new economic, educational and social opportunities.

Since the President took office, investments from the Federal government have helped deploy or upgrade more than 110,000 miles of network infrastructure, and more than 45 million additional Americans have adopted broadband Internet. And as a country we’ve made high-speed wireless coverage available to 98% of Americans. Over the past several months, the Administration has doubled down on these efforts. In July, we launched the new ConnectHOME program in twenty-seven cities and one tribal nation to help bring Internet to more than 275,000 low-income households.

But more needs to be done. While our wireless coverage for handheld devices is among the best in the world, a recent analysis from the Council of Economic Advisers highlighted that nearly 75 million Americans don’t have a high-speed Internet connection at home, a critical measure of high-speed Internet access and use. As the map at right suggests, rural parts of the country lag behind cities and more densely populated suburbs.

Even where broadband uptake is high, there’s room for improvement. As the chart below highlights, nearly 51 million Americans cannot purchase a wired broadband connection with download speeds of at least 25 Mbps, and only 63 percent have access to speeds of 100 Mbps or more. To bring better, faster broadband to more Americans, we need to significantly increase competition and investment.

That's why last March the President launched the Broadband Opportunity Council, a whole-of-government effort to expand broadband deployment and adoption, with a focus on bringing broadband to underserved communities and encouraging new entrants and new investments to improve broadband quality and service. Chaired by the Department of Commerce and the Department of Agriculture, the Broadband Opportunity Council spent five months reviewing every major Federal program that provides support for broadband, from the Department of Housing and Urban Development and Health and Human Services to the Department of Justice. Last month, the Council submitted its recommendations to the President for his review, and today, the White House is releasing its findings.

The Council makes four broad recommendations:

(1) Modernize Federal programs to expand program support for broadband investments.

(2) Empower communities with tools and resources to attract broadband investment and promote meaningful use.

(3) Promote increased broadband deployment and competition through expanded access to Federal assets.

(4) Improve data collection, analysis and research on broadband.

Percentage of Households with Access to Download Speeds of 25 Megabits per Second or Greater, 2013

Broadband is a top priority for President Obama and we will be pushing forward aggressively to implement these recommendations over the next 18 months. Among other actions, Federal agencies are committed to:

Modernizing Federal programs valued at approximately $10 billion to include broadband as an eligible program expenditure, such as the Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Community Facilities (CF) program, which will help communities around the country bring broadband to health clinics and recreation centers;
Creating an online inventory of data on Federal assets, such as Department of the Interior (DOI) telecommunications towers, that can help support faster and more economical broadband deployments to remote areas of the country;
Streamlining the applications for programs and broadband permitting processes to support broadband deployment and foster competition; and
Creating a portal for information on Federal broadband funding and loan programs to help communities easily identify resources as they seek to expand access to broadband.

But to bring faster, lower price broadband into more homes will take more than the Federal government. That’s why the Administration is calling on the private sector, local, state and Tribal governments, community organizations and foundations to work with us to tackle some of the big challenges, like opening up critical data sources around the country and helping communities become ‘broadband ready’ to encourage more investment.

You’ll be hearing more about ways to get involved in the weeks and months ahead.

On the Passing of White House Staffer Jake Brewer:

Sun, 20 Sep 2015 21:11:05 +0000

We are grieving over the loss of our friend and teammate Jake Brewer.

Throughout his life, Jake dedicated his creativity, brilliance, enthusiastic optimism and actions to helping others. He believed that public service could not only improve people's lives but also change for the better our very notion of the good that our government can deliver: a nation of the people, for the people, by the people which brings the best of our country to bear – collaborating together on our toughest challenges using our best approaches.

He had a generous heart and a vision for engaging with technology, data, and most importantly each other, to create opportunity and find solutions together. Jake lived and loved more in his 34 years than some people do in their whole lives.

Even his tragic passing, which occurred during a community event to raise money to fight a disease that had stricken a friend, says so much about his character and the daily example he set for all who knew him. Throughout his career, Jake traveled across the country and around the world collaborating with teammates to help improve the lives of others. His story is filled with high impact adventures in service, inclusion and "doing." He was an awesome addition to the White House family.

A small sample of Jake's work in just the past two weeks included: leading our participation in an event in the Bronx to help underprivileged young people learn to code; working with our colleagues to accelerate the President’s TechHire Initiative; and bringing together leaders from industry and government to use data to connect those with key skills to job opportunities.

Our thoughts are with his family, including his parents and sisters, his wife Mary Katharine Ham, young daughter Georgia and her sibling on the way, and his many friends.

You can read the President's full statement here.

Dr. John Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and the Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy, also offered the following statement.

I am shocked and devastated by the tragic accident that took Jake Brewer from his family and from all of us yesterday. Jake was a bundle of brains, energy, commitment, and compassion. I know that the members of Team CTO—indeed, all of us in OSTP and across the EOP—are in mourning over this terrible loss and struggling to think of ways we can help. I know, too, that our grief will be matched in the days ahead by our solidarity and determination to support each other and find every appropriate way to honor Jake and help his beautiful young family through this impossibly painful time.

Who Jake Was:

Jake Brewer served as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Chief Technology Officer within the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP). In this role, Jake oversaw efforts to connect the nation’s tech and innovation assets (people, places, tools, data, and methods) to the Administration’s opportunity creation efforts, enabling all Americans to take part in, contribute to, and benefit from the economy of the future. Jake helped to advance the Administration’s TechHire initiative to create more pathways to well-paying tech jobs by empowering Americans with the tech skills they need to succeed in those jobs. At OSTP, Jake also worked with federal agencies and stakeholders to accelerate the release and use of workforce data to inform workforce training efforts. Jake also supported Administration initiatives to expand America’s access to greater broadband connectivity.

Jake Brewer's impactful career focused on building citizen-led open government and increasing citizens' capacity to have real impact in executive offices and the halls of government. Prior to joining the OSTP team, Jake led global policy and external affairs at Change.org with the aim to remake the relationship between government or corporate leaders and the international public impacted by their decisions. Jake also served as co-founder and board president of Define American, working to reframe the American immigration debate in media and culture. Jake's past work also included leading the engagement division of the Sunlight Foundation; launching an initiative on veteran employment with the White House and Code for America; helping create US Ignite—a national "gigabit" initiative responding to the Administration's call to transform healthcare, education, transportation, and more through next-generation Internet applications; and designing the national Civic Data Challenge to bring critical "civic health" data to civic decision-makers. Outside the office, Jake was a competitive triathlete and a published photographer, and he served in a variety of advisory and board roles with organizations building a healthier democracy. He graduated with a B.S. in Psychology / Human and Organizational Development from Vanderbilt University and studied Political Science at the United States Naval Academy.

Weekly Address: It’s Time for Congress To Pass a Responsible Budget

Sat, 19 Sep 2015 10:00:00 +0000

In this week's address, the President discussed the significant progress we have made in our economy since the financial crisis seven years ago this week, and the steps we can take to build on that momentum and strengthen the economy for the long term. Thanks to the hard work and resilience of folks around the country, our businesses have created over 13 million jobs over the past 66 straight months, housing is bouncing back, manufacturing is growing again, and the unemployment rate is the lowest it’s been in over seven years. We’ve come a long way from the darkest days of the financial crisis, but there is still more to be done. To keep our economy growing, we must avoid self-inflicted wounds and damaging brinksmanship: that starts with Congress passing a responsible budget before the end of the month. The President has called on Republicans in Congress to stop playing games with our economic progress and instead do its job and pass a budget that reverses the harmful cuts known as the sequester and avoids shutting down the federal government.

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

West Wing Week: 09/18/2015 or, "FAFSA! (fafsa, fafsa, fafsa, fafsa)"

Fri, 18 Sep 2015 16:11:31 +0000

This week, the President marked the 14th anniversary of 9/11, met with troops around the world at a multimedia town hall at Fort Meade, crashed a back-to-school bus tour in Iowa, sat down with esteemed author Marilynne Robinson, and hosted Connecticut Huskies, Spanish royalty, and genuine American heroes at the White House. That's September 11th to September 17th, or "FAFSA! (fafsa, fafsa, fafsa, fafsa)."

Friday, September 11th

On Friday, the President, First Lady, and White House staff observed a moment of silence at 8:46 AM — the time the first airplane struck the World Trade Center on September 11th, 14 years ago.
Later that day, the President spent time with the patriotic service men and women serving their country around the world at a troop town hall at Fort Meade in Maryland.

Monday, September 14th

On Monday, the President traveled to Des Moines, Iowa, joining Secretary of Education Arne Duncan's annual Back-to-School bus tour. They answered questions from high school students, teachers, and parents.
The President also sat down with thought-leader Marilynne Robinson, a Pulitzer-Prize winning novelist who lives in Iowa. Stay tuned for the complete conversation.

Tuesday, September 15th

On Tuesday, the President hosted the 2015 NCAA Women's Basketball Champion, University of Connecticut Huskies.
Later that afternoon, the President hosted the King and Queen of Spain.

Wednesday, September 16th

On Wednesday at 11:11am, the President drove a couple miles east to the Business Roundtable Headquarters to answer some questions about the economy and the budget.
Meanwhile, Dr. Biden hosted the first meeting of the College Promise Advisory Board. The board brings together leaders to share best practices and ideas to make community college free for responsible students around the country.

Thursday, September 17th

On Thursday, the President met with three young Americans who responded heroically to a dangerous situation on a train in Paris last month.

Stay engaged with us online, and find out more about any of these topics and see complete videos at WH.gov.

A More Perfect Union — Building Welcoming Communities Campaign to Strengthen Immigration Integration

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:43:26 +0000

Today, the White House Task Force on New Americans launches the “Stand Stronger” Citizenship Awareness Campaign. The goal of the Campaign is to raise awareness about the rights, responsibilities, and importance of U.S. citizenship and to provide more information on the naturalization process, along with new tools and resources to prepare for it. The Task Force believes that local communities play a critical role in creating welcoming environments and advancing immigrant integration efforts.

That’s why the Task Force is calling on all local communities — big cities and small towns — to join the Building Welcoming Communities Campaign and commit to making their hometowns a place that welcomes all residents can thrive. Created as part of the President’s immigration executive actions, the Task Force is charged with strengthening the Federal government’s immigrant and refugee integration efforts. The Task Force has reached out to communities around the country to learn about what they are doing to advance immigrant integration efforts. We were inspired by all the great work taking place and hope to encourage even more communities to become welcoming communities.

Today is the 228th anniversary of the signing of the Constitution. By carrying on our unique history of welcoming and encouraging newcomers, we help ensure that we continue to form that “more perfect union” envisioned at the heart of our vibrant democracy. This week, communities around the country are also celebrating National Welcoming Week.

Today, we celebrate citizenship & the dreams of those striving to earn it → http://t.co/xDYEAUpODN #ConstitutionDay https://t.co/mwl22fdN54
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 17, 2015

As President Obama has said, as a nation of immigrants, we are constantly being replenished with strivers who believe in the American Dream. It’s what makes us entrepreneurial. And today, more and more communities are recognizing the potential benefits for all their residents by pursuing a welcoming approach. Immigrant integration becomes an engine for innovation when new Americans have access to English classes, civics instruction, job skills training, and tools to succeed as entrepreneurs.

The President is calling on communities to commit, collaborate, and act on a set of principles that focus on creating positive environments for all. Participating communities will advance efforts under three pillars: civic, economic, and linguistic integration. Initially, 40 communities have signed on to the join the campaign. The group includes big and small cities and counties from across the country:

Allegheny County, PA	Decatur, GA	Oakley, CA
Atlanta, GA	Denver, CO	Philadelphia, PA
Austin, TX	Detroit, MI	Pittsburgh, PA
Baltimore, MD	Dodge City, KS	San Jose, CA
Boise, ID	Grand Forks, ND	Santa Fe, CA
Boston, MA	High Point, NC	Schuyler, NE
Buffalo, NY	Houston, TX	Seattle, WA
Charlotte, NC	Lincoln, NE	St. Louis, MO
Chicago, IL	Los Angeles, CA	St. Louis County, MO
City and County of San Francisco, CA	Louisville, KY	Sterling Heights, MI
Clinton Township, MI	Macomb County, MI	Toledo-Lucas County, OH
Columbus, OH	Montgomery County, MD	York, PA
Crete, NY	Nashville, TN
Dayton, OH

Because each community is unique in its circumstances and needs, there is no singular approach to building a welcoming community. Communities will also be assisted through a new public-private partnership which will offer technical assistance and support from non-governmental partners led by Welcoming America, a national organization dedicated to transforming communities into more welcoming places.

The Task Force will also support the campaign by working with participating communities. Examples of locally driven efforts can include:

Coordinating with local officials from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to increase awareness of citizenship and the naturalization process. USCIS offers a variety of free resources through the Citizenship Resource Center to support communities interested in strengthening pathways to naturalization and civic engagement.

Partnering with local Chambers of Commerce and the Small Business Administration (SBA) to support immigrant entrepreneurship by providing information about Small Business Administration tools and resources through workshops, roundtables, and other events.

Creating welcoming schools by working with the Department of Education to learn about best practices and tap into programs that support parent engagement and family literacy opportunities.

The Building Welcoming Communities Campaign is an opportunity to demonstrate authentic civic commitment to immigrant integration. We hope you and your neighbors will join your community in participating. We encourage you to learn more about the campaign, including how to sign up, click here.

León Rodríguez is Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services.

We Stand with Ahmed (and We Hope He'll Join Us for Astronomy Night):

Thu, 17 Sep 2015 00:00:16 +0000

Yesterday, a 14-year-old student named Ahmed Mohamed was arrested for bringing his engineering project (an electronic clock) to his high school. Officials mistook it for a bomb.

When I was growing up, my friends and I were fortunate to know how to use soldiering irons, circuit boards, and even a bit of duct tape when nothing else worked. We played, experimented, and learned through trial and error. The best part? When I brought my work in, my teachers loved it. And thanks to them it fed my desire to embrace science, engineering, and technology. That learning to play with technology and curiosity has helped me on every step of my journey so far.

That’s why I’m so proud to see people across the country standing up for the innovation and intellectual curiosity that Ahmed has shown.

That includes the President:

Cool clock, Ahmed. Want to bring it to the White House? We should inspire more kids like you to like science. It's what makes America great.
— President Obama (@POTUS) September 16, 2015

And he's not the only one. Today, Dr. John Holdren -- the President's top science advisor -- reached out to Ahmed and personally invited him to come to join us at the White House Astronomy Night on October 19, where we'll bring together scientists, engineers, and visionaries from astronomy and the space industry, along with students and teachers. They'll share their experiences and spend an evening stargazing from the South Lawn.

We think Ahmed will fit right in.

That's because we think it's really important that kids with a passion for science and technology have the opportunities they need to reach for the stars (sometimes, that's literal).

It's why the President has prioritized broadening participation in science and technology to a more diverse pool of students.

It's why we host kids from across the country at the White House Science Fair.

It’s why we believe that the National Maker Faire is so important, and why we are a nation of makers.

And it's why we're dedicated to telling the untold stories of some of the brightest minds in our country -- to inspire young people to follow in their footsteps.

Ahmed, you inspire us -- and we can't wait to meet you.

P.S. -- Don’t forget your NASA shirt. I’ll be wearing mine.

Uniting in Seoul to Extinguish Epidemic Threats through the Global Health Security Agenda

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 15:44:56 +0000

"...to advance work that unites us all—preventing the spread of disease and saving lives around the world."
President Barack Obama, September 9, 2015

Saving lives, that’s what the Global Health Security Agenda (GHSA) is all about.

Last week from September 7-9 in Seoul, I was proud to join Secretary Burwell and delegations from all over the world for a game-changing High Level Event hosted by President Park and the Republic of Korea to save lives by advancing the Global Health Security Agenda. Ministers and other senior officials from 47 governments, as well as 9 international organizations and over a dozen non-governmental partners, took the podium to pledge specific actions to prevent future outbreaks from becoming epidemics. Most importantly, we reiterated our commitment to assist West African and other at-risk countries from around the world to get to zero, stay at zero, and stay involved long after zero to achieve strong and resilient global healh security systems, with measurable targets, as part of building back better from the Ebola crisis. Our thanks go especially to participants from Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, who traveled across the globe to bring their wisdom and to call on others to step up and stay engaged so that what happened in West Africa can never happen again.

The Republic of Korea set an example for the rest of the world by announcing a 100 Million (USD) commitment to advance the GHSA in 13 countries and by issuing the “Seoul Declaration,” a call to action for all countries achieve the Agenda’s targets. Seoul also showed outstanding leadership by inviting GHSA countries to participate in the ROK-U.S. “Able Response” biopreparedness tabletop to demonstrate the value of exercising across all sectors of government to prevent, detect and respond to biological incidents. In the future we hope that countries participating in the GHSA will begin to exercise together, establishing global links across governments and sectors before a crisis occurs.

For our part, the United States will assist at least 30 countries to achieve the GHSA targets by 2020, including 17 countries and $1 billion announced by President Obama in July and additional focus countries to be announced soon. G-7 countries also reiterated their pledge to match our commitment by assisting a collective total of at least 60 countries, which we call upon our partners to announce by the end of 2015.

But, perhaps the most stunning achievement of the week came in the form of countries signing up, including the United States, to undergo external, independent assessments against the GHSA targets – to create a map of the gaps in our global health security architecture, something the world had not yet been able to achieve even in the wake of SARS, the anthrax attacks, H5N1, H1N1, H7N9, MERS and an Ebola epidemic that killed over 11,000 people. Following the White House GHSA event hosted by President Obama last September, the United States, 2015 GHSA Chair Finland, and other GHSA leading countries like Saudi Arabia, Kenya, Canada, Italy and the Republic of Korea, teamed up to pioneer a new way of doing business, working with 5 volunteer countries to successfully test specific global metrics for the GHSA so that such a virtual map of global gaps can be within our reach. The Finnish GHSA Chair and these five countries deserve tremendous thanks and credit for their service: Georgia, Peru, Portugal, Uganda, and the United Kingdom. The new approach to visualizing readiness that was pioneered through this work will allow all countries to measure preparedness for epidemic threats against the same bar and will provide governments and other assistance providers with a common operating picture to prevent, detect and respond to biological events, whether naturally occurring, accidental or the result of a bioterrorism event.

Moving forward, Indonesia will take the reins from Finland to lead the GHSA in 2016, and Netherlands will host next year’s next High Level Event to keep our feet to the fire. But, we must not forget to hold one another accountable for implementing the commitments made in Seoul. For while Seoul was successful by all accounts, the global community must continue to step up smartly, with common targets, unfailing resolve, and synchronized resources if we are realize the vision of a world safe and secure from epidemic threats.

Amy E. Pope is the Deputy Homeland Security Advisor and White House Ebola Response Coordinator.

Income, Poverty, and Health Insurance in the United States in 2014

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 15:01:15 +0000

Today’s report from the Census Bureau shows that real median income rose in 2014 for both family households (e.g., related people living together) and non-family households (e.g., a single person living alone). Overall median household income declined as the share of family households decreased. The official poverty rate held steady in 2014, while the supplemental poverty rate—which includes the effects of key anti-poverty policies—declined. Over the past two years, the child poverty rate has declined more than in any two-year period since 2000. The fraction of the population without health insurance declined sharply as the Affordable Care Act’s major coverage provisions took effect, falling in all fifty states in 2014. Continued employment and wage growth so far this year suggests that incomes are rising in 2015. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and other policies have contributed to recent improvements in incomes, and the President’s commitments to extending refundable tax credits enacted under the Recovery Act and implementing an EITC for childless workers will further strengthen these positive trends.

FIVE KEY POINTS IN TODAY’S REPORT FROM THE CENSUS BUREAU

1. Real median income for family households rose $408 in 2014, while real median income for non-family households also rose but overall median household income declined. All households are considered either “family households” (those with persons related by birth, marriage, or adoption) or “non-family households,” and median income for both these groups rose in 2014. At the same time, overall median household income fell as the number of family households (who have a relatively high median income of $68,000) fell and the number of non-family households (who have a relatively low median income of $32,000) surged. Fuller analysis is needed to understand the dynamics between family and non-family households and the implications for income comparisons.

2. Median household income growth tends to follow aggregate weekly earnings growth—which would suggest strong income growth in 2015. Aggregate weekly earnings reflects the total amount earned by private sector workers—the product of employment, hours worked per week, and wages earned per hour. Accordingly, aggregate earnings are conceptually linked more closely to household income than to wages, since both income and aggregate earnings reflect the influence of rising employment as well as rising wages. The below chart shows that median household income growth has been closely related to growth in aggregate weekly earnings in recent decades—with an unusually large disconnect between the two measures in 2014. Aggregate weekly earnings growth in 2014 implied a 1.0 percent increase in real median household income—as compared to the 1.5 percent decrease that was realized. The reasons for the disconnect are unclear, although it could reflect the changing composition of family and non-family households against a backdrop of rising household formation (see point 1). Aggregate earnings in 2015 so far have grown much faster than last year as the long-term trend of labor market improvement has persistent. The historical relationship implies strong median household income growth in 2015 when the data become available next year.

3. Over the past two years, the child poverty rate declined more than in any two-year period since 2000. The child poverty rate declined 1.9 percentage points in 2013 and 0.4 percentage point in 2014. The overall official poverty rate was unchanged in 2014. But when using the supplemental poverty measure—an alternative poverty gauge that reflects the impact of key anti-poverty policies—overall poverty declined from 15.8 percent to 15.3 percent in 2014. The child poverty rate also declined under the supplemental poverty measure in 2014, by a full 1.4 percentage points from 18.1 percent to 16.7 percent.

4. The supplemental poverty measure (SPM), which declined 0.5 percentage point in 2014, includes the direct effects of key anti-poverty policies like the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The SPM is widely acknowledged to measure poverty more accurately than the official measure. Unlike the official measure, the SPM uses a post-tax and post-transfer concept of resources that combines earnings with assistance from government programs, including cash transfers and the cash-equivalent of in-kind transfers like food assistance—minus net tax liabilities, which can be negative for families receiving refundable tax credits like the EITC or Child Tax Credit (CTC), and necessary expenditures on work, child care, and health care. Together, 9.8 million Americans are above the poverty line who would fall below it but for refundable tax credits, and other programs account for similar totals. Social Security (whose benefits are also included in the official poverty measure) accounts for 25.9 million people who would otherwise fall below the poverty line. The President supports continuing these trends by extending the refundable tax credits enacted under the Recovery Act and implementing an EITC for childless workers.

5. The share of people without health insurance coverage declined in every single state in the country in 2014—for the first time in the history of the series—as the Affordable Care Act’s major coverage provisions took effect. The new American Community Survey (ACS) data show that all states saw coverage gains in 2014, but the magnitude of those gains varied widely by state. Notably, states that expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act saw a 3.4 percentage point decline in their uninsured rate, about 1.5 times as large as the 2.3 percentage point decline in states that did not expand the program. The causal effect of Medicaid expansion on state uninsured rates is likely even larger since non-expansion states had higher uninsured rates prior to 2014, and states with more uninsured tended to see larger coverage gains during 2014. Although the ACS is not the first survey to report estimates of state-level trends in insurance coverage in 2014 and beyond, the survey’s extremely large size allows it to provide particularly precise estimates.

Today’s Census release also included estimates of the national change in the uninsured rate based on the Current Population Survey (CPS). According to the CPS, the national uninsured rate dropped by 2.9 percentage points from 13.3 percent in 2013 to 10.4 percent in 2014, broadly consistent with findings from earlier Federal and private surveys for that time period. These other surveys have found that rapid progress in reducing the uninsured rate has continued during 2015, with further declines in the uninsured rate of at least 2 percentage points as of early 2015. Following these sustained declines, the uninsured rate is now at its lowest level ever.

Jason Furman is Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers. Sandra Black is a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers. Matt Fiedler is Chief Economist of the Council of Economic Advisers.

I Just Started My First Year of College

Wed, 16 Sep 2015 14:41:19 +0000

All week long, real Americans who have written the President are sharing where they are in their education journeys — and offering their advice to their fellow Americans. If you want to write the President yourself, you can do so here.

I was a senior at Jefferson Forest High School when I sent my first letter to President Obama.

Jefferson Forest is a small high school in Forest, Virginia — a small town that no one really knows about. My mother is divorced and single. I am the youngest of four; my three older siblings were all in college. My mother has sacrificed everything to put us through college. Working part time jobs, late nights, even moving from California to Virginia for a better job where the standard of living seemed much more affordable.

You see, it has been my dream since I could remember to become an equine veterinarian. My mother wants more than anything to see my dream become a reality, because she wants me to succeed without the struggles that she's experienced; to have a better place in the world than she's ever had.

I realize that wanting to specialize in equine dentistry (yes, dentistry — many people laugh when I say this but I just smile) means I will probably be in college for ten years. I have always wondered, WHY? If critics say America needs more jobs, then why is getting a college education so expensive that starting down many career paths seems impossible?

My mother always tells me "the sky is not the limit, for there is the moon and there are the stars beyond it." So I kept up my grades and relentlessly applied to as many scholarships as I could. The reason I felt compelled to write to President Obama was to say: I want to be one less child, one less financial burden, my mother needs to worry about affording a college education for.

One morning I was talking to a chemistry teacher about my frustrations — the National Decision Deadline was fast approaching, and I had not committed to any of my four choices because I could not afford tuition. She mentioned that Randolph College in Lynchburg, Virginia was offering a grant called LEAP (Local Educational Access Program) for Region 2000 students from the Commonwealth of Virginia -- where tuition is guaranteed to be no more than $10,000, and that is before financial aid through the FAFSA, which I completed back in January.

(By the way, you can learn how much aid you’re eligible for right now.)

Immediately, I knew this was the answer to my worries. I called the Office of Admissions to ask if they were still accepting applications and the admissions counselor personally worked with me to submit my application as fast as possible. I hand-delivered my transcripts and letters of recommendation the next day to Randolph College. I then sat and watched as my application was reviewed. In less than two minutes I was accepted into Randolph College. Instantly, I felt a giant weight lift off my shoulders. That Saturday, my mother and I attended the open house to tour the campus and assess my financial aid package. We finalized my slot as a freshman in the fall by paying the deposit. Out of nowhere, the President of Randolph College, Mr. Bradley Bateman, appeared to shake my hand, saying he "…wanted to be the first to shake a new Wildcat’s hand in congratulations."

I am so relieved that I know where I belong now. I plan to major in biology as part of the pre-veterinary medicine track and possibly double minor in equine studies and chemistry. Classes started August 31st and I already have a busy schedule. This week I attended my calculus, French, movie science, chemistry lecture and lab, and equine studies classes. I will always be searching and applying for scholarships because I still have to pay for next semester and some of my outside scholarships only cover first semester costs. I also have to worry about paying for the next three years of my education myself. Once I graduate, I will have to start worrying about paying off my unsubsidized and subsidized loans, as well.

This is my advice for students who are looking into college, but think they can't afford it:

Don't just fill out the FAFSA — research local colleges to see if they have any grant programs that can help you cover costs. Call the college to explain your financial situation. Search for scholarships. High schools' guidance offices should have information on many scholarships and there are a plethora of websites where it pools together scholarships that match your criteria. The best way to receive scholarships is to keep up with your academics and be involved in the community; it will benefit you as an individual and as a scholar in the long run.

As my mother always says: "Make good decisions."

Sincerely,

Marie

Marie Abowd
Forest, Virginia

Marie Abowd is a first-year college student at Randolph College in Virginia. She wrote the President a letter in January.

What You Need to Know About the Syrian Refugee Crisis and What the U.S. is Doing to Help

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 22:08:16 +0000

Your home country is all that you know -- it’s where you were raised, where you’ve loved, and where you’ve lived all your years. So what happens when one day, without warning, or without cause, that sense of security is ripped from you? War, violence, persecution for who you are or what you believe; your home has become the crucible for your greatest fears, a place you no longer recognize. You’re afraid for your life, for your family -- you don’t know where to go but you know you can’t stay. You and your family are forced to flee into an unknown future and the unknown peril it may hold.

You are a refugee.

This is the all-too-common experience of millions of innocent men, women, and children across the globe who have been driven from the place they once called home. And right now, the world is witnessing the human suffering of the thousands of families fleeing the conflict in Syria -- their personal tragedies spotlighted on the front pages of newspapers around the world as they risk their lives to find safe haven.

While the world turns its attention towards these refugees -- and rightly so -- we must not lose sight of why they fled for their lives, and the gravely urgent task of responding to the overwhelming needs of those who remain behind.

Since 2011, almost 12 million people, equivalent to half of the Syrian population, have been displaced by the conflict, including 7.6 million displaced inside Syria. Their homes and schools have been bombed out of existence by Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad's merciless regime. Their lives have been imperiled by ISIL and terrorism. Many have been forced to flee to other parts of Syria or seek refuge in neighboring countries.

It is as if every student in the 45 largest U.S. school districts -- including New York, Chicago, and Los Angeles -- had been uprooted by violence, hunger, or disease all at once.

They are in desperate need of aid.

The importance of this aid cannot be underestimated. It is critical to helping people where they are, so they are not forced to take perilous journeys on fierce seas or entrust their welfare to human smugglers. The relief agencies and organizations that bring this assistance directly to those in need require financial support, and that is why the U.S. has provided $4.5 billion in financial assistance to help meet those urgent needs in the most effective way. Under President Obama, the U.S. is currently the largest bilateral donor of humanitarian assistance in the world.

The U.S. can also provide a safe haven for those seeking a new home. In this fiscal year alone, the U.S. expects to admit 70,000 refugees from all over the world. In order to ensure safety and security within American communities where those in need are welcomed, each refugee admitted in to the U.S. undergoes the highest category of security screening for entering the country.

The President has directed his Administration to scale up the number of Syrian refugees we will bring to the U.S. next year. By the end of September, the U.S. is on track to take in about 1,500 Syrian refugees, and the President has asked his team to make preparations to accept at least 10,000 Syrian refugees in the next fiscal year.

It is not feasible for millions of Syrians to come to this country -- we know that. However, we must do what we can to provide for their basic needs.

But, no change in refugee policy or amount of humanitarian aid can resolve the political crisis that is displacing so many innocent people. To bring an end to this crisis, the U.S. is working with the international community to reach a negotiated political solution to the conflict. Ultimately, the instability and the responsibility to resolve the violence rests with Syria’s President Al-Assad.

Have questions? Here are a few answers to some that many Americans are asking:

1. What can I do to help?

The best possible way to help those affected is to get involved and support relief efforts by a reputable humanitarian organization working in the region. Check out USAID, which lists organizations that are responding to particular disasters. Then share the information about these organizations and the importance of needs-based assistance in your community to spread the word about the most effective ways to help those in need. Here’s how you can get started.

2. What is happening in Syria to cause this crisis?

In March of 2011, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad pledged legislative reforms in response to peaceful demonstrations against the Syrian Army (SARG). However, reforms failed to take place, and SARG forces loyal to President Al-Assad began responding to these demonstrations with violence, sparking retaliation from armed opposition groups.

These groups formed an umbrella organization in November of 2012, which the U.S. formally recognized as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people that December. This group -- known as the Syrian Coalition (SC) -- established the Syrian Interim Government, which opposes the SARG and is based in decentralized locations throughout opposition-held areas of Syria.

President Al-Assad’s attacks have been horrific and devastating. He has launched rockets in the highly populated suburbs of Damascus, and has even attacked Syrian civilians with chemical weapons. So many innocent men, women, and children have been gassed to death by their own government. The international community found a diplomatic solution to effectively destroy Syria’s capacity to make chemical weapons. However, intense and ongoing violence remains, driving millions to seek refuge outside of the country.

3. How much humanitarian aid has the U.S. provided, and where is it going?

The U.S. is the world’s largest bilateral donor of humanitarian aid. To date, the U.S. has provided $4.5 billion in humanitarian assistance since the start of this crisis and is leading the world in responding to this crisis through relentless humanitarian, diplomatic, and development efforts.

This assistance provides healthcare, food, water, and basic necessities to people suffering in all 14 Governorates of Syria and to Syrian refugees in neighboring countries. The U.S. Government assists approximately 6.6 million Syrians per month with this assistance.

When communities are bombed, our support for medical teams means more than a half-million surgeries that are helping save lives. When there is no food in the market, our partners risk their lives to deliver that food to displaced families. When neighboring communities have strained to care for refugees in their midst, the U.S. helps them upgrade their electrical grids, build more pumps for clean water, and manage double or triple shifts in their schools.

Read more about the U.S. response here: https://www.usaid.gov/crisis/syria

3. How many refugees are we allowing into America?

The U.S. expects to admit 70,000 refugees from all over the world this fiscal year, and President Obama has directed his Administration to scale up the number of Syrian refugees we will bring to the U.S. next year to 10,000. Learn more about how we’re supporting international efforts to alleviate the suffering of Syrian refugees.

Designing Federal Programs with the American People in Mind

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 18:19:10 +0000

President Barack Obama speaks with members of the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team in the Oval Office in January 2015.

Research insights from behavioral science focus on how people make decisions, and contain important lessons for how to design Federal programs to make them easier for the American people to engage with. For example, commonsense steps — such as simplifying communications and making choices more clear and user-friendly — can have a meaningful impact on who participates in a Federal program, whether that program is focused on applying for financial aid for college, saving for retirement, or something else.

Take the example of applying to college. Just yesterday, as part of his visit to Des Moines, Iowa, President Obama highlighted new steps the Administration is taking to help more low-income families gain earlier, easier access to Federal financial aid, including giving students filling out the FAFSA the ability to electronically retrieve tax information filed for an earlier year, rather than waiting until tax season to complete their applications. Steps like these will make the process of applying to college simpler and easier, helping thousands of students. Many other Federal programs could benefit from similar updates to make those programs more user-friendly.

That’s why today, the President is signing an Executive Order that directs all Federal agencies to use insights from the behavioral sciences to make government programs easier to access, more user-friendly, and more effective. As part of the Executive Order, agencies are directed to look for opportunities to streamline access to programs, improve the way they communicate and present critical information, and deepen their relationships with the behavioral science community. To support the new Executive Order, the Administration is issuing guidance on how agencies can use behavioral science insights to make Federal forms simpler and easier for Americans to complete.

In addition, the Administration is making permanent the first-ever Social and Behavioral Science Team (SBST), a cross-agency group of experts from human-centered design, behavioral economics, and related fields, which will provide advice and guidance to help agencies implement the Executive Order.

A recently released report features the Social and Behavioral Sciences Team’s first year of projects, which have made government programs easier to access and more user-friendly, and have boosted program efficiency and integrity. As a result of these projects, more Servicemembers are saving for retirement, more students are going to college, more Veterans are accessing their benefits, more farmers are obtaining credit, and more families are gaining healthcare coverage.

Here are just a few examples of how these insights have led to real benefits:

Sending service members a single email that highlighted the three steps needed to enroll for the Thrift Savings Plan (a workplace savings plan for Federal employees), and that conveyed the potential value of making even small contributions to the plan, nearly doubled the rate at which service members signed up for the plan.

Sending eight text messages to college-accepted high-school graduates, which reminded them to complete required pre-matriculation tasks, led to a nearly 9 percent increase in college enrollment among low-income students.

Highlighting to Veterans that they had earned an education and career-counseling benefit, relative to just notifying them of their eligibility, led to a nearly 9 percent in Veterans accessing the application for this benefit.

Sending personalized letters to farmers that included a tailored set of action steps to apply for a loan as well as contact information for the recipient’s local loan offer increased the number of farmers who obtained a loan by 22 percent.

Building on the past year of successes, the SBST is launching 20 new projects in the upcoming year, focused on everything from helping children retain access to nutritionally-balanced, low-cost or free lunches, to providing unemployed workers with enhanced job-search support. You can read about these new projects here.

This is just the start.

We in the Administration are eager to hear ideas from the public and the academic community of additional ways in which behavioral sciences can help in improving Federal programs. To stay updated on the work of the SBST and offer ideas for new projects that incorporate behavioral science insights, visit the new online resource page at www.sbst.gov.

5 Indicators That Show We Turned a Depression-Like Shock into a Six-Year Expansion

Tue, 15 Sep 2015 16:29:50 +0000

Seven years ago, Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy, setting in motion the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression. In fact, the onset of the Great Recession was more severe across a wide range of measures than the Depression itself—including substantially larger losses in wealth, a significantly larger contraction in global trade, and a comparable reduction in employment and private demand. In these ways the economy in late 2008 looked like it could have been on track for an outcome comparable to the Great Depression.

But an aggressive public policy response from a wide range of actors promoted aggregate demand and helped rescue the financial system. Over the course of just a few months after taking office, President Obama worked to shore up the U.S. financial system, rescue the auto industry, and pass a Recovery Act and more than a dozen subsequent fiscal measures that provided vital support to families and businesses. Since the crisis, the President has taken continued steps—including Wall Street reform—to strengthen our economy and protect against future downturns.

This decisive policy response helped the economy return to growth only six months after the President took office and made the United States among the first advanced economies to recover its pre-crisis output per capita. Today, those economic indicators that had collapsed in early 2009 have surged above pre-crisis levels and continue to improve:

Our businesses have now created 13.1 million jobs over 66 straight months—the longest streak on record.
The pace of job growth over the last three years has not been exceeded since 2000.
The unemployment rate has fallen further and faster than economic forecasters predicted.

While more work remains to be done, this record is a testament not only to the bold public policy choices that helped avoid a second Great Depression but also to the resilience of the American people.

FIVE KEY INDICATORS THAT SHOW WE NARROWLY AVOIDED A SECOND DEPRESSION

1. In the first year of the Great Recession, $13 trillion in household wealth disappeared—about 19 percent of total wealth, five times the loss rate in the onset of the Great Depression. But by late 2009, household wealth began to rebound, and is now more than 30 percent above 2008 levels. At the corresponding time in the Depression, wealth was still 30 percent below 1929 levels.

2. Housing prices fell faster between 2008 and 2009 than between 1929 and 1930. But they have since recovered, while losses in the Depression era persisted for years. Along with stock market valuations (which have also recovered much stronger than in 1929), housing values are a major component of household wealth.

3. Our economy was shedding jobs at the start of the Great Recession at about the same pace as in the Great Depression. Our economy was adding jobs again by early 2010, while the pace of job losses only accelerated in the 1930s. Indeed, our robust employment growth has cut the unemployment rate nearly in half, from a peak of 10 percent to 5.1 percent today. The recent surge of job growth—8 million new jobs over the past three years—has not been exceeded since 2000.

4. Private domestic final purchases (a combination of the largest and most stable components of GDP) contracted as sharply at the start of the Great Recession as during the start of the Great Depression. But while economic output continued to contract for years into the 1930s, our economy returned to growth in 2009, as both personal consumption and business investment started to grow again.

5. Global trade suffered a much more drastic fall between 2008 and 2009 than during the first year of the Depression. But as the U.S. economy returned to growth faster, so too did global trade, which is well above pre-crisis levels today.

Follow Along: Our 2015 Back-to-School Tour

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 18:02:13 +0000

Today the President is traveling to Des Moines, Iowa, to join Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s sixth annual Back-to-School bus tour. The President and Secretary Duncan will host a town hall with high school juniors, seniors, and their parents to discuss college access and affordability.

Off to Iowa.

A photo posted by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on Sep 14, 2015 at 9:31am PDT

Tune in here to watch the townhall at 4:40pm EST:

But for the first stop, the President is touring the Iowa State Library.

Before leaving, @POTUS leaves a message on one of the cards from the Library's card catalog. pic.twitter.com/2JAQPVB0jz
— Lindsay Holst (@Holst44) September 14, 2015

The President is announcing a new initiative to allow students and families to apply for financial aid earlier – starting in October as the college application process gets underway – rather than in January. Learning about aid eligibility options earlier in the college application process will help students and families understand the true cost of attending college – taking available financial aid into account – and make more informed decisions.

Together with the newly launched College Scorecard – which is redesigned with direct input from students, families, and their advisers – students will have more information to choose the right college than ever before.

What do you think of the new #CollegeScorecard? Share your thoughts with @EDUnderSec http://t.co/C6dO2XlWVu @usedgov
— College Confidential (@collegeconfide) September 14, 2015

So impressive. Take a look under the hood of the #CollegeScorecard remake. https://t.co/BVDCUFMgTa
— Lindsay Holst (@Holst44) September 12, 2015

Colleges and universities and scholarship organizations have already committed to align their aid timelines with the earlier FAFSA, and nonprofits and advisers have committed to raise awareness about the FAFSA changes and to help students reach 100 percent FAFSA completion. The President will also renew his call on Congress to pass legislation to simplify FAFSA even further by eliminating up 30 questions that are disproportionately burdensome and have little impact on aid eligibility.

Get ready, it's much faster. Can you say it?

We're making it easier to fill out the @FAFSA—which can help you pay for college: http://t.co/7avGY32fQD #5TimesFAFSA http://t.co/QLPm5s3jgW
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 14, 2015

"Teachers who were able to spark in me a sense of curiosity, that's a great teacher." @POTUS lpic.twitter.com/ZzjPo4ymMl
— David Simas (@Simas44) September 14, 2015

"Just because it's not some name-brand fancy school ... doesn't mean you're not gonna get a great education." - Solid @POTUS l@POTUS college advice
— Lindsay Holst (@Holst44) September 14, 2015

New Tools to Help Students Make Informed Decisions About Higher Education

Mon, 14 Sep 2015 15:43:05 +0000

Completing higher education can provide huge benefits to students that last throughout their lives. Decades of research have shown large returns to higher education in terms of labor market earnings, health, and happiness. Compared to those with a high school diploma, college graduates earn $1 million more over their lifetimes and have an easier time finding a job. In addition, the jobs of the future are higher-skill jobs: over the next decade, the number of jobs requiring some level of higher education is expected to grow more rapidly than those that do not, with more than half of the 30 fastest-growing occupations requiring postsecondary education.

In order to realize these benefits, prospective students, with the help of advisors ranging from parents and peers to guidance counselors, must make dozens of choices about higher education. These choices include whether to go to college, which school to attend or major to select, and what level of education or training to pursue. Despite the importance of these decisions, students, especially those who are low-income or first-generation, often lack clear, easy-to-use, and accessible information.

Research shows that when students have better information, they make better choices about their education. When choosing a college, students need information on college quality to know whether their investment in higher education will pay off. For high-achieving, low-income students, an experiment found that providing information that compares details about college quality, like graduation rates, enabled these students to attend schools that better matched their qualifications. Further research shows that clear and detailed information about earnings can lead students to revise their employment expectations and change their major choice. Accessible information about costs and economic outcomes thus plays a crucial role in encouraging students to make informed decisions about enrolling in higher education and choosing the best college for their needs.

In addition, students often have mistaken information about the actual costs of attending college, which deters them from applying or enrolling. One study of Boston public school students shows that low-income and first-generation prospective students overestimate the cost of college by as much as two or three times the actual amount. The same study finds that students who wanted to go to college and had the relevant qualifications frequently failed to complete financial aid forms or fee waivers. Students who overestimate costs, including those who do not fully understand the impact of financial aid, are less likely to attend college. Additionally, evidence shows that providing assistance with filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) encourages students to apply for aid and enroll in college. In an experiment where tax professionals assisted families in filling out their FAFSA and provided personalized aid estimates, students were significantly more likely to file the FAFSA and enroll in college; the college enrollment impact was even greater for students from low-income families.

That’s why the Administration is taking steps to arm prospective students and families, along with other partners in the higher education community, with better information on college costs and quality. First, the new College Scorecard — available at https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/ — provides the first comprehensive data on costs and student outcomes at nearly all post-secondary institutions in the United States. For the first time, students and their advisors can search for the earnings of students who attended an institution, along with the most up-to-date information about other measures of a college’s quality, including the percentage of students who graduate or repay their loans. Students can also access a new measure of cumulative student debt for borrowers who complete their degree at each institution and an improved measure of students’ success in repaying their loans.

"Everyone should be able to find clear, reliable, open data on college affordability" —@POTUS #CollegeScorecard https://t.co/PhwL5l6jpp
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 12, 2015

Additionally, the launch of the new College Scorecard data site provides an opportunity to engage researchers in the conversation. To facilitate improvements in the evaluation of college quality going forward, a new Council of Economic Advisers technical paper outlines considerations for using this federal data, methods for assessing the causal effect of institutions on student outcomes, and data driven lessons for performance measurement and accountability.

Taken together, the College Scorecard and data site offer students, researchers, and other stakeholders the most complete set of publicly available data available on the costs and benefits of a particular higher education institution, helping them gauge how college decisions might impact students’ economic futures.

The Administration has also made it easier to apply for financial aid: students can now apply to colleges and for financial aid in tandem. Beginning in 2016, FAFSA applicants will be able to complete the form on October 1st for the following academic year. The FAFSA will also utilize earlier tax information, enabling more families to use a tool that directly retrieves their tax information and reduces the time needed to fill out the FAFSA from an hour to about 20 minutes. This earlier and easier access to financial aid information will make it simpler for students to access critical federal student aid dollars and will offer more accurate information about college costs as students decide where to enroll.