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Peace Corps: Helping Feed the Future

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:42:49 +0000

Feed the Future kits that Peace Corps volunteers utilize in the field.

For more than 50 years, Peace Corps volunteers around the world have taken an active role in addressing critical food security issues, working with one farmer, one family, and one community at a time.

President Obama and other G8 Leaders met last week to address food security and nutrition in Africa. The President also announced a new alliance with the G-8, African leaders and private sector partners to drive investment in sustainable African agricultural development and lift 50 million people out of poverty. This landmark meeting underscored the importance of the President’s Feed the Future initiative, and last summer, the Peace Corps and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) pledged to provide enhanced food security training to more than 1,000 Peace Corps volunteers.

On May 23, at Peace Corps headquarters in Washington, D.C., Peace Corps reaffirmed our commitment to food security and discussed our joint efforts to make sustainable change. I was joined by USAID Administrator Rajiv Shah, USAID Assistant to the Administrator of the Bureau of Food Security Paul Weisenfeld, and Peace Corps volunteers and staff to discuss our work to train volunteers and the people they work with on this important topic.

Through this partnership, Peace Corps volunteers are already making sustainable changes to the ways in which local people cultivate their food, address water shortages and feed their families.

One such example is Danielle Stoermer, a Peace Corps agriculture volunteer working with women and children in Senegal to improve food security. Since she arrived in the West African country in 2009, Danielle has been teaching children how to grow vegetables in school gardens, helping female farmers to increase their crop yields and quality, and educating new volunteers on successful food security practices.

And in other parts of Africa, Peace Corps volunteers use community gardening to share information about nutritional food groups; the seasonal calendar; improved seeds and seed saving techniques; and natural fertilizers. The goal is for villagers to be able grow enough food for their families and to sell their produce in the nearby markets.

As somebody who began my career as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Dominican Republic and then worked in international development for more than 30 years, I know what we can accomplish when we dedicate our time and ‘American Spirit’ to an initiative such as Feed the Future.

Just as the President said last week, “We can do this. We’re already doing it. We just need to bring it all together. We can unleash the change that reduces hunger and malnutrition. We can spark the kind of economic growth that lifts people and nations out of poverty.”

In a world where a child dies from hunger every six seconds, and a growing population requires more agriculture production than ever before, I am confident that the Peace Corps’ Feed the Future volunteers will be extraordinary ambassadors, working shoulder-to-shoulder with local people to ensure that children are fed for many years to come.

America Remembers

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:26:34 +0000

Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden address the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) National Military Survivor Seminar in Arlington, Virginia, May 25, 2012. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

My husband Joe and I spent the morning with some of our nation’s bravest heroes -- kids, spouses and parents who have lost loved ones who have served in the military.

We were honored to kick off the 18th annual Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) National Military Survivor Seminar and Good Grief Camp for Young Survivors. TAPS is a national nonprofit organization providing care to families of the fallen, including peer emotional support, grief and trauma resources and information, casualty casework assistance and crisis intervention, for all those affected by the death of a loved one who served in the military.

This weekend, TAPS will help children and families of fallen service members build relationships that will last a lifetime. They will bond over their shared experiences, support one another, learn ways to cope with their grief, and also have a little fun touring our Nation’s capital. The camp is really making a difference in the lives of the children who attend – many of whom come back year after year, and some go on to become counselors themselves. I met a teenager who lost his father when he was nine, and this weekend he is attending the camp for the fifth time. He is heading off to college in the fall, and I am certain he will continue to inspire and support people he meets throughout his life.

These families have endured so much – and yet they are pillars of strength that inspire us all. The months and years ahead will not be easy for them, and some days will be better than others. But they have one very important thing to help get them through – the military family. And as an Army mom, I know that means they will never be alone. It is my hope that on Memorial Day – and every day – these families will know that our entire Nation mourns alongside them, and that we will never forget their loved ones.

Dr. Jill Biden greets children at the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors (TAPS) National Military Survivor Seminar & Good Grief Camp for Young Survivors in Arlington, Virginia, May 25, 2012. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Weekly Wrap Up: President Obama Tweets to America

Fri, 25 May 2012 21:19:02 +0000

Click here to see the video.

Here's a quick glimpse at this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

An Affront to American Values: At the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security President Obama addressed how world hunger does not receive the attention it deserves from the global community, including our own nation. He mentions that, “When tens of thousands of children when tens of thousands of children die from the agony of starvation, as in Somalia, that sends us a message we’ve still got a lot of work to do. It’s unacceptable. It’s an outrage. It’s an affront to who we are."

G8 Summit: This past weekend the U.S. hosted leaders from the eight largest nation’s in terms of economy at Camp David in Chicago. At this summit, world leaders held conversations about world hunger, as well as on the priority of growth in jobs in the world economy.

The Final Chapters: President Obama participated in the International Security Assistance Force meeting on Afghanistan, with more than 60 countries where he reiterated that troubles in Afghanistan were not over, but that serious progress has been made towards solving issues with Al Qaeda.

Resilience in the face of Tragedy: Then President Obama made his way to Joplin, Missouri to attend the town’s high school graduation. This visit nearly coincided to the day with the one year anniversary of the tornado that devastated the town. President Obama remarked on how the spirit of Joplin was commendable, and a testament that the American people are in it together, even in the toughest of times.

The Future of Energy: President Obama’s last stop this week landed him in Newton, Iowa where TPI Composites manufactures wind turbine blades. Here he restated the importance of cleaner, renewable energy and pushed Congress to act on his To-Do-List. "If Congress doesn’t act, companies like this one will take a hit," he said. "Jobs will be lost. That’s not a guess, that’s a fact. We can’t let that happen." The President followed up this talk up with a session of live tweeting to people, answering thier questions in less than 140 characters.

More Than 2.3 million Records Released

Fri, 25 May 2012 19:00:00 +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 February 2012. Today’s release brings the total number of records made public by this White House to more than 2.3 million—all of which can be viewed in our Disclosures section.

Ed. note: For more information, check out Ethics.gov.

Putting Data to Work for Food Security

Fri, 25 May 2012 18:15:57 +0000

Kudos to USAID for launching a Food Security Open Data Challenge! This announcement kicks off an exciting few months, during which USAID will bring together technologists, food security experts, entrepreneurs, and others to work with key datasets and determine how they can support solutions to the most pressing issues in food security.

There is a lot of talk about data these days. Much of the conversation so far has focused on data availability, but new efforts like this one are focusing on data utilization. The Challenge aims to stimulate the creation of new applications, services, and insights by creative entrepreneurs to improve access to nutritious food for the nearly one billion people who go hungry around the world.

It’s surprising how many types of data can be relevant to agriculture. Already weather data from NASA satellites are being used in drought forecasting programs such as the Famine Early Warning Systems Network(FEWS NET) and SERVIR. We could do more with this data, and explore utilization of GIS, market, crop, nutrition, infrastructure, and other data to improve global food security.

Over the next few months, the Food Security Open Data Challenge will have three key components:

an Ideation Jam where technologists and agriculture stakeholders will identify key innovation opportunities by focusing on the overlap of food security priorities and the potential of available data;
a Codeathon to create and finalize solutions that are available for investment; and
a Datapalooza, hosted by USAID Administrator Raj Shah, to announce challenge winners and showcase some of the best ideas for data-based solutions to food security.

West Wing Week: 5/25/2012 or "We Are Not Meant to Walk This Road Alone"

Fri, 25 May 2012 17:30:36 +0000

This week, the President announced a major new initiative on food security, hosted the G8 and NATO summits, gave the commencement addresses in Joplin, Missouri and at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, and traveled to Iowa to urge Congress to act on the "To Do List," invest in clean energy, and extend the Production Tax Credit that has bipartisan support.

White House Office Hours: Joining Forces

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:42:32 +0000

Monday, May 28th is Memorial Day, when we honor and reflect upon the sacrifices of the men and women who have defended our nation. Memorial Day also marks an opportunity to find ways for all of us to support veterans and military families.

To discuss Joining Forces and opportunities to mobilize all sectors of society to give our service members and their families the support they have earned, we’ll be hosting a session of Office Hours on Tuesday, May 29th at 2:00 pm ET with Brad Cooper, a Navy captain and the executive director of Joining Forces. Have questions?

Here’s how White House Office Hours work:

Ask your questions now and during the live event on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat
Follow the Q&A live through the @JoiningForces Twitter account
If you miss the live session, the full session will be posted on WhiteHouse.gov and Storify.com/WhiteHouse

So, stop by for Office Hours at 2:00 p.m. ET on Tuesday, May 29th with Brad Cooper and be sure to follow @JoiningForces on Twitter for the latest news and more opportunities to engage.

Photo Gallery: Thirteen Presidents Mark Memorial Day

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:25:24 +0000

Click here to see the photo gallery.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day -- a time set aside to honor fallen soldiers of the Civil War by decorating their graves with flowers. The first Decoration Day was observed on May 30, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War. On that day, the largest known ceremony was held at Arlington National Cemetery, near Washington D.C..

Over time, people adopted the name Memorial Day, and ceremonies were held across the country to honor all U.S. soldiers who had died at war. On May 11, 1950, Congress issued a joint resolution requesting that the President proclaim a “Prayer for Peace” on each Memorial Day. In 1971, Congress declared Memorial Day a federal holiday to be held on the last Monday of every May.

This Memorial Day, we honor the men and women who have served our country. Here is a selection of Memorial Day photos and speeches from the holdings of the Presidential Libraries of the U.S. National Archives. For more information, visit: http://www.archives.gov/presidential-libraries/

View the full-size gallery

A Big Week for Joining Forces

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:20:19 +0000

Through Joining Forces, Americans continue to step up and respond to the First Lady and Dr. Biden's call to serve our troops and their families as well as they have served us.

Last week, the Department of the Interior joined forces with the First Lady and Dr. Biden to provide free access to more than 2,000 of America's parks to our troops and their families. Then on Monday of this week, Blue Star Families and the National Endowment for the Arts launched "Blue Star Museums" -- laying out the welcome mat for free access at more than 1,600 museums around the country for service members and military families.

Connecting veterans and military spouses with employment opportunities in the private sector has been a priority for the First Lady and Dr. Biden, and the effort is paying off. In the last year, more than 1,600 companies have hired more than 70,000 veterans and military spouses through Joining Forces.

Just last week, 34 more companies and organizations joined forces with the Military Spouse Employment Partnership (MSEP), a partnership of more than 130 companies committed to hire and retain military spouses. Since June of last year, MSEP companies have hired more than 22,000 military spouses.

And the momentum keeps building. Check out Joining Forces employment efforts in just the last three days:

Building Cybersecurity Capability in the Electricity Sector

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:19:59 +0000

Yesterday, in partnership with industry, we took a step forward in better understanding the capabilities of our power grid and how we can improve our ability to protect it against cybersecurity threats.

Deputy Secretary of Energy Dan Poneman, Deputy Secretary of Homeland Security Jane Lute and I hosted industry executives to conclude the Electricity Sector Cybersecurity Capability Maturity Model initiative that we launched in January. This White House initiative has shown encouraging results as a tool to evaluate and strengthen cybersecurity capabilities and enable utilities to prioritize their actions and their cybersecurity investments.

From the beginning of this initiative, our industry partners in this effort have been engaged at the executive level, which has made all the difference in how this effort helps raise awareness and institutionalizes processes within utilities and across the sector. I challenge all of the participants to continue the leadership you have demonstrated to continue strengthening cybersecurity capabilities.

The Dragon Spacecraft has Berthed with the International Space Station

Fri, 25 May 2012 16:09:48 +0000

Following today's historic berthing of the SpaceX Dragon spacecraft to the U.S. Harmony module of the International Space Station, John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, issued the following statement:

For the first time, a private American company has successfully launched a spacecraft into orbit and berthed it with the International Space Station—an achievement of historic scientific and technological significance and a key milepost in President Obama’s vision for America’s continued leadership in space.

That is exactly what the President had in mind when he laid out a fresh course for NASA to explore new scientific frontiers and take Americans ever deeper into our Solar System while relying on private-sector innovators—working in the competitive free market—to ferry astronauts and cargo to Low Earth Orbit and the International Space Station. It’s essential we maintain such competition and fully support this burgeoning and capable industry to get U.S. astronauts back on American launch vehicles as soon as possible.

I could not be prouder of our scientists and engineers—both government and private sector employees—who have contributed to this historic mission. A passion for discovery and a sense for adventure have always driven this Nation forward, and I join all Americans in watching what future possibilities are enabled by today’s great achievement.

President Obama Talks Clean Energy in Iowa

Fri, 25 May 2012 00:21:59 +0000

President Barack Obama delivers remarks urging Congress to act on the “To Do List” and highlighting the need to invest in clean energy by passing legislation, at TPI Composites Iowa’s wind turbine blade facility in Newton, Iowa, May 24, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

In Iowa this afternoon, President Obama continued to press lawmakers to take action on his To-Do List for Congress.

He traveled to Newton to push for the renewal of a tax credit for companies that produce clean energy. The credit currently supports as many as 37,000 jobs.

His host for the visit was TPI Composites -- a company that makes blades for wind turbines and employs more 700 people.

"If Congress doesn’t act, companies like this one will take a hit," he said. "Jobs will be lost. That’s not a guess, that’s a fact. We can’t let that happen."

Currently, 20 percent of all the electricity used in the Iowa is generated by wind power, and there are currently more wind power jobs in the state than in any other in America.

Overall, the United States generates enough electricity from wind to power 10 million homes. And there are 500 production facilities in 43 states putting people to work in that industry.

Later, he answered questions about the To-Do List on Twitter.

Hanging out with Small Business Administrator Karen Mills

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:56:51 +0000

Yesterday, SBA Administrator Karen Mills, and the four winners of the National Small Business Week Video Contest, participated in a Google+ Hangout moderated by Diana Ransom from Entrepreneur.com. Administrator Mills and the contest winners answered questions from Twitter submitted using the hashtag #WHHangout and discussed the various ways the SBA is helping small business owners, such as special services for veterans, export loans, and loans for acquisitions.

Additionally, the winners - KissTixx, Rodgers’ Banana Pudding Sauce, Rustic Crust, and The Fresh Diet - shared stories about the creation and expansion of their small businesses, and gave tips on how they created the winning video submissions.

Don’t miss the SBA video contest winners highlights reel and visit SBA.gov for more information about the video contest and how the SBA is supporting small business all across the country.

President Obama Talks #CongressToDoList on Twitter

Thu, 24 May 2012 22:48:17 +0000

Yes, President Obama was on Twitter today – taking your questions about his plan to create jobs and help the middle class.

Earlier, the President paid a visit to TPI Composites, a wind manufacturer in Newton, Iowa. At the plant, he called on Congress to act on a to-do list that’ll create jobs, specifically highlighting the need to invest in clean energy.

After the speech, the President answered some of your questions on Twitter. Check out the full Q&A below and learn more about clean energy tax credits and the other items on the to-do list here. To see more conversations like this one, check out some of our recent White House Twitter “Office Hours” at Storify.com/WhiteHouse.

From Job Seekers to Job Creators

Thu, 24 May 2012 18:36:23 +0000

In his 2012 State of the Union Address, President Obama stated his goal to turn the nation’s unemployment system into a reemployment system. One way we can do this is to leverage and foster the entrepreneurial spirit of the nation’s unemployed workers, helping those who have lost their job transition to creating jobs. Included in the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance legislation the President signed into law in February was a provision called Self-Employment Assistance, or SEA, that allows states to empower unemployed workers to start their own businesses.

The idea is simple: Some laid-off workers have the skills, experience, and entrepreneurial ambition to launch a successful business, but they are locked into an inflexible system. If they stop looking for traditional work full-time, they will lose their unemployment benefits. Instead, SEA allows an entrepreneur with a viable business plan to receive those same unemployment benefits, as long as they are working full-time to get a new company off the ground.

We know that this model works, because several states have already established successful programs over the past two decades. In multiple studies, SEA has been shown to increase the success of entrepreneurs, and increased their earnings from self-employment.

Take Rakia Reynolds, who in 2007 found herself laid off from her job as a TV producer in Philadelphia. She discovered that Pennsylvania would allow her to dedicate herself to the all-consuming process of starting a new business, while continuing to receive unemployment benefits for a limited time to support her family. She founded the public relations firm Skai Blue Media, and in just a few years hired six employees and established her company as a PR leader in Philadelphia.

Or take Adam Lowry and Michael Richardson, two software developers in Portland, Oregon whose employer went out of business in 2009. Self-employment assistance allowed them to pursue their entrepreneurial ambitions and launch Urban Airship, an innovative mobile advertising company that now employs 75 workers, and promises to keep on growing.

America is full of potential success stories like these. As part of the White House-led Startup America initiative to accelerate the success of job-creating entrepreneurs across the country, the President first proposed to expand SEA last September in the American Jobs Act. TIME called SEA “the most important (and overlooked) proposal” included in the American Jobs Act. SEA was one of several work-based reforms passed into law in February as part of the first major overhaul of the unemployment insurance system in decades.

Today, the Labor Department issued technical guidance to put the new law into practice, extending this opportunity to the long-term unemployed, connecting entrepreneurs with mentorship and business development resources through the Small Business Administration and local partners, and giving states the tools to get new SEA programs off the ground. The goal of this guidance, and of the legislation that generated it, is to give thousands more entrepreneurs the opportunity that Lowry, Richardson, and Reynolds had—to realize their dreams of self-employment, creating profits for themselves and jobs for others in the process.

Danielle Gray is Deputy Assistant to the President for Economic Policy. Tom Kalil is Deputy Director for Policy for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy and Senior Advisor for Science, Technology and Innovation for the National Economic Council.

A New Step Forward in Fighting Food Stamp Fraud

Thu, 24 May 2012 17:07:00 +0000

At USDA’s Food and Nutrition Service we are committed to keeping our vital nutrition assistance programs available to those who need them most. One way to do that is to ensure access. Another is to ensure integrity—Americans expect us to serve those in need, and they expect us to do so with accountability for the benefits provided.

That why today, as part of the Obama administration's ongoing Campaign to Cut Waste, we’ve announced a proposed rule that will provide States with additional tools to maintain integrity in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), also known as food stamps. The proposed rule will help States identify and prevent fraud by allowing them to request client contact when there are excessive Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card replacement requests by SNAP households. The rule also further clarifies the definition of what constitutes trafficking. These new tools are important because excessive card replacement requests by SNAP recipients may indicate that the client does not know how to use the card properly and needs additional help or training, or that fraudulent activity may be occurring that warrants further investigation by the State. To be clear, we expect most requests for replacement cards to be legitimate ones; however, it’s important that we take a closer look at those cases in which cards are replaced at an excessive rate.

Under our new policy, States can now hold off on replacing an EBT card until the household making the request makes contact with the State office and provides an explanation. The proposed rule provides States the option to require SNAP recipients to make contact with the state when there have been an excessive number of requests for card replacement in a year--a threshold defined by the State agency but no fewer than 4 requests, unless there is sufficient additional evidence of misuse. Previously, States did not have this authority.

In Case You Missed It: Broad Bipartisan Support to Extend the Production Tax Credit

Wed, 23 May 2012 20:54:20 +0000

Tomorrow the President will travel to TPI Composites in Newton, Iowa where he will highlight steps Congress can take right now to create American jobs, and support American companies and manufacturers – all while continuing to increase clean energy production here at home.

As part of his Congressional To-Do List, the President will call on Congress to pass legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit (PTC) – which provides an important tax credit to utility-scale wind producers in the United States – alongside an expansion of the 48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit that supports American-made clean energy manufacturing in towns and cities across the country. According to industry estimates, the wind industry supports nearly 20,000 direct jobs along with over 30,000 manufacturing jobs in its supply chain, and some in industry have estimated that without extending the PTC, as the President is calling for, up to 37,000 jobs could be lost.

President Obama Touts a New American Century to Air Force Grads

Wed, 23 May 2012 20:04:56 +0000

President Barack Obama salutes graduating cadets as they cross the stage at the United States Air Force Academy commencement ceremony at Falcon Stadium, USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 23, 2012. President Obama delivered the commencement address at the ceremony. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Four years ago, when President Obama made his first trip to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, the class of 2012 was just beginning their tenure as cadets.

Today, he returned to deliver their commencement address. Acknowledging the continued need for the leadership and service the new graduates will provide, President Obama said the next century will be an American one:

I see an American Century because of the character of our country -- the spirit that has always made us exceptional. That simple yet revolutionary idea -- there at our founding and in our hearts ever since -- that we have it in our power to make the world anew, to make the future what we will. It is that fundamental faith -- that American optimism -- which says no challenge is too great, no mission is too hard. It’s the spirit that guides your class: "Never falter, never fail."

Approximately, 1,000 cadets graduated today and will soon begin their commissions as second lieutenants. Before leaving Falcon Field the President shook each of their hands.

Read his full remarks here.

Graduates toss their hats as the Thunderbirds flyover during the United States Air Force Academy commencement ceremony at Falcon Stadium, USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 23, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Barack Obama participates in the United States Air Force Academy commencement ceremony at Falcon Stadium, USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, May 23, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

SBA Announces National Small Business Week Video Contest Winners

Wed, 23 May 2012 19:00:00 +0000

At the U.S. Small Business Administration, we have the great privilege to work with many amazing small business owners. Every day I see how small businesses are creating an economy built to last and living the American Dream. I wanted to share these great stories with everyone – so we asked small business owners to share their stories in a short video that demonstrates how their business benefited from the SBA and makes a difference in their local community.

The response to SBA's first video contest was incredible – we received over 100 submissions! It was a difficult process, but SBA selected four winners to participate in the Google + Hangout with me. Thanks to all contest participants for taking the time from your busy schedules to submit these outstanding videos. We look forward to highlighting all the videos on our website in the coming weeks.

Drum roll please…!

The winners of the 2012 National Small Business Week Video Contest:

KissTixx, Orem, Utah

Dallas Robinson and Mike Buonomo started KISSTIXX Lip Balm as a project in college. They created a high quality SPF lip balm that was packaged in two compatible flavors, one for you and one for your special someone. The two flavors would combine on contact creating a new flavor or experience when you kiss. They have flavors like Fire & Ice that heat and cool the lips, Raspberry & Lemonade and Strawberry Daiquiri & Pina Colada. As students they needed the help of the SBA to create product to meet the demand. The SBA stepped up and now KISSTIXX gets inquiries all over the world. They are currently negotiating deals with major retailers stateside and expanding the kissing experience into over 30 countries. They were even able to convince celebrity billionaire Mark Cuban to financially back their company.

Rodgers' Banana Pudding Sauce; Chesapeake, Virginia

Reggie Rodgers is the Managing Director of R.R. Enterprise - better known as Rodgers’ Banana Pudding Sauce, located in Chesapeake, VA. Reggie is a service-disabled veteran, serving 26 years with the Navy. In his first year of business, Reggie and his family worked with their local Small Business Development Center in Chesapeake to learn the nuts and bolts of operating a business. They are now in the process of applying for a Patriot Express Loan, after attending a military community workshop at an SBDC in Hampton, VA.

My First Job: Nancy-Ann DeParle

Wed, 23 May 2012 18:03:38 +0000

Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for young people in the summer of 2012. It's about helping people find their first jobs.

Today Nancy-Ann DeParle is an Assistant to the President and Deputy Chief of Staff at the White House. It's a big change from her very first summer job, working as a soda jerk in a drugstore in Rockwood, TN -- although Nancy-Ann says that too was "awesome." Check it out:

So far, employers have committed to providing more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.

You heard about Nancy-Ann's first job. Now go find yours.

Learn more

Watch Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education, talk about his first job
Watch Cecilia Munoz, Director of the White House's Domestic Policy Council, talk about her first job.
Watch Jimmy Fallon talk about his first job.
See the list of employers and organizations participating in Summer Jobs+
Check out a range of web and mobile apps designed to connect young people to jobs.

Everyone Can Find a Way to Honor our Service Members

Wed, 23 May 2012 17:00:00 +0000

This op-ed by Dr. Jill Biden was first published in The Hill

Over the past few years, I have been blessed with the opportunity to spend time with our veterans, troops and military families. With every visit, I come away inspired.

They are military spouses, who balance work, family and school — all while dealing with the emotions of a deployment. They are military children, who move from school to school while picking up extra chores while their dad or mom is away serving our country. They are survivors of our fallen, who are pillars of strength for their communities. And of course, they are our troops, veterans and wounded warriors, who have dedicated their lives to defending America.

This Memorial Day, we must remember that these heroes are found in every corner of our country, from big cities to rural areas, from base communities to small towns. But no matter where they are assigned or what their duties are, when our service members are called to serve, so too are their families.

That’s why one year ago, first lady Michelle Obama and I launched Joining Forces, an initiative to bring Americans together to recognize, honor and serve our nation’s veterans and military families. Joining Forces focuses on three key areas — employment, education and wellness — while raising awareness about the service, sacrifice and needs of our troops, veterans and their families.

When we first started thinking about this concept, we were pretty confident that Americans would answer the call. But the response we’ve seen in our first year has been simply overwhelming.

2010 Census: On-Time, Under-Budget, and Extremely Accurate

Wed, 23 May 2012 15:18:56 +0000

Ed note: this was originally posted on The Commerce Blog, the official blog of the US Department of Commerce

Yesterday's U.S. Census Bureau report shows that not only was the 2010 Census delivered on time and significantly under budget – but even more important, it was extremely accurate. I am proud of the extraordinary accomplishment by the Census Bureau and the Commerce Department in its success with the massive 2010 Decennial Census effort that gathered data vital to understanding our nation’s population and to allocating equal representation in our democratic system. The accuracy of the 2010 Decennial Census is particularly impressive considering outside predictions of failure. The Census was able to reverse a decades-long decline in survey response rates with its 2010 count.

The data released yesterday are from a post-enumeration survey of the 2010 Census called the Census Coverage Measurement (CCM) program, which measures the accuracy of the coverage of the nation’s household population (excluding the 8.0 million people in “group quarters,” such as nursing homes or college dorms). It surveys a sample of the 300.7 million people living in housing units and then matches the responses to the census, providing an estimate of exactly who was or wasn’t counted in the census. The results found that the 2010 Census had a very small net overcount–just 0.01 percent–which is statistically virtually the same as zero, and a significant improvement over the 0.49 percent overcount in 2000 and 1.61 percent undercount in 1990. You can learn more about how the Census Bureau conducts the CCM survey after the census to help measure its quality.

Roadmap for a Digital Government

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:35:59 +0000

When the Internet revolution arrived in the 1990s, the U.S. Government embraced this new medium to interact with the American people. Today, what started as basic information pages has evolved into sophisticated transactional systems that allow us to pay taxes online, download medical records, and so much more.

Like the 1990s, we are now in the midst of another important shift in how people consume and deliver information and services. In 2011, global smartphone shipments exceeded personal computer shipments for the first time in history, and more Americans will soon access the Internet via mobile devices than desktop PCs. The rise of mobile further compounds the challenge of providing high-quality digital services in a cost-effective and efficient manner.

That’s why President Obama issued a directive today to make important services accessible from your phone and charged me with developing a comprehensive strategy to build a 21st Century Digital Government that delivers better digital services to the American people.

Today marks the launch of that Digital Government Strategy (PDF / HTML5).

At its core, the strategy takes a coordinated, information- and customer-centric approach to changing how the government works and delivers services to the American people. Designing for openness from the start – making open data the default for government IT systems and embracing the use of web APIs – enables us to more easily deliver information and services through multiple channels, including mobile, and engage the public and America’s entrepreneurs as partners in building a better government.

Wanted: A Few Good Women and Men to Serve as Presidential Innovation Fellows

Wed, 23 May 2012 14:11:17 +0000

Today, we are very excited to be launching the new Presidential Innovation Fellows program. This new initiative will bring top innovators from outside government for focused “tours of duty” with our best federal innovators on game-changing projects. Combining the know-how of citizen change agents and government change agents in small, agile teams that move at high speed, these projects aim to deliver significant results within six months.

We are kicking off the program with five projects that seek to save taxpayers money, fuel job creation, and improve the return government is delivering to the American people:

The Open Data Initiatives Program: This program aims to stimulate a rising tide of entrepreneurship that uses data from governmental and non-governmental sources to create tools that can help Americans better navigate their world, such as by finding the right health care provider, identifying the college that provides the best value for their money, saving money on electricity bills through smarter energy shopping, keeping their families safe by knowing which products have been recalled, and much more. Building upon prior success stories in which entrepreneurial innovators built amazing products based on the release of weather, GPS, and health-related data, this program will speed and expand the release of government data and voluntarily-contributed private-sector data in machine-readable form in realms including health, education, energy, safety, the nonprofit sector, and personal finance. Through ideation workshops, codeathons, and “datapaloozas” that showcase the best innovations, the program will actively stimulate the creation of new apps and services by creative entrepreneurs– improving the lives of Americans in many tangible ways and creating jobs of the future at the same time.
Blue Button for America: This initiative will seek to expand nationwide adoption of Blue Button, a capability that enables consumers to securely download electronic copies of their own health information. It will create tools that make adoption and operation of Blue Button even easier by public-sector and private-sector organizations, and also stimulate the development of new apps and services by entrepreneurs that can help consumers use Blue Button data to improve their health and care.
MyGov: This project will reimagine the relationship between the Federal Government and citizens by rapidly prototyping a streamlined, intuitive online system that Americans can use to easily access the right information and services for them from across the U.S. Government and also provide feedback about their interactive experience.
RFP-EZ: This project will develop a process and a platform that makes it easier for the Federal Government to procure innovative technology solutions from small, high-growth companies. This will enable more startups to access the government marketplace, fueling job growth, and will also result in the adoption of lower-cost, higher-impact IT solutions by agencies, saving taxpayers money and improving results delivered.
The 20% Campaign: This USAID-led initiative seeks to create a system that enables US Government programs to seamlessly move away from making cash payments to support foreign policy, development assistance, government operations, or commercial activities and transition to using electronic payment mechanisms such as mobile devices, smart cards, and other methods. Moving from cash to electronic payment promises to reduce waste and administrative costs while simultaneously improving outcomes significantly.

An Ongoing Commitment, a Bright Future

Tue, 22 May 2012 22:09:43 +0000

Darla Armstrong is one 25 AmeriCorps members still serving in Joplin.

Darla Armstrong worked in the Joplin School District for 31 years, both as a teacher and administrator. But all that experience could not prepare her for the events of May 22, 2011.

She was home at the time the EF-5 tornado was expected to hit her neighborhood in the north side of Joplin, but it veered and went straight through the middle of town. Although her home was spared, Armstrong heard that students in the very community she taught had perished from injuries resulting from the tornado that destroyed Joplin High School and more than 7,500 other buildings.

Darla stepped into action amid the total chaos and started volunteering with the Joplin School District. Helping organize logistics at the distribution center set up at the middle school, Armstrong went out to find victims affected by the storm and assess their needs. Eventually, that work led her to begin a new career working with AmeriCorps VISTA and to help the students of Joplin recover.

With 54% of Joplin students affected by the tornado and many living in transitional housing, Darla works feverishly to match the needs of the students and their families with donations available to make life a little bit easier for the victims. To date, Darla Armstrong and her fellow Bright Futures AmeriCorps VISTAs have coordinated and distributed tens of thousands of dollars in donations of supplies, clothing, and other essential for Joplin students.

“The kids are the priority and their families—they don’t have clothes or transportation,” says Armstrong. “Bright Futures picked up the gap between the gap that can’t be met in the middle. So far, I have helped to organize, plan, and attend 9 Sunshine Squads, impacting approximately 550 staff members. "

Since the storm hit, AmeriCorps has had an ongoing presence in Joplin and a long-term commitment to the recovery efforts. In the year since, more than 350 AmeriCorps members from across the nation have served in Joplin. They have removed tons of debris, provided homeowner assistance and casework, operated donation and distribution warehouses, coordinated donations, and managed a large-scale volunteer operation that has coordinated more than 75,000 volunteers to provide more than 520,000 hours of disaster assistance to more than 2,200 Joplin households.

One year after the tornado, more than 25 AmeriCorps members just like Darla are still serving in Joplin, assisting with home building and repair, offering legal services to low-income families, managing volunteers and donations and homeowner requests through the AmeriCorps Recovery Center led by the AmeriCorps St. Louis Emergency Response Team.

Wendy Spencer is the CEO of the Corporation for National and Community Service.

Learn more

Read about the efforts to rebuild Joplin.
Watch President Obama's commencement address to the 2012 graduates of Joplin High School.

Ask an Entrepreneur: How Do Small Businesses Benefit from Federal Research Grants?

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:59:00 +0000

Ed note: In honor of Small Business Week, StartUp America is highlighting success stories and advice from American entrepreneurs

It is not always obvious what will come of a federal research grant. Would you expect that a federal research grant from the National Institutes of Health for “Image Slicing Spectrometer for High Resolution Sub-Cellular Microscopy” would eventually revolutionize oil rig and refinery safety? The researchers themselves could not have guessed how far their invention would go.

Two years ago, Robert Kester and I founded Rebellion Photonics around technology he and his colleagues at Rice University created with support from a federal grant for basic bioengineering research. Since then, we have created seven jobs, raised $1.1 million in venture funding, become cash flow positive, and created products that truly make the world a safer place.

At Rebellion Photonics, we produce video cameras that can identify and quantify chemicals -- essentially our video cameras “see” chemicals, not just colors. While this type of technology, called hyperspectral imaging, has been around since the 1980s, researchers were forced to wait minutes, even hours to see results. Our cameras take milliseconds, allowing the first true real-time chemical imaging video.

The technology was initially invented to see live chemical reactions within cells for medical research. We do sell cameras for researchers, but with the help of additional grant funding for basic R&D we have been able to expand our product range.

Rebellion Photonics CTO Robert Kester at work on the company's the medical imaging device, which uses hyperspectral imaging to identify and quantify chemicals.

Behind the Scenes: Burt Bacharach and Hal David Receive the Gershwin Prize

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:56:55 +0000

Last night, PBS broadcast "In Performance at the White House: Burt Bacharach & Hal David: The Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song," a tribute to one of America's most successful songwriting teams. Before the event took place earlier this month in the East Room, we spoke to some of the performers about what it was like to be a part of this celebration in the White House.

See more great performances at the White House

Number of the Day: 82 years

Tue, 22 May 2012 19:22:09 +0000

Of all the incredible stories to come out of the effort to rebuild Joplin, Missouri after the May 22, 2011 tornados, few are more powerful than that of the response from volunteers -- everyday people from all over the country and the world who poured into the community and returned again and again to help with the recovery.

In the year since the storm, more than 126,800 individuals put in some 755,300 hours of community service in the Joplin area. Their efforts in everything from clean-up and repairs to home construction represent more than 82 years of community service.

Learn more

Read about the efforts to rebuild Joplin.
Watch President Obama's commencement address to the 2012 graduates of Joplin High School.

My First Job: Andy Katz

Tue, 22 May 2012 18:09:47 +0000

Andy Katz, a sports reporter and analyst, got his first job at a sporting goods store, where he once sold a pair of hand weights to then-Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis. Katz said Gov. Dukakis used the weights as he walked to the state capitol in Boston.

So far, employers have listed more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.

You heard about Andy Katz’s first job. Now go find yours.

JudyCare: Focusing on Fighting Cancer, Without Fear of Lifetime Insurance Caps

Tue, 22 May 2012 17:45:33 +0000

Ed. note: This is cross-posted from HealthCare.gov

Judy Lamb from Colorado is an inspiration. Despite fighting breast cancer that has spread to her bones and liver and undergoing weekly chemotherapy, she has a positive outlook on life.

“I have three children, I’m married, and I cook dinner every night. It’s not really exciting, but it’s a wonderful life. I’m so glad I’m here, because without my treatments I wouldn’t be here,” she says.

She is able to maintain her positive attitude partly because the Affordable Care Act has removed a tremendous burden: the fear that her health plan would stop paying for her treatments.