Hi, all. Today's report features:
• Startup America: Administration officials at a kickoff event for Startup America, a national campaign to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country.
• Innovation and clean energy: The Obama Administration’s historic actions and ambitious goals to build the clean energy economy.
• White House press briefing: Mr. Gibbs takes questions, chiefly on the situation in Egypt.
• State roundup: Advice for U.S citizens in Egypt and their loved ones at home; Secretary Clinton on democracy in Haiti; the Secretary’s message for the International Year for People of African Descent.
• Justice roundup: Some of DOJ’s latest actions.
• DADT update: The Defense Department reports rapid progress on putting the DADT repeal into effect.
• Confronting the obesity epidemc: USDA and HHS release the2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans; making school meals healthier.
• STARTUP AMERICA •
White House, Jan. 31, 2011:
Startup America
National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, Council of Economics Advisers Chairman Austan Goolsbee, SBA Administrator Karen Mills and other Administration officials participate in a kickoff event for Startup America, a national campaign to promote high-growth entrepreneurship across the country.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 31, 2011:
White House to Launch "Startup America" Initiative
Administration and Private Sector Campaigns will promote entrepreneurship and innovation
In his State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a plan for winning the future by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building the rest of the world. This week, the White House will hold a number of events to focus on innovation, and how we can create the jobs and industries of the future by investing in the creativity and imagination of the American people.
(Monday), the White House (launched)"Startup America," a national campaign to help America achieve these goals by promoting high-growth entrepreneurship across the country with new initiatives to help encourage private sector investment in job-creating startups and small firms, accelerate research, and address barriers to success for entrepreneurs and small businesses.
President Obama said, "Entrepreneurs embody the promise of America: the belief that if you have a good idea and are willing to work hard and see it through, you can succeed in this country. And in fulfilling this promise, entrepreneurs also play a critical role in expanding our economy and creating jobs. That’s why we're launching Startup America, a national campaign to help win the future by knocking down barriers in the path of men and women in every corner of this country hoping to take a chance, follow a dream, and start a business."
... on Monday at the White House, Gary Locke, Secretary of the Department of Commerce; Dr. Steven Chu, Secretary of the Department of Energy; Karen Mills, Administrator of the Small Business Administration; Gene Sperling, Director of the National Economic Council; Austan Goolsbee, Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, and a number of America’s top entrepreneurs and business leaders (held) an event to launch the program.
President Obama continued, "Startup America also represents a historic partnership with business leaders, investors, universities, foundations, and non-profits, and we're urging others to join them in this effort. For entrepreneurs speak to what's best about America, and in their drive and innovative spirit -- in their willingness to take a risk on a bold idea -- we can see the future. We can see how America will compete and win in the 21st century global economy."
Answering the President’s call to action to invest in job-creating startups, leaders in the private sector will launch the "Startup America Partnership," an independent and private-sector led campaign to mobilize private sector commitments. Steve Case, co-founder of AOL and Chairman of the Case Foundation, will chair the Partnership, and Carl Schramm, President and CEO of the Kauffman Foundation will be a founding board member. Case and Schramm, along with entrepreneurs from across the country, will join administration officials at the event.
As a part of the White House’s "Startup America" initiative, the administration will announce new initiatives and incentives to encourage the private sector to invest in new startups:
• The President’s new budget will propose making permanent the elimination of capital gains taxes on key investments in small businesses, which was passed as a temporary provision in 2010 as part of the Small Business Jobs Act the President signed in September. The budget will also propose expanding the New Markets Tax Credit to encourage private sector investment in startups and small businesses operating in lower-income communities.
• The Small Business Administration (SBA) will direct $2 billion in existing guarantee authority over the next 5 years to match private sector investment funding for startups and small firms in underserved communities, as well as seed and early-stage investing in firms with high growth potential, through its Small Business Investment Company (SBIC) program.
• Together SBA and the Department of Energy will boost high-quality mentorship for cleantech startups, while the Veterans Administration is launching new training programs for Veterans who want to start new businesses.
• The Department of Commerce will expand the i6 Challenge to help foster the commercialization of clean technologies, and are finalizing a plan to allow entrepreneurs to request faster review of their patents, an initiative that should lower patent pendency times overall and speed the deployment of new ideas to the marketplace.
Some examples of the private sector and philanthropic commitments that will be announced alongside the launch of the "Startup America Partnership," the private sector initiative, are below:
• Expand startup accelerators that provide seed funding and intensive mentorship, allowing the Astia network to serve twice as many women entrepreneurs, the MassChallenge competition to extend its national reach from Boston’s Innovation District, and the new TechStars Network to boost the success rate of 6,000 entrepreneurs in 15 regions, including Miami, Seattle, Pittsburgh, Dallas, Cincinnati, Salt Lake City, Nashville, and New Orleans.
• Scale up programs that prepare K-12 and college students to start their own companies, such as the Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship, Blackstone LaunchPad, Junior Achievement, National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, the Virtual Incubation Network for America’s Community Colleges, and the Artists & Instigators Practicum.
• Increase corporate investment and support for startups from companies such as Intel, HP, IBM, Facebook, and others.
• Foster innovation and entrepreneurship in states and regions such as Ohio, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, and New Orleans, building on the success of models such as JumpStart America and the Deshpande Foundation’s innovation centers.
A full fact sheet is available HERE.
• INNOVATION AND CLEAN ENERGY •
The White House Blog, Jan. 31, 2011
Keeping America Competitive: Innovation and Clean Energy
Posted by Heather Zichal, Deputy Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change
One of the key challenges we face today is ensuring that America stays economically competitive with countries across the globe, so that the jobs and industries of the future are created here in the United States. Fortunately, we know how to win this race; we know what this moment requires. And in his State of the Union address last week, the President laid out his vision for winning the future – a vision that emphasized the role of innovation.
For generations, American creativity, imagination, and hard work has fostered broad prosperity and made our nation’s economy the largest in the world. Now, we must summon that same spirit of ingenuity, not only to create new jobs and industries, but to strengthen our security and to protect public health and our environment. That is why President Obama is committed to building a new clean energy economy here at home – because the nation that harnesses the power of clean, renewable energy will be the nation that leads the 21st century.
Already, the Administration has taken historic action to promote a clean energy economy. The Recovery Act included a $90 billion investment in clean energy, which has already created nearly 225,000 clean energy jobs and is putting the United States on pace to double renewable energy generation by 2012. Over the last year alone, the Department of Interior green-lighted the first nine commercial-scale solar energy projects for construction on public lands, including the largest solar power plants in the world. We have also helped break our dependence on oil by investing in biofuels and developing aggressive new fuel-economy standards for cars and trucks, which will save 1.8 billion barrels of oil.
To build on this progress, the President introduced a number of ambitious but achievable proposals his State of the Union address – proposals that will transform America’s energy future through innovation:
• Doubling the share of clean electricity in 25 years: Achieving this goal of generating 80% of the nation’s electricity from clean energy sources by 2035 will position the United States as a global leader in developing and manufacturing cutting-edge clean energy technologies. To give utilities the flexibility to generate clean energy in a way that makes the most sense, all clean sources – including renewables, nuclear power, efficient natural gas, and coal with carbon capture and sequestration – would count toward the goal. This will ensure continued growth in the renewable energy sector, building on the progress made in recent years. And it will spur innovation and investment in our nation’s energy infrastructure, catalyzing economic growth and creating American jobs.
• Put 1 million advanced technology vehicles on the road by 2015: To reach this ambitious goal, which would reduce our dependence on foreign oil and save 750 million barrels of oil through 2030, the President is proposing new efforts to support electric vehicle manufacturing and deployment in the United States. Rebates will make existing electric vehicles more affordable for American consumers, competitive grant programs will encourage communities across the U.S. to develop infrastructure needed to support advanced vehicles, and new investments in research and development will ensure that the world’s most reliable and affordable advanced technology vehicles are made in America.
• Establishing the United States as the leader in clean energy innovation: The President’s Budget will propose over $8 billion for research, development, and deployment investments in clean energy technology programs. This represents a one-third increase in funding, which will be paid for in part with resources that we now spend on subsidizing fossil fuels. Our clean energy R&D priorities will focus on developing cutting-edge technologies with real-world applications to advance a clean energy economy, increasing industrial and manufacturing efficiency, reducing energy demand in buildings, and reaching our goal of having 1 million advanced technology vehicles on the road by 2015.
We’re at a critical juncture in our history – it’s something that the President has described as our Sputnik moment. It’s a moment to work together to do what Americans do best: using the skills, talents, and energies of our people to meet the challenges of our time and build a better future for ourselves and for the next generation. In the coming week, you’ll hear more from President Obama on this topic as he spotlights innovators across America who are developing advanced technologies to create jobs and opportunities in new industries of the future.
• WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING •
White House, Jan. 31, 2011:
1/31/11: White House Press Briefing
White House Press Briefings are conducted most weekdays from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the West Wing.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 31, 2011:
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 1/31/2011
.... Q: Thanks, Robert. Two questions on Egypt. Since the crisis began, a couple of the central questions have been whether President Mubarak should stay in power, and if so, whether he has the capacity to put in place these reforms the people of Egypt want and the White House wants. Can you explain why on those two fronts the White House is not taking a position?
MR. GIBBS: Well, Ben, it is not up to us to determine when the grievances of the Egyptian people have been met by the Egyptian government. We have said all along that there are, as I mentioned, legitimate concerns and grievances had by the Egyptian people for a long time -- the need for freedom to associate, freedom to communicate over the Internet, freedom to assemble, the freedom of speech -- and that those must be addressed in a substantive way by the Egyptian government
But we're not picking between those on the street and those in the government. As the Secretary of State said yesterday, we're for and have enumerated our concern for the people of Egypt....
I think you heard yesterday very clearly the Secretary of State say there must be an orderly transition, that a whole range of issues -- some of which I just talked about -- have to be addressed, that there has to be meaningful negotiations with a broad cross-section of the Egyptian people including opposition groups that go to answering the very core of the freedoms that people desire.
We've talked about those and you’ve heard the President speak in Cairo about them. Free and fair elections in September for the presidency and for the parliament, constitutional changes that facilitate a more open and more democratic process -- these are some of the things that I know we've spoken directly with the Egyptians about.
.... the United States government does not determine who’s on the ballot. The question is whether or not those elections are going to be free and fair. That's what we would weigh in on and weigh in on strongly.
Q: And of all these changes that you talked about that the U.S. government wants, can you give us some more detail perhaps from over the weekend or today about what the government is doing to help make it happen, as opposed to just calling for it?
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I'm going to let you report on that. I will say this. As you, I think, know, the President was briefed on the very latest, including readouts, from our embassy and from our ambassador yesterday. Our National Security Advisor held a call with some principals this morning. The President was briefed on the latest developments as a part of, quite frankly, as most of his daily intelligence briefing. The deputies committee -- there's now sort of a standing morning meeting on the situation that was had later this morning, and the President is receiving updates regularly out of that.
This is not about appointments; this is about actions. That's what, I think, people here and people around the world need to see from the Egyptian government.
.... an orderly transition has to include a process of negotiations with a broad cross-section of the Egyptian people, including those that are in the political opposition at the moment....
They have to address the freedoms that the people of Egypt seek. And as I said a minute ago, many of the things that we’ve outlined over the course of the past many days have to be included -- again, free and fair elections; we’ve talked about the emergency law; again, changes in the constitution that facilitate a more open and democratic process -- all of those things are what must happen in the country in order to transition to something that is more democratic....
There’s obviously a number of calls and contacts that happen between our government and counterparts in the Egyptian government. We are thus far pleased at the restraint that has taken place and encouraged that, even as we see reports of increased participation tomorrow by protesters, that calm and nonviolence once again carry the day on both sides.
So, again, it’s our belief that, first and foremost, this has to be something that's conducted with -- through nonviolence....
Q: Has anybody in the administration been in contact with Mohamed ElBaradei?
MR. GIBBS: Obviously, the embassy has been in touch with him in the past. I think he is somebody, along with a whole host of people in -- non-governmental voices in -- whether they’re opposition political parties or whether they’re heads of business or banks that we are regularly in touch with. I believe that they will continue to reach out to people like him, and to a whole host of figures -- again, non-governmental and civil society figures to have a discussion with them about what Egypt must do and what Egypt must look like....
Q: Orderly transition means change. So by using those words is the administration not admitting that President Mubarak should leave?
MR. GIBBS: Again, Dan, that is -- I do believe orderly transition means change, and what we’ve advocated from the very beginning is that the way Egypt looks and operates must change. That’s why we believe we should increase the amount of freedom that is had by the Egyptian people on association, on assembly, on speech, on Internet and open communication. But that’s not for us to determine what the parameters and what the limits of those are. But undoubtedly, transition in this case means change. There’s no doubt about that.
Q: If he’s the leader, though, are you not saying that he should be changed or removed from office by saying that?
MR. GIBBS: No. Again, Dan, that is not for our country or our government to determine. I don't think that people that seek greater freedom are looking for somebody else to pick what and how that change looks like. That is, quite frankly -- that doesn’t adhere in any way to an open, democratic process that allows for a full discussion and negotiation about what that freedom looks like. Freedom of -- many of the freedoms I just talked about -- the greater economic opportunity, greater economic freedoms -- that's not for us to determine.
Q: The White House has really been ramping up its focus on innovation and jobs. There was a big event today as well. Does what is happening in Egypt distract at all from that push?
MR. GIBBS: No, not at all. Weather permitting, the President is planning to go later this week to Pennsylvania and continue our push on innovation. We will continue to work through all of that. I don't -- events happen that any administration and any government have to respond to, but at the same time, much as we dealt with over the previous two years, you have to deal with many things happening at once. And that's what this administration continues to do.
Q: One final question. The President obviously is getting a lot of updates from his national security team, but is he also bringing in outside advisors to help him --
MR. GIBBS: The National Security Council has regular outreach to experts around the country. I know they had some folks in here earlier today to talk about Egypt as a part of that regular process. And I don't doubt that, again, at many levels of our government we are talking to many people with insights into Egypt....
Q: Right. But my question is, are you categorically saying that at no time will the President ever say it’s time for (Mubarak) to go?
MR. GIBBS: Look, Chip, I’m not going to stand up here and look that far into the future.
Q: But it may -- it may not be maybe a few days in the future. It sounds like you’re leaving a door open to the possibility of something --
MR. GIBBS: No, I appreciate the game we’re playing. I’d rather you not put words in my mouth in either of the three questions that get asked....
Q: Without predicting whether you’ll have to, do you feel that the U.S. could work with the Muslim Brotherhood?
MR. GIBBS: Again, I think it’s important, Wendell, that the government of -- we do not have contact with them. And we have, as we have throughout the world, standards for that contact. And those are as I dictated a minute ago. And that is adherence to the law, adherence to non-violence, and a willingness to be part of a democratic process, but not use that democratic process to simply instill yourself into power....
Q: Can you give us some idea of the level of contact between the President’s deputies and their counterparts in Egypt? We know Admiral Mullen has had talks with his counterpart, and the Secretary of State I believe as well.
MR. GIBBS: Again, I think throughout the ranks of the military and over at the Pentagon, obviously between the Secretary of State and the Foreign Ministry. Our ambassador, Margaret Scobey, who we get updates from in his regular meetings about the security situation on the ground. She is obviously in contact with a whole host of entities inside of Egypt.
Obviously, one of our big focuses right now is on authorized departure -- on getting non-essential embassy personnel, their families and others who wish to leave the country on any number of planes that are in Cairo and boarding. Earlier this morning, two of those planes had left, intended for Greece and Turkey. That continues, despite government curfews. We have clearance to get personnel onto those planes and to their destinations, regardless of that curfew.
Q: Only two planes flew out so far today?
MR. GIBBS: Let me be sure. That was as of 11:15 a.m. this morning. I think between six and seven of those planes were on the ground. As soon as they are loaded, they’ll lift off....
Q: Is there -- I was just going to say, is there a reason -- has there been no contact made with the King of Jordan or -- is that why he wasn’t included on the readout, or --
MR. GIBBS: Some of these contacts we’ve discussed and some of these we haven’t.
Q: Speaking of his contacts, the Saudi government put out a readout of the President’s phone conversation with the King. And let me read from it directly: "The tragic events taking place currently in Egypt, which have been accompanied by chaos, looting, intimidation of innocents, exploitation of freedom and expression, and attempts to ignite the flames of chaos to achieve their suspicious goals, which are not approved by Saudi, U.S. sides." Is that a fair characterization of the phone call?
MR. GIBBS: I think each of the readouts are put out based on what each government says on their end of the phone. I think our readout --
Q: Well, if they’re speaking -- they seem to be speaking for -- they said that the U.S. government seemed to agree with them.
MR. GIBBS: I speak for the U.S. government, Chuck, not anybody --
Q: I understand. So they are wrong?
MR. GIBBS: -- not anybody in Riyadh.
Q: Meaning the Saudi government put out an incorrect readout?
MR. GIBBS: Meaning you should read our readout if you’d like to know what we said on our end of the phone call....
Q: Robert, can you assure us that any private back-channel messages to Mubarak or the Egyptian government are the same as what you’re saying publicly?
MR. GIBBS: Yes. Yes, without getting into what a private back channel might look like. That would make it less private. Yes. No, our messaging -- I don’t think the message would be quite clear or have a lot of impact if what I said up here transmitted to people throughout the region was different than what people heard in the region....
Q: In any of these conversations, any of these briefings that you’re talking about, how much has the price of oil crept into it....
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, we -- there are folks obviously in the NEC that are monitoring any impact that uncertainty or unrest has throughout financial markets. We have thus far, to my knowledge, not seen disruptions in, for instance in the Suez, which obviously is tremendously important to the movement of goods around the Cape of Good Horn.
Egypt is not an oil exporter, which shouldn’t greatly impact that -- we obviously are monitoring, again, the unrest and the uncertainty to see what impacts that might cause.
Q: And that's true for both financial markets and the broader economic recovery?
MR. GIBBS: I would say financial markets, commodity markets, the whole host of things....
Q: Hey, Robert. Your message is -- messaging has obviously been done very carefully....
MR. GIBBS: Yes, I don’t -- I’ll do this answer slowly so as to -- no. (Laughter.) I think -- obviously we understand that this is a volatile region of the world; that it is -- that we have eQ: uities, again, in a strong partnership with Egypt and the Egyptian people as they have been a steadying force for peace in the region. I think that’s -- we’ve seen that since the Camp David Accords, and again, that’s been a cornerstone for stability in the region since that time.
Obviously it’s a volatile time. Things and events are moving quickly. And it’s always important that our words not contributed to the -- contribute to greater volatility.
In terms of -- I don’t think that -- as I said earlier, the President’s schedule has not changed as a result of what is happening. Obviously he continues to be kept up to date throughout the process. Our travel hasn’t changed for later in the week in terms of talking about the issue that Americans have foremost on their mind, and that is the state of the economy. We'll continue to do that....
Q: Let me ask, as well, it’s been reported that your successor, the new press secretary will report to the communications director. Will there be a change in the way your -- the press operation here works? Will the new press secretary be reporting to a communications director, not access directly to the President?
MR. GIBBS: Well, the modeling that we set up when we came in was, quite honestly, set up a bit like the previous administration’s in some ways. There was a separate -- in some different branches of the Bush administration, there was a communications operation that the press office was within, and sometimes when it was a separate office.
Dan can stick his head out of his door and I can hear it pretty clearly in my office, and vice versa. So I wouldn’t -- I don't think anybody has to worry that the operation of -- the press operation will act differently simply by combining the efforts of press and communication, largely because quite honestly, I think if you looked at it -- and Dan and others and I have discussed this -- there’s a myriad of roles that are very duplicative.
I mean, for instance, we have assistant press secretaries that have split up a series of issues that you all interact with them. If it’s a homeland security issue, you deal with Nick. If there’s an economic issue, you deal with Amy. There’s a separate group of people in communications that works at the EEOB that they’re regional -- basically they’re regional desks. They have the country split up, but they're answering many of the same questions. So I don't think you have to fear that things are going to act differently with Jay up here....
Q: And a slightly separate question -- very different question about the ambassador to China, Jon Huntsman....
MR. GIBBS: Ambassador Huntsman has told a number -- told several people inside this building that he plans to leave in the first part of -- during the first part of this year. When the President picked him in 2009, it was because we believed, and continue to believe, he brings a broad range of experience to an extremely important ambassadorial post with one of our most important relationships in the world. The President continues to believe that.
I’ve seen reporting on this today, and I think it’s -- I want to be clear on this from up here. I’ve talked to several people in the building, and I have not heard anybody say they know what the future holds for Ambassador Huntsman, except to say, as I said earlier, that he will leave sometime in the first part of the year.
The President, and I think the American people, expect that somebody that holds the post of ambassador from the United States to China would dedicate their full energy and time to that position. And we believe that Ambassador Huntsman believes that as well.
Q: Has the White House been preparing to find a replacement for him since --
MR. GIBBS: I think it’s safe to assume that when he started telling people in the building that he’d step down, that that’s a process that has begun, yes....
Q: Thanks, Robert. What would you say to the Egyptian demonstrators watching you now and they infer a subtle support for Mubarak to stay in office and they respond to the steps you mention, and they would say we’ve given Mubarak 30 years and they just -- they don’t trust him to meet those reforms?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think first and foremost what I would say to anybody watching is that the United States and the Obama administration are fully supportive of your universal rights. And look, this country was founded on the principle of grievances with government and having -- setting about a constitution that addresses a process for those grievances to be heard. We believe that that has to happen in this instance, as well. And it is not for anybody in this government or anybody at this podium to determine how or when those grievances have been met.
As I said earlier, I don’t think anybody listening in Cairo or anywhere else in Egypt wants somebody in this country determining what’s the definition in Egypt for freedom of assembly. I don’t think anybody in this country would want that from Egypt, and I don’t think anybody in Egypt wants that from this country.
What we want is a meaningful dialogue to happen that results in significant democratic changes. When those changes and when those grievances -- when those grievances have been met through those changes, then we’ll know that from the people of Egypt.
Q: Robert, who do you expect to be at the table there....
MR. GIBBS: This has to be determined by the people in Egypt. But, again, if we determine who sits at that table, we by definition are making decisions about the extent to which freedom looks like in that country....
.... let’s be clear, let’s be clear. And I think the Secretary of State was clear on a number of these things over the weekend. It’s been the position of this government through Democratic and Republican administrations that greater freedoms, greater democratic reforms, greater adherence to human rights needed to be part of what Egypt looked like.
We have, as a government, Democrat and Republican, advocated for the position of a vice president for the length of President Mubarak’s term because up until Saturday, for that 31 years, there never had been. We spoke out in I think September of this year as the emergency law was again extended, something that's been several decades -- has been in place for several decades -- that we believed, Democratic and Republican administrations believed that that provided the government with extra judicial powers that were unnecessary.
So those are in accordance with the values that we hold, and the universal rights of the people of Egypt that we support. But it is not, again, for us to delineate that the only thing that has to happen is X, Y and Z. Again, that's not a -- I think that is important that we not make that determination on behalf of people halfway across the world....
Q: The Vice President appointed by Hosni Mubarak, Omar Suleiman, presided over -- presides over the intelligence apparatus in Egypt that has had a reputation for torturing people, but also has had a reputation for being a close intelligence ally of the U.S., may have helped, indeed, the U.S. with rendering suspects during that last administration, though not now....
MR. GIBBS: Mark, I know obviously as you mentioned it is the position of our government not to torture. It is our strong belief that that goes against many of the universal rights that we’ve discussed. I do not know the level, again, of granularity that has taken place in the discussions that have happened at different levels of government since Vice President Suleiman was sworn in. Again, I can just speak again broadly to those universal rights and what they must look like....
Q: Thanks, Robert. Mayor Michael Bloomberg has sent undercover investigators from New York into Arizona where they were .... legally allowed to buy semiautomatic pistols. This morning he said there was a "dangerous gap" in federal gun laws. What is this administration doing about that gap? And what is the reaction to the fact that investigators were allowed to legally buy semiautomatic pistols?
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I think it has been -- I have not seen the reports, Sam, and I will have somebody go pull that. But obviously, we are -- we believe that there are reasons that federal laws are on the books, and the need to strongly adhere to and follow existing law is important not just in the purchase of weapons but throughout our civil life.
Thanks, guys.
• STATE ROUNDUP •
Department of State, Jan. 31, 2011:
Assistant Secretary Jacobs Provides an Update on Ensuring the Safety of U.S. Citizens in Egypt
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Janice Jacobs provides an update on actions the State Department is taking to ensure the welfare of U.S. citizens in Egypt, on January 31, 2011, in Washington, D.C. U.S. citizens in Egypt who require assistance, or those who are concerned that their U.S. citizen loved one in Egypt may require assistance, should contact the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Embassy in Cairo at 1-202-501-4444. Go to for the latest information on the situation in Egypt.
Department of State, Jan. 31, 2011:
Secretary Clinton Visits Embassy Port-au-Prince and Cholera Treatment Center
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton expresses her appreciation to U.S. Embassy Port-au-Prince staff and visits a USAID cholera treatment center in Haiti on January 30, 2011.
Department of State, Jan. 31, 2011:
Secretary Clinton’s Interview With Rothchild Francois Jr. of RFM
QUESTION: Mrs. Clinton, I’m very glad to have you as a – to have an interview with you today it’s a very important day for Haiti. So what is the purpose of your mission in Haiti?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I’m here just a little over a year from the earthquake to express our continuing support for the Haitian people, for reconstruction and redevelopment, for humanitarian assistance, and to show solidarity with the Haitian people as we go forward into the future.
I’m also here to urge that the voices and the votes of the Haitian people be heard and respected. I know that Haiti is on the brink of moving forward in the electoral process, and we support the OAS recommendations. We would like to see Haiti resolve their election and install a new president so that we can begin the hard work that still lies ahead.
QUESTION: Mrs. Clinton, regarding the reconstruction, how do you see the situation in Haiti? We got, like, more than one million people still living in the tents. So how do you judge the situation one year later?
SECRETARY CLINTON: I think that there has been progress, but not nearly enough. We have an enormous amount of work to do together. And although everyone is working, I think we know that it’s not just rebuilding structures. We want to do better. We want to have a better education system and healthcare system. We want more economic opportunity.
My husband and I feel very personally committed to Haiti. President Obama is very committed to Haiti. So we want to take what has already been done and make it a model, not just for Haiti’s future but for the world.
For example, if I could give you just one statistic, in a year, more rubble has been removed from Haiti than was removed after the tsunami in Indonesia. It is hard when you’re living in the midst of a tent city, when your home has been destroyed and your children are still not regularly going to school, or when the job you had has not come back, to have any perspective. I understand that. So we are here to reassert our commitment. We are impatient; we are determined to work with the people of Haiti to accelerate the progress.
QUESTION: Regarding the political (inaudible) in Haiti right now, you just have a meeting with Michel Martelly, Mrs. Manigat and Jude Celestin. So what kind of message do you send to these leaders in Haiti?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Our message is very simple: We support the votes of the Haitian people and believe they should be respected. We support the OAS recommendations, which reflect the best analysis possible about the intentions of the Haitian people when they voted. But the decision is up to the government and people of Haiti. We would like to see the election go forward into a second round and a resolution so that there can be an orderly transfer of authority and a new president can get to work.
QUESTION: When?
SECRETARY CLINTON: As soon as it can be done. I know that these matters take time. And I met with a group of civil society experts, including election experts, and they’re concerned about making sure that in the next round there are enough observers, there’s enough information for voters so they know where to go to cast their vote.
We will work to help that be accomplished, but the important task now is to set out the schedule and make sure that we hold a free and fair second round.
QUESTION: For the end, Mrs. Clinton, do you have a message for the Haitian population? It’s been waiting a long time for development, democracy, and (inaudible) in Haiti. So do you have a message for Haitian population?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes. I think that the people of Haiti have proven themselves over the course of your history as courageous, resilient, determined people against great odds. Do not give up. Democracy is worth investing in. It must deliver results for the people, and the United States will stand with you. We know how hard this is, and we admire your courage.
QUESTION: Once again, thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much.
Department of State, Jan. 31, 2011:
Message for the International Year for People of African Descent
Message by Secretary Clinton for the International Year for People of African Descent.
From UNESCO: On 18 December 2009, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed the year beginning on 1 January 2011 the International Year for People of African Descent. The Year aims at strengthening national actions and regional and international cooperation for the benefit of people of African descent in relation to their full enjoyment of economic, cultural, social, civil and political rights, their participation and integration in all political, economic, social and cultural aspects of society, and the promotion of a greater knowledge of and respect for their diverse heritage and culture.
The General Assembly encourages Member States, the specialized agencies of the United Nations system, within their respective mandates and existing resources, and civil society to make preparations for and identify possible initiatives that can contribute to the success of the Year.
• JUSTICE ROUNDUP •
Department of Justice, Jan. 31, 2011:
Third Man Pleads Guilty to Federal Hate Crime Charge Related to Desecration of Synagogue and Churches in Modesto, California
Andrew Kerber, 22, of Chico, Calif., pleaded guilty today before U.S. District Judge Lawrence J. O’Neill in Fresno, Calif., to violating the civil rights of congregants of Congregation Beth Shalom, a synagogue in Modesto, Calif.
Justice Department Reaches Americans with Disabilities Act Settlement with H&R Block
The Justice Department today announced a comprehensive settlement agreement under the Americans with Disabilities Act with HRB Tax Group Inc., H&R Block Tax Services LLC and HRB Advance LLC (H&R Block) to ensure effective communication with individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing in the provision of income tax preparation services and courses at more than 11,000 owned and franchised offices nationwide.
Justice Department Sues Cincinnati Landlord for Sexual Harassment
The Justice Department today filed a lawsuit against Cincinnati landlord Henry E. Bailey alleging that Bailey sexually harassed female tenants at residential properties he has owned and managed in the Cincinnati metropolitan area.
Maxwell Technologies Inc. Resolves Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Investigation and Agrees to Pay $8 Million Criminal Penalty
Maxwell Technologies Inc. has agreed to pay an $8 million criminal penalty to resolve charges related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) for bribing Chinese government officials to secure sales of Maxwell’s products to state-owned manufacturers of electric-utility infrastructure in several Chinese provinces.
Oracle America to Pay United States $46 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations Against Sun Microsystems
Oracle America Inc. has agreed to pay the United States $46 million to settle claims that Sun Microsystems Inc., a corporation that merged with Oracle in 2010, submitted false claims and caused others to submit false claims to the General Services Administration and other federal agencies.
• DADT UPDATE •
Department of Defense, Jan. 31, 2011:
Don't Ask, Don't Tell Update
According to Senior Defense Department Officials, the plan to end the ban on gay men and women serving openly in the military is progressing quickly.
• CONFRONTING THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC •
Department of Agriculture, Jan. 31, 2011:
USDA and HHS Announce New Dietary Guidelines to Help Americans Make Healthier Food Choices and Confront Obesity Epidemic
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Listen to the Conference Audio
Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Kathleen Sebelius today announced the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, the federal government's evidence-based nutritional guidance to promote health, reduce the risk of chronic diseases, and reduce the prevalence of overweight and obesity through improved nutrition and physical activity.
Because more than one-third of children and more than two-thirds of adults in the United States are overweight or obese, the 7th edition of Dietary Guidelines for Americans places stronger emphasis on reducing calorie consumption and increasing physical activity.
"The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are being released at a time when the majority of adults and one in three children is overweight or obese and this is a crisis that we can no longer ignore," said Secretary Vilsack. "These new and improved dietary recommendations give individuals the information to make thoughtful choices of healthier foods in the right portions and to complement those choices with physical activity. The bottom line is that most Americans need to trim our waistlines to reduce the risk of developing diet-related chronic disease. Improving our eating habits is not only good for every individual and family, but also for our country."
The new 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans focus on balancing calories with physical activity, and encourage Americans to consume more healthy foods like vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free and low-fat dairy products, and seafood, and to consume less sodium, saturated and trans fats, added sugars, and refined grains.
"Helping Americans incorporate these guidelines into their everyday lives is important to improving the overall health of the American people," said HHS Secretary Sebelius. "The new Dietary Guidelines provide concrete action steps to help people live healthier, more physically active and longer lives."
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans include 23 Key Recommendations for the general population and six additional Key Recommendations for specific population groups, such as women who are pregnant. Key Recommendations are the most important messages within the Guidelines in terms of their implications for improving public health. The recommendations are intended as an integrated set of advice to achieve an overall healthy eating pattern. To get the full benefit, all Americans should carry out the Dietary Guidelines recommendations in their entirety.
More consumer-friendly advice and tools, including a next generation Food Pyramid, will be released by USDA and HHS in the coming months. Below is a preview of some of the tips that will be provided to help consumers translate the Dietary Guidelines into their everyday lives:
• Enjoy your food, but eat less.
• Avoid oversized portions.
• Make half your plate fruits and vegetables.
•Switch to fat-free or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Compare sodium in foods like soup, bread, and frozen meals – and choose the foods with lower numbers.
• Drink water instead of sugary drinks.
This edition of the Dietary Guidelines comes at a critical juncture for America's health and prosperity. By adopting the recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines, Americans can live healthier lives and contribute to a lowering of health-care costs, helping to strengthen America's long-term economic competitiveness and overall productivity.
USDA and HHS have conducted this latest review of the scientific literature, and have developed and issued the 7th edition of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans in a joint effort that is mandated by Congress. The Guidelines form the basis of nutrition education programs, Federal nutrition assistance programs such as school meals programs and Meals on Wheels programs for seniors, and dietary advice provided by health professionals.
The Dietary Guidelines, based on the most sound scientific information, provide authoritative advice for people 2 years and older about how proper dietary habits can promote health and reduce risk for major chronic diseases.
The Dietary Guidelines aid policymakers in designing and implementing nutrition-related programs. They also provide education and health professionals, such as nutritionists, dietitians, and health educators with a compilation of the latest science-based recommendations. A table with key consumer behaviors and potential strategies for professionals to use in implementing the Dietary Guidelines is included in the appendix.
The 2010 Dietary Guidelines are available at www.dietaryguidelines.gov.
Department of Agriculture, Jan. 26, 2011:
School Meal Changes for Health and National Security
USDA is taking comments on its proposal to make school meals healthier. The USDA's Bob Ellison has more on the short term and long term goals behind this effort.