Hi, all. Today’s report features:
• Expanding wireless access: The President details his plan today in Michigan.
• Ambassador Rice’s Twitter Town Hall: Send questions to the US ambassador to the UN at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on Twitter, using the hashtag, #AskAmbRice.
• White House press briefing: Mr. Gibbs takes questions: Egypt, free trade agreements, etc.
• Defending the Clean Air Act: EPA Administrator Jackson testified in the House; an overview of its lifesaving effects.
• Investing in infrastructure: Treasury Secretary Geithner explains how effective transportation systems create jobs, support business and attract investment.
• Voices of health reform: How the Affordable Care Act helps a small business owner provide health insurance for her employees.
• HUD news: In the Celebrating Black History Month series, Deputy Secretary Ron Sims writes about his life and work; Secretary Donovan explains the connection between housing and education and discusses federally-assisted housing in New Orleans.
• EXPANDING WIRELESS ACCESS •
Office of the Press Secretary, Feb. 10, 2011:
President Obama Details Plan to Win the Future through Expanded Wireless Access
Initiative expands wireless coverage to 98% of Americans, reduces deficit by nearly $10 billion, invests in nationwide public safety network
President Barack Obama will today detail his plan to win the future by catalyzing the buildout of high-speed wireless services that will enable businesses to grow faster, students to learn more, and public safety officials to access state-of-the-art, secure, nationwide, and interoperable mobile communications.
In his State of the Union address, President Obama called for a National Wireless Initiative to make available high-speed wireless services to at least 98 percent of Americans. The Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative laid out today will make it possible for businesses to achieve that goal, while freeing up spectrum through incentive auctions, spurring innovation, and creating a nationwide, interoperable wireless network for public safety. It will also reduce the national deficit by approximately $10 billion.
The President will announce the new initiative at Northern Michigan University in Marquette, Michigan, a city where local businesses have been able to grow as a result of broadband access, with particular benefit in exporting goods to new markets around the world. He will also see a demonstration of how the university’s WiMAX network has enabled distance learning for university and community students.
For more details on the President’s Wireless Innovation and Infrastructure Initiative, please see the fact sheet.
Watch online here at 1:30 p.m Eastern.
• AMBASSADOR RICE'S TWITTER TOWN HALL •
White House Blog, Feb. 9, 2011:
Taking Your Questions on Twitter
Posted by Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations
Editor’s note: For more information on the United States’ work at the United Nations, visit www.usun.state.gov and follow Ambassador Rice on Twitter and Facebook. Follow Thursday’s Twitter Town Hall on Twitter or Ustream at 10 a.m. Pacific Time.
When I left the West Coast after college in 1986, only one in 500 Americans owned a cell phone – and these were essentially bricks about 10 inches long. IBM had just announced its first laptop, which weighed 12 pounds. The founders of Facebook, I can only imagine, were then figuring out how to master nap time and tee ball.
As I go back again this week to take part in a Twitter Town Hall in San Francisco, an event that will be carried live on Twitter and Ustream at 10:00 a.m. Pacific Time, the Bay Area looks quite a bit different. Education and innovation – "the currency of the 21st century," in the words of President Obama – have changed the face of Silicon Valley and much of the world. But our interconnected age has also brought us new challenges. Today, transnational threats can sweep across borders as freely as a mass migration, an environmental calamity, or a deadly disease.
The Obama Administration is working every day to meet these challenges through our work at the United Nations, which plays an essential role as a keeper of peace, a provider of emergency aid, and a mediator between nations. You may agree – or disagree – with an approach to foreign policy that makes the best use of this complicated but indispensable institution. Whatever your views, I encourage you to send me your questions tomorrow at 10 a.m. Pacific Time on Twitter, using the hashtag, #AskAmbRice.
Just don’t ask me my age or my views on Betamax vs. VHS. And keep your questions to less than 140 characters, please.
• WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING •
White House, Feb. 9, 2011:
2/9/11: 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, Feb. 9, 2011:
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 2/9/2011
.... MR. GIBBS: Yes. I just came from talking to (the President) about the lunch (with GOP House leaders). He thought it was very constructive; that they agreed on -- expand a little bit -- on cutting spending and reducing our deficit; that we should have a broad discussion about, with the American people, the size and the scope of the problem that we face in getting our fiscal house in order. They discussed issues like trade as areas where we could work together.
Obviously our Trade Representative testified on the House side today, saying that the administration would soon send up the language around the South Korea free trade agreement and intensify our engagement to address both Colombia and Panama in hopes that those negotiations could be concluded this year and agreements could then be sent to Congress thereafter.
They agreed that education, an issue that we have worked on in a bipartisan way over the first two years of the administration, continues to be one where Democrats and Republicans can and should work together. Regulations that are outdated and don't work was another topic. They also talked some about foreign policy, particularly managing the transitions in Iraq and Afghanistan.
But I would say obviously reducing the deficit and growing the economy were the things that, according to the President, were most discussed at the lunch.
.... I think this is going to be a long discussion on the steps that we need to take to reduce our deficit, and I don’t think that people looked at this as a negotiating session.
Q: While that was happening or earlier, the House Republicans spelled out some proposed spending cuts, some $35 billion worth, including areas such as high-speed rail and education that the President obviously wants to invest more money in....
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, I know that not long ago we saw parts of that list. I know OMB is taking a look at that. There’s broad agreement that we have to change the way Washington works, particularly as it relates to spending. We have to do so in a way that protects important investments so that we can win the future. So I think the President looks forward to working with Republicans and other Democrats to make progress on these issues....
Q: And did the President at any point ask the Republicans not to use as a political football the threat to not lift the national debt ceiling, which Republicans said they weren’t.
MR. GIBBS: I didn’t get that level of detail from him. I think our position on that is fairly well known.
Q: Okay. And on Egypt, the Egyptian Foreign Minister is telling PBS that Vice President Biden’s call for immediate lifting of the emergency law in Egypt was -- he was amazed by that, and he felt that the Egyptian government could not make such a move until the unrest had been put down and calm had been restored....
MR. GIBBS: I think as we’ve said in the readout of the Vice President -- from Vice President Biden’s call to Vice President Suleiman -- that an orderly transition must begin now, that it must produce without delay immediate and irreversible progress. And I think it is clear that what the government has thus far put forward has yet to meet a minimum threshold for the people of Egypt. That’s why many of you reported the crowds in yesterday’s protests were bigger than even those on Friday.
I think we were all, and have been, struck here at the diversity of those that you saw in the street yesterday -- diversity of age, diversity of lifestyle, diversity of ideas. And I think it is clear that the Egyptian government is going to have to take some real concrete steps in order to meet the threshold that the people of Egypt that they represent require from their government.
And I think unless, or until that progress takes hold, I think you’re going to see the continued pictures that all of us are watching out of Cairo and of over cities throughout Egypt. So I think the best way to do that is for Vice President Suleiman, as the head of this process representing the Egyptian government -- is to expand the size and scope of the discussions and the negotiations with those that are not in power, and to take many of the steps that we outlined yesterday, one of which is lifting the emergency law. One of them is -- are constitutional changes so that we get toward free and fair elections. But I think it’s obvious that they have yet to meet the threshold that will satisfy most of the people....
Q: In terms of your readout of the President’s meeting with the House Republican leaders, you said -- you made a reference to intensifying our engagement in the Colombia and Panama free trade agreements. The Republicans say those free trade agreements are good to go, send them up, we’ll vote for them. What do you mean when you say "intensifying our engagement"?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think there are some -- and as Ambassador Kirk said today, there are some outstanding issues -- look, these free trade agreements have been -- haven’t gone anywhere in Congress because there continue to be some outstanding issues particularly around internationally recognized labor rights that I think many believe must be addressed.
I think the model that we used for South Korea is one that Ambassador Kirk and the President believe can result in an agreement that will capture broad bipartisan support, hopefully as soon as we can get some of this worked out.
But I don't -- there shouldn’t be -- once the agreement gets done on South Korea, I don't expect that there would be a lot of delay in getting that done. We had again outstanding issues as it related to South Korea, particularly on autos and beef. We worked that out and stakeholders from both sides of the political spectrum, business and labor are now endorsing that free trade agreement....
We need to address some outstanding issues like we did with South Korea.
Q: Right, but with South Korea you renegotiated the deal, right?
MR. GIBBS: No, we addressed outstanding issues....
.... there were shortcomings in what needed to be addressed on issues relating to autos and beef, which had prevented an agreement from being voted on. There are, as I said in my earlier answer to you, outstanding issues relating to Colombia and Panama that also need to be addressed....
Q: Is it safe to say that Vice President Suleiman’s vision for the transition process is not entirely in line with the U.S. position?
MR. GIBBS: I think that his -- the process for his transition does not appear to be in line with the people of Egypt, and I think we believe that more has to be done and I think, more importantly, the people of Egypt think more has to be done. I think that’s why you continue to see the size of those gathered to express their concerns about their lack of recognition and freedom and opportunity -- why those ranks continue to grow. I think the Vice President was clear with Vice President Suleiman on some steps that needed to be taken to address the concerns that we see....
.... Vice President Suleiman is in charge of a process in representing the Egyptian government to negotiate with those not in government in order to get us on a path toward an orderly transition that ends in a free and fair election. It’s not for us to determine who’s in charge of that process with the Egyptian government. It’s not for us to determine who sits in a room representing the opposition -- except for us to understand that when unrest grows and the size of these crowds grow, it’s clear that the threshold of meeting a broad-based coalition in -- that represents a broad-based coalition of civil society, that that's not been reached. I think that is what continues to be the problem.
Q: But if it’s not for you to decide, then why, then, is the Vice President -- we saw strong language from the Vice President .... There’s something that you want to be done in Egypt, right?
MR. GIBBS: More importantly, Dan, there’s something the people of Egypt want to be done....
Q: -- it’s what the White House wants to happen there.
MR. GIBBS: It’s what I think everybody in the international community understands has to be done to meet the demands of those that are protesting in Cairo. Again, it’s obvious -- you're reporting it, what people are looking for. And we've talked about lifting the emergency law for quite some time. We put out a statement last year at its extension that, going backwards almost three decades, this was not something that we thought was in any way helpful. That happened -- you see people believing that that should be rescinded just like we do.
But, again, it is not for us to determine the outcome. It’s not for us to determine all of those participants. The participants on the government side are -- is Vice President Suleiman. That's why the Vice President of our country has talked to him about broadening this process, quickening the pace of this process. Because, again, what we see happening on the streets of Cairo is not altogether surprising when you understand the lack of steps that the government has taken to address their concerns. I mean, I think that's what we see happening.
Q: Does the White House feel that it has a full understanding of all of those participants and what their motives are?
MR. GIBBS: Again, it’s not for us to determine, Dan. We're not going to pick which seven people represent Egypt.
Q: I'm not saying pick them. I'm just saying do you have an understanding --
MR. GIBBS: No, you are, Dan. In fact, you are. That was inherent in your questions.....
.... this is something for the Egyptians to work out. I think -- again, I think what you saw yesterday was a very broad coalition -- represented a very broad coalition of grievances and concerns by the Egyptian people. Again, one of them -- I think somebody that stirred a lot of passion yesterday was somebody who works for a Silicon Valley company. I think, again, that there is a broad array of -- you saw families, you saw older people bring their children. You say -- there’s a broad cross-section of Egyptian society that seeks the types of freedoms that many have sought for quite some time.
And the government is going to have to be responsive to those concerns. And if not, you're going to see, as I think everyone anticipates, the size of these protests, certainly as we get to Friday, get bigger and bigger....
I think, first and foremost, we would reiterate, and we have at every discussion that we’ve had at all levels with Egyptian government, that the demands of those protesting cannot be addressed with violence, and should not. I think -- again, I think, Chip, if you layer what the government of Egypt is saying, if you put that on one side of the ledger, and then on the other side of the ledger you put a growing number of people out seeking redress of those grievances, then you understand that what he’s saying is not assuaging the concerns of those in protest. And they’re going to have to do more; it’s clear.
Q: That’s exactly why some on the Hill today, some former State Department officials said it’s conceivable we’re moving toward a Tiananmen Square situation, because the rhetoric is -- the tough rhetoric is increasing from Suleiman, in spite of the Vice President’s call....
MR. GIBBS: I think what -- the White House can do only -- we’re not in charge of, and we can’t -- we’re not going to be able to force them to do anything. But I think if Vice President Suleiman continues to pepper his statements with -- as he had two days before and Sheryl asked me about, that we’re not ready to move toward democracy, not going to see anything change -- it is clear, as the President has said, that Egypt is not going back to where it was. Nobody believes that. And unless or until the government broadens the negotiations with those in the opposition, unless or until that happens, the pressure for them to do so is only going to get greater.
And I don’t -- I think if there’s some notion on the government’s side that you can put the genie back in this bottle, I think that’s gone a long time ago. And, quite frankly, we saw, Chip, what happened in the middle of last week when violence was entered into this equation, which is why the Prime Minister came out the next day and talked about what a fatal error that had been. And I don’t think that -- nobody here believes that the grievances are going to be met with a violent -- that the grievances will be dealt with through a violent response in a way that helps move toward change....
Q: Does the White House have a timetable for getting these free trade deals done?
MR. GIBBS: Well, obviously, I think Ambassador Kirk said today that our hope is to get South Korea done in the first -- through Congress in the first half of this year. And it is our hope that we can resolve outstanding issues with Colombia and Panama this year and then move language to the Hill soon thereafter.
Q: Any thoughts on Senator Webb’s announcement of retirement and impact it may have on 2012?
MR. GIBBS: Well, I think the President had an opportunity to talk with Senator Webb earlier in the morning and thanked him for, yet again, for the service that he has displayed on behalf of his country. Obviously, the impacts that he’s had on things like veterans through a post-9/11 GI Bill represent his mark on this country and the people that have served it. I think Virginia is going to be a very competitive state in -- as it was last time in both presidential and Senate elections.
Q: Are you going to run? (Laughter.)
MR. GIBBS: I wouldn’t serve if I was appointed. (Laughter.)....
Q: Secretary Napolitano testified this morning in front of the House committee and said in no uncertain terms that al-Awlaki in Yemen is the clearest threat -- terrorist threat to the United States and a bigger threat than Osama bin Laden or anything coming out of Afghanistan or Pakistan. Are we pursuing a new policy in terms of Yemen? Does this alter our Afghanistan policy? If this -- if the number one threat to the United States is now Yemen, the question that a lot of Americans may ask is then why is there so many troops in Afghanistan?
MR. GIBBS: Well, let’s understand that one of the reasons why -- as you heard the President say in the State of the Union, one of the reasons why the breadth of the type of attack that we saw September 11th of 2001, why that is harder to take place today is because of the fact that in Afghanistan and in Pakistan, the leadership of al Qaeda is under the greatest pressure that it has seen since September 11th.
Look, we came in and -- to be honest, as we had said during the campaign, we did not think the central front for al Qaeda was in Iraq, that we believed it was in Afghanistan and Pakistan. And we shifted our resources accordingly. Obviously –
Q: Well, now you guys are saying it’s in Yemen. Does that mean we shift our resources again?
MR. GIBBS: Well, no, no -- and I can assure you our cooperation with and our relationship with the government of Yemen is incredibly important in addressing the counterterrorism threat that exists there.
I think it’s clear that in the past 10 years, as we come up to the anniversary of September 11, 2001, that the threat has evolved, as our response, too, has evolved. We put greater pressure on Afghanistan and Pakistan -- Al Qaeda leadership in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and we have increased our cooperation with counterterrorism exercises with the government of Yemen....
Q: And is the President aware that the Iranian opposition, Mr. Mousavi, has requested a permit to protest -- or give a sympathy protest on February 14th? And does he have a message for the Iranian leaders on that?
MR. GIBBS: I think the Iranian leaders mentioned something around watching what was happening in Egypt. And I think I challenged the Islamic Republic of Iran to show its responsiveness to its citizens by allowing such a march to happen. And we’ll see if the government of Iran is confident enough in its meeting the demands of its people to let its people show the demands that they have of their government. And we await their response....
.
Q: Robert, do you know if the Patriot Act extensions came up in the lunch meeting?
MR. GIBBS: I don't know the answer to that. I should have asked that question, and I don't know it. Obviously, as I said here yesterday, we’re supportive of that extension. We actually -- I think as you’ll see from our statement of administration policy I think that went out a couple of days ago, we support an even longer extension to take any of the uncertainty around extending these out past -- out into 2013 rather than just the 8th of December of this year. And we hope that that gets figured out soon.
Q: You think that's possible?
MR. GIBBS: I do.
Q: You’ve got more common ground on Republicans on that than with Democrats?
MR. GIBBS: Well, again, I think there’s been some concern on the Democratic side about seeing an extension bill -- I know at least in the Senate -- making sure that that extension extends longer than just a little more than 10 months. But my sense is that that will get done....
Q: All the options the administration is considering on Fannie and Freddie essentially amount to cutting down the support for that market, which would either raise fees and/or lower the amount that could be borrowed with government guarantees. Is the Obama administration going to backtrack on support for a working middle-class family buying houses?
MR. GIBBS: Let me address your question in a couple of different ways, Mike. Obviously, the financial reform legislation that passed a little more than six months ago required a process for reforming the nation’s housing finance market. On Friday, Secretaries Geithner and Donovan will unveil what some of those options are, and I’ll wait for them to do that....
Q: One of the elements of the Republican proposal on the budget is to eliminate AmeriCorps....
MR. GIBBS: Mike, I think we’re a long way from getting a piece of legislation to sign. As I said earlier, we look forward to seeing what Republicans have put out. You will see on Monday what the President puts out in a budget that over the course of the next five years will freeze spending levels resulting in cuts of about $400 billion and rolling us back to a spending level as a percentage of our economy that we haven’t seen since Eisenhower was President. I think we all agree that spending has to be reduced and I think we’re going to spend a lot of time in the next several months working to see what investments need to be made to address the challenges that we have in the future, and I think that’s what some of that debate is going to be about....
Q: Your last briefing will be Friday. So I’m just wondering if you might share with us what advice you would give to Jay ....
MR. GIBBS: As I said -- look, I’m not going to give you everything that I’ve talked to Jay about for a whole host of reasons, much as I’m sure you all have talked about what Jay is going to bring and aren’t discussing those with myself and Jay. But, look, the advice I have for him is the, I think, advice that I got from the people like Marlin Fitzwater and others who have done this job so well. And that is, obviously first and foremost, regardless of what you know and what you’re asked, your solemn obligation is to always tell the truth. And while that may seem readily obvious, obviously in the past it’s not always been the case.
I think that as I said yesterday, I think it is remarkable to watch transpiring halfway around the world a fight for freedom of speech and a way of life that we have and we participate in each and every day here. I think the universal values that this government espouses, one of those is a healthy freedom of the press and a desire to have an informed public based on sessions like the one we’re having.
And I’ll say this -- while we’re on the subject of halfway around the world, these sessions have been broadcast thousands of miles away and interpreted for billions of people. They watch your questions and they watch this government’s answers. I think it reminds us of the seriousness with which we all approach our jobs each day and the seriousness with which the world watches the example of this country as an example for all the world.
So, that and a lot of other things. (Laughter.)....
Q: Does a lunch like this in the bigger picture of things have much impact? Is there a relationship between the President and the Speaker that takes root at something like this?
MR. GIBBS: I think that -- I don’t think can only be a -- I don’t think and I don’t think the President believes this can be a one-time-only affair. I think that in order to -- particularly in a government that is divided in its control, obviously the requirement for something to get here means it has to go through an entity that’s controlled by the Republican Party and an entity that’s controlled by the Democratic Party. So we know without the type of dialogue and seeking of common ground that something like today’s lunch does, we’re not going to see any progress on behalf of the American people on the issues that they have concerns about -- reducing our deficit, an atmosphere for creating jobs, the continued safety and security of the American people.
So I think all of those require that we try on both sides a little harder to understand where the other side is, and more importantly, to understand where we all agree. And I think that continues that process....
Q: .... Now, also on the budget cuts, Jack Lew says that $350 million will be cut from the community service block grants. What do you say to the poor and grassroots communities that benefit from these community block grants....
MR. GIBBS: Well, (the President) does understand the importance of this funding. But as Jack Lew said in his op-ed, and as the President and Jack have talked about in the construction of the budget, we have reached a point where we have to do something about what we take in and what we spend and the great divergence in those two numbers, and that this process is not going to be an easy one.
It means that on each side we’re going to have to give a little on things that are even -- even that are greatly important to us. And if we simply exempted everything that was important to everybody in this process, we would simply continue the process of spending much, much more than we have....
.... I think when you see the budget come out, you’ll see very little that was spared in the tough decisions that had to be made to construct a budget that gets us back on a path toward fiscal responsibility. It’s not that he doesn’t care about the grassroots; it’s that all of these decisions are going to be tough.
And quite frankly, we -- all of the easy decisions have been made. Those decisions are going to not just impact the type of discretionary spending, April, that you’re talking about -- you’ve seen that the Secretary of Defense is -- has made it one of his priorities to get rid of weapons programs that even those in the military don’t want. So there are a series of tough decisions that will be laid out both in the budget that the President has, and in going forward, that even make changes to things that we believe are priorities....
Q: .... Is the administration in touch with Dr. El Baradei or with the former Egyptian foreign minister who sounds increasingly like a candidate for president?
MR. GIBBS: I know that -- let me check and see if the embassy has any more guidance. I know that the embassy reached out and talk with Mr. ElBaradei, I want to say sometime -- a lot of days run together -- I think sometime early last week. Let me see if I can get a better sense of when that date was and whether we’ve had other contact with each of those individuals....
Q: What’s the message of this administration to the young people in Egypt demonstrating in the street? According to reporters, some of them have banners saying, "yes, we can, too." "We are ready to die for democracy." What do you want to tell them?
MR. GIBBS: Well, what I want to tell them is I think as the President said in his remarks after President Mubarak stepped down, that we hear your call for and respect your call for the universal rights that we’ve advocated that the government of Egypt pursue, and that it is clear to all of those that watch that unless or until progress is made, it’s not likely that any of those crowds are going away. I think that's why it’s incumbent that the government of Egypt, without delay, proceed in a process that provides the sort of immediate, irreversible progress that Vice President Biden talked about yesterday....
Q: Is tomorrow your last Air Force One ride?
MR. GIBBS: It is. It is.
• DEFENDING THE CLEAN AIR ACT •
Talk Radio News, Feb. 9, 2011:
EPA Chief Defends New Clean Air Rules
EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson discusses greenhouse gas regulation after testifying to the House Energy and Commerce Committee. Distributed by Tubemogul.
White House Blog, Feb. 9, 2011:
So What Does the Clean Air Act Do?
Posted by Heather Zichal
Today, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson testified before the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In her testimony the Administrator highlighted the agency's ongoing efforts to develop sensible standards that update the Clean Air Act, while ensuring that the landmark law continues to provide Americans the protections from dangerous pollution that they deserve. These reasonable steps will ensure that the air our children breathe and the water they drink is safe, while also providing certainty to American businesses.
Despite these pragmatic steps to implement long overdue updates, big polluters are trying to gut the Clean Air Act by asking Congress to carve out special loopholes from air pollution standards.
The Clean Air Act gives the Environmental Protection Agency the necessary tools to protect our families from mercury, arsenic, smog, particulates and carbon dioxide that can cause asthma and lung disease – especially in children. Weakening these standards would allow more pollution in the air we breathe and threaten our children’s health. We thought it might be helpful to refresh everyone on how this landmark law affects our country and protects our health.
• 160,000 Lives Saved Last Year
In the year 2010 alone, clean air regulations are estimated to have saved over 160,000 lives.
• More than 100,000 Hospital Visits Avoided Last Year
In 2010, clean air standards prevented millions of cases of respiratory problems, including bronchitis and asthma. It enhanced productivity by preventing millions of lost workdays, and kept kids healthy and in school, avoiding millions of lost school days due to respiratory illness and other diseases caused or exacerbated by air pollution.
• 60% Less Pollution in Our Air, Strong Economic Growth and Lower Electricity Prices
Since 1970, the Clean Air Act has reduced key air pollutants that cause smog and particulate pollution by more than 60%. At the same time the economy more than tripled. And Since the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990, electricity production is up and prices are down. In 2009, electric utilities delivered 33 percent more electricity to U.S. households and businesses than in 1990, while nationwide electricity prices were 10 percent lower.
• Benefits Far Outweigh Costs
Over its forty-year span, the benefits of the Clean Air Act – in the form of longer lives, healthier kids, greater workforce productivity, and ecosystem protections – outweigh the costs by more than 30 to 1.
• INVESTING IN INFRASTRUCTURE •
The White House Blog, Feb. 9, 2011:
Investing in Infrastructure to Build Up Middle-Class Jobs and Long-Term Growth
Posted by Tim Geithner, Secretary of the Treasury
Cross-posted from Treasury Notes, the Department of the Treasury blog.
As the President made clear in his State of the Union address, we must ensure that the U.S. has the fastest, most reliable ways to move people, goods, and information to maintain our competitive edge. Yesterday, Vice President Biden and Secretary LaHood visited a rail yard in Philadelphia to highlight one aspect of the President’s plan – connecting 80 percent of American households to high-speed rail in the next 25 years.
Part of that commitment is to invest in infrastructure to create jobs today and out-compete the world tomorrow. Well-targeted infrastructure investments create both immediate and long-term economic benefits. Those benefits accrue not only where the infrastructure is located but also to communities all across the country.
When the Port of Seattle improves its connection with local freight railroads, it creates construction jobs for local workers – but the project’s benefits extend far across the heartland. By making it cheaper to transport cargo, this improvement will allow cattle ranchers in rural Montana to ship their beef to new markets across the world. Consumers who purchase imported goods and American businesses that are expanding their exports enjoy lower prices and improved access to new markets and goods.
Likewise, when New York City upgrades its subway system by adding new rail cars, millions of New Yorkers will get to work faster, increasing their productivity and quality of life by decreasing the amount of time lost to commuting. More subway capacity means less congested streets, less time spent stuck in traffic, faster deliveries of goods to city stores, and less smog in the air. However, the decision to increase capacity in New York also means that the far-away Kawasaki plant in Lincoln, Nebraska that manufactures the subway cars will increase production, putting Nebraskans to work.
Finally, upgrading our air traffic control system through NextGen technology will not only benefit those who fly commercially but allow companies such as UPS and FedEx to ship goods more efficiently. As a result, individuals and businesses all across the country will save in lower shipping costs.
Just as towns across the country sprung up along the early rail lines of the 19th century, 21st century businesses will thrive in places with better access to effective transportation – whether runways, rails, or roads. In a global economy, where businesses are making investment choices between countries, we will compete for the world’s investments based in part on the quality of our infrastructure.
While we need to increase our overall level of infrastructure investment, we must also reform the ways in which we invest. Not all infrastructure investments are good investments, and too often we have seen transportation projects exemplify the worst of Washington – the bridges to nowhere that rightly make American taxpayers cringe. The President’s Budget recognizes this and will make some difficult choices, proposing significant spending cuts, including to some programs we would preserve in better times. However, it is not enough to spend less. Government must also spend wisely.
That’s why the President’s plan will reform our current system to promote merit-based investment by creating a National Infrastructure Bank, which will select projects on the basis of rigorous analysis. The National Infrastructure Bank will also draw private capital to invest in American infrastructure so that we can better leverage scarce taxpayer dollars. We will support projects that produce significant returns on our investment, allow Americans more choices in their modes of transportation, and improve the interconnectedness of our existing transportation networks to maximize the value of our current infrastructure.
Investing in infrastructure today will also put Americans back to work. Treasury Department analysis shows that the unemployment rate among the workers building our infrastructure stands at more than 15 percent – more than one and a half times the national average. Eighty percent of jobs created by investing in infrastructure will likely be created in three occupations –construction, manufacturing, and retail trade – which are among the hardest hit from the recession. Nine out of 10 jobs created in these three sectors pay middle-class wages.
In the coming years, we must be fiscally responsible as we work to strengthen economic growth and improve competitiveness. Our strategy is designed to make crucial investments in infrastructure while bringing our deficits down to sustainable levels. These targeted infrastructure investments are a necessary component of creating the middle-class jobs we need now and strengthening our foundation for future economic growth.
• VOICES OF HEALTH REFORM •
White House Blog, Feb. 9, 2011:
Voices of Health Reform: Nan’s Story
Posted by Stephanie Cutter, Assistant to the President and Deputy Senior Advisor
Editor’s Note: This post is part of a series where readers can meet average Americans already benefiting from the health reform law, the Affordable Care Act.
Nan Warshaw owns a record company in Chicago, Illinois, and makes the health insurance decisions for her seven person staff. Her company covers the full cost of insurance for her employees. Like other small business owners, she has seen premiums skyrocket in recent years. But thanks to the tax credits for small businesses in the Affordable Care Act, providing health insurance for her employees will be a little easier.
Today, small businesses pay 18 percent more for health insurance premiums than large businesses. The Affordable Care Act changes that by providing tax credits for small businesses that offer employees health insurance. Up to 4 million small businesses could be eligible for relief from high health insurance premiums and, according to the independent Congressional Budget Office, the tax credit will save small businesses $40 billion by 2019. And the tax credit is available to small business owners like Nan today.
The tax credits are just one of the ways the health reform law will help small businesses. The law will also help level the playing field with large employers by allowing small businesses to band together to get a fairer deal from insurance companies through the creation of competitive private health insurance markets called Exchanges that go into effect in 2014. Exchanges help organize the health insurance marketplace to help consumers and small businesses shop for coverage in a way that permits easy comparison of available plan options based on price, benefits and services, and quality. Pooling people together can help bring costs down and Exchanges will make our health care system more transparent and competitive by making it easier for consumers to compare costs and benefits.
Listen to Nan’s story:
• HUD NEWS •
The White House Blog, Feb. 9, 2011:
Ron Sims’s Story: Providing Homes & Creating Opportunities for Future Generation
Posted by Ron Sims, Deputy Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development
Editor's Note: This post is a part of the Celebrating Black History Month series, which highlights the work of African Americans who are contributing to the President's goals for winning the future.
As every American knows, who we are is deeply influenced by how we grew up – and the influences that shaped us. I grew up in Spokane, Washington, which is in the eastern part of the state, and had the opportunity to attend what is now known as Central Washington University. My parents were engaged in the community, and in the weight of things, I am James and Lydia Sims’ son through and through. My values, my expressions, and what I care for are all reflective of that. I was one of those lucky children who experienced lots of love, and the benefit of good parenting – and it’s why I feel so strongly about giving future generations of kids the good homes and quality opportunities they need.
And at HUD, I’m in a position to help do that. As Deputy Secretary, I see myself as clearing obstacles out of the way to let our talented staff do their jobs and affect change, particularly in traditionally underserved communities. Through the Federal Housing Administration, for example, we help responsible first-time homebuyers get access to a mortgage. For families who can’t afford a loan, HUD’s multifamily, tenant-based programs help them rent affordable housing. Our homelessness programs provide shelter and supportive services to those who don’t otherwise have a roof over their heads. A big part of our mission is helping what the Baptist tradition calls "the least, the last, and the lost."
Our employees embody that determination to make a difference. And under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Donovan, our mission has expanded still further. We’re no longer just a housing agency – we’re engaged in comprehensive community development to help rebuild so many areas harmed by the economic crisis.
Take the example of our Choice Neighborhoods initiative, which will transform areas of concentrated poverty into neighborhoods of choice, opportunity, and hope by linking housing to transportation, public services, and access to jobs. But the heart of restoring vitality to our communities lies in schools and unlocking the potential of our young people, and HUD’s Choice Neighborhoods partnership – working with the Department of Education’s Promise Neighborhoods initiative - is one way we can start to do that. Few things are more deeply linked to outcomes later in life than education, and with this partnership, we can enable young people from traditionally underserved populations to have a real opportunity at the American Dream.
Achieving that dream, and giving people from all races, backgrounds, and walks of life access to choice and opportunity, is not only what Black History Month is about – it’s what America is about. To me, the celebration of Black History Month is a celebration of America as a grand experiment – how this country became the greatest in the world despite Americans sharing no common race or country of origin.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Jan. 26, 2011:
Secretary Donovan Discusses President Obama's State of the Union Vision
During a visit to the Poppleton Apartments in Baltimore, Maryland, HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan explores the connection between quality affordable housing and the "Innovate, Educate and Build" theme of the President's speech.
Department of Housing and Urban Development, Feb. 4, 2011:
Prepared Remarks of Secretary Shaun Donovan at the Lafitte Ribbon-Cutting Event
Sojourner Truth Community Center, New Orleans
.... This is my seventh trip to the Gulf Coast since becoming HUD Secretary, and as we open Lafitte to residents across this city, it’s certainly one of the most special.
Since President Obama took office, this Administration has made clear that we wouldn’t let New Orleans fail -- that just as you have done your part to make this Great American City great once again, we would do ours.
A big part of that was making sure that every New Orleans family had a safe, decent, affordable home to live in.
And in that time, with the bipartisan support of congressional leaders like Senators Vitter and Landrieu, I’m proud to say that we’ve made real, measurable progress.
Where far too many families were stuck in the middle of their recovery process when we took office, with renovations of their homes unfinished, today, by cutting through the red tape, we’ve helped 99 percent of families who qualified for federal assistance receive it.
We’ve torn down barriers to put nearly $600 million in rebuilding dollars in the hands of low-income homeowners -- $178 million since last August alone.
We’ve reduced the number of blighted homes in the New Orleans metropolitan area by 20 percent since December 2008 -- and every month families move into another 500 homes that were abandoned after Katrina.
Of course, we’re here today because finishing the job of recovery also means providing more affordable housing.
Let’s not forget that when we first came into office, not a single family had returned to the Big Four public housing developments severely damaged during the storm -- not one.
Today, we’re reforming the Housing Authority of New Orleans. All of the Big Four complexes are under construction, and nearly 700 families have moved in.
That’s progress.
Indeed, we have provided more federally-assisted housing in New Orleans than there was before the storm, providing more than 12,000 affordable homes in New Orleans since taking office -- nearly a third of which have come online in the last six months alone.
And as I just saw for myself on the tour of Ms. Leslie Johnson’s new home, beginning today, hundreds of families can once again start to call Lafitte home, as hundreds have already done in Columbia Parc and Harmony Oaks.
Providing one-for-one replacement housing to the more than 800 families who lived here prior to Katrina, when completed by June of next year Lafitte will feature 1,500 affordable and market rate rental and homeownership units -- more than a third of the 4,000 mixed-income homes included among the "Big Four" sites currently being redeveloped.
And so, today we send a clear message: that HUD is committed to providing affordable housing for every family.
That this is a new era, not only for residents of public housing, but for public housing itself and for the way HUD partners with communities to provide it.
And it’s particularly appropriate that we celebrate this new era here at a Community Center named after a woman with a remarkable legacy of fighting for racial justice.
We honor Sojourner Truth’s legacy by ensuring that some of this community’s most neglected residents can return home, and that they are re-integrated into the fabric of the community free from discrimination -- whether in New Orleans East or St. Bernard Parish.
Of course, the reason we can celebrate today is due to the Gulf Opportunity Zone tax credits -- and I want to thank Senator Landrieu and Senator Vitter for their vote to extend those credits another year as part of President Obama’s bipartisan tax cut package.
Because of their leadership, work will continue on more than 6,000 affordable homes along the Gulf Coast.
Just as important, their leadership means we will support more than 13,000 construction-related jobs -- strategically investing in the infrastructure our communities need to grow and thrive.
But as important as that extension was, it was only for one year. To ensure this important work is completed and these developments get across the finish line, we need those credits to be extended one more year -- and I’m grateful to Senator Landrieu and Senator Vitter for introducing legislation that would do just that.
Of course, the President’s bipartisan tax cut package is also providing $110 billion in payroll tax relief for families, ensuring that every one of the families who will move into this development is getting the boost they need.
That reminds us that we can’t stop at providing the quality affordable housing families need -- families also need access to opportunity, to earn a decent paycheck, and to support their children.
We all know that for too many New Orleans families, long before the storms hit, that simply wasn’t the case -- which is why moving from recovery to revitalization isn’t just about building back what was here before the storm.
It’s about making this city stronger than ever before, and providing the foundation for opportunity that all the residents of New Orleans deserve.
Indeed, that’s what the BioSciences District that’s currently being planned just next door to Lafitte represents.
Just yesterday, I spoke to business and community leaders in the BioSciences District about how we can make sure the opportunities the district will provide reach families that live here -- that they have the job training they need, and that local businesses have the incentives they need to hire them.
That discussion reaffirmed my belief that Lafitte, this neighborhood and this city can be a model for the rest of the country -- for the kind of sustainable, comprehensive community development neighborhoods and regions need to have a built-in competitive edge when it comes to attracting jobs and private investment.
I believe that by working together to cut through the red tape and forge partnerships, we can ensure that the homes these families return to provide not only shelter -- but the kind of hope and opportunity worthy of this Great American City.
President Obama said in his State of the Union that our challenge today is to "win the future."
Well, I believe that winning the future starts at home -- and with these investments and the leadership of those standing with me today, New Orleans is going to prove it.
So, thank you to everyone here today for making this day a reality -- and for making this community whole again. Thank you.