Hi, all. Today's report features:
• Weekly Address: The President calls for ratification of the New START Treaty.
• DADT: The President's statement on DADT repeal.
• DREAM Act: The President's statement on the Senate vote; statements from the Attorney General and Cabinet Secretary.
• Signing tax cuts legislation: The President signs the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010.
• Education Department Tribal Listening Tours: The Secretary and other officials discuss plans to meet tribal needs.
• Energy News: A gingerbread village illustrates energy upgrades; Interior Secretary asks for comments on solar energy plans; clean energy manufacturing expands in the Midwest; US now net exporter of solar energy products.
• Honoring museums and libraries: The First Lady presents the National Medal for Museum and Library Services to 10 outstanding institutions.
• A visit from the President: The President reads to students at Long Branch Elementary School in Arlington, VA.
• WEEKLY ADDRESS •
White House, Dec. 18, 2010:
Weekly Address: National Security Over Politics on START
President Obama urges the Senate to heed the calls from Presidents George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton, every living Republican Secretary of State, our NATO allies, and the leadership of the military: ratify the New START Treaty with Russia.
Office of the Press Secretary, Dec. 18, 2010:
Weekly Address: START is About the Safety and Security of America; Not Scoring Political Points
THE PRESIDENT:
This week, Congress passed – and I signed into law – an essential economic package that will help grow our economy, spur businesses, and jumpstart job creation.
Instead of a New Years Day tax hike on the vast majority of Americans, two million Americans who’ve lost their jobs through no fault of their own will now know with certainty that they won’t lose their emergency unemployment insurance at the end of the month. Eight million college students who’d otherwise face a tuition hike next semester will continue having access to the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Twelve million families with twenty-four million children will benefit from extensions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. And millions of entrepreneurs who’ve been waiting to invest in their businesses will receive new tax incentives to help them expand, buy new equipment, or make upgrades, freeing up money to hire new workers.
This package, which is so important for our economy at this pivotal time, was the product of hard negotiations. Like any negotiations, there was give and take on both sides. But I’m heartened by our ability to come together to do what’s best for middle class families across this country, and our economy as a whole.
Before going away for the holiday break, I’m hopeful we can also come together on another urgent national priority – and that is, the new START treaty that will reduce the world’s nuclear arsenals and make America more secure. Twenty-five years ago, the Soviet Union and United States each had about 25,000 nuclear weapons. In the decades since, that number has been reduced by over 70 percent, and we have had on-site inspections of Russian nuclear facilities. That progress would not have been possible without strategic arms control treaties.
During the past year, however, our old treaty with Russia expired, and without a new one, we won’t be able to verify Russia’s nuclear arsenal, which would undercut President Reagan’s call to trust, but verify, when it comes to nuclear weapons. Without a new treaty, we’ll risk turning back the progress we’ve made in our relationship with Russia, which is essential to enforce strong sanctions against Iran, secure vulnerable nuclear materials from terrorists, and resupply our troops in Afghanistan. And we’ll risk undermining American leadership not only on nuclear proliferation, but a host of other challenges around the world.
Ratifying a treaty like START isn’t about winning a victory for an administration or a political party. It’s about the safety and security of the United States of America. That’s why this treaty is supported by both Presidents Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. That’s why it’s supported by every living Republican Secretary of State, our NATO allies, and the leadership of the United States military. Indeed, the Vice-Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Hoss Cartwright, said this week that the military needs this treaty, and they need it badly. And that’s why every President since Ronald Reagan has pursued a treaty like START, and every one that has been reviewed by the Senate has passed with strong bipartisan support.
We have taken the time to get this right. The START treaty has now been under review by the Senate for over seven months. It’s gone through 18 hearings. Nearly 1,000 questions have been asked – and answered. Several Republican Senators have come out in support of ratification. Meanwhile, further delay comes at a cost. Every minute we drag our feet is a minute that we have no inspectors on the ground at those Russian nuclear sites.
It’s time to get this done. It’s time to show the same spirit of common purpose on our security that we showed this week on our economy. It’s time to remember the old saying that politics stops at the water’s edge. That saying was coined by a Republican Senator, Arthur Vandenberg, who partnered with a Democratic President, Harry Truman, to pass landmark national security measures at the dawn of the Cold War. Today, over sixty years later, when we’re threatened not only by nuclear weapons, but an array of other dangers, that’s a principle we must continue to uphold. Thank you, and have a nice weekend.
• DADT •
The White House Blog, Dec. 18, 2010:
The President on the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010: An Historic Step
Posted by Kori Schulman
THE PRESIDENT:
Today, the Senate has taken an historic step toward ending a policy that undermines our national security while violating the very ideals that our brave men and women in uniform risk their lives to defend. By ending "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell," no longer will our nation be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans forced to leave the military, despite years of exemplary performance, because they happen to be gay. And no longer will many thousands more be asked to live a lie in order to serve the country they love.
As Commander-in-Chief, I am also absolutely convinced that making this change will only underscore the professionalism of our troops as the best led and best trained fighting force the world has ever known. And I join the Secretary of Defense and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as the overwhelming majority of service members asked by the Pentagon, in knowing that we can responsibly transition to a new policy while ensuring our military strength and readiness.
I want to thank Majority Leader Reid, Senators Lieberman and Collins and the countless others who have worked so hard to get this done. It is time to close this chapter in our history. It is time to recognize that sacrifice, valor and integrity are no more defined by sexual orientation than they are by race or gender, religion or creed. It is time to allow gay and lesbian Americans to serve their country openly. I urge the Senate to send this bill to my desk so that I can sign it into law.
• DREAM ACT •
The White House Blog, Dec. 18, 2010:
President Obama on the DREAM Act: My Administration Will Not Give Up
Posted by Kori Schulman
In an incredibly disappointing vote today, a minority of Senators prevented the Senate from doing what most Americans understand is best for the country. As I said last week, when the House passed the DREAM Act, it is not only the right thing to do for talented young people who seek to serve a country they know as their own, it is the right thing for the United States of America. Our nation is enriched by their talents and would benefit from the success of their efforts. The DREAM Act is important to our economic competitiveness, military readiness, and law enforcement efforts. And as the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office reported, the DREAM Act would cut the deficit by $2.2 billion over the next 10 years. There was simply no reason not to pass this important legislation.
It is disappointing that common sense did not prevail today. But my administration will not give up on the DREAM Act, or on the important business of fixing our broken immigration system. The American people deserve a serious debate on immigration, and it’s time to take the polarizing rhetoric off our national stage.
I thank Senators Durbin, Reid, and Menendez for their tireless efforts. Moving forward, my administration will continue to do everything we can to fix our nation’s broken immigration system so that we can provide lasting and dedicated resources for our border security while at the same time restoring responsibility and accountability to the system at every level.
The White House Blog, Dec. 17, 2010:
The DREAM Act Must Be Passed
Posted by United States Attorney General Eric Holder
As the son of an immigrant, I grew up in New York City with a deep appreciation for the ideals that, since America’s earliest days, have defined our nation. Like so many who have set out for America’s shores, my father and both of my mother’s parents arrived here from Barbados in search of a better life and greater opportunity – for themselves and their children....
Like my father – who served as a Master Sergeant in the United States Army – many young and courageous Americans want nothing more than to strengthen their nation and to improve their own futures. Why should we say no? Why should someone who grew up in America, speaks English, holds degrees from one or more of our schools, and shows – time and again – a commitment to citizenship have to forgo a productive future?
There is no good reason....
Eight Administration Officials, My Immigrant Parents, and the DREAM Act
Posted by Chris Lu, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary
As the head of the White House Office of Cabinet Affairs, I work every day with the President’s Cabinet to advance his policy priorities. Few issues trigger the depth and breadth of support from across the Cabinet as the DREAM Act. This landmark legislation would strengthen our economy, our competitiveness, our workforce, our national defense, and our homeland security.
Like many members of the White House staff and the Cabinet, I am the child of immigrants.
A few hours after the President was inaugurated on January 20, 2009, I walked into the White House as a member of the Obama Administration. My first thought that wintry afternoon was not about the majesty of the building, the historic furniture and paintings, or even the size of my office. My first thought was about my immigrant parents.
Both of my parents came to this country to attend college, and the opportunity provided by their education allowed them to embark on successful careers, buy a home, raise a family, send their children to college and graduate school, and eventually watch one of their sons work for the President of the United States.
Only in a country founded on opportunity and equality – values that are at the heart of the DREAM Act – is such a story possible....
....The President and his Cabinet are doing everything possible to ensure that the bill becomes law and that this country lives up to its highest ideals.
• SIGNING TAX CUTS AND UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE LEGISLATION•
White House, Dec. 17, 2010:
President Obama Signs Tax Cuts and Unemployment Insurance Legislation
The President signs the Tax Relief, Unemployment Insurance Reauthorization, and Job Creation Act of 2010, providing tax cuts and unemployment insurance extensions to help middle-class families. December 17, 2010.
Office of the Press Secretary, Dec. 17, 2010:
Remarks by the President and the Vice President Before Signing the Middle-Class Tax Cuts Bill
THE VICE PRESIDENT: .... Ladies and gentlemen, this is a -- I wasn’t going say, a big deal, but an important deal. (Laughter.) I can no longer say "big deal." (Laughter.) Thank God, my mother wasn’t around.
The famed 18th century British statesman, Edmund Burke, once said, "All government, indeed every human benefit and enjoyment, every virtue, and every prudent act, is founded on compromise and barter." Today, we have a crystal clear example of what he meant....
That’s what the American people expect of all of us, especially in these times. And that’s what we’ve done here. It means accepting some things we don’t like in order to get the job done for Americans as needs to be done.
We were put in office amid the deepest recession this country has seen since the Great Depression. We were put here to protect and -- protect and rebuild the middle class. And throughout the process, we’re working with two principles in mind -- grow the economy and support working-class families. And that’s what we fought hard to do.
And I stand here today to say, in my view, our fight has paid off. Most economists, many of whom are in this room, will tell you this plan will grow our economy in the next year. And it’s going to help millions of families keep their jobs, if they have one, and keep their unemployment benefits if they don’t, and keep their tax relief, and keep their kids in school as well.
All while keeping our economic recovery moving in the right direction, providing immediate -- an immediate economic jolt, and giving more than 150 million Americans help where they need it most, in their paychecks, in their wallets. I believe it was the right thing to do.
This is an example of what can happen when you have a President who knows what needs to be done and acts tenaciously to make sure it happens. The President, wholeheartedly -- wholeheartedly committed to serving the middle class. And that’s what happens when you have a President who knows in his gut that the middle class is the backbone of the American people, and that a full economic recovery will only happen if we have -- if they, the middle class, have the support they need in order to succeed.
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States, Barack Obama. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: .... We are here with some good news for the American people this holiday season. By a wide bipartisan margin, both Houses of Congress have now passed a package of tax relief that will protect the middle class, that will grow our economy, and will create jobs for the American people. Not only do I want to thank all the leaders here today, but I want to thank mayors and governors from across the country who couldn’t be here today, and all who worked together to get this done.
First and foremost, the legislation I’m about to sign is a substantial victory for middle-class families across the country. They’re the ones hit hardest by the recession we’ve endured. They’re the ones who need relief right now. And that’s what is at the heart of this bill.
This bipartisan effort was prompted by the fact that tax rates for every American were poised to automatically increase on January 1st. If that had come to pass, the average middle-class family would have had to pay an extra $3,000 in taxes next year. That wouldn’t have just been a blow to them -- it would have been a blow to our economy just as we’re climbing out of a devastating recession.
I refused to let that happen. And because we acted, it’s not going to. In fact, not only will middle-class Americans avoid a tax increase, but tens of millions of Americans will start the New Year off right by opening their first paycheck to see that it’s actually larger than the one they get right now. Over the course of 2011, 155 million workers will receive tax relief from the new payroll tax cut included in this bill -– about $1,000 for the average family.
This is real money that’s going to make a real difference in people’s lives. And I would not have signed this bill if it didn’t include other extensions of relief that were also set to expire -– relief that’s going to help families cover the bills, parents raise their children, students pay for college, and business owners to take the reins of the recovery and propel this economy forward.
As soon as I sign this legislation, 2 million Americans looking for work who lost their jobs through no fault of their own can know with certainty that they won’t lose their emergency unemployment insurance at the end of this month. Over the past few weeks, 600,000 Americans have been cut off from that lifeline. But with my signature, states can move quickly to reinstate their benefits –- and we expect that in almost all states, they’ll get them in time for Christmas.
Eight million college students who otherwise would have faced a tuition hike as soon as next semester will instead continue to have access to a $2,500 tax credit to afford their studies.
Twelve million families with 24 million children will benefit from extensions of the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. And when combined with the payroll tax cut, 2 million American families who otherwise would have lived in poverty next year will instead be lifted out of it. (Applause.)
And millions of entrepreneurs who have been waiting to invest in their businesses will receive new tax incentives to help them expand, buy new equipment, or make upgrades -- freeing up other money to hire new workers.
Putting more money in the pockets of families most likely to spend it, helping businesses invest and grow -- that’s how we’re going to spark demand, spur hiring, and strengthen our economy in the New Year.
Now, candidly speaking, there are some elements of this legislation that I don’t like. There are some elements that members of my party don’t like. There are some elements that Republicans here today don’t like. That’s the nature of compromise -– yielding on something each of us cares about to move forward on what all of us care about. And right now, what all of us care about is growing the American economy and creating jobs for the American people. Taken as a whole, that’s what this package of tax relief is going to do. It’s a good deal for the American people. This is progress. And that’s what they sent us here to achieve....
And the final product proves when we can put aside the partisanship and the political games, when we can put aside what’s good for some of us in favor of what’s good for all of us, we can get a lot done. And if we can keep doing it, if we can keep that spirit, I’m hopeful that we won’t just reinvigorate this economy and restore the American Dream for all who work for it. I’m also hopeful that we might refresh the American people’s faith in the capability of their leaders to govern in challenging times, belief in the capacity of their institutions in this town to deliver in a rapidly changing world, and, most of all, confidence that our best days as a nation are still ahead of us.
So to all of you who worked so diligently on this issue, thank you very much. To those on my staff who were working night and day, and on the Senate and House staffs in both parties who were working so hard, we’re very grateful to you. And with that, let me sign this bill to make sure that people are seeing a bigger paycheck come January. (Applause.)
• EDUCATION DEPARTMENT TRIBAL LISTENING TOURS •
Department of Education, Dec. 15, 2010:
Voices from the Tribal Listening Tours
Department officials reflect on the Tribal Listening events from the previous year at ED.
Department of Education, Dec. 15, 2010:
Education in Indian Country: Prepared Remarks of U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan at Town Hall/Listening Session with Tribal Officials
(Speaker deviated from prepared remarks)
SECRETARY DUNCAN: ....Strengthening the education of Native American students is absolutely essential not only to the long-term prosperity of tribal communities, but to our overall competitiveness and success as a nation in the twenty-first century.
I want to leave you with two takeaway messages today.
First, I'm absolutely committed to improving the relationship between tribes and the Department of Education. For too long, the federal government and our Department failed to meaningfully consult tribal leaders on policies affecting Indian Country. That is starting to change. I am determined to forge a better balanced federal-tribal relationship based on regular and meaningful consultation.
Second, I want you to know that over the last year and a half, we've listened to your concerns. And we've heard you. At consultations and listening sessions throughout Indian Country, our senior leadership has gotten its own education about the challenges to accelerating student achievement in your communities.
Now, consultation alone isn't a solution. Now is the time for concrete action that will improve student outcomes in your communities. That's why we've begun implementing policies, with your support and guidance, to expand educational opportunities and boost student learning throughout Indian Country.....
Native American students have some of the lowest college matriculation rates and highest high school dropout rates in the country. In a 2010 study of 12 states, the high school graduation rate among American Indian students was under 50 percent — the lowest rate among any ethnic group surveyed. And we know that many of those students drop out even before they reach ninth grade. With graduation rates that low, it's little wonder that nearly 25 percent of all Native Americans live in poverty.
The terrible toll of those numbers became even more real to me the first time I visited a reservation. A year ago last May, I spent an unforgettable afternoon at the Northern Cheyenne Reservation in Lame Dear, Montana.
I've seen poverty all my life growing up on the South Side of Chicago, but the deprivation I saw at the reservation was even more haunting....
Yet for all the apparent hopelessness, what struck me the most – what sticks with me today– was the hope and resolve I saw on the faces of the children I met. These children had every reason to be pessimistic about their situation, but they weren't. They had every reason to give up on their future, but they hadn't.
It was that hope which I saw in students like Teton Magpie – who, at the time, was a freshman at Lame Deer High School.
When I visited his school to answer questions and talk with students and teachers, Teton told me that he wanted to take more demanding courses and have more mentors so that he could be the first member of his family to attend college. Teton and other students wanted to be challenged. They were asking for higher expectations. And they were tired of adults telling them they would never make it.
I'll never forget Teton's composure, courage, and commitment. That's one reason why Teton and I have stayed in touch over the last year and a half. And I was glad to see that the Northern Cheyenne Nation Boys and Girls Club won a highly-competitive Promise Neighborhoods planning grant to design a comprehensive cradle-to-career child development and education program for the tribe and three school districts.
Teton's concerns and ambitions aren't unique. He's no different than countless Native American youth who live in difficult circumstances but who want to be challenged, who desperately want to succeed. It's our job to help those children fulfill their tremendous academic and social potential....
So the question today is: How do we improve the system so that it accelerates achievement and attainment? How can we ensure that students like Teton go to schools where they will all acquire the skills they need to succeed in today's knowledge economy?
These are questions that are very much part of our institutional mission at the Department. Today, more than 90 percent of Native American students attend regular public schools, instead of BIE-funded schools.
Over the last year, my senior staff and I listened to your concerns and ideas at consultations throughout Indian Country – in places like Shawnee, Oklahoma; Pine Ridge, South Dakota; Window Rock, Arizona; and others.
Unlike in some previous administrations, senior officials have been soliciting your input in your lands--and not at the conference room at the airport hotel.
We heard your concerns about tribal sovereignty and the urgent need to expand tribal control over the education of Indian students, especially in schools located on tribal lands.
I am pleased to tell you that the Department will pursue a pilot program to enhance the role of tribal education agencies and tribes in the education of their members on an experimental basis.
This pilot program would be part of our proposal to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Act, or what's known as No Child Left Behind. Our hope is that Congress will pass reauthorization next year.
The pilot program would allow a small number of Tribal Educational Agencies to enter into collaborative agreements with state educational agencies to assume responsibility for some state-level functions in administering ESEA programs.
Under this TEA pilot program, eligible TEAs will have an opportunity to act more like state educational agencies, work closely with districts and schools located on reservations, and play a direct role in the education of their own children. As President Obama has said, "tribes do better when they make their own decisions."
I would add that our ESEA reauthorization blueprint and budget reflect your input and advice in many, many ways. For example, our ESEA proposal provides greater flexibility in the use of federal funds for Native language immersion and Native language restoration programs.
Other provisions greatly expand support for high-quality teacher preparation programs, including grow-your-own programs in rural areas and tribal communities.
We also heard your concerns about Indian Country's access to funding opportunities, especially in cases of competitive awards. As a result, our Promise Neighborhoods competition included an absolute priority or separate competitive pool for applicants who proposed to serve Indian communities.
At the same time, the Department created a competitive priority in the Investing in Innovation Fund, or i3 program, for applicants serving rural areas. The i3 program had far more applicants than any program in the history of the department. And one of the successful grantees that responded to the rural priority was the Parents as Teachers National Center, which received a grant to replicate its Family and Child Education program in 24 BIE schools.
Overall, our budget maintains the current funding levels for Indian education programs, instead of consolidating those funds as we proposed in other areas. Our fiscal 2011 budget proposed $104 million in formula grants for Indian education and $23 million in competitive grants for innovative programs to improve student outcomes, including early learning initiatives and preparing Native Americans to enter the teaching profession.
I'm especially pleased to see that several officials from tribal colleges are here today as well. We were excited that Congress enacted President Obama's request for more than $275 million for Indian school construction in the Recovery Act and an additional $300 million for Tribally Controlled Colleges and Universities in the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act.
Boosting resources is a necessary first step. But we're also going to make sure you have a much bigger voice when it comes to education policy.
Early next year, we will create a new, permanent, senior level position within the Department of Education. And that appointee will be responsible for making sure the unique educational and cultural needs of Native American students are met.
All of us here know that many challenges lie ahead in transforming education in Indian Country--and these are challenges not just for our Department but for tribal educators and leaders as well.
We are excited about our pilot TEA project to shift some aspects of supporting schools and districts to tribal education agencies. But for those pilot projects to succeed, TEAs will need to take ownership of their expanded role. And they will need to develop more institutional capacity for overseeing tribal education, improving student learning, and preparing students for the rigors of the global economy.
I have no illusions about undoing generations of failed policies and broken promises overnight. The educational challenges tribal communities face were generations in the making--and it will take courage, commitment, and collaboration to undo the status quo....
And so I ask you to continue the extraordinary work you've done on behalf of Native American communities all across the country. With your collective will and dedication, we will see the day when all Native American children get the world-class education they deserve. This country owes them nothing less.
• ENERGY NEWS •
Energy Department, Dec. 17, 2010:
A Gingerbread Village That's Sweet In More Ways Than One
Posted by Andy Oare, a New Media Specialist with the Department of Energy
Every year, the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy builds a gingerbread house to celebrate the holidays. This year they rolled out a bit more dough and built a gingerbread neighborhood. As you might expect, it’s not your average, run-of-the-mill, gingerbread neighborhood. This town is all about using energy wisely. All the buildings have smart meters made from fig cookies (work with me here), and some feature cool roofs made of icing to keep air conditioning bills low in the summer. I don’t know what the r-value of gingerbread is, but let’s imagine the homes are very well insulated and sealed and have efficient furnaces and air conditioners, so the gingerbread people are quite cozy. Some of the homes and buildings have licorice solar panels too. The beauty of this town, however, is that the buildings are very comfortable, and don’t use as much energy as they used to. Also, the gingerbread people are spending much less on energy bills than they used to.
Now imagine real neighborhoods like this. Like most in America, your home was probably not built to be very energy efficient. With some simple upgrades, however, you and each of your neighbors can save hundreds of dollars each year.
At the Department of Energy, we’re working with partners across the country to make community-wide energy-saving upgrades possible. How will we make that work? Through our BetterBuildings program, our partners are developing innovative, replicable business models to finance energy upgrades. Just like the cable TV roll out in the 1980s, business models that work block by block rather than home by home, will make it easier and cheaper for people to upgrade their homes and offices. Families and businesses will save money by saving energy, whole neighborhoods at a time.
Department of the Interior, Dec. 17, 2010:
Secretary Salazar announces comment period on proposed Solar zones in the Southwest
This week, Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar and Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced a comprehensive environmental analysis that has identified proposed 'solar energy zones' on public lands in six western states most suitable for environmentally sound, utility-scale solar energy production.
The Department of the Interior is looking for your comments on our plan. To submit comments, go here.
Changing the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Game in America's Heartland
Posted by Andy Oare
One of the big reasons we became a global economic leader is because we built things — cars, steel, furniture — you name it, we could build it faster and better than anyone else. In many ways, manufacturing provided us the pathway toward global economic success. Today, that global economic leadership is at a crossroads. As President Obama has said, "the nation that leads the clean energy economy will be the nation that leads the global economy." Getting back to making things and investing in clean energy manufacturing can help put us back on top.
That’s why the clean energy manufacturing industry that is expanding across the Midwest — spurred in large part by the Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit, also known as 48C — is so important. As part of the Recovery Act, 183 projects will receive a total of $2.3 billion in tax credits to establish, expand or re-equip clean energy manufacturing facilities. This federal investment is also being matched by nearly $5.4 billion dollars in private capital, for a total of more than $7.6 billion aimed at growing America’s clean energy manufacturing sector. The impact of these investments is especially significant in the Midwest where 41 projects (accounting for nearly $530 million in tax credits) are underway. With incentives from both the federal and private sectors, clean energy manufacturers are drawing on the traditionally strong manufacturing base of states like Ohio and Michigan to develop the next generation of solar, wind, geothermal, and other renewable energy and energy-efficient technologies.
With manufacturing facilities already in place across the Midwest, and a skilled workforce that needs little re-training, many companies realize that it’s an ideal place to set up shop. In addition to federal investments, state and local governments have created incentives to further entice them. Each new or expanding factory will generate hundreds of jobs and, in some cases, workers may even go back to the shuttered plants where they worked before the economic downturn. Add that to the fact that many of these jobs pay between $45,000 and $48,000 a year — wages that directly boost local markets.
The Midwest’s $530 million in 48C tax credits is only a fraction of the $1.76 billion in private investments that are helping to drive the new, clean energy economy. DuPont’s new solar photovoltaic plant in Ohio was selected for a $50 million tax credit, and it will manufacture enough Tedlar, an important solar photovoltaic component, to supply roughly 50% of the current market. With demand expected to rise rapidly over the coming years, DuPont is banking on this new economy. With other companies manufacturing products that span the scope of innovative technologies — from parts for renewable energy such as wind, solar, and biomass, to components for energy efficiency products such as advanced batteries, smart grid, and vehicle technologies — the Midwest stands to benefit from 48C’s impact in kick-starting jobs, and as a leader in manufacturing for the nation’s clean energy economy.
The Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit provides manufacturers with $2.3 billion in Recovery Act funding to spur private-sector investments in the advanced energy technologies we need to tackle our energy challenges. These investments create good jobs now — laying the foundation for a vibrant, clean energy industry tomorrow.
Earth and Industry, Dec. 18, 2010:
Back in Black: US Now a Net Exporter of Solar
by Timothy B. Hurst
As the narrative that China has already won the the race for global domination in the clean energy sector dominates the news, a new study suggests that early reports of the demise of the U.S. solar industry may be greatly exaggerated.
The report published this week by GTM Research, showed U.S. net exports totaled $723 million in 2009 with U.S. solar installations creating $2.6 billion in direct value to the U.S. economy. And in the context of the broader economy, U.S. trade in the solar industry was found to be more balanced than the overall economy, which had a trade deficit of $374 billion in 2009.
"The U.S. imports and exports product from every continent. But in addition to being a major net exporter of solar energy products, the industry is creating significant wealth in the United States and jobs in all 50 states," said Rhone Resch, President and CEO of Solar Energy Industry Association, the largest solar industry trade association in the U.S....
• HONORING MUSEUMS AND LIBRARIES •
White House, Dec. 17, 2010:
Honoring Outstanding Museums and Libraries
First Lady Michelle Obama presents the National Medal for Museum and Library Services to 10 outstanding institutions. December 17, 2010.
Office of the First Lady, Dec. 17, 2010:
Remarks by the First Lady at the National Medal for Museum and Library Services Ceremony
MRS. OBAMA: .... I am so pleased that all of you could join us today as we award the 2010 National Medals for Museum and Library Service to 10 outstanding libraries and museums from across the country....
Now, from the looks of things, you all are a pretty diverse bunch. You come from every corner of the country, from big cities and from small towns. And your programming involves everything from puppetry and gardening to Civil War battles and science experiments.
But you’re here today because you all share the same commitment to excellence, the same determination to serve your communities, and the same spirit of innovation. You’re here because you’ve challenged the conventional notions of what a library or museum can and should be, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, embracing new ideas and approaches.
At Conner Prairie Interactive History Park, for example, guests don’t just view historical re-enactments; they actually become part of them. On one visit, they might be pioneers, living on the prairie in the early 1800s. On the next visit, they might be fugitive slaves, risking their lives for a chance at freedom.
At Patchogue-Medford Library, which serves a large Hispanic population, they have a "Language Café" where English-speaking and Spanish-speaking teenagers can meet to practice their language skills with one other....
And you all don’t just think in different ways. You actually think in very big ways. Your work has never just been limited to the four walls of your institutions. Instead, you bring what you have to offer to as many people as possible, reaching out to underserved populations, finding creative ways to stretch your resources as far as they can go.
The Nashville Public Library has opened up their collection to high schools across the city. So today, students can get online, check out a book, and have it delivered right to their own school library.
At Explora, they don’t just bring kids to the museum; they bring the museums to the kids, creating more than 200 science education programs that travel to every county in the state.
And the Japanese American National Museum hosted a conference that brought together folks from all across the country to discuss topics ranging from diversity to civil liberties to social justice.
But while some of your work may be national in scope, ultimately your most powerful impact is local.... And that’s particularly true in times of challenge and crisis, when many of you offer vital services, stepping up to be there for folks when they need you the most.
For example, the New York Botanical Garden started the Bronx Green-up revitalization program, and they helped plant hundreds of school and community gardens in struggling neighborhoods so that families could grow their own fresh produce.
When the West Bloomfield Township was hard hit by the economic downturn, the West Bloomfield Township Public Library sponsored job workshops and computer trainings to get folks back on their feet.
When Hurricane Katrina struck, and many people were displaced to Jackson, Mississippi, the Mississippi Museum of Art helped start a program called "Life Shards." And for four months, families worked with an art therapist to create artworks out of actual debris from the storm.
And the Peter White Public Library recently hosted a series of events to educate the community about mental health and mental illness. I think their Director, Pam Christensen, put it best when she said, "There are so many stories here, and they’re not all on the shelves."
And I can imagine that all of you here today, all of you honorees, would probably agree with that sentiment because you know that what you do each day isn’t just about the books on your shelves, or the items in your exhibits. It’s about the people who walk through your doors.
And that also happens to be how my husband and I view our time here at the White House, because while our family has the pleasure of living here, we know that we’re really just guests. This is really the people’s house. We say that all the time. And it’s also, in its own way, a museum....
And we are determined to share that proud heritage with as many people as possible, particularly our young people, because we want them to not just experience this legacy, but to feel a part of this legacy. That is so important for our kids. We want them to know that they have a place in our museums, in our libraries, in our cultural centers, and most importantly in the walls of this very house, the White House.
• A VISIT FROM THE PRESIDENT •
White House, Dec. 17, 2010:
President Obama Reads to Schoolchildren
The President reads The Night Before Christmas and selections from his book Of Thee I Sing to students at Long Branch Elementary School in Arlington, VA. December 17, 2010.
Office of the Press Secretary, Dec. 17, 2010:
Remarks by the President to Children During a School Visit
THE PRESIDENT: Now let me just say one more thing and then maybe we can take a picture together. One of the things about Christmas obviously is getting presents and having stockings full and spending time with your family and eating good stuff. But part of the Christmas spirit is also making sure that we’re kind to each other and we’re thinking about people who aren’t as lucky as we are.
And so I hope that all of you, even as you’re having a lot of fun during the holidays, whether it’s Christmas or Hanukkah, I want to make sure that all of you are also thinking about how can you guys be nicer to each other and think about people who have less than you do, because not everybody is as lucky as we are. There are a lot of kids out there who they may not be able to get a lot of presents for Christmas because their parents don’t have a lot of money.
There are a lot of parents right now who are maybe away from their families. Some of them are in our military and they’re fighting overseas, and so they can’t be home for Christmas or the holidays. So I hope you guys think about them too, all right? And I want you all to remember that the spirit of Christmas is making sure that -- not just that you’re getting something from somebody but that you’re also giving back to other people. Does that make sense?
CHILDREN: Yes....
Q: How much fun is it just going around -- running around the White House all day?
THE PRESIDENT: You know, the truth is, I run around a lot in the White House, but most of the time I’m working. So it’s not like I’m just running around having fun. But sometimes it’s fun. Because the White House -- how many people have visited the White House? So it’s a pretty -- it’s a beautiful building, and there’s a big yard in the back called the South Lawn. So a lot of times I walk Bo at night, and that’s fun. Sometimes I run around with Bo, although I have to -- sometimes I have to scoop up his poop.
Q: Ew!
THE PRESIDENT: Because I don’t want to just leave it in the lawn. So if you guys have a dog, you got to walk your dog too and clean up after him a little bit.
.... But I did just want to come by to say how proud I am of all of you. This is just a wonderful school. The staff, the teachers, do such a great job. And you guys, the students, are doing a great job. And I just left a children’s book that I wrote called "Of Thee I Sing," so I left that as a Christmas present. I had a chance to read "The Night Before Christmas." So -- but I suspect everybody here has read it....
Well, then all I want to do is come in here and say, guys, I’m proud of you. I hope you guys have a wonderful holiday. And keep working hard, keep paying attention, because your teachers know more than you do. At least for now. But if they do a really good job, then at some point you’ll know more than them. All right?
But we couldn’t be prouder. So from Michelle, Malia, Sasha and from Bo, we want to wish you guys a wonderful holiday. All right? Bye-bye, everybody. (Applause.)