It's no secret that institutions of all stripes focus their communications on certain messages day to day. We thought it would all be a little more open and transparent if we went ahead and published what our focus will be for the day, along with any related articles, documents, or reports.

Supporting video: "What's Good About Health Care Reform for Seniors? A new series of videos addresses how health care reform would safeguard Medicare," AARP

Talking Points: Strengthening Medicare through Health Insurance Reform

• President Obama is committed to protecting and strengthening Medicare for America's seniors – anyone who tells you different is trying to scare and deliberately mislead you.  Health insurance reform will not cut Medicare benefits.  Period.
   
• Medicare is a sacred trust with America's seniors and the President’s health insurance reform plan will ensure that trust is never broken.
   
• Not a dime of the Medicare trust fund will be used to pay for reform. 
   
• Instead it eliminates waste to strengthen the financial health of the program.
  • It will end wasteful overpayments to insurance companies through Medicare Advantage. There is no evidence these overpayments improve the quality of care for seniors, yet they contribute to higher premiums for all Medicare beneficiaries.
  • Eliminating these overpayments adds years to the Medicare trust fund.
     
• Reform will make care more affordable for seniors.
  • It will substantially reduce the cost of prescription drugs for seniors who fall into that gap in coverage known as the Donut Hole.  And the President is committed to closing that donut hole altogether. 
  • It will make preventive services free.
  • And it will aggressively attack fraud and abuse that raise Medicare costs for all seniors and taxpayers.
     
• Reform will also improve care for Seniors.
  • It will move Medicare toward a system that rewards high-quality care and invest in innovations in primary care.
  • It will result in better coordination of care and an end to the duplicate tests and bureaucracy.
  • It will make long-term care services more affordable.
  • And it will eliminate the imminent physician payment cut that threatens to constrict doctor choices for seniors.

Starting at 9:30, Energy Secretary Steven Chu will host a Clean Energy Economy Forum with stakeholders from around the country. Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change Carol Browner and other top Administration officials will also be featured speakers at the forum, which will include a focus on science, innovation, and job creation in the emerging clean energy economy.

Watch live here at WhiteHouse.gov, or watch and take part in the live chat through Facebook. The White House will be monitoring the chat, taking questions, and incorporating feedback from chat participants during the event. 

• Watch live here at WhiteHouse.gov 
• Watch, discuss and engage through Facebook

Standing amongst thousands of black-and-white solar panels, President Obama today discussed an exciting new chapter in the quest for clean and renewable energy: a $3.4 billion investment of Recovery Act funds to modernize the electric grid.  Speaking at the Florida Power and Light’s (FPL) DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center, the President outlined how a smarter, more reliable energy system will benefit Americans—not to mention the planet:

On their own, the opening of this new solar plant or the installation of new smart meters or the investment in grid modernization will not be enough to meet the challenges posed by our dependence on fossil fuels.  But together, we can begin to see what a clean energy future will look like.  We can imagine the day when you'll be able to charge the battery on your plug-in hybrid car at night, because your smart meter reminded you that nighttime electricity is cheapest.  In the daytime, when the sun is at its strongest, solar panels like these and electricity stored in car batteries will be able to power the grid with affordable, emission-free energy.  The stronger, more efficient grid would be able to transport power generated at dams and wind turbines from the smallest towns to the biggest cities.  And above all, we can see all this work that would be created for millions of Americans who need it and who want it, here in Florida and all across the country.

So we're on the cusp of this new energy future.  In fact, a lot of it is already taking place.  Even as I'm here today, Vice President Biden is in Delaware announcing the reopening of a once-shuttered GM factory that will soon put people back to work building plug-in, electric hybrid vehicles.  On Friday, I was in Boston -- that's good news.  (Applause.)  On Friday, I was in Boston, where workers will soon be breaking ground on a new Wind Technology Testing Center that will allow researchers in the United States to test the world's newest and largest wind turbine blades for the very first time.  And there are recovery projects like this in cities and counties all across the country.

So at this moment, there is something big happening in America when it comes to creating a clean energy economy.  But getting there will take a few more days like this one and more projects like this one.  And I have often said that the creation of such an economy is going to require nothing less than the sustained effort of an entire nation -- an all-hands-on-deck approach similar to the mobilization that preceded World War II or the Apollo Project.  And I also believe that such a comprehensive piece of legislation that is taking place right now in Congress is going to be critical.  That's going to finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America -- legislation that will make the best use of resources we have in abundance, through clean coal technology, safe nuclear power, sustainably grown biofuels, and energy we harness from the wind, waves, and sun. 

(President Barack Obama reaches to shake hands with people in the crowd following a tour and remarks at the DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center in Arcadia, Fla., Oct. 27, 2009. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) October 27, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In short, Smart Grid technology will:

• Create tens of thousands of jobs.
• Reduce power outages that cost American consumers $150 billion a year--every man, woman and child in the United States will save about $500 each year. 
• Allow consumers to cut their electricity bills through “smart meters.”
• Put Americans on the path to generating 20 percent or more of our energy from renewable sources by 2020.

To read more about the smart grid, the newest American Reinvestment and Recovery Act initiative, read the full fact sheet.

We've been asked about whether the President, Mrs. Obama, and Sasha and Malia have received their H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines. All four members of the Obama family have received their seasonal flu vaccine.  Malia and Sasha were both vaccinated for H1N1 last week, after the vaccine became available to Washington, DC schoolchildren.  President and Mrs. Obama have not yet been vaccinated for H1N1, and they will wait until the needs of the priority groups identified by the CDC – including young people under the age of 24, pregnant women, and people with underlying conditions – have been met.  The girls' H1N1 vaccine was administered by a White House physician, who applied for and received the vaccine from the DC Department of Health using the same process as every other vaccination site in the District. 

While the initial distribution of vaccine is being administered to priority target groups, there are steps every family can take to help protect against H1N1 and seasonal flu.  Remember to check Flu.gov for the latest on vaccine availability near you, steps you can take to protect your family, and what to do if you or a loved one gets the flu.

Catherine Mccormick-Lelyveld is Press Secretary for the First Lady

(President Barack Obama arrives to speak to servicemen and women at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, in Jacksonville, Florida October 26, 2009. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) October 26, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Speaking today at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida, the President honored the fourteen Americans killed in the crash in Afghanistan this morning, the generations that have served in Jacksonville, and our servicemen and women all over the world:

Keeping you strong takes something else -- a country that never forgets this simple truth.  It's not the remarkable platforms that give the United States our military superiority -- although you've got some pretty impressive aircraft here, I got to admit.  It's not the sophisticated technologies that make us the most advanced in the world -- although you do represent the future of naval aviation. 

No, we have the finest Navy and the finest military in the history of the world because we have the finest personnel in the world.  (Applause.)  You are the best trained, the best prepared, the best led force in history.  Our people are our most precious resource.

We're reminded of this again with today's helicopter crashes in Afghanistan.  Fourteen Americans gave their lives.  And our prayers are with these service members, their civilian colleagues, and the families who loved them.

And while no words can ease the ache in their hearts today, may they find some comfort in knowing this:  Like all those who give their lives in service to America, they were doing their duty and they were doing this nation proud.

They were willing to risk their lives, in this case, to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and its extremist allies.  And today, they gave their lives, that last full measure of devotion, to protect ours.

Now, it is our duty as a nation to keep their memory alive in our hearts and to carry on their work.  To take care of their families.  To keep our country safe.  To stand up for the values we hold dear and the freedom they defended.  That's what they dedicated their lives to.  And that is what we must do as well.

So I say to you and all who serve:  Of all the privileges I have as President, I have no greater honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief.  You inspire me.  And I'm here today to deliver a simple message -- a message of thanks to you and your families.

Being here, you join a long, unbroken line of service at Jacksonville -- from the naval aviators from World War II to Korea to Vietnam, among them a great patriot named John McCain.  You embody that sailor's creed, the "spirit of the Navy and all who have gone before" -- Honor, Courage, Commitment. 

(Servicemen and women listen to President Barack Obama at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 26, 2009. Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) October 26, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The President also pledged to hold up his end of the bargain:

And while I will never hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests, I also promise you this -- and this is very important as we consider our next steps in Afghanistan:  I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way.  I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary.  (Applause.)  And if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hilt.  Because you deserve the strategy, the clear mission, and the defined goals as well as the equipment and support that you need to get the job done.  We are not going to have a situation in which you are not fully supported back here at home.  That is a promise that I will always make to you.  (Applause.)

Now, as you meet your missions around the world, we will take care of your families here at home.  That's why Michelle has been visiting bases across the country.  That's why the Recovery Act is funding projects like improvements to your hospital and a new child development center at Mayport.  It's why we're increasing your pay -- (applause) -- increasing childcare, helping families deal with the stress and separation of war. 

And finally, we pledge to be there when you come home.  We're improving care for our wounded warriors, especially those with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.  We're funding the Post-9/11 GI Bill to give you and your families the chance to pursue your dreams.  (Applause.)  And we are making the biggest commitment to our veterans -- the largest percentage increase in the VA budget, even when we've got very difficult times fiscally -- in more than 30 years.

Now these are the commitments I make to you; the obligations that your country is honor-bound to uphold.  Because you've always taken care of America, and America must take care of you -- always.

(President Barack Obama greets servicemen and women after speaking at Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Jacksonville, Fla., Oct. 26, 2009. Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy) October 26, 2009. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

Last week, I joined fellow members of the Ocean Policy Task Force in New Orleans for a Public Meeting to continue our ongoing discussion of ocean and coastal environmental issues, this time with a focus on the Gulf Coast Region. At the meeting on Monday, we heard a wide variety of comments from local residents and gained valuable insight into the central issues affecting the region that was devastated by Hurricane Katrina just over four years ago. In addition to being there in person, we were able to virtually link all five Gulf states thanks to the Gulf Coastal Ecosystem Learning Centers, and had the benefit of live participants from Corpus Christi, TX; Tampa, FL; Dauphin Island, AL; Ocean Springs, MS as well as New Orleans, LA. The lessons learned from this trip once again highlight the need for a national policy that ensures the protection, maintenance, and restoration of our oceans, coasts, and marine ecosystems.

NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco (facing camera, seated in center), CEQ Chair Nancy Sutley (facing camera, seated on right) and Rear Admiral Mary Landry (seated front right corner) take an airboat tour of the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge. October 20, 2009. (by NOAA)

On Tuesday, we toured the Gulf Coast region to get a first-hand view of the issues. We took an aerial tour of New Orleans’ 9th Ward, coastal wetlands and barrier island chains, and the Mississippi river, followed by an airboat tour of the Big Branch Marsh National Wildlife Refuge and its unique habitats and diverse plant communities. Our trip allowed us to see both the bird’s eye view of the Gulf from the air, and actual restoration efforts on the ground. The Obama administration is working to strengthen the wetlands and barrier islands that are the first line of defense for the Gulf Coast – a priority that, while critical to this region’s physical protection, is also critical to our environment and to our economy.

It was a truly pleasure to return to New Orleans so soon after my visit the week before. Before the President’s town hall, I had the opportunity to meet with leaders from the community engaged in coastal restoration efforts and to witness first-hand the degree of environmental degradation plaguing the region. I also visited the Central Bayou Bienvenue wetlands restoration site, which is utilizing wetland assimilation of wastewater effluent to restore approximately 10,000 acres of the critical cypress wetlands that have historically served as a natural defense against storms.

Standing on the viewing post of Bayou Bienvenue and seeing the extent to which the wetlands have disappeared was a humbling experience that reinforced my belief in the importance of this, and other coastal restoration projects. As the President said during the Town Hall, it is inspirational to spend time with the citizens there who have persevered in the face of the tragedy that was Katrina and are steadfast in their resolve to rebuild. The Obama Administration is committed to enhancing the environmental and economic sustainability of New Orleans and coastal Louisiana, and we recognize that coastal wetland restoration is a key path toward achieving this type of long-term resiliency. I would like to thank the individuals who provided us with valuable insight on the restorative work being accomplished there, and I look forward to continue to work with this region in the future.

Nancy Sutley is the Chair of the Council on Environmental Quality.

Cross-posted from the Department of Transportation's Fast Lane blog.

This is the final week of the GreenGov Challenge, and I urge everyone to view some of the remarkable sustainability ideas submitted thus far by government and military employees.

And for those readers who are government or military employees, I urge you to share your suggestions. Though nearly 6,000 have been submitted thus far, that good idea in your mind right now could rewrite the way the Federal government reduces energy use, conserves water, reduces waste, and supports clean technology.

In an effort to proactively address the ongoing pandemic, the President signed a National Emergency Declaration on H1N1 that allows healthcare systems to quickly implement disaster plans should they become overwhelmed.
 
As experts expected, H1N1 flu is moving rapidly throughout the country and the majority of states now have widespread influenza activity.  This declaration gives authority for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to waive certain regulatory requirements for healthcare facilities in response the ongoing pandemic. Specifically, healthcare facilities will be able to submit waivers to establish alternate care sites, and modified patient triage protocols, patient transfer procedures and other actions that occur when they fully implement disaster operations plans.
 
Under Section 1135 of the Social Security Act [42 USC §1320b–5] healthcare facilities may petition for HHS approval of waivers in response to particular needs within the geographic and temporal limits of the emergency declarations.  Before HHS has the authority to approve such “1135 Waivers” two conditions must be met: first, the Secretary must have declared a Public Health Emergency, and second, the President must have declared a National Emergency either through a Stafford Act Declaration or National Emergencies Act Declaration. 1135 Waivers still require specific requests be submitted to HHS and processed, and some State laws may need to be addressed as well.
 
The Secretary may tailor authorities granted under Section 1135 waivers to match the specific situational needs, but the requirements that may be waived include those related to Medicare, Medicaid or the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act (EMTALA), and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
 
Past instances where authority to grant Section 1135 waivers was enabled include:

• Hurricane Katrina (2005)
• 56th Presidential Inauguration (2009)
• Hurricanes Ike and Gustav (2008)
• North Dakota flooding (2009)

 Learn more about this National Emergency Declaration and get information on H1N1 and seasonal flu at Flu.gov.

As a teacher, I should have realized that many people have trouble with the distinction between growth rates and levels. As noted in a new article by the Christian Science Monitor, I made the uncontroversial statement in testimony yesterday that fiscal stimulus has its greatest effect on economic growth over the period where it is ramping up most quickly. This statement seems to have caused some confusion and misunderstanding.

When we go from no stimulus to substantial tax cuts, increases in government spending, and aid to state governments, this has a large effect on the growth rate of real GDP – just as when you press hard on your car’s accelerator and go from 0 to 60, you have a great change in your speed. This sense of acceleration is exactly what we have been experiencing since the start of the year. Fiscal stimulus has been steadily increasing, raising GDP growth by between 2 and 3 percentage points in the second quarter and between 3 and 4 percentage points in the third quarter. Because GDP was falling rapidly before the stimulus, the contribution of the Recovery Act to growth has changed what would have been a continued rapid decline in GDP to only a modest decline in the second quarter, and changed what probably would have been a further decline into what is now widely expected to be a moderate increase in the third quarter. We expect that stimulus will continue to have a positive effect on growth in the fourth quarter of 2009 and well into 2010, though, by design, not by as much as it did in the second and third quarters of 2009. As a result, we expect the largest effect of the stimulus on the levels of GDP and employment to occur well after the largest effects on growth rates.

At some point, the stimulus plateaus at a high level. That is important too. Such continued stimulus may not add much to growth, but it is keeping the levels of GDP and employment much higher than they otherwise would have been – just as keeping pressure on the accelerator keeps the car going at 60 mph.

If you take your foot off the gas, the car goes from 60 back down to a slow crawl – a serious case of deceleration. Taking stimulus off in an economy where private demand has not adequately recovered could lead to negative GDP growth and a fall in the level of both GDP and employment. This is something I think we can all agree would be detrimental to the U.S. economy and American families.

Christina Romer is Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers