Nobody in this government will be satisfied until BP stops the leak, the oil is cleaned up and the affected people along the Gulf are fully compensated.

BP, as a responsible party, is charged with capping their leaking oil well and paying for the response and recovery. After Exxon Valdez, and through the Oil Pollution Act of 1990, no longer can a company cause a disaster like this and then expect the taxpayers to clean up their mess.

However, the USG, as led by the Department of Homeland Security with Admiral Thad Allen serving as the National Incident Commander, is overseeing these actions.

In addition, the Federal On Scene Coordinator Rear Admiral Mary Landry coordinates the response on the front line, oversees BP’s efforts, and directs additional actions where necessary.

Since the Deepwater Horizon exploded on April 20th, the United States government has taken and will continue to take an all hands on deck posture to ensure we are doing everything we can to help BP stop this leak.

With the source being 5,000 feet under the ocean’s surface, this has been extremely difficult and the oil companies are the only ones who have the equipment for this.

Government scientists and engineers are currently working with BP to use the best, most advanced technology that exists to try to stop the flow of oil as quickly as possible.

The Department of Energy has engaged some of the world’s top scientific and engineering minds from Sandia, Los Alamos and Livermore Labs—to lend their expertise. These government scientists are reviewing every plan on the table, validating those that are moving forward and providing additional expertise and input on new tactics.

Heidi Avery is White House Deputy Homeland Security Advisor

On Tuesday the President gave a sweeping talk on the economy to some hard-working folks in Youngstown, Ohio.  I want to emphasize one particular part of his address:

Today my administration is announcing a landmark agreement to help dozens of communities like Youngstown revitalize and redevelop old, shuttered GM facilities, preparing them for new industries, new jobs, and new opportunity.

That's exciting news for auto communities.

The same day, the White House Council on Automotive Communities and Workers, US Department of Labor, Brookings Institution Metropolitan Policy Program, and Funders’ Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities came together to co-sponsor Auto Communities and the Next Economy: Partnerships in Innovation, a summit held in Washington, DC.

Ed Montgomery, Executive Director of the White House Council on Automotive Communities, speaks on challenges and solutions for auto communities, May 18, 2010. (by Paul Morigi)

The event brought together about 300 people from Michigan and Ohio down to Alabama and Louisiana, from California across to Delaware. There were auto suppliers, union officials, colleges and university leaders, foundation and community based organization heads, economic development experts as well as members of Congress, as well as federal, state and local government officials who came to discuss the challenges auto communities still face and ways in which these entities can effectively partner together to solve these problems. We not only talked about the issues, but concrete actions were taken.

As a former Governor, I know that economic growth often starts with small businesses that have big ideas.  As Secretary of Health and Human Services, I’ve seen how a breakthrough in a lab can lead to a life-saving medication in medicine chests across America.

Today, my colleagues Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and National Institutes of Health Director Francis Collins made an announcement that brings these forces together.  As part of the Affordable Care Act, we’re creating a new tax credit for biotechnology research that will create jobs, save lives, and bring down health care costs.

The tax credit will be available to the small biotech firms around the country whose research has been judged by our NIH experts to hold great promise to lead to new therapies and medical innovation.  Our goal is to make targeted investments so that encouraging leads that otherwise might have been set aside can now be vigorously pursued by some of our best scientists.

Over the last few decades, breakthroughs in biotechnology have improved the health of millions of Americans – dramatically reducing the mortality rates for many diseases and health conditions.  At the same time, the biotech industry has become a key driver of our high-tech economy, supporting 1.3 million high-quality jobs. 

Put simply, today’s announcement equals more cures and more jobs.

To learn more about how this announcement achieves some of the Affordable Care Act’s key goals like supporting American businesses, promoting health care innovation, and helping Americans live healthier lives, you can read a fact sheet here and the full IRS Notice on the tax credit here.

Kathleen Sebelius is Secretary of Health and Human Services

Thanks for checking out the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, walk step-by-step with the President as he honors our nations top police officers, mourns officers killed in the line of duty, meets with top cabinet members about containing the BP oil leak in the Gulf, signs the Freedom of the Press act, welcomes the NCAA Women's Basketball Champs UConn Huskies, travels to Youngstown, Ohio to visit a steel factory, hosts a State Dinner for the President of Mexico, and informs the American people on what Wall Street reform will mean for them.

Friday, May 14th

• President Obama congratulates TOP COPS for being true heroes
• President Obama delivers remarks about the ongoing response the the Deepwater BP oil spill

Saturday, May 15th

• President Obama honors fallen law enforcement officers

Sunday, May 16th

• The First Lady gives the commencement address at George Washington University
  

Monday, May 17th

• President Obama signs the Daniel Pearl Freedom of the Press Act
  
• President Obama congratulates the UConn Huskies on their second straight NCAA championship

Tuesday, May 18th

• President Obama visits Youngstown, Ohio and talks about creating new jobs

Wednesday, May 19th

• President Obama welcomes President Calderone and Mrs. Zavala of Mexico to the White House
• President Obama and the First Lady host the State Dinner with Mexico

Arun Chaudhary is the official White House videographer

This afternoon the Senate marked a moment that many would have thought was unlikely – clearing a key hurdle towards passing strong reform of the ways of Wall Street.  As debate in the Senate was about to begin, Wall Street lobbyists pushed as hard as they ever have on anything to keep reform from moving forward, and found many Republicans willing to pick up the cause.  And given how much success those lobbyists have had over the past decades, one might have expected them to succeed.  But not only did debate move forward, but day after day during the debate, weakening amendments were defeated -- in fact, the bill was even strengthened in many ways.  Today the Senate reached the 60-vote threshold needed to close debate and set up passage out of the Senate.  Soon after the Senate will come together with the House, which passed their bill months ago, to iron out final legislation to pass and send to the President.

Speaking in the Rose Garden, the President took a moment to take stock:

Now, we’ve still got some work to do.  Soon we’re going to have a final vote in the Senate, and then the House and the Senate will have to iron out the differences between the two bills.  And there’s no doubt that during that time, the financial industry and their lobbyists will keep on fighting.  But I will ensure that we arrive at a final product that is both effective and responsible -– one that holds Wall Street to high standards of accountability and secures financial stability, while preserving the strength and crucial functions of a financial industry that is central to our prosperity and our ability to innovate and compete in a global economy.

Our goal is not to punish the banks, but to protect the larger economy and the American people from the kind of upheavals that we’ve seen in the past few years.  And today’s action was a major step forward in achieving that goal.

Because of Wall Street reform, we’ll soon have in place the strongest consumer protections in history.  If you’ve ever applied for a credit card, a student loan, or a mortgage, you know the feeling of signing your name to pages of barely understandable fine print.  It’s a big step for most families, but one that’s often filled with unnecessary confusion and apprehension.  As a result, many Americans are simply duped into hidden fees and loans they just can’t afford by companies that know exactly what they’re doing. 

Those days will soon end.  From now on, every consumer will be empowered with the clear and concise information that you need to make financial decisions that are best for you.  This bill will crack down on predatory practices and unscrupulous mortgage lenders.  It will enforce the new credit card law we passed banning unfair rate hikes, and ensure that folks aren’t unwittingly caught by overdraft fees when they sign up for a checking account.  It will give students who take out college loans information and make sure lenders don’t cheat the system.  And it will ensure that every American receives a free credit score if they are denied a loan or insurance because of that score.

Because of financial reform, the American people will never again be asked to foot the bill for Wall Street’s mistakes.  There will be no more taxpayer-funded bailouts -- period.  If a large financial institution should ever fail, we will have the tools to wind it down without endangering the broader economy.  And there will be new rules to prevent financial institutions from becoming “too big to fail” in the first place, so that we don’t have another AIG. 

Because of reform, the kinds of complex, backroom deals that helped trigger the financial crisis will finally be brought to the light of day.  And from now on, shareholders will have greater say on the pay of CEOs and other executives, so that they can reward success instead of failure, and help change the perverse incentives that encouraged so much reckless risk-taking in the first place. 

So, in short, Wall Street reform will bring greater security to folks on Main Street -- to families who are looking to buy their first car or their first home; to taxpayers who shouldn’t have to pay for somebody else’s irresponsibility; to small businesses and community banks who play by the rules; and to shareholders and investors who want to see their companies grow and thrive.

But let me stress that this is not a zero-sum game where Wall Street loses and Main Street wins.  As we’ve learned, in today’s economy, we’re all connected.  When the economy prospers, we all win.  When the financial sector operates under sound rules of the road to ensure fairness and stability, we all win.  Every American has an interest in a healthy financial sector.  But for that reason, it’s also imperative that those in Wall Street boardrooms and on trading floors be held accountable for the decisions that they make.  For behind every dollar traded or leveraged on Wall Street, there is a family looking to buy a house, pay for an education, open a business, or save for retirement.

And the reform I sign will not stifle the power of the free market -- it will simply bring predictable, responsible, sensible rules into the marketplace.  Unless your business model is based on bilking your customers and skirting the law, you should have nothing to fear from this legislation.   

President Barack Obama makes a statement on Wall Street Reform legislation in the Rose Garden of the White House, May 20, 2010. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Ed. Note: En Español aquí.

As President Obama welcomed President Calderon of Mexico to the White House for a state visit yesterday, we were reminded of the many little known benefits the Wall Street reform bill will have for middle class families. Every year, millions of working Americans send financial assistance back to their families in Mexico. In 2006, Mexico received over $23 billion in remittances, the vast majority of which came from the United States. While each transaction averages less than $300, there are frequently hidden fees and costs associated with each transaction.

Remittance transfer providers currently are not required to disclose, prior to initiating a transaction for a consumer, the amount that will be received at the other end, making it essentially impossible for consumers to effectively comparison shop. No federal agency is specifically charged with protecting the rights of consumers using remittance services and federal regulations that apply to many other consumer payments transactions generally do not apply to remittance transfers. Although most states regulate remittance transfer providers to some degree, few require disclosures designed with consumers in mind. Meanwhile, researchers have found that the millions of families sending financial assistance Mexico frequently have difficulty understanding the total cost of sending a remittances, specifically the exchange rate and fees charged by the provider, before they engage in a transaction.

That’s where Wall Street reform comes in. The bureau for consumer financial protection – which would be established under the bill pending before the Senate – will be able to provide, for the first time, federal consumer oversight over companies that provide remittance transfer services to consumers. The bureau will have the authority to lay down and enforce common-sense rules of the road to ensure that consumers are protected from unfair practices and that remittance transfers are subject to fair rules and accountability. The bureau will also enforce new consumer protections, including requirements to provide consumers easy-to-understand pricing disclosures and receipts, and be the place for consumers to turn to with complaints and questions about remittance transfers.

This piece of the Wall Street reform bill – along with many others – benefits hardworking individuals here in the United States as well as their families abroad. As we look ahead to the Senate cloture vote this afternoon we are hopeful that the millions of working people who have not had a voice, have not had an advocate standing up for what is good for consumers, will find themselves one step closer to long overdue changes to the financial system.

Diana Farrell is Deputy Director of the White House National Economic Council

I wanted to check in and let you know where we stand on putting together the intellectual property (IP) enforcement strategy and how much we have learned from the public. 

Over the last few months, I have been working with policymakers across federal agencies to address the problems faced by American businesses with regards to intellectual property infringement.  There are a number of critical programs in place to support business and we are working to make these programs more effective and develop new programs where gaps exist.

Just as important as our work with agencies, however, I have had the chance to meet with and hear from people who actually live with these issues on a day-to-day basis, whether it is a small business owner facing IP theft for the first time, a large company that deals with infringement on a regular basis, or a labor organization concerned about losing jobs because of counterfeiting and other forms of infringement.  Even as somebody who has worked extensively on these issues, it’s been an amazing reminder of how intellectual property enforcement affects every corner of our country.

Over the last few months, I have met with big technology companies that make sophisticated hardware and network systems as well as early stage companies that are just in the process of getting off the ground, all of which are hurt by IP infringement. 

I met with a company that manufactures cement in innovative ways that will protect our environment, and with the heads of venture capital funds that are investing in green technologies, all of which face the risk of losing their new green technology (and the jobs that come with it) as a result of IP theft.

I sat down with book publishers, movie studios, music companies, and videogame companies, all of whom are faced with widespread problems resulting from internet piracy.  I heard concerns from many other sectors as well: our airplane industry, small manufacturers, automobile industry, steelworkers, textile manufacturers, and biotech, software, and telecommunication companies.

I also sat down with those who want strong defenses and exceptions to intellectual property liability, including academics across the country, or consumer rights organizations.  I met with Internet companies that organize information and help our citizens find out what they want to know about the world today and connect people around the globe, and Internet auction sites that allow consumers to buy what they want at the price they want, all of which are affected by our enforcement efforts.

Through this process, I have learned how many different types of businesses are affected and harmed by infringement of intellectual property.  I have been impressed by the level of knowledge and concern at the very top of some of our biggest and most innovative companies, responsible for millions of American jobs.  I had the opportunity to sit down with CEOs from Intel, eBay, Calera, Google, Warner Bros, and Pandora, among many others, representing nearly every innovation-intensive sector of our economy. 

Perhaps most importantly, through these meetings and through the comments we received from the general public, we have received some excellent recommendations about how the United States government can improve our efforts to enforce our intellectual property, with some of the best ideas coming from the smallest companies.

Most of these discussions took place in Washington, D.C., but I also had the chance to travel to Los Angeles, Silicon Valley, and New York to visit companies at their headquarters and hear their concerns directly.  As I continue to both work on the IP enforcement strategy itself and then the even harder work of implementing it, these discussions will continue, both in DC and in communities and regions across the country, so I can continue to hear from those directly affected by what we do.

Victoria Espinel is the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator

President Obama and President Calderón of Mexico held a joint press availability this afternoon ahead of the State Dinner to discuss the many issues that naturally draw such close neighbors into common interest. President Obama talked about the “highest economic priority” of both nations to create jobs for their people, including clean energy jobs, and increasing competitiveness in the global economy.  He also discussed their commitment to common security, specifically standing together against drug cartels, stating that “Mexico can count on the United States as a full partner in this effort.” 

President Obama also talked about responsibilities that both countries have towards fixing the current broken immigration system, including securing the borders, holding businesses accountable for exploiting workers, and holding illegal immigrants accountable for paying taxes and fines before they earn their citizenship. Both presidents commented on the new immigration law in Arizona, which President Obama called “a misdirected expression of frustration over our broken immigration system.” He explained that if the country can pass comprehensive immigration reform, we will be less likely to see the kinds of measures as they saw in Arizona:

Today, I want every American to know my administration has devoted unprecedented resources in personnel and technology to securing our border.  Illegal immigration is down, not up, and we will continue to do what’s necessary to secure our shared border.

And I want everyone, American and Mexican, to know my administration is taking a very close look at the Arizona law.  We’re examining any implications, especially for civil rights.  Because in the United States of America, no law-abiding person -- be they an American citizen, a legal immigrant, or a visitor or tourist from Mexico -- should ever be subject to suspicion simply because of what they look like.

President Calderón also touched upon the Arizona law, and called for a “comprehensive solution that will be respectful of the rights of the individual.”  President Obama explained that he will work with Congress and the Mexican government to pass comprehensive immigration reform, calling for support from the opposite side of the political party as well.

The political challenge is, is that I have confidence that I can get the majority of Democrats, both in the House and the Senate, to support a piece of legislation of the sort that I just described. But I don’t have 60 votes in the Senate.  I’ve got to have some support from Republicans.  When we made an effort of this sort a few years ago, it was under the leadership of John McCain and Ted Kennedy.  And because there was a bipartisan effort, we were actually able to generate a majority of votes in the Senate.  And we just missed being able to get it done in the House.

If we can re-create that atmosphere -- I don't expect to get every Republican vote, but I need some help in order to get it done.  And there have been people who have expressed an interest. But if they're willing to come forward and get a working group and get this moving, I’m actually confident that we can get it done.  And the American people -- including the people of Arizona -- are going to prefer that the federal government takes responsibility and does what it’s supposed to do.
 

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Transparency Task Force is releasing 21 draft proposals aimed at helping consumers, stakeholders, and others understand how FDA works and makes decisions. FDA would like the public to provide feedback on these ideas.  After 60 days, FDA will use your comments to make recommendations to FDA Commissioner Dr. Margaret Hamburg for implementation.

Following the leadership and commitment of President Obama and the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to transparent and open government, Commissioner Hamburg launched FDA's Transparency Initiative in June 2009. Since then, FDA has held two public meetings, participated in public listening sessions, launched an online transparency blog, and established a public record to accept public comments. FDA has received more than 1500 comments from the public about transparency at the agency. Two major initiatives already have been launched as a result of public suggestions.

Earlier this year, FDA launched a popular new website, FDA Basics, to help better explain the work that FDA does. We also launched a new public performance system called FDA-TRACK to help track the agency’s progress on important projects and programs.

Our next step is releasing this report today. This report has proposals that were developed based on public input. All the proposals are designed to help provide more information to the public while maintaining confidentiality for trade secrets and individually identifiable information.

For example, one proposal is for FDA to explain its reasoning when it declines to approve a medical product. Disclosing this kind of information could help researchers and others in the medical products industry develop improved products for approval.

In another proposal, when a drug sponsor decides for business reasons not to pursue approval for a drug designed to treat a rare disease, FDA would be allowed to explain that the drug could represent a significant therapeutic advance for the disease. That type of information could cause another company to continue with the application or encourage additional investment for the development of the drug.

These are just two of the proposals included in the report. These kinds of proposals will allow the public, Congress, media, industry and many other stakeholders to better understand the health and safety decisions FDA makes each day about foods, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics, and other widely used consumer products. The report also proposes steps FDA can take to open up the agency, including providing more information about the agency’s interactions with the media and the process used to implement the Freedom of Information Act.

You can read more about the transparency report FDA is releasing today in a Perspective article in the New England Journal of Medicine online, "Transparency at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration."

Not all of the 21 draft proposals will necessarily be implemented. Some require extensive resources to implement and some may require changes to regulations or legislation. You can read the draft proposals here and let us know what you think before July 20, 2010. Go to the FDA Web site to provide your input on these proposals and tell us which should be our top priorities.

Beth Martino is the Associate Commissioner of External Affairs at FDA.