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January 20, 2011
12:30 PM EDT2010 was a historic year for the General Services Administration (GSA). With a portfolio including 350 million square feet of public buildings, 200,000 federal vehicles, and a flow of goods and services throughout government totaling $95 billion, GSA has the capacity to impact every corner of government in every region of the country. In 2010, President Obama set a bold agenda for GSA to change the way the government does business by:
- Creating jobs and supporting American businesses by leading the Federal government to a sustainable future;
- Identifying sustainable products ranging from vehicles to cleaning products that will reduce the Federal government’s environmental footprint and save millions of taxpayer dollars; and,
- Laying the framework for an emerging clean energy economy.
GSA delivered. Here’s a look back at 2010 and a look forward to 2011:
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On January 21, 2009, the President and First Lady entered the White House and signaled their commitment to creating a more open and accessible White House by surprising guests attending public tours. Two years later, approximately 1.5 million visitors have walked through the gates of the people’s house. Mrs. Obama is marking the second year by continuing this tradition today – taking some time to greet visitors as they come in for public tours for the third time.
Don't miss a live stream of the First Lady with Obama family dog Bo surprise White House visitors at 10:45 AM EST on WhiteHouse.gov/live.
(Update: This live event has concluded. You can watch the full video here.)
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Libbie Hough from North Carolina spent a lot of time worrying about her daughter, Natalie, who has a pre-existing condition.
Natalie had a previously undiagnosed condition, went into cardiac arrest while at school, beat the odds and survived. But Libbie knew that such an episode would be classified as a pre-existing condition and make it very difficult for Natalie to find quality, affordable health insurance. And she worried about what her daughter would do when she graduated from college and had to find insurance on her own.
She also knew that Natalie’s pre-existing condition might make it impossible for her to take a job or other opportunity if it didn’t come with health insurance. Libbie didn’t like that her daughter would feel constrained in her life choices, or have to worry about the cost of being covered when she should be able to focus on going to college, getting an education and pursuing her dreams.
Thankfully, the Affordable Care Act is helping people like Natalie across the country. Thanks to the new law, Natalie will be able to stay on her parent’s insurance plan until she turns 26. And when it comes time for her to look for health insurance on her own, insurance companies will be prohibited from discriminating against her because of her pre-existing condition.
The new law is giving young adults like Natalie the freedom to focus on priorities other than health insurance, and letting parents like Libbie breathe a sigh of relief.
Listen to her story:
Stephanie Cutter is Assistant to the President for Special Projects.
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Ed. Note: Read more about the “100,000 Strong Initiative” and new efforts to increase the number and diversity of American students studying in China.
“So we’ve had a pretty busy morning at the White House,” said Mrs. Obama, addressing an audience of more than a thousand young people from the Washington, DC area. President Obama and the First Lady began the day by welcoming Chinese President Hu Jintao for a State Visit.
Following the Arrival Ceremony, and continuing her focus on engaging youth around the world, the First Lady spoke to students about the importance of building relationships with their peers in China and creating a mutual understanding around the world.
First Lady Michelle Obama addresses the "100K Strong" State Visit event on the campus of Howard University in Washington, D.C. January 19, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)
She focused on the importance of studying abroad in support of the President’s “100,000 Strong Initiative” – a program that aims to increase the number of Americans who have the opportunity to study in China:
The fact is, with every friendship you make, and every bond of trust you establish, you are shaping the image of America projected to the rest of the world. That is so important. So when you study abroad, you’re actually helping to make America stronger.
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On Tuesday, January 18, R. Sargent Shriver passed away at the age of 95. Mr. Shriver was the first director of the Peace Corps, serving in that post from 1961 to 1966. His legacy of service is remembered by President Obama, Vice President Biden, and Aaron Williams, the director of the Peace Corps.
I was deeply saddened to learn about the passing of Sargent Shriver, one of the brightest lights of the greatest generation. Over the course of his long and distinguished career, Sarge came to embody the idea of public service. Of his many enduring contributions, he will perhaps best be remembered as the founding director of the Peace Corps, helping make it possible for generations of Americans to serve as ambassadors of goodwill abroad. His loss will be felt in all of the communities around the world that have been touched by Peace Corps volunteers over the past half century and all of the lives that have been made better by his efforts to address inequality and injustice here at home. My thoughts and prayers are with Robert, Maria, Tim, Mark, and Anthony, and the entire Shriver family during this sad time.
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As you may have seen in our earlier posts from Secretary Geithner and Assistant to the President for Special Projects Stephanie Cutter, Republicans in the House of Representatives have scheduled time today to vote on a bill to repeal the new freedoms, control over health care decisions, and cost savings the health care law---the Affordable Care Act---provides the American people.
Repeal would be bad for business, bad for the economy, and bad for families’ bank accounts. It would also leave Americans to once again worry about:
- Losing their insurance, or having it canceled unexpectedly if they are in an accident or become sick;
- Insurance companies raising premiums by double-digits with no recourse or accountability;
- Insurance companies denying coverage to children with pre-existing conditions; and
- Limiting the amount of care people can receive, even if they need it.
Editorial boards and columnists in newspapers across the nation have written at length about why repeal doesn’t make sense for the country:
The Case Against Repeal
New York Times
New York, NY
Reform means that tens of millions of uninsured people will get a chance at security; and many millions more who have coverage can be sure they can keep or replace it.
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, CA
…Americans now have a clear choice on solutions. The 2010 law offers a real fix, providing a base upon which to build. The House Republican solution is a sham and a giveaway.
Charlotte Observer
Charlotte, NC
Repealing health care reform will add to the deficit by an estimated $230 billion over 10 years.
Bemidji Pioneer
Bemidji, MN
[Republicans] …offer nothing but to undo what the Democrats have done, even against their own ground rules.
The Spokesman-Review
Spokane, WA
House Republicans plan to hold a vote on repealing the new health care law, but no replacement is in sight.
The Reporter
Vacaville, CA
Making any meaningful changes will require the GOP to get serious about governing and not just grandstanding.
Sacramento Bee
Sacramento, CA
Instead of focusing on joblessness and other pressing priorities, the new GOP majority in the House appears stuck in the past.
Kansas City Star
Kansas City, MO
This brief GOP proposal offers nothing in the way of solutions for a health care system that every politician, GOP or Democrat, had admitted was broken..
Palm Beach Post
Palm Beach, FL
[Republicans] should help to figure out which parts of the law work and which parts don't, then focus on improving health care reform, not stopping it.
Las Vegas Sun
Las Vegas, NV
Republicans just don’t get it. Americans largely support the health care law’s key provisions.
Baltimore Sun
Baltimore, MD
GOP's health care repeal zealotry unlikely to sit well with the millions who stand to lose insurance coverage — or who prefer a smaller deficit.
Eugene Robinson
Washington Post
[Repeal]…is purely theatrical - and woefully ill-advised.”
Wilmington News Journal
Wilmington, DE
[Republicans]… have been long on promises and short on specifics.
St. Petersburg Times
St. Petersburg, FL
... it's worth noting the substantial strides the Affordable Care Act has already achieved in making health care more accessible, and those coming in 2011.
La Opinión
Republican critics…[have misrepresented] the bill as an enlargement of the federal government that would lead to socialism and the creation of 'death panels.'.
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Two years ago, newly inaugurated President Barack Obama stood before the nation and promised a “new era of responsibility.” Part of that responsibility requires a commitment to the health of our families and children by protecting the environment in which they live, laying a new foundation for growth by building the clean energy economy of the 21st century, and fighting the threat that climate change presents to our planet. As Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development, I’m proud of the work HUD has done to live up to the standard the President set, and to share with you some of our major accomplishments in advancing clean energy and a stronger environment in the Obama Administration.
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Ed. Note: Read the White House fact sheets on some of the economic and commercial issues being discussed today.
In a sense, China's State Visit to the United States had already begun by the time of the Arrival Ceremony this morning, with President Obama and President Hu joining a working dinner the night before. But the ceremony was no less grand for it, as both Presidents took part in the customary reviewing of the troops. And of course there was a great deal of work left ahead (see our live-streaming schedule for a sense of it), with each President beginning the day with calls for more productive cooperation between the two nations -- and President Obama acknowledging that some may be skeptical of the possibilities:
At a time when some doubt the benefits of cooperation between the United States and China, this visit is also a chance to demonstrate a simple truth. We have an enormous stake in each other’s success. In an interconnected world, in a global economy, nations -- including our own -- will be more prosperous and more secure when we work together.
The United States welcomes China’s rise as a strong, prosperous and successful member of the community of nations. Indeed, China’s success has brought with it economic benefits for our people as well as yours, and our cooperation on a range of issues has helped advance stability in the Asia Pacific and in the world.
We also know this: History shows that societies are more harmonious, nations are more successful, and the world is more just, when the rights and responsibilities of all nations and all people are upheld, including the universal rights of every human being.
Mr. President, we can learn from our people. Chinese and American students and educators, business people, tourists, researchers and scientists, including Chinese Americans who are here today —- they work together and make progress together every single day. They know that even as our nations compete in some areas, we can cooperate in so many others, in a spirit of mutual respect, for our mutual benefit.What Deng Xiaoping said long ago remains true today. There are still great possibilities for cooperation between our countries. President Hu, members of the Chinese delegation, let us seize these possibilities together. Welcome to the United States of America. Hwan-ying. (Applause.)
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Yesterday, we launched Voices of Health Reform to feature stories of Americans who are benefitting from the Affordable Care Act.
In the latest installment, we’re highlighting the story of Betsy Burton, of Salt Lake City, Utah. Betsy started the King's English book store 33 years ago in Salt Lake City and pays the full cost of health benefits for many of her employees, even as premium costs rise.
Betsy is one of millions of Americans who will benefit from the tax credits included in the new law that will make it easier for small business to provide coverage to their workers.
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 small business owners like Betsy are benefiting from the tax credit 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.
Betsy feels very strongly about providing insurance to her employees and is thrilled that the new tax credits for small business owners will make it easier for her to give them the benefits they have earned and deserve.
Listen to her story:
Stephanie Cutter is Assistant to the President for Special Projects.
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Today, the President hosts Hu Jintao, President of the People’s Republic of China, at the White House for a State Visit, marking the third State Visit of the Obama Administration. President Hu’s visit highlights the importance of expanding cooperation between the United States and China on bilateral, regional, and global issues, as well as the friendship between the peoples of our two countries. The President, who visited China in November 2009, looks forward to welcoming President Hu to Washington to continue building a partnership that advances our common interests and addresses our shared concerns.
Watch the Arrival Ceremony, State Dinner toasts, and more on WhiteHouse.gov.
9:00 AM EST: Arrival Ceremony (Update: This event has concluded, watch the full video here.)
Members of Congress, the Cabinet, local, and community leaders welcome the Chinese delegation at an arrival ceremony on the South Lawn of the White House.10:30 AM EST: The First Lady Celebrates Educational Exchanges with China (Update: This event has concluded, check back for the full video.)
Continuing her focus on engaging young people on the world stage, Mrs. Obama visits Howard University students, as well as students from other colleges and universities, to discuss the China State Visit, and encourage students to study abroad. Supporting the President’s “100,000 Strong” initiative, the First Lady will hear from an assembled student panel about their cultural studies.1:05 PM EST: President Obama and President Hu hold a Joint Press Conference
2:30 PM EST: Vice President Biden and Secretary of State Clinton Host a Lunch in Honor of President Hu of China
7:35 PM EST: The President and the First Lady attend the State Dinner with President Hu
President Obama and President Hu each deliver a toast at the Official State Dinner at the White House. -
Today, Republicans in the House of Representatives are voting on a bill to repeal the new freedoms, control over health care decisions, and cost savings the health care law---the Affordable Care Act---provides the American people. As Secretary Geithner noted this morning, repeal would be bad for business and bad for the economy.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act would also have a significant effect on families’ bank accounts. Stephanie Cutter, an Assistant to the President who has been working on implementing the health reform law, takes to the White House White Board to explain what repealing it would mean for family premium costs and American jobs:
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January 19, 2011
06:00 AM EDTCross-posted from the Treasury Department's blog.
This week the House will vote on a bill to repeal the Affordable Care Act (ACA) of 2010. Repeal of the Affordable Care Act would deny 32 million uninsured Americans access to health insurance. Repeal would mean children with pre-existing conditions could once again be denied coverage, young adults would be thrown off their parents’ policies, and the chronically ill who have already enrolled in pre-existing condition insurance plans would have their coverage cancelled. This would be a major setback for the tens of millions of people affected and would harm economic growth as a result.
Repealing the Affordable Care Act would be bad for business and bad for the economy. We are at a crucial stage of the economic recovery. While the private sector has expanded payrolls for 12 straight months, the unemployment rate remains at an unacceptable level. Given where we are, we must do things that help bolster the recovery, and repealing the Affordable Care Act would be a step in the wrong direction.
The ACA helps businesses and the overall economy by eliminating hidden costs that currently contribute to higher health care premiums charged to businesses and the government. For example, health care costs for the uninsured are currently passed on through higher premiums to those to those who pay for health insurance – an estimated cost of an additional $1,000 per worker with family coverage each year. Expanding health insurance coverage to nearly 95 percent of Americans will help to bring down premiums by removing this added cost.
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"There are few moments in our lives that call for greater compassion and companionship than when a loved one is admitted to the hospital. In these hours of need and moments of pain and anxiety, all of us would hope to have a hand to hold, a shoulder on which to lean – a loved one to be there for us, as we would be there for them."
With those words on April 15, 2010 President Obama directed HHS Secretary Sebelius to initiate rulemaking to ensure that hospitals that participate in Medicare and Medicaid respect the rights of patients to designate visitors. The President further advised that the rule should ensure that participating hospitals may not deny visitation privileges based on factors including sexual orientation or gender identity.
Today the new Hospital Visitation Regulations go into effect.
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By helping stand up responsible large-scale renewable energy projects on America’s public lands and oceans, the Department of the Interior is playing a leading role in fulfilling President Obama’s vision for a new energy future.
As America’s principal public lands management agency with stewardship responsibility over 20 percent of the nation’s land mass and 1.75 billion acres of the Outer Continental Shelf, Interior manages areas with extensive renewable energy potential.
In 2010, we began to unleash the potential of these resources in unprecedented ways, approving historic renewable energy projects, as well as developing strategic plans for a strong future.
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OMB plays a central role in implementing a President’s regulatory agenda. Through our Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs (OIRA), OMB acts as a clearinghouse for the most significant regulations and rules, making sure that policies are consistent across the federal government and with the agenda of the President. OMB also ensures that analysis of rules is done properly, according to one set of standards.
With that in mind, I want to point readers to the op-ed that President Obama wrote in today’s Wall Street Journal, detailing his approach to regulation and the strategy that has guided his Administration from the start. As the President wrote, our aim is to “strike the right balance” between what is needed to protect the safety and health of all Americans, and what we need to foster economic growth, job creation, and competitiveness. The Administration has followed this balanced approach since taking office, and this executive order formally details our basic operating principles.
With this EO, there should be no confusion about what guides this Administration when crafting regulations. The basic tenets are: to consider costs and how best to reduce burdens for American businesses and consumers; to expand opportunities for public participation and stakeholder involvement; to seek the most flexible, least burdensome approaches; to ensure that regulations are scientifically-driven; and to review old regulations so that rules which are no longer needed can be modified or withdrawn. This smarter approach builds on the best practices of the past, while adapting to serious economic challenges the country faces today.
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For too long, too many Americans struggled in the health insurance marketplace. Double digit premium increases with no recourse or accountability made it difficult for families to afford the cost of care but also left them with no other option. Americans could be denied coverage if they had a pre-existing condition or have their coverage cancelled or capped when they got sick. And high costs were making it difficult for businesses to expand and create jobs, and to compete in a global economy.
If you haven’t struggled in the health care system yourself, you’ve probably met someone who has – seniors who struggled to pay for their prescription drugs, families whose children were denied coverage for a pre-existing condition and business owners who wanted to provide high benefits to their employees, but just couldn’t afford it.
Thankfully, the Affordable Care Act is already changing all of this. And over the coming days, you’ll have a chance to hear directly from some of those Americans who are already benefiting through a new online feature, Voices of Health Reform. Every day, you can hear from average Americans about how the new law is making the health care system better for them.
Today, we’re highlighting Cathy Lynn Howell Allen from Marblehead, OH. Cathy is a healthy and energetic small business owner, but before the Affordable Care Act became law, she couldn’t get insurance because she had a pre-existing condition. Considered “uninsurable” because of a history of Systemic Lupus, Cathy had been denied private insurance several times though she has required very little medical treatment over the last two decades.
Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, Cathy recently purchased private health insurance for the first time in many years. She is now enrolled in the Ohio High Risk Pool – a new program created by the health reform law that provides affordable private insurance options for people with pre-existing conditions between now and 2014. And in 2014, discriminating against ANYONE with pre-existing conditions like Cathy will be illegal.
Cathy now has peace of mind and less worry about losing her business or retirement because of the financial instability that goes with being uninsured.
And Cathy is just one of the millions Americans with more freedom and control in their health care choices thanks to the Affordable Care Act. Thanks to the law, families are freed from worrying about losing their insurance or having it capped unexpectedly if someone is an accident or becomes sick. The health reform law frees Americans from the fear of insurance companies raising premiums by double digits with no recourse or accountability. And it frees Americans from discrimination when insurance companies deny women health insurance because they are pregnant, or refuse to provide coverage to children who are born with disabilities.
Be sure to check back each day for more Voices of Health Reform and to learn more about the Affordable Care Act, visit www.WhiteHouse.gov/HealthReform.
Note: Today, the Department of Health and Human Services released a new report indicating that anywhere from 50 to 129 million (19 to 50 percent of) Americans under age 65 have some type of pre-existing condition and would be at risk of losing coverage or not getting it at all without the Affordable Care Act. Read the full report.
Stephanie Cutter is Assistant to the President for Special Projects.
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President Barack Obama helps paint pictures of fruit during a service project in the cafeteria of Stuart Hobson Middle School in Washington, D.C., January 17, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Today the First Family honored Dr. Martin Luther King with a visit to Stuart Hobson Middle School, where they took part in a mentoring project organized by Greater DC Cares’ Mentoring Matters Initiative. The President said a few quick words:
THE PRESIDENT: This is just an outstanding program, an example of what Martin Luther King’s birthday should be all about. I want to thank all the mentees and mentors who are participating.
Dr. King obviously had a dream of justice and equality in our society, but he also had a dream of service, that you could be a drum major for service, that you could lead by giving back to our communities. And that's what this program is all about and that's what these participants are all about.
Michelle and I the girls are extraordinarily proud that each year on Martin Luther King’s birthday this is how we celebrate, is making sure that we're giving a little something back to the community. And I hope that all the projects that are taking place all across the country on this day are getting similar attention, because this is part of what America is all about. And after a painful week where so many of us were focused on tragedy, it’s good for us to remind ourselves what this country is all about. This kind of service project is what’s best in us and we're thrilled with everybody who is participating.
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Today, I am joining hundreds of volunteers at Intermediate School 292 in Brooklyn as part of City Year’s celebration of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. I look forward to seeing the hundreds of energetic and idealistic City Year corps members who are always an inspiration.
I helped to launch City Year New York after September 11 as part of our City's healing, and was honored to chair its board. MLK day at City Year always brings together hundreds of people eager and excited to give something of themselves, not just to honor Dr. King, but also to improve their community.
Advancing the idea that MLK day should be a "day on" doing service rather than just another "day off", more than 20 members of the Cabinet are at schools, homeless shelters, and other community service organizations pitching in.
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Editor's Note: On Monday, January 17th, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and other Administration officials will honor Dr. Martin Luther King by participating in a National Day of Service.
On Monday, our Nation will celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, a man whose service and sacrifice touched the lives of all Americans.
Dr. King’s vision for empowering individuals, strengthening communities, and bridging social and economic barriers is as relevant today as it ever has been. That is why I encourage all Americans to honor Dr. King’s life by participating in Monday’s "National Day of Service," through which you can get out in your community to lend a helping hand to friends and neighbors.
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January 15, 2011
11:00 AM EDTEd. Note: Cross-posted from the HUD Blog
When my wife and I were expecting our first daughter, there was so much preparation to do before she arrived - as any parent could tell you. The list felt like it was a mile long - diapers, clothes, formula, a car seat and stroller. I could go on and on. But one of the most important things on the list was ensuring that our home was ready for our daughter, and that she had a safe and healthy place to grow up in.
We were of course aware of lead-based paint and the harmful effects it can have on young children. Because even though lead-based paint was banned in 1978, we knew that many homes still face significant lead-based paint hazards. That was the case in our older neighborhood.
That experience reaffirmed for me our shared belief as Americans that every family should be able to live in a safe, healthy home. And thanks to the wonderful work of our dedicated team at HUD and our grantees in cities and counties around the country, we’ve already reduced the number of children with lead poisoning by 75 percent over the last decade. Stated differently, the percentage of children that test positive for lead poisoning has been reduced from over 8% to less than 1%.
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