The President notified the United States Congress he was extending preferential tariff treatment to Haiti under the Haitian Hemispheric Opportunity through Partnership Encouragement Act of 2008 (HOPE II)(the "Act")(Public Law 110-246), amended the Caribbean Basin Economic Recovery Act (CBERA), which makes certain additional products from Haiti eligible. Under HOPE II, these imports from Haiti will continue to be eligible for preferential treatment after October 18, 2009 due to the President's determination and certification that Haiti has met certain eligibility criteria set out in the Act. Source
The President named George D. Mulligan, Jr. as Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the White House Military Office (WHMO). Source&Bio
The Tax Reform Subcommittee of the President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board (PERAB) met to gather ideas on tax reform. The ideas gathered at these meetings are a component of the Subcommittee's research that will be provided to the PERAB, in preparation of the PERAB's final report to be put forward in December 2009. The report will present a view of the pros and cons of different options in order to lead to a tax system more simple, fair, and efficient for individuals and corporations. Source
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced it planned to use its authority for the first time to revoke a previously issued permit for a West Virginia surface mine. The permit was issued in 2007 for Mingo Logan Coal's Spruce No. 1 mine, which is owned by St. Louis-based Arch Coal Inc. and would have allowed the company to fill valleys at the site with material removed to expose coal, a practice widely opposed by environmentalists. Acting EPA Regional Administrator William Early said in a letter sent to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' (USACE) Huntington district that the agency is "taking this unusual step in response to our very serious concerns" that the project could violate the Clean Water Act. Source
The Obama administration backed away from an order that had prohibited insurance companies from warning Medicare recipients about the possible loss of benefits under pending legislation to overhaul the health care system. Under new guidelines, insurance companies can communicate with Medicare beneficiaries on pending legislation, provided they do not use federal money to do so. In addition, insurers must get permission from beneficiaries before sending them information about legislation or asking them to join grass-roots advocacy efforts. Source
[Author's note: all days in these chronicles are full days. The Obama Inaugeration on January 20, 2009 was a half-day, so not counted.]
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