Vice President Joe Biden chaired his monthly Cabinet-level meeting on Iraq. United States Ambassador to Iraq Christopher Hill and Commanding General of United States Forces in Iraq Raymond Odierno briefed Principals on political and security developments via secure video teleconference and the U.S. Departments of Justice, State, and Homeland Security discussed Rule of Law programs in Iraq. Participants included Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael Mullen, Commander of the U.S. Central Command General David Petraeus, National Security Advisor James L. Jones, Deputy National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon, State Deputy Secretaries James Steinberg and Jacob Lew, Deputy U.S. Treasury Secretary Neal Wolin, Deputy Attorney General Gary Grindler, and representatives from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the Departments of Energy and Commerce, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), and the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Source
To ensure consistent coordination with the Gulf Coast states, Admiral Thad Allen, Secretaries Janet Napolitano and Ken Salazar, Administrator Lisa Jackson and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Deputy Under Secretary Monica Medina began daily calls with the Governors from the five Gulf Coast states to provide updates on the response to the BP oil spill and answer any questions that arise. Governors Haley Barbour, Charlie Crist, Bobby Jindal, Rick Perry and Bob Riley were invited to participate in the daily calls moving forward. Source
The White House and the U.S. Department of Education announced Kalamazoo Central High School in Kalamazoo, Michigan, was the winner of the first annual Race to the Top High School Commencement Challenge, earning the prize of President Obama delivering the school's commencement address. Source
Sallie Mae, the largest private student lender in the United States, announced that as of May 10, 2010 rates on its Smart Option Student Loan will be 2.88% to 10.25%, based on the current London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR), the benchmark for the variable-rate loan; down from a range of 4.38% to 12.88%. Source
United States Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack announced that the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) would host a National Rural Summit, on Thursday, June 3, 2010, in Hillsboro, Missouri, to discuss the future of rural America. Source
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed the first-ever national rules to ensure the safe disposal and management of coal ash from coal-fired power plants. The rules were to ensure that protective controls, such as liners and groundwater monitoring, are in place at new landfills to protect groundwater and human health. Existing surface impoundments would also require liners, with strong incentives to close the impoundments and transition to safer landfills, which store coal ash in dry form. Environmentally safe and desirable forms of recycling coal ash, known as beneficial uses, were to be promoted. Source
United States Attorney General Eric Holder addressed the May 1, 2010 Times Square attempted bombing at a press conference. Transcript
Day467/May5th/Wednesday: The President met with United States Senator Jon Kyl in the Oval Office of the White House. Source
The President met with United States Senator Orin Hatch in the Oval Office. Source
The President delivered remarks in the State Dining Room of the White House and signed the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2010, which was designed to improve health care services for veterans and expand caregiver benefits and training. Transcript Video The Act:
(1) Provides veterans' caregivers with training, counseling, supportive services, and a living stipend; provides health care to the family caregivers of injured veterans under the Civilian Health and Medical Program of the Department of Veterans Affairs (CHAMPVA) and requires independent oversight of the caregiver program
(2) Requires the United States Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to report to the U.S. Congress on its comprehensive assessment of the barriers in providing health care to the 1.8 million women veterans' currently receiving VA health care and it requires VA to train its mental health providers in the treatment of military sexual trauma. It also mandates that VA implement pilot programs to provide child care to women veterans receiving medical care and provide readjustment services to women veterans
(3) Expands VA's authority to provide incentives so that VA can recruit and retain high-quality health care providers; provides travel reimbursements for veterans receiving treatment at VA facilities and grants for veterans service organizations transporting veterans residing in highly rural areas
(4) Authorizes the Secretary to utilize non-VA facilities for the care and treatment of veterans suffering from Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) when the Secretary: (a) is unable to provide such treatment or services at the frequency or for the duration necessary; or (b) determines that it is optimal to the veteran's recovery and rehabilitation
(5) Establishes and increases eligibility for Iraq and Afghanistan service members, including National Guard and Reserve members, to receive readjustment counseling, and requires VA to conduct a study on veteran suicides
(6) Emphasizes VA's commitment to provide medical care for certain Vietnam-era veterans exposed to herbicide and Gulf-War era veterans who have insufficient medical evidence to establish a service-connected disability
