This article is the 46th in a continuing series chronicling the unfolding history of the Obama Administration. The writer's opinions are not offered, leaving the readers to arrive at their own conclusions.
"As soon as I sign this legislation, 2 million Americans looking for work who lost their jobs through no fault of their own can know with certainty that they won't lose their emergency unemployment insurance at the end of this month. Over the past few weeks, 600,000 Americans have been cut off from that lifeline. But with my signature, states can move quickly to reinstate their benefits -"- and we expect that in almost all states, they'll get them in time for Christmas." __Barack Obama, President of the United States of America, before signing the Middle Class Tax Cuts and Unemployment Insurance Agreement into law, December 17, 2010.
Day676/Dec1st/Wednesday: T he President had lunch with D.C. Mayor-elect Vince Gray in the Private Dining Room of the White House.
The President met with Colin Powell in the Oval Office of the White House, then both provided comments to the press. Transcript Video
National Security Advisor Thomas E. Donilon named Russell Travers to serve as the National Security Staff's Senior Advisor for Information Access and Security Policy and to lead a comprehensive effort to identify and develop the structural reforms needed in light of the WikiLeaks breach of approxiamately 250,000 United States State Department classified cables. Travers's responsibilities included:
1)Advising the National Security Staff on corrective actions, mitigation measures, and policy recommendations related to the breach.
2)Facilitating interagency discussions and developing options for Deputies, Principals, and the President regarding technological and/or policy changes to limit the likelihood of such a leak reoccurring. Fact-sheet
The President sent these nominations to the United States Senate:
Arenda L. Wright Allen , of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Virginia Bio
Claire C. Cecchi, of New Jersey, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey Bio
Bernice Bouie Donald, of Tennessee, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Sixth Circuit Bio
Mark Raymond Hornak, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Pennsylvania Bio
Robert David Mariani, of Pennsylvania, to be United States District Judge for the Middle District of Pennsylvania Bio
John Andrew Ross, of Missouri, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Missouri Bio
Esther Salas, of New Jersey, to be United States District Judge for the District of New Jersey Bio
Christopher R. Thyer, of Arkansas, to be United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Arkansas for the term of four years Bio
Michael Francis Urbanski, of Virginia, to be United States District Judge for the Western District of Virginia Bio Source
The President proclaimed December 2010 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Source
The White House hosted a holiday reception for the volunteers who worked over the Thanksgiving break to put up decorations. The volunteers were served a seafood bar that highlighted Gulf of Mexico shrimp and Florida stone crabs. About 2,000 lbs of shrimp and crabs from the Gulf was shipped to the White House for 2010 holiday parties. Source
United States Interior Secretary Ken Salazar announced the Obama Administration would prohibit offshore oil drilling in the eastern Gulf of Mexico or off the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as part of the next five-year drilling plan. Source
The President's National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform presented its final report. Source The Report
Day677/Dec2nd/Thursday: The President met with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland in the Oval Office of the White House. Source
The President and Vice President Joe Biden met with newly elected governors at the Blair House. The President's & Vice President's Remarks Video
