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General News    H4'ed 12/21/09

The Obama Administration: December 1-16, 2009

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This article is the twenty-second 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 Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan." Barack Obama, President of the United States of America__December 1, 2009

Day312/Dec1st/Tuesday: The President met with Nobel Laureates and their families in the Oval Office of the White House.

The President spoke with Pakistani President Asif Zardari by telephone. Source

The President and Vice President Joe Biden met with United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates in the Oval Office.

The President and Vice President Joe Biden met with Congressional Leadership in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building to discuss the Obama Administration's strategy in Afghanistan.

The President gave an Address to the Nation from the Eisenhower Hall Theatre, United States Military Academy at West Point, West Point, New York on decisions he made on the "way forward" in the war in Afghanistan and related approaches in Pakistan. Among the President's remarks:

"As Commander-in-Chief, I have determined that it is in our vital national interest to send an additional 30,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan. After 18 months, our troops will begin to come home. These are the resources that we need to seize the initiative, while building the Afghan capacity that can allow for a responsible transition of our forces out of Afghanistan."

"Because this is an international effort, I've asked that our commitment be joined by contributions from our allies. Some have already provided additional troops, and we're confident that there will be further contributions in the days and weeks ahead. Our friends have fought and bled and died alongside us in Afghanistan. And now, we must come together to end this war successfully. For what's at stake is not simply a test of NATO's credibility -- what's at stake is the security of our allies, and the common security of the world."

"But as we end the war in Iraq and transition to Afghan responsibility, we must rebuild our strength here at home. Our prosperity provides a foundation for our power. It pays for our military. It underwrites our diplomacy. It taps the potential of our people, and allows investment in new industry. And it will allow us to compete in this century as successfully as we did in the last. That's why our troop commitment in Afghanistan cannot be open-ended -- because the nation that I'm most interested in building is our own." Transcript Video White House Prepared Fact-sheet

Vice President Joe Biden spoke via telephone with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to discuss the President's decision on the "way forward" in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Vice President stressed that U.S. actions to reinforce Afghanistan will not come at the expense of the U.S.-Iraq bilateral relationship. Source

Vice President Joe Biden spoke via telephone to Spanish President Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero to discuss President Obama's decision on the "way forward" in Afghanistan and Pakistan. The Vice President thanked President Zapatero for Spain's important contributions to the NATO mission in Afghanistan, and encouraged continued Spanish support for this mission in the future. Source

Day313/Dec2nd/Wednesday: The President met with United States Senator Evan Bayh in the Oval Office of the White House.

The President met with United States Senator Lindsey Graham in the Oval Office.

The President sent these nominations to the United State Senate:

Michael A. Khouri, of Kentucky, to be a Federal Maritime Commissioner for a term expiring June 30, 2011 Bio

David W. Mills, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of Commerce Bio

Douglas Rediker, of Massachusetts, to be United States Alternate Executive Director of the International Monetary Fund for a term of two years Bio Source

The President proclaimed December 2009 as National Impaired Driving Prevention Month. Source

The President proclaimed December 2009 as Critical Infrastructure Protection Month, also, and called upon the people of the United States to recognize the importance of partnering to protect our Nation's resources and to observe this month with appropriate events and training to enhance our national security and resilience. Source

White House Deputy Chief of Staff Jim Messina issued this memo (pdf) to all White House staff summarizing the White House review that was conducted after a State Dinner security breach that occured the night of November 24, 2009, when two uninvited people were passed through to the event.

Day314/Dec3rd/Thursday: The President delivered remarks at the opening session of the Jobs and Economic Growth Forum in the South Court Auditorium of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. The forum was arranged for the President and his economic team to hear from some of the leading CEOs and small business owners, labor leaders and other invited ideas for continuing to grow the economy and put Americans back to work. This event was live streamed on www.WhiteHouse.gov/live. Transcript Video1 Video2

The forums were:
The Innovation Agenda and Green Jobs of the Future, moderated by United States Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu and Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change, Carol Browner.
Paving the Road for Small Business Job Growth, moderated by United States Secretary of Treasury, Timothy Geithner and Small Business Administration Administrator, Karen Mills.
Creating Jobs through the Rebuilding of America's Infrastructure, moderated by United States Secretary of Transportation, Ray LaHood and Director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, Peter Orszag.
Expanding Job Opportunities for American Workers Through Exports, moderated by White House Director of the National Economic Council, Lawrence Summers and President and Chairman of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Fred Hochberg.
Encouraging Business Competitiveness and Job Creation, moderated by United States Secretary of Commerce, Gary Locke and Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors, Christina Romer.
Preparing Workers and Strengthening Main Street, moderated by United States Secretary of Labor, Hilda Solis and Director of White House Domestic Policy Council, Melody Barnes.

The President gave remarks and led a discussion at the closing session of the Jobs and Economic Growth Forum in the South Court Auditorium. Transcript Video1 Video2 Video3 Video4

The President sent the United States Congress "Presidential Determination No. 2010-03", of his determination of the "Suspension of Limitations Under the Jerusalem Embassy Act:

"Pursuant to the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, including section 7(a) of the Jerusalem Embassy Act of 1995 (Public Law 104-45) (the "Act"), I hereby determine that it is necessary, in order to protect the national security interests of the United States, to suspend for a period of 6 months the limitations set forth in sections 3(b) and 7(b) of the Act.

You are hereby authorized and directed to transmit this determination to the Congress, accompanied by a report in accordance with section 7(a) of the Act, and to publish the determination in the Federal Register.

suspension shall take effect after transmission of this determination and report to the Congress." Source

The President declared a major disaster existed in the State of Arkansas and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on October 29, 2009, and continuing. Federal funding was made available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the counties of Boone, Bradley, Calhoun, Carroll, Cleburne, Cleveland, Columbia, Conway, Cross, Dallas, Franklin, Fulton, Grant, Izard, Jackson, Johnson, Lafayette, Lawrence, Lincoln, Logan, Marion, Monroe, Nevada, Newton, Ouachita, Poinsett, Prairie, Pulaski, Randolph, Saint Francis, Scott, Sharp, Stone, Union, Van Buren, White, and Woodruff. Federal funding was also made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-4600. Source

The President sent these nominations to the United State Senate:

Brooke D. Anderson, of California, to be Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador.

Brooke D. Anderson, of California, to be an Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during her tenure of service as Alternate Representative of the United States of America for Special Political Affairs in the United Nations. Bio

Donald L. Cook, of Washington, to be Deputy Administrator for Defense Programs, National Nuclear Security Administration, vice Robert L. Smolen, resigned. Bio

Rosemary Anne DiCarlo, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be the Deputy Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and the Deputy Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations.

Rosemary Anne DiCarlo, of the District of Columbia, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Minister-Counselor, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations, during her tenure of service as Deputy Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations. Bio

Malcolm Ross O'Neill, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Army Bio

Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, of California, to be an Assistant Secretary of the Navy Bio

Douglas B. Wilson, of Arizona, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense Bio

Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment), Department of Defense Bio

Nancy D. Freudenthal, of Wyoming, to be United States District Judge for the District of Wyoming Bio

Denzil Price Marshall Jr., of Arkansas, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Arkansas Bio

Benita Y. Pearson, of Ohio, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of Ohio Bio Source

The President proclaimed December 3, 2009, as International Day of Persons with Disabilities and called on all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs. Source


In the evening, the First Family attended the National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Ellipse. Transcript of the President's Remarks Video

Vice President Joe Biden hosted two conference calls with governors, mayors, and a county official from across the country to discuss implementation of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

The following elected officials participated:

GOVERNORS:

Governor John E. Baldacci (D-ME)

Governor Ted Strickland (D-OH)

MAYORS & COUNTY OFFICIAL:

Mayor George Heartwell (D-Grand Rapids, MI) )

Mayor Lee Leffingwell (D-Austin, TX) )

Mayor Thomas M. Menino (D-Boston, MA))

Mayor Andy McKenzie (R-Wheeling, WV)

County Deputy Judge Scott Kimmich (R-Kenton County, KY) Source

The United States Justice Department filed an amicus curiae brief[PDF] with the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals that requested the court drop all charges against Berkeley law professor John Yoo, (who, during the George W. Bush Administration, authored legal opinions that permitted the torture of prisoners), arguing Yoo should not be held accountable for his actions in order to avoid impeding advice provided to future presidents, and that accusations of torture in this case present "special factors" that the court should not address "in the absence of congressional action." Source

Day315/Dec4th/Friday: The President and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev spoke by phone and agreed to release a joint statement outlining their agreement to abide by the current Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) while a new one is worked out. Joint Statement

The President traveled to Allentown, Pennsylvania, where he toured Allentown Metal Works, delivered remarks and conducted a discussion on the economy at Lehigh Carbon Community College. Transcript Video

The President made local stops in Allentown to visit with local citizens and discuss job creation and growing the economy.

The President sent these nominations to the United states Senate:

William B. Sansom, of Tennessee, to be a Member of the Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority for a term expiring May 18, 2014. (Reappointment)

Judith Ann Stewart Stock, of Virginia, to be an Assistant Secretary of State (Educational and Cultural Affairs)

David L. Strickland, of Georgia, to be Administrator of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Source

The President proclaimed Monday, December 7, 2009, as National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day, and encouraged all Americans to observe the solemn day of remembrance with appropriate ceremonies and activities, and urged all Federal agencies and interested organizations, groups, and individuals to fly the flag of the United States at half-staff on December 7, 2009 in honor of those American patriots who died as a result of their service at Pearl Harbor. Source

Vice President Joe Biden swore in David Huebner as the United States Ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. Video

The President's Economic Recovery Advisory Board met via conference call. audio file as mp3. The PERAB voted to present formal advice and recommendations to the President through the following memos:

Infrastructure Investment and the Creation of a National Infrastructure Bank (pdf)

Home Retrofits for American Jobs, Efficiency and Economic Growth (pdf) The PERAB also premeired its website at http://www.whitehouse.gov/administration/eop/perab.

The White House Office of National AIDS Policy (ONAP) held a Youth and HIV/AIDS Meeting at the White House campus. Over 35 young people flew to Washington, DC to participate. The meeting attendees were young people from all regions of the country and of diverse sexual orientation and gender identities. HIV positive youth were also well represented in the group. Source

The United States Environmental Protection Agency announced new guidance for Federal agencies to reduce stormwater runoff from Federal building projects. (pdf) The new stormwater guidance for Federal building projects calls for innovative approaches for preserving local water systems by using porous pavement, green roofs, rainwater capture for landscape irrigation, and other strategies to manage stormwater on building sites including strategies to make sure more rain is absorbed into the ground instead of channeled into municipal sewer systems.

Day316/Dec5th/Saturday: In his Weekly Address, the President reflected on the Jobs Forum held on December 3, 2009. Transcript Video

Day317/Dec6th/Sunday: The President went to the United States Capitol to attend the Senate Democratic Caucus meeting.


The President gave remarks at a reception for Kennedy Center Honorees
(singer Bruce Springsteen, comedian Mel Brooks, actor Robert De Niro, pianist and composer Dave Brubeck, and opera singer Grace Bumbry) in the East Room of the White House. Jack Black, Katharine Weymouth, Matthew Broderick, Martin Scorsese, Barbara Walters, Frank Langella, Edward Norton, Ben Stiller, Mikhail Baryshnikov, Alan Alda, Carol Burnett, Nancy Pelosi, Jon Stewart, Sting, William Cohen, Patrick J. Kennedy, Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Joe Montagna, Les Moonves, and Harvey Keitel were in the audience. Transcript of the President's Remarks Video

White House National Security Adviser James L. Jones revealed the United States will launch a new effort to track down Osama bin Laden. Source

Day318/Dec7th/Monday: The President and Vice President Joe Biden met with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in the Oval Office of the White House. Remarks of the President and Prime Minister Erdogan after the Meeting Video

The President and Vice President Joe Biden attended a working lunch with Prime Minister Erdogan in the Cabinet Room of the White House.

The President and the Vice President Joe Biden met with General Stanley McChrystal, Commander, International Security Assistance Force, and United States Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl Eikenberry in the Oval Office.

The President met with former United States Vice President Al Gore in the Oval Office. Source

The President announced his intent to nominate the following individual to a key administration post:

David T. Matsuda, Administrator, Maritime Administration, Department of Transportation Source&Bio

The President and the First Lady, in the evening, hosted a holiday reception for Members of Congress on the State Floor of the White House.

Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag asked Americans to vote by December 10, 2009 for their favorite ideas from the 38,484 cost savings entries submitted by federal employees at http://www.whitehouse.gov/save-award. The winning entry's author will present his or her idea to the President in person, and will have that idea included in the FY2011 Budget. Source

Day319/Dec8th/Tuesday: The President delivered remarks on the economy at the Brookings Institution in Washington DC. Among the President's remarks:

"Today, I want to outline some of the broader steps that I believe should be at the heart of our effort to accelerate job growth -- those areas that will generate the greatest number of jobs while generating the greatest value for our economy."

"Building on the tax cuts in the Recovery Act, we're proposing a complete elimination of capital gains taxes on small business investment along with an extension of write-offs to encourage small businesses to expand in the coming year. And I believe it's worthwhile to create a tax incentive to encourage small businesses to add and keep employees, and I'm going to work with Congress to pass one."

"Second, we're proposing a boost in investment in the nation's infrastructure beyond what was included in the Recovery Act, to continue modernizing our transportation and communications networks."

"Third, I'm calling on Congress to consider a new program to provide incentives for consumers who retrofit their homes to become more energy-efficient, which we know creates jobs, saves money for families, and reduces the pollution that threatens our environment. And I'm proposing that we expand select Recovery Act initiatives to promote energy efficiency and clean energy jobs which have been proven to be particularly popular and effective."

"Finally, as we are moving forward in these areas, we should also extend the relief in the Recovery Act, including emergency assistance to seniors, unemployment insurance benefits, COBRA, and relief to states and localities to prevent layoffs. This will help folks weathering these storms, while boosting consumer spending and promoting job growth."

Transcript Video

The President and Vice President Joe Biden met with United States Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in the Oval Office of the White House.

The President sent this nomination to the United States Senate:

Michael Peter Huerta, of the District of Columbia, to be Deputy Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration Source Bio

Federal Chief Information Officer Vivek Kundra and U.S. Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra launched the Obama Administration's Open Government Plan. Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag issued the Open Government Directive requiring federal agencies to take immediate, specific steps to open their operations up to the public. The Administration also released an Progress Report American People.pdf. Video

United States Interior Secretary Ken Salazar and U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced a settlement has been reached in the Cobell class-action lawsuit.The United States Government agreed to pay 1.4 billion dollars to native Americans to settle claims the federal government mismanaged land and money it held in trust for native Americans. The agreement, which must be approved by the United States Congress and District Court for the District of Columbia, "would conclude a class action suit first brought in 1996 that claims the federal government mismanaged acres of land and millions of dollars that it holds in trust for native Americans," the United States Justice Department said. Statement of the President on the Settlement

United States Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Margaret Hamburg, in a letter to United States Senator Republican Sam Brownback, warned against the adoption of United States Democratic Senator Byron Dorgan's amendment to the healthcare bill that would permit reimportation of pharmaceuticals to lower the cost of drugs for Americans. Hamburg claimed of the Dorgan Amendment "as currently written, the resulting structure would be logistically challenging to implement and resource intensive. In addition, there are significant safety concerns." Source Letter

Day320/Dec9th/Wednesday: The President and Vice President met with bipartisan members of the United States Congress in the Cabinet Room of the White House. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss job growth. Statement of the President after the Meeting Video

The President announced from the South Court Auditorium of the Executive Office Building nearly $600 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act) awards to support major construction and renovation projects at 85 community health centers nationwide and help networks of health centers adopt Electronic Health Records (EHR) and other Health Information Technology (HIT) systems. Transcript Video

The President met with business and environmental leaders in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Source

The President released the National Strategy for Countering Biological Threats (pdf). This Strategy outlines the President's vision for addressing the challenges from proliferation of biological weapons or their use by terrorists. It highlights the beneficial nature of advances in the life sciences and their importance in combating infectious diseases of natural, accidental, and deliberate origin. It also outlines how the risks associated with misuse and potential consequences of a biological attack require tailored actions to prevent biological threats.

The President issued a Presidential Memorandum that directed United States Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebielous to "implement a Medicare Federally Qualified Health Center Advanced Primary Care Practice demonstration, pursuant to your statutory authority to conduct experiments and demonstrations on changes in payments and services that may improve the quality and efficiency of services to beneficiaries. Health centers participating in this demonstration must have shown their ability to provide comprehensive, coordinated, integrated, and accessible health care." Source

The President sent these nominations to the United States Senate:

Patricia A. Hoffman, Assistant Secretary for Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability, Department of Energy

Mari Del Carmen Aponte, Ambassador to the Republic of El Salvador, Department of State

Donald E. Booth, Ambassador to the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Department of State

Larry Persily, Federal Coordinator for Alaska Natural Gas Transportation Projects Source Bios

The President declared a major disaster exists in the Commonwealth of Virginia and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms and flooding associated with Tropical Depression Ida beginning on November 11, 2009, and continuing. Federal funding was made available to Commonwealth and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms and flooding in the counties of Halifax, Isle of Wight, King and Queen, Northampton, and Surry and the independent cities of Chesapeake, Hampton, Newport News, Norfolk, Poquoson, Portsmouth, and Virginia Beach. Federal funding was also made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the Commonwealth and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. Source

The President issued an Executive Order: Creating Labor-Management Forums To Improve Delivery of Government Services. Text of the Executive Order

The President proclaimed December 10, 2009, as Human Rights Day; December 15, 2009, as Bill of Rights Day; and the week beginning December 10, 2009, as Human Rights Week, and he called upon the people of the United States to mark these observances with appropriate ceremonies and activities. Source

The President and First Lady Michelle Obama departed Andrews Air Force Base for Oslo, Norway

United States Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner announced in a letter to leadership in the United States Congress that he was extending the authority of a 700-billion-dollar financial bailout to October 2010. Source

United States Under Secretary of State on arms control and international security Ellen Tauscher told state members of the Biological Weapons Convention, "The Obama Administration will not seek to revive negotiations on a verification protocol to the Convention" and remained opposed to international inspections of biological weapon sites in the United States. Source

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy launched the Public Access Forum at http://blog.ostp.gov/ in order to seek public input on access to publicly-funded research results, such as those that appear in academic and scholarly journal articles. Source

Day321/Dec10th/Thursday: The President and First Lady Michelle Obama arrived in Oslo, Norway.

The President and the First Lady attended the Nobel Peace Prize signing ceremony at the Norwegian Nobel Institute. Remarks of President Obama after Signing Ceremony

The President met with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg at Stoltenberg's office, then the President and Prime Minister held a joint press conference. Remarks of President Obama and Prime MinisterStoltenberg Video

The President and the First Lady met with King Harald V V and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace.

The President and the First Lady attended the Nobel Peace Prize Ceremony at the Oslo City Hall, and the President delivered remarks. Among the President's remarks:

"I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated. In part, this is because I am at the beginning, and not the end, of my labors on the world stage. Compared to some of the giants of history who've received this prize -- Schweitzer and King; Marshall and Mandela -- my accomplishments are slight."

"We must begin by acknowledging the hard truth: We will not eradicate violent conflict in our lifetimes. There will be times when nations -- acting individually or in concert -- will find the use of force not only necessary but morally justified."

"Furthermore, America -- in fact, no nation -- can insist that others follow the rules of the road if we refuse to follow them ourselves. For when we don't, our actions appear arbitrary and undercut the legitimacy of future interventions, no matter how justified."

"And even as we confront a vicious adversary that abides by no rules, I believe the United States of America must remain a standard bearer in the conduct of war. That is what makes us different from those whom we fight. That is a source of our strength. That is why I prohibited torture. That is why I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed. And that is why I have reaffirmed America's commitment to abide by the Geneva Conventions. We lose ourselves when we compromise the very ideals that we fight to defend. And we honor -- we honor those ideals by upholding them not when it's easy, but when it is hard."

Transcript Video 1 Video 2 Video 3 Video 4

The President and First Lady attended the Nobel Banquet at the Grand Hotel in the evening, where the President delivered remarks. Transcript

The President declared a major disaster exists in the State of Louisiana and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding during the period of October 29 to November 3, 2009. Federal funding was made available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in the parishes of Beauregard, Bossier, Caldwell, Claiborne, De Soto, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Union, and Webster. Federal funding was also made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. Source


The President and First Lady spent the night in Oslo.

The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy's Public Access Forum posed the question: To what extent and under what circumstances should such research articles--funded by taxpayers but with value added by scholarly publishers--be made freely available on the Internet? The Forum is set to run through Jan. 7, 2010. Source

The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Departments of Justice, Interior and Agriculture announced in a joint statement that the American Smelting and Refining Company (Asarco), a bankrupt Arizona copper mining firm, has paid 1.79 billion dollars for environmental cleanup and restoration in the largest such payout in US history. Asarco will also remain liable for any environmental damage at properties it continues to own and operate. Source

The United State Justice Department was ruled in contempt of court, for failure to videotape a Guantanamo detainee's testimony last summer, by Judge Gladys Kessler of the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia. Mohammed Al-Adahi, accused of belonging to a terrorist organization, had challenged his detention at Guantanamo Bay. In June 2009, Judge Kessler had ordered the Justice Department to videotape Al-Adahi's testimony for the court from the Guantanamo prison camp, edit out any classified information and hand the tape over to the court, yet, after Al-Adahi's testimony, the government informed the court that, due to "miscommunication," it had not videotaped the testimony. Source

Day322/Dec11th/Friday: The President and the First Lady Michelle Obama visited U.S. Embassy staff and their families at the Grand Hotel in Oslo, Norway.

The President and the First Lady departed Oslo and returned to Washington, DC.

The President sent these nominations to the United States Senate:

Sharon E. Burke, Director of Operational Energy Plans and Programs, Department of Defense

Marilyn A. Brown, Member, Board of Directors of the Tennessee Valley Authority Source&Bios

The President announced his intent to nominate the following individual to the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission:

William C. Ostendorff, Commissioner, Nuclear Regulatory Commission Source Bios

The President issued an Executive Order that directed all executive branch departments and agencies of the Federal Government be closed and their employees excused from duty for the last half of the scheduled workday on Thursday, December 24, 2009, the day before Christmas Day. Source

The Presidential issued a Memorandum: Eleventh Quadrennial Review of Military Compensation to United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, requesting a review of:

(1)the compensation for service performed in a combat zone, combat operation, or hostile fire area, or while exposed to a hostile fire event

(2)the Reserve and National Guard's compensation and benefits for consistency with their current and planned utilization

(3)the compensation benefits available to wounded warriors, caregivers, and survivors of those fallen service members

(4)the pay incentives for critical career fields such as mental health professionals, linguists/translators, remotely piloted vehicle operators, and special operations personnel. Source

The United StatesTreasury Department's Special Master for Executive Compensation Kenneth Feinberg announced he was limiting the cash compensation for executives at companies that received the largest taxpayer bailouts to $500,000, and that the 25th through the 100th top earners at Citigroup, GMAC, American International Group and General Motors also must take more than half their compensation in stock, and at least half must be delayed for three or more years. Source

Day323/Dec12th/Saturday: In his Weekly Address, the President explained that, while he continues to focus on jobs, he believed it profoundly important to also address the problems that created the nation's economic mess in the first place. He commended the United States House of Representatives for passing reforms to the financial system, including a new Consumer Financial Protection Agency, and scolded Republican Leaders and financial industry lobbyists for their joint "pep rally" to defeat it. Transcript Video

Day324/Dec13th/Sunday: The President and First Lady Michelle Obama attended the Christmas in Washington event, a holiday musical celebration benefiting the National Children's Medical Center. The show was taped at the National Building Museum in Washington, D.C., to be telecasted on TNT Dec. 20, 2009. The President's Remarks

Day325/Dec14th/Monday: The President met with members of the financial services industry to discuss economic recovery, small business lending, improving lending practices for homeowners and the Obama Administration's plans for financial reform. Source

The President delivered a statement on the economy in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House. Transcript Video

The President met with President Michel Sleiman of Lebanon in the Oval Office of the White House. Remarks of President Obama & President Sleiman After Meeting Video

The President met with United States Senator Bob Casey, Jr. in the Oval Office.

The President spoke via telephone with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina of Bangladesh and Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia about the Copenhagen Climate Summit scheduled to convene later in the week. Source

The White House announced the President had reached an agreement with the National Security Archive (NSA) and Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics (CREW) to settle pending lawsuits. As part of the agreement, the White House agreed to restore millions of emails from back-up tapes related to at least 33 different days during the George W. Bush Administration, agreeing to transfer the millions of restored emails to the United States National Archives and Records Administration. The emails eventually will be made available to historians, students, and the general public under laws providing for the release of such documents from prior administrations. Source

Day326/Dec15th/Tuesday: the President traveled to a Northern Virginia Home Depot store, where he discussed the economic impact of energy saving home retrofits with labor, manufacturing, and small business leaders. Among the President's remarks:

"The simple act of retrofitting these buildings to make them more energy-efficient --insulation new windows and doors, insulation, roofing, sealing leaks, modernizing heating and cooling equipment -- is one of the fastest, easiest and cheapest things we can do to put Americans back to work while saving families money and reducing harmful emissions.

As a result of a variety of investments made under the Recovery Act, including state and local energy grants, we're on pace to upgrade the homes of half a million Americans by this time next year -- half a million Americans: boosting the economy, saving money and energy, creating clean energy jobs that can't be outsourced. But this is an area that has huge potential to grow. That's why I'm calling on Congress to provide new temporary incentives for Americans to make energy-efficiency retrofit investments in their homes. And we want them to do it soon."

List&Bios of the Discussees Transcript of the President's Speech Video

The President returned to the White House and lunched with business leaders in the Private Dining Room. Source

The President met with members of the Senate Democratic Caucus in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. Afterward, the President gave a statement to the press in the Roosevelt Room of the White House. Transcript Video

The President and Vice President Joe Biden met with Secretary of Defense Robert Gates in the Oval Office of the White House.

The President issued a Presidential Memorandum--Closure of Dentention Facilities at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base to United States Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and United States Attorney General Eric Holder directing the following actions be taken as expeditiously as possible with respect to the facility known as the Thomson Correctional Center (TCC) in Thomson, Illinois:

(1) the Attorney General shall acquire and activate the TCC as a United States Penitentiary, which the Attorney General has determined would reduce the Bureau of Prisons' shortage of high security, maximum custody cell space and could be used for other appropriate inmate or detainee management purposes. The Attorney General shall also provide to the Department of Defense a sufficient portion of the TCC to serve as a detention facility to be operated by the Department of Defense in order to accommodate the relocation of detainees by the Secretary of Defense in accordance with paragraph 2 of this memorandum.

(2) the Secretary of Defense, working in consultation with the Attorney General, shall prepare the TCC for secure housing of detainees currently held at the Guantanamo Bay Naval Base who have been or will be designated for relocation, and shall relocate such detainees to the TCC, consistent with laws related to Guantanamo detainees and the findings in, and interagency Review established by, Executive Order 13492 of January 22, 2009. Source

The White House launched the application for the Summer 2010 White House Internship Program application. To learn more about the Internship program, the application process, and who is eligible to apply for Internships, visit the White House Internship Program website. Source

The President's top trade representative Ron Kirk declared a need for a pan-Asia-Pacific regional free trade deal, stating the United States wanted to deepen and expand the Trans-Pacific Partnership to include new countries and provide a platform for deals that would "serve as a model for the future of American trade." Source

Day327/Dec16th/Wednesday: the President met with Peace Corps Director Aaron Williams in the Oval Office of the White House. Source

The President met with Consumer Product Safety Commission Chairwoman Inez Tenenbaum in the Oval Office. Source

The President met with NASA Administrator Charles Bolden in the Oval Office to discuss the Administrator's work at NASA and the Augustine Committee's analysis. Source

The President spoke via telephone with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Prime Minister Tillman Thomas of Grenada as a part of his effort to advance a positive outcome at the Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen. Source

The President signed into law:

H.R. 4217, which extends through March 31, 2010, authorities to collect taxes that fund the Airport and Airway Trust Fund; make expenditures from the Airport and Airway Trust Fund; and make grants to airports under the Airport Improvement Program,

H.R. 3288, which provides FY 2010 appropriations for the Departments of Commerce, Defense, Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Labor, State, Transportation, the Treasury, and Veterans Affairs, and other agencies. Source

The President declared a major disaster exists in the State of Nebraska and ordered Federal aid to supplement State and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm during the period of November 16-17, 2009. Federal funding was made available to State and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by the severe winter storm in the counties of Gage, Jefferson, Johnson, Nemaha, Pawnee, Richardson, and Thayer. Federal funding was also made available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide. FEMA said additional designations may be made at a later date if requested by the State and warranted by the results of further damage assessments. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: FEMA (202) 646-3272. Source

The President announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key administration posts:

Marie Collins Johns, Deputy Administrator, Small Business Administration

Gwendolyn E. Boyd, Member, Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation

Jonathan M. Young, Chair, National Council on Disability

Carol Jean Reynolds, Member, National Council on Disability

Fernando Torres-Gil, Member, National Council on Disability

Chester Alonzo Finn, Member, National Council on Disability

Gary Blumenthal, Member, National Council on Disability

Sara Gelser, Member, National Council on Disability

Ari Ne'eman, Member, National Council on Disability

Dongwoo Joseph "Joe" Pak, Member, National Council on Disability Source&Bios

The President announced his intent to nominate the following individual to the Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation:

Peggy Goldwater Clay, Member, Board of Trustees of the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation Source&Bio

The President proclaimed Wednesday, December 16, 2009, as the 65th Anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, andI encouraged all Americans to observe this solemn day of remembrance with appropriate ceremonies and activities. Source

The President proclaimed December 17, 2009, as Wright Brothers Day. Source

In the evening, the President and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed Jewish community leaders, friends and staff to their very first Hanukkah celebration at the White House. Source

Vice President Joe Biden was briefed on the state of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile by the Directors of the three national security laboratories. 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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Retired, Robert Arend was president of an AFSCME local from 1997-2007.
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