Remarks of Cecilia Muñoz, Domestic Policy Council
Director, As Prepared for Delivery- The Hamilton Project at Brookings

The White House

Office of Communications

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release

May 15, 2012

Remarks of Cecilia Muñoz, Domestic Policy Council Director, As Prepared for Delivery

The Hamilton Project at Brookings

National Press Club

As prepared for delivery –

Thank you.  And thank you to the Hamilton Project not just for inviting me to be part of the impressive group discussing this important issue, but also for holding a forum attempting to get beyond the rhetoric to examine the character and implications of the problem.  Immigration reform is all too often viewed through all kinds of lenses but rarely is it viewed through the most important one, which is a clear-eyed analysis of what’s in the country’s best interest.   I firmly believe that if policymakers in this town were using this particular lens, the divisive debate about immigration reform would be in the rear-view mirror by now.  That’s why I’m grateful that you’re hosting this forum today, and that you have invited so many thoughtful people to examine the question of how we can get back to building an immigration system that demands both responsibility and accountability through a comprehensive legislative reform.  I’m honored to be among them.

I work on a broad range of domestic policy issues for the President; in this particular moment, in which we are recovering from a recession of historic proportions -- a moment in which we can see significant progress with so much more progress still to be made -- my job is to help advance the President’s priorities, particularly those which create jobs, and strengthen our economic future.  

You have heard the President talk about his vision for an economy built to last; one that creates secure American jobs.  I have the privilege of serving on a team that is focused on priorities that are fundamental to that vision. Priorities like promoting clean energy manufacturing, and making sure our students and our workers have the preparation and skills they need for the jobs being created in this 21^st century economy. 

Immigration reform is very much a part of this mix for President Obama.  Since his days in the U.S. Senate, and even as far back as his tenure in the Illinois State Senate, the President has understood that immigration reform is an economic imperative that impacts communities and families in very tangible ways.  That’s why as a State Senator he cosponsored Illinois’ version of what has come to be known as the DREAM Act.   That’s why as a freshman in the US Senate he championed comprehensive immigration reform.   And that’s why as President he has spoken out often about immigration reform, and sought to elevate the debate on immigration policy by bringing stakeholders from diverse communities across American society together to promote mutual understanding and seek common ground.

My words today won’t begin to be as eloquent as his, but the President crystallizes the essential point   by calling for an immigration system that is consistent with our history as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.   And he addresses the reality that reform is integral to our goal of promoting innovation and entrepreneurship; and it’s vital to maintaining our competitive edge in an increasingly global economy.  

In the speech he gave a year ago in El Paso, the President pointed out that a full 25 percent of recent high-tech startups in the U.S. were founded by immigrants.  That led to 200,000 jobs here in the United States.   Forty percent of Fortune 500 companies were founded by immigrants or their children.   And immigrants are also fueling job creation by starting small businesses on main streets across the country. 

The President understands that among the strongest arguments for immigration reform is that, as we grow an economy designed to be competitive across the globe, we shortchange ourselves if we continue to perpetuate an outdated and badly broken immigration system. 

So from the moment the President took office, there has been no question about where we stand as an Administration on the urgency of reforming our immigration system. The challenge has been finding partners on the other side of the aisle to join the President in seeking common ground on this priority.  More than three years later, this remains the central challenge. 

Six years ago, the U.S. Senate passed a bipartisan, comprehensive immigration reform bill with 23 Republican votes.   Today,   despite the fact that some of the very same Senators still serve in that chamber -- not a single Senate Republican has been willing to engage with the President to craft a bipartisan immigration reform proposal.   And while some of our friends on the other side of the aisle – and quite frankly some in the advocacy community - are quick to blame the President for failing to move immigration reform forward, the simple fact is that the other party has denied him even a single partner in an enterprise which requires some modicum of bipartisanship in order to make progress. 

And that is not for lack of trying. The President has hosted multiple meetings at the White House with members of both parties, from both chambers, with a variety of views on how to move forward.  The President has gone to the Senate Republican caucus, where he had an extraordinary and frank conversation about his interest in working in a bipartisan manner to enact immigration reform.  We have prepared legislative language at the request of Congressional leaders, and developed a comprehensive policy blueprint which you’ll find on the White House website. 

The President has given major speeches inside and outside of Washington on this topic.  He has met with stakeholders from the business community, the faith community, the labor movement, state and local government, law enforcement, and immigrant advocates to exhort them to help him lift up the issue.  And we have enlisted a large cross section of the Cabinet in these efforts to press for reform and develop policy proposals that work for business, workers, and families. In fact, if you have an idea of something that we haven’t done that could break the logjam, we’re listening.  

But we face a simple fact:  no immigration bill has passed the U.S. Congress in at least a generation – and possibly ever – without bipartisan support.   We came close with the DREAM Act in the lame duck session of 2010.  It passed the House for the first time ever, and achieved a high-water mark for Democratic support in the Senate.   And if 5 of the Senate Republicans who had previously voted for the proposal had done it again this time, the DREAM Act would be the law of the land right now.

The simple fact is that Republicans, including those who believe in this issue, have abandoned immigration reform and the DREAM Act.   And until they find a way back to the conversation, immigration reform will remain stalled.

It is hard to overstate what the Republicans’ unwillingness to engage on this issue has cost the country.  First and foremost, it has undoubtedly cost us jobs.   Last April, the President hosted a meeting with a range of leaders from around the country who care about this issue. He heard about the many obstacles the companies face under current law, such as one company’s efforts to try to keep a valued employee who happened to be from Spain.   They were ready to give up and relocate the employee out of the country – and if they had hundreds of jobs would have gone with him.   The President hears stories like this over and over from business leaders as he travels around the country.   We lose jobs, and we lose talent when DREAM Act students can’t put the education they have earned to good use, and when foreign students at our best universities are unable to stay and put their talent to use here in the United States. 

The effect of inaction is that we have a system that tolerates a large number of people here illegally, while punishing those who try to follow the rules.   For example, under our existing legal immigration system, families wait intolerable periods of time in order to reunite with their loved ones in the U.S.    And immigrants who have proven invaluable to the American companies that have hired them often must wait years for a green card to become available for them to stay and fully integrate into our country as legal permanent residents and eventually citizens. 

Further, while Congress obfuscates, individual states have filled the vacuum with unfortunate results.   Attempts at immigration control in states like Arizona and Alabama have divided communities and created controversy.  They have come at a high cost, and yet accomplished nothing towards the goal of fixing what’s broken about our immigration system.  A patchwork of harsh laws in various states cannot result in anything resembling a coherent or effective immigration policy.   For that, we need the Congress of the United States to step up and do its job.

As we seek  to create the space for a meaningful debate on immigration reform, the Administration is using the administrative tools we have available under existing law to improve the processing of immigration benefits, and make sound strategic choices about how we conduct enforcement.   They’re not perfect tools.  In fact, they’re not even close -- remember that it’s the law itself which is fundamentally broken – but we’re making use of what we can.  

USCIS has worked to reform and streamline our immigration system, making it easier for employers, immigrants and families to navigate through the bureaucracy. They have reduced barriers to citizenship by keeping citizenship application fees constant and providing tools to help applicants through the naturalization process. USCIS has also begun reducing barriers to accessing existing immigration visa programs for high-skilled immigrants, and launched the innovative “Entrepreneurs in Residence” initiative to streamline existing pathways for foreign-born entrepreneurs to come and create businesses in the U.S. 

Only a few months into the Administration, DHS announced the capacity to actually let people know the status of their immigration petitions on the internet and via text message.   It sounds simple, but for anyone who knows the history here, this was nothing short of a revolution.   And USCIS has begun an important rulemaking process that will facilitate family immigration by addressing a serious barrier in the law which requires Americans to risk years of separation from their loved ones, particularly spouses and children, in order to process a family visa petition.   By proposing to process a waiver before these families separate, the Administration is advancing legal immigration and the reunification of families, both fundamental principles under the law.

The Administration has also taken important steps to develop a strategic approach to immigration enforcement.   The results at the U.S./Mexico border have been striking.  Border crossings are at a 40-year low; the border is by many measures more secure than it has ever been.   It’s clear that a strategic approach to enforcement at the border is having an impact.   For those who have been saying we must address the border before we can talk about immigration reform, our response is:  No more excuses. Let’s start talking.  It’s time.  

DHS has taken a similar strategic approach to enforcement in the interior.   This approach is based on the notion that enforcement must be vigorously conducted, but it should also be strategically sound. 

Enforcement is our responsibility under the law – even a law which badly needs to be reformed.   But at a time when there are 11 million people living and working in the United States without proper documentation, the traditional scattershot approach – where the agency simply attempts to round up as many people as it can find – is outmoded and ineffective.   Instead, DHS has taken a series of carefully crafted steps to devise a strategy for enforcement, and develop a set of priorities to guide their work. 

Consistent with the best law enforcement practices and principles, DHS has prioritized for removal those convicted of serious crimes, previous deportees who have re-entered the U.S., and those who have arrived most recently.    Among those with criminal convictions, DHS has further refined its priorities to distinguish the more serious offenders from others.  As a result, while the number of annual deportations has remained steady, the composition of those who are removed has shifted substantially.    As a result, of those removed from the country in FY 2011, 55 percent had been convicted of crimes. That represents an 89 percent increase from FY 2008, when convicted criminals represented only 30 percent. And of all removals, 90 percent fit within DHS priorities.

In addition, DHS, with the assistance of DOJ, has embarked on an unprecedented effort to review the approximately 300,000 cases in the pipeline for deportation to make sure that they are consistent with these priorities.  If they are not, DHS is considering on a case-by-case basis whether to close these cases. 

For the first time, there is a sense that, since it is unreasonable to expect any law enforcement agency to remove 11 million people who are unlawfully in the country, it is entirely reasonable to establish that some of these individuals are higher priorities for removal than others.   As the President has pointed out, it makes no sense to be focusing enforcement resources on students who have grown up here and who seek to further their education or serve in the military.  Or to separate parents from their children.   

These developments have injected more coherence and rationality to the enormous task of immigration enforcement.    But it is unreasonable to expect that these tools, no matter how faithfully applied, can fix what is broken about our immigration system.   And it is unreasonable to expect these positive reforms to prevent injustices from occurring within the system.

For those who expect immigration enforcement to succeed in removing 11 million people who are largely integrated into our workforce and the fabric of our communities, I can tell you that immigration enforcement alone will be insufficient to fix the problem.   And for those who believe it is a travesty of justice to ever separate a parent from a child, I can say that even the imposition of rational priorities to immigration enforcement will be insufficient to prevent those tragedies from occurring.  

These are both symptoms of a broken system, and it is a mistake to think that administrative tools alone are a sufficient remedy.    The Administration hopes to set standards for immigration enforcement that will endure and provide rationality to a necessary and important law enforcement function, and we will always look for ways to strengthen these efforts.   But if we want to address the problem of illegal immigration at its core, Congress needs to accept its responsibility.

Immigration reform is a priority for President Obama and it will remain one until we get the job done.  

So let me be as clear as I can be:  if there’s an opening, if there are partners willing to step forward across the aisle to craft a proposal that can win bipartisan support, we are ready to engage.    But let’s be fully transparent:  even the very modest proposals that have inched forward in the last year, like a bipartisan bill that rearranges how we use the per-country caps, have stalled.  And the prevailing philosophy on the other side of the aisle is grounded in the notion that we should aggressively remove as many people as possible, and pass laws aimed at making life so miserable for the remaining immigrants and their families that they will deport themselves.    This isn’t even a remotely credible strategy.   And it comes at a very high price.

Some have offered hope that a focus on the DREAM Act might offer a way out of the morass.   The DREAM Act is an Administration priority, and we note with interest the conversation about a possible alternative being developed by a single Republican senator.   While we haven’t seen an actual proposal, I will say to you the same thing we have said to DREAM Act students themselves:  we are listening, and our door remains open to any serious partner willing to walk through it and make progress.   At the same time, what we have heard so far, including from the Speaker of the House and other Republicans in Congress is that no such proposal has a chance in his chamber.

Despite the Speaker’s dose of realism, what has been true for the last three years will remain true:  if there is a path forward, we will find it and we will walk down it, and we will welcome as many partners as we can find.    And what I can say about this President and his Administration is that Immigration reform will remain front and center as an economic imperative and a priority. We will work with any serious partner ready to make progress and fix this problem. Our existing blueprint outlines our policy preferences, but we are open to creative approaches – to any conversation that gets this going.

We will apply some basic principles in reviewing future proposals to fix our broken system.  Any serious proposal should strengthen our nation economically; maximize the extent to which the people who come and live here, do it legally, by holding employers and immigrants accountable under the law; maximize pathways to earn full integration, including paying taxes, learning English, and participating fully in our civic life– because we are, and must remain, one country, indivisible; be consistent with the best values of our nation and our immigration history --  family, fairness and equity under the law; and we must secure our border using enforcement mechanisms that are both effective and humane.

We are doing this work at a time of great challenge for our country.   I can point to the many ways in which the debate on immigration reform is fundamental to who we are as a nation of immigrants and a nation of laws, and to who we are as a people.   How we conduct this debate says a great deal about who we are as Americans.  That’s why this forum today is so important. This is how we move the conversation forward; this is how we elevate the debate. This is how we create the space for Congress to move forward and act on immigration reform.

The President’s voice is strong, but it’s stronger when it is heard alongside others. So I ask all of you to not let this conversation end here today. The more conversations we can have like the ones we have had today all across the country the better. It could be the real game changer that moves action forward, and to a real legislative debate on reform. 

Last year in El Paso the President called on the American people to stand up and help us build a movement for reform. It’s a movement that as he noted has been gathering strength from coast to coast, with people of faith, local and state law enforcement, business leaders, and regular Americans who see the same promise of the American Dream in new immigrants that someone once saw in their grandparents or great grandparents when they first set foot in this great country. So we launched a page on whitehouse.gov/immigration to ask everyone who could make the time, to set up a roundtable in their community, engage in this important conversation and to let us know how we can help move this debate forward.

One of the first folks we heard back from was Paul Bridges, the Mayor of Uvalda, Georgia. The Republican mayor of Uvalda Georgia. In a town of 600, Mayor Bridges gathered a dozen community leaders. His note to us was simple. “All I can say is IT WAS AWESOME!...People are talking and people want immigration reform.” This conservative mayor in a conservative Southern State also has stood up against Georgia’s anti- immigration law  . He explained that it not only “runs counter to America’s greatest values,” these are his words, he added that it “threatens to run my town’s economy to the ground.”

Immigration reform is an economic imperative. The challenge laid out by the President, to create an economy built to last, an economy which protects the middle class and the pathways for those seeking to enter the middle class, is not distinct from the challenge of rebuilding an immigration system that works.  And if we are going to be as successful as we must be in building the 21^st century economy that ensures America’s place as first in the world in innovation – as the President likes to say, the place where we develop the best stuff and build it – we must break through the obstruction in the immigration debate.   Your voices are already making a difference. Let’s make sure they continue to be heard.  This is how we will forge our future. Thank you again.

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Remarks by the President at Roundtable with Small
Business Owners

Taylor Gourmet
Washington, D.C.

10:44 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, listen, what I just want to say to the reporters who are here:  You've got three small businesses who are outstanding examples of American entrepreneurship, whether it's food services, retail, construction.  All across the country, you're seeing examples of folks who have confidence in the economy and have confidence in America, and it's their ingenuity and their hard work that's allowed them to be successful. 

But organizations like the SBA have also made a difference, because sometimes private financing isn't willing to take a chance on a couple of young guys who have an idea about starting a great hoagie shop.  Sometimes, it may be that a smaller business like a construction business where it's relatively capital intensive is going to have difficulty competing with some of the larger companies in terms of buying the equipment that they need.

And so actions by Congress and good execution by the Small Business Administration can make a big difference in helping these folks see -- it's not going to do it for them, it's not going to make up for bad service or a bad product, but when you've got a great service or a great product and people are willing to work really hard, then action by government and the SBA can help give them a hand up and get them started. 

And this is the reason why we think it's so important for Congress to act right now.  The economy is recovering, but we've still got a long way to go.  Too many folks are still out of work.  We’ve got some headwinds, the situation in Europe, and still a difficult housing market. 

And so we want to sustain momentum.  And one of the ways that we can sustain momentum is for Congress to take some actions right now -- even though it’s election season, even though there’s gridlock, even though there’s partisanship -- take some actions right now that would really make a difference.  And we’ve put together a handy “To-Do” list; it’s very short.  I’ve been talking about it over the last couple of weeks. 

One of the items on that “To-Do” list would be to provide tax breaks for companies like these that are hiring new employees or raising the wages and salaries of their existing employees.  Either way, what that does is it gives them an incentive as their expanding to say, maybe we hire an extra two people.  Maybe we hire an extra three people.  Maybe we hire an extra ten people. 

And they will have additional resources to continue to grow and to continue to expand.  It’s something that in the past has been an idea that garnered support from Democrats and Republicans.  There’s no reason why we shouldn’t act on that right now, the same way that we should be allowing all families to refinance, because if they’ve got an extra $3,000 in their pocket, then they can buy more hoagies or go shop for some outstanding organic foods. 

And it’s the same reason why all the other items on the “To-Do” list could really make a difference.  For example, some of these small businesses may be interested in hiring a veteran, and we’ve already done a lot of work on veterans hiring.  A lot of the items on the “To-Do” list is a Veterans Job Corps that could potentially put some veterans who are coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan to work rebuilding America. 

So my message to Congress -- and I’m going to have a chance to see the congressional leadership when I get back to the White House -- I’m going to offer them some hoagies while they’re there -- is let’s go ahead and act to help build and sustain momentum for our economy.  There will be more than enough time for us to campaign and politick, but let’s make sure that we don’t lose steam at a time when a lot of folks like these are feeling pretty optimistic and are ready to go.

All right.  Thank you, everybody.

END               
10:50 A.M. EDT

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Message to Congress -- Blocking Property of
Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the "order") declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Yemen and others to threaten Yemen's peace, security, and stability.

The order does not target the entire country of Yemen or its government, but rather targets those who threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen, including by obstructing the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provides for a peaceful transition of power that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people for change, or by obstructing the political process in Yemen. The order provides criteria for the blocking of property and interests in property of persons determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to:

have engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen, such as acts that obstruct the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provides for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen, or that obstruct the political process in Yemen;

be a political or military leader of an entity that has engaged in the acts described above;

have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the acts described above or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order; or

be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to the order.

The designation criteria will be applied in accordance with applicable Federal law including, where appropriate, the First Amendment to the United States Constitution.

I have delegated to the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, the authority to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President

by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of the order. All agencies of the United States Government are directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of the order.

I am enclosing a copy of the Executive Order I have issued.

BARACK OBAMA

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Statement by the Press Secretary on Todays
Executive Order on Yemens Peace, Security, and Stability

Today, President Obama signed an Executive Order authorizing sanctions to be imposed on individuals and entities who threaten the peace, security, and stability of Yemen by disrupting the political transition. This Executive Order will allow the United States to take action against those who seek to undermine Yemen’s transition and the Yemeni peoples’ clear desire for change. The President took this step because he believes that the legitimate aspirations of the Yemeni people, along with the urgent humanitarian and security challenges, cannot be addressed if political progress stalls.

Yemen’s transition represents an important step forward for the Yemeni people, who deserve the opportunity to determine their future. The United States strongly supports Yemen’s political transition and will continue to work with our international partners, including the Gulf Cooperation Council, to help Yemen chart a more secure, democratic, and prosperous path forward.

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Executive Order -- Blocking Property of Persons
Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen

EXECUTIVE ORDER
- - - - - - -
BLOCKING PROPERTY OF PERSONS THREATENING
THE PEACE, SECURITY, OR STABILITY OF YEMEN

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code,

I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, find that the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Yemen and others threaten Yemen's peace, security, and stability, including by obstructing the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provides for a peaceful transition of power that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people for change, and by obstructing the political process in Yemen. I further find that these actions constitute an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States, and I hereby declare a national emergency to deal with that threat. I hereby order:

Section 1. All property and interests in property that are in the United States, that hereafter come within the United States, or that are or hereafter come within the possession or control of any United States person, including any foreign branch, of the following persons are blocked and may not be transferred, paid, exported, withdrawn, or otherwise dealt in: any person determined by the Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, to:

(a) have engaged in acts that directly or indirectly threaten the peace, security, or stability of Yemen, such as acts that obstruct the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provides for a peaceful transition of power in Yemen, or that obstruct the political process in Yemen;

(b) be a political or military leader of an entity that has engaged in the acts described in subsection (a) of this section;

(c) have materially assisted, sponsored, or provided financial, material, or technological support for, or goods or services to or in support of, the acts described in subsection (a) of this section or any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; or

(d) be owned or controlled by, or to have acted or purported to act for or on behalf of, directly or indirectly, any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order.

Sec. 2. I hereby determine that the making of donations of the type of articles specified in section 203(b)(2) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1702(b)(2)) by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to section 1 of this order would seriously impair my ability to deal with the national emergency declared in this order, and I hereby prohibit such donations as provided by section 1 of this order.

Sec. 3. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order include but are not limited to:

(a) the making of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services by, to, or for the benefit of any person whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order; and

(b) the receipt of any contribution or provision of funds, goods, or services from any such person.

Sec. 4. The prohibitions in section 1 of this order apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or any license or permit granted prior to the effective date of this order.

Sec. 5. Nothing in section 1 of this order shall prohibit transactions for the conduct of the official business of the United States Government by employees, grantees, or contractors thereof.

Sec. 6. (a) Any transaction that evades or avoids, has the purpose of evading or avoiding, causes a violation of, or attempts to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

(b) Any conspiracy formed to violate any of the prohibitions set forth in this order is prohibited.

Sec. 7. For the purposes of this order:

(a) the term "person" means an individual or entity;

(b) the term "entity" means a partnership, association, trust, joint venture, corporation, group, subgroup, or other organization; and

(c) the term "United States person" means any United States citizen, permanent resident alien, entity organized under the laws of the United States or any jurisdiction within the United States (including foreign branches), or any person in the United States.

Sec. 8. For those persons whose property and interests in property are blocked pursuant to this order who might have a constitutional presence in the United States, I find that

because of the ability to transfer funds or other assets instantaneously, prior notice to such persons of measures to be taken pursuant to this order would render those measures ineffectual. I therefore determine that for these measures to be effective in addressing the national emergency declared in this order, there need be no prior notice of a listing or determination made pursuant to section 1 of this order.

Sec. 9. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to take such actions, including the promulgation of rules and regulations, and to employ all powers granted to the President by IEEPA as may be necessary to carry out the purposes of this order. The Secretary of the Treasury may redelegate any of these functions to other officers and agencies of the United States Government consistent with applicable law. All agencies of the United States Government are hereby directed to take all appropriate measures within their authority to carry out the provisions of this order.

Sec. 10. The Secretary of the Treasury, in consultation with the Secretary of State, is hereby authorized to submit the recurring and final reports to the Congress on the national emergency declared in this order, consistent with section 401(c) of the NEA (50 U.S.C. 1641(c)) and section 204(c) of IEEPA (50 U.S.C. 1703(c)).

Sec. 11. This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

BARACK OBAMA

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President Obama Calls on Congress to Act on Small
Business Proposal in To Do List and Meets with Congressional Leadership

National Economic Council Releases Report on Moving America’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Forward

WASHINGTON, DC - Today, President Obama will visit a small business in the Washington, DC area where he will urge Congress to act on the “To Do List,” specifically highlighting the need to invest in small businesses and jumpstart new hiring and entrepreneurship by passing legislation that gives a 10 percent income tax credit for firms that create new jobs or increase wages in 2012 and that extends 100 percent expensing in 2012 for all businesses. This stands in contrast to the proposal put forward by House Republicans, which could actually discourage hiring and new investments this year.
 
While at the small business, the President and Small Business Administrator Karen Mills will hold a roundtable discussion with a group of small business owners that would benefit from the President’s small business proposal. The roundtable is pooled press.
 
Following this visit, the President will return to the White House to meet with Congressional leadership where he will stress the importance of acting on the economic agenda he laid out last week as part of the Congressional To Do List. This meeting will include House Speaker John Boehner, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell.
 
In addition, today, the National Economic Council will release a report that highlights the investments the Obama Administration has made to keep America’s small businesses moving forward and calls on Congress to do its part to make it easier for small businesses to grow and create jobs.
 
And next week, members of the Cabinet and Senior Administration officials will be participating in National Small Business Week events and speaking about the President’s efforts to help small businesses. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner will be in Baltimore on Thursday visiting a small business; National Economic Council Director Gene Sperling, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan will speak during National Small Business Week events. Small Business Administrator Karen Mills will join Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan and Secretary of Energy Stephen Chu to highlight the role small businesses played in one million green retrofits. Federal Bureau of Investigation, NASA, U.S. Air Force, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Department of Energy, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Labor, Department of Justice, Department of Treasury, Department of Transportation and the General Services Administration will participate in business matchmaking sessions to find innovative small business contractors.

Congress’ To Do List

1. Reward American Jobs, Eliminate Tax Incentives To Ship Jobs Overseas: Congress needs to attract and keep good jobs in the United States by passing legislation that gives companies a new 20 percent tax credit for the cost of moving their operations back to the U.S. and pay for it by eliminating tax incentives that allow companies to deduct the costs of moving their business abroad.

2. Cut Red Tape So Responsible Homeowners Can Refinance: Congress needs to pass legislation to cut red tape in the mortgage market so that responsible families who have been paying their mortgages on time can feel secure in their home by refinancing at today’s lower rates.

3. Invest in a New Hire Tax Credit For Small Businesses: Congress needs to invest in small businesses and jumpstart new hiring by passing legislation that gives a 10 percent income tax credit for firms that create new jobs or increase wages in 2012 and that extends 100 percent expensing in 2012 for all businesses.

4. Create Jobs By Investing In Affordable Clean Energy: Congress needs to help put America in control of its energy future by passing legislation that will extend the Production Tax Credit to support American jobs and manufacturing alongside an expansion of the 30 percent tax credit to investments in clean energy manufacturing (48C Advanced Energy Manufacturing Tax Credit).

5. Put Returning Veterans to Work Using Skills Developed in the Military: Congress needs to honor our commitment to returning veterans by passing legislation that creates a Veterans Jobs Corps to help Afghanistan and Iraq veterans get jobs as cops and firefighters, as well as other jobs serving their communities.

The President’s plan for congressional action has two key components:
 
Congress needs to invest in small businesses to jumpstart new hiring by passing legislation that gives a 10 percent income tax credit for firms that create new jobs or increase wages in 2012 and that extends 100 percent expensing in 2012.
 
• Encourage an additional $200 billion to $300 billion in new wages and jobs this year with a Small Business Jobs and Wages Tax Credit:
 
o Credit for New Wages:  The plan would provide firms with a 10 percent income tax credit for new wages added in 2012. This would encourage both new hiring and providing raises to existing workers. The credit would be limited to $500,000 per firm in order to focus the benefit on small businesses. 
 
o Focused on Middle Class Workers: Because the credit is based on Social Security wage base, companies would receive no credit for increasing wages above $110,100. Unlike the House Republican proposal, the President’s proposal ensures that companies that offer raises only to already well-paid executives would be ineligible for the tax relief. 
 
o Directly tied to new hires and pay increases:  Because the credit is tied to increases in payroll, the benefit is only available only to companies that make new hires or offer employee pay-raises – directly encouraging growth and jumpstarting hiring. This stands in contrast to proposals put forward by Congressional Republicans that would cut taxes of hedge fund managers, law partners and many of the wealthiest Americans regardless of whether they employed or hired a single worker.
 
o Helps 2 Million Small Businesses: This credit would help nearly 2 million actual small businesses with employees.
 
o More than $20 billion in tax relief to encourage an additional $200 to $300 million in new wages and jobs: The President’s plan will provide more than $20 billion in direct tax relief targeted to small businesses in 2012 and 2013, according to a score from the independent, non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation. This $20 billion in direct tax relief could encourage an additional $200 billion to $300 billion in new wages and jobs this year.
 
• Support business investment this year with 100 percent expensing for 2012:  The President is proposing an extension of the 100 percent expensing provision that he signed into law in December 2010, which rewards firms for making investments by allowing them to deduct the full value of those investments through 2012. Extending 100 percent expensing for an additional year would put an additional $50 billion in the hands of businesses in 2012 and 2013. Most of this relief would be recouped by the Treasury as businesses regain their strength. 
 
o What Others Have Said About Expensing:
 
? The National Federation of Independent Business called expensing a “big victory” for small business: “Bottom line – just about every small business can write-off the full amount of investments they want to make in 2010 and 2011.” (December 2010).
 
? In a 2010 letter signed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, more than 80 business groups – representing industries from aerospace and wireless to builders, contractors, and retail stores – wrote that “bringing back bonus depreciation will encourage companies of all sizes to invest in newer, more efficient, and more environmentally-friendly equipment, which will help large and small businesses alike.”
 
• President Obama’s plan would help 2 million actual small businesses with employees, in contrast to the “small business” tax cut proposed by Republicans in the House, which is an unacceptable giveaway to wealthiest Americans: President Obama small business tax cuts focus on wages and investment – tangible steps firms are taking to hire workers, raise wages or invest to grow whereas the House Republicans provide across-the-board tax cuts (a 20 percent deduction) to anyone with self-employment income – and even to companies that lay off workers or reduce pay.

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Missile Defense Cooperation

May 16: Cooperation on missile defense would be a game changer and the next step in expanding U.S.-Russia cooperation. It would give us the chance to build a true strategic partnership...

Read The Full Article:
http://www.state.gov/t/190077.htm

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There are no tropical cyclones at this time.

No tropical cyclones as of Wed, 16 May 2012 05:36:29 GMT

Read The Full Article:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

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Apple Releases QuickTime 7.7.2

Apple has released QuickTime 7.7.2 to address multiple vulnerabilities. These vulnerabilities may allow an attacker to execute arbitrary code or cause a denial-of-service condition.



US-CERT encourages users and administrators to review Apple Support Article HT5261 and apply any necessary updates to help mitigate the risk.

This product is provided subject to the Notification as indicated here: http://www.us-cert.gov/legal.html#notify

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