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  DENEE ANAYA

President Obama Signs Presidential Memorandum to Promote Gender Equality

1/30/2013

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Jan 30 2013 - President Obama along with Secretary Clinton, established the White House Council on Women and Girls. This multilateral iniative will expand women’s politician and economic participation on developing ways to combat violence against women and identify a process to implement a national action plan to include women women in conflict resolution and peace process, global health and food security iniatives President Obama has appointed Melanne Verveer, the first ever Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues. 

Today, President  signed a Presidential Memorandum to expand and promote gender equality across all U.S. Government  agencies. In the Memorandum, President Obama states that “promoting gender equality and advancing the status of all women and girls around the world  remains one of the greatest unmet challenges of our time, and one that is vital  to achieving our overall foreign policy objectives.”

Secretary-designate Kerry is on board and committed to these issues stating “In the Senate I've made promoting the rights of women and girls a priority, not just because it's the right thing to do, but because societies that empower the talents of their entire populations are more stable and more prosperous. It's why we created a sub-committee in the Foreign Relations Committee to specialize on these issues and give it the attention it deserves. Last week at my confirmation hearing, I spoke with Sen. Boxer about the importance of maintaining the momentum Secretary Clinton and Ambassador Melanne Verveer have built through their innovative office and laser-like focus. 


I applaud the President for institutionalizing these efforts and ensuring these issues continue to receive the high-level attention they deserve at the State Department, at US AID, and across the U.S. government.” 

President Obama’s Memo ensures that the Senior Coordinator for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will continue to assist in advising the USAID Administrator on key priorities for U.S. development assistance. Finally, the Memorandum establishes an interagency working group on international gender issues, chaired by the National Security Advisor. 


This will provide strategy, government coordination, and implement new ideas across agencies from the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) to Peace Corps to the Department of Health and Human Services.

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John Kerry Next Secretary Of State

1/29/2013

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Senator was confirmed at the new Secretary of State. President Barack Obama nominated Massachusetts Democratic Senator John Kerry to replace Hillary Clinton as the next Secretary of State.  John Kerry who is the chairman of the  Foreign Relations Committee and the 2004 Democratic presidential nominee is a decorated war veteran who served two tours of duty in Vietnam in the Unites States Navy.  On his second tour, Kerry  served on a Swift boat in the river deltas, one of the most dangerous assignments of the war.  He received Silver Star,  a Bronze Star with Combat V and three purple hearts.

After returning from Vietnam in 1969,  deeply affected by his time in the war, Kerry worked to support other veterans.  
He cofounded the Vietnam Veterans of America to fight for veterans’ benefits. Including the extension of the G.I. Bill for Higher Education and for treatment of Post 
Traumatic Stress Syndrome. 

President Obama stated “In a sense, John’s entire life has prepared him for this role. As the son of a Foreign Service officer, he has a deep respect for the men and women of the State Department --the role they play in advancing our interests and values, the risks that they undertake and the sacrifices that they make along with their families. 


Having served with valor in Vietnam, he understands that we have a responsibility to use American power wisely, especially our military power. And he knows, from personal experience, that when we send our troops into harm’s way, we must give them the sound strategy, a clear mission, and the resources that they need to get the job done.”

 John Kerry has worked on the Iran-Contra scandal, global AIDS, chairman of the Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs, he worked to learn the truth about American soldiers missing in Vietnam and to normalize relations with that country. He is the ranking Democrat on the East Asian and Pacific Affairs Subcommittee, and the leading expert on that region, including North Korea. 

He has been a leading voice on American policy in Iraq and Afghanistan, the war on terrorism, the Middle East peace process and Israel's security.

Today, Senator Kerry is the tenth most senior Senator and the second longest serving Senator in his seat. He also holds senior positions on the Finance, Commerce, and Small Business Committees .During his service in the Senate for almost 30 years, John Kerry has earned the respect and confidence from his senate colleagues both Democrat and Republican as well as world leaders.  

John has been instrumental in advancing many of the President’s foreign policies. Including the “ratification of the New START Treaty, the challenges of Sudan and South Sudan and Afghanistan.”

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President Obama Immigration Reform

1/29/2013

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President Obama’s Proposal For a Pathway To Citizenship For The 11 Million Undocumented Immigrants Living In The U.S.

Obama four part immigration plan:   

Continue to strengthen border security, if needed more border patrol agents, more technology to help identify criminals and security threats. 

Penalize employers who hire undocumented workers. Enhance employee verifications system. Create path to citizenship. Give undocumented workers a legal way to earn citenzship, so they can pay taxes. 

Undocumented immigrants must pass a national criminal and security background check, pay taxes, learn English, pay a fine,  and get in line behind those who came before them. Streamline immigration system. Establish a effecient system for immigrants who work hard and obey the laws.

A bipartisan group of eight senators four Democrats and four Republicans also developed a plan to address immigration reform. John McCain (R-Ariz.), Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.), Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Bob Menendez (D-N.J.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), and Michael Bennet (D-Colo.)

Their plan named the “Gang of Eight” plan stated that first and foremost border security would have to be enhanced.  Next identify and penalize businesses that hire undocumented workers. The outline does not however take into account the timeframe of the pathway to citizenship. The plan however states that we must create tough but fair pathway to citizenship.

Identify visa overstays, create employment verification system.  

Prevent theft of identity and hiring undocumented workers 

Improve process for people who want to legally work, beef up border patrol, with new technology, agents, security, surveillance, stop racial profiling , involve community, politicians, agents for input, illegals 

Immigrants must register, pass background check, pay a fine and back taxes to earn probation legal status, they then can live and work in the U.S. 

Those who don’t pass will have to be sent back, criminals will have to leave right away, borders must be secured before any thing begins, they have to get in line, learn English, civics, show work history , then they will earn a green card.  

Minor children and agricultural workers will have a slight different path, those who earn a Ph.d or masters degrees in math, science technology or engineering from an American university with earn a green card. 

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President Obama Approves $365 Million For Syria Humanitarian Assistance

1/29/2013

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January 29th President Obama approved an additional $155 million dollars totaling $365 million for humanitarian assistance for Syria.  As of today over 2.5 million men, women and children have been forced from their homes. Over 6,000 have fled to neighboring countries to escape the violence of the Assad regime.  The assistance will provide food, clean water, medicine, medical treatment, clothing and much needed winter supplies. This support will benefit refugees in Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq.

The United States and international partners “the Syrian Opposition Coalition,” along with other humanitarian organizations including Syrian-American individuals, will identify and respond with the help needed, including providing any assistance needed to arrive at a peaceful resolution. 

President Obama stated that this will be no easy task. But the Assad regime continues to weaken and lose control of territory, and the opposition contimues to grow stronger. “The Syrian people will continue to find a partner in the United States of America.” 

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Ban Lifted on Women in Combat

1/24/2013

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On Monday, January 21, 2013,  the United States 44th and first African American President Barack Obama, took the oath of Office from Chief Justice John Roberts. This historical moment marked President Obama’s second term as America’s Commander and Chief.  

The president used two  bibles to take the oath.  One of which belonged to President Abraham Lincoln and the other which belonged to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  President Obama addressed a number of issues that are priority for him during his second term.  Climate Change, Gun Reform, Gay Rights, Immigration Reform and preserving Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.  The President stated that, “the commitments we make to each other through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers, they free us to take the risks that make this country great.”

President Obama himself is much like a rock star so it was no surprise that the inauguration was a star studded event.  The Legendary James Taylor sang “American the Beautiful.”  The very first American Idol Winner Kelly Clarkson who was accompanied by the United States Marine Band, rocked “My Country Tis of The”.  And superstar herself, Beyoncé sang the National Anthem.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, Civil Rights Activist and the wife of Slain Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers, was the first women to deliver the invocation at an inauguration. Cuban American Poet Richard Blanco was the first immigrant, first Latino and first gay person to deliver a poem at an inauguration.

At the end of the ceremony, and as he entered the Capitol Building, President Obama turned back to look out over the National Mall filled with more than 800,000 people clapping and waving the American flag.  As he gazed out over the cheering crowd, the president could be overheard softly saying “I’m going to take a look one more time, I’ll never see this again.”

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President Obama Inauguration

1/21/2013

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On Monday, January 21, 2013,  the United States 44th and first African American President Barack Obama, took the oath of Office from Chief Justice John Roberts. This historical moment marked President Obama’s second term as America’s Commander and Chief.  

The president used two  bibles to take the oath.  One of which belonged to President Abraham Lincoln and the other which belonged to the Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  President Obama addressed a number of issues that are priority for him during his second term.  Climate Change, Gun Reform, Gay Rights, Immigration Reform and preserving Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security.  The President stated that, “the commitments we make to each other through Medicare, and Medicaid, and Social Security, these things do not sap our initiative, they strengthen us. They do not make us a nation of takers, they free us to take the risks that make this country great.”

President Obama himself is much like a rock star so it was no surprise that the inauguration was a star studded event.  The Legendary James Taylor sang “American the Beautiful.”  The very first American Idol Winner Kelly Clarkson who was accompanied by the United States Marine Band, rocked “My Country Tis of The”.  And superstar herself, Beyoncé sang the National Anthem.

Myrlie Evers-Williams, Civil Rights Activist and the wife of Slain Civil Rights Leader Medgar Evers, was the first women to deliver the invocation at an inauguration. Cuban American Poet Richard Blanco was the first immigrant, first Latino and first gay person to deliver a poem at an inauguration.

At the end of the ceremony, and as he entered the Capitol Building, President Obama turned back to look out over the National Mall filled with more than 800,000 people clapping and waving the American flag.  As he gazed out over the cheering crowd, the president could be overheard softly saying “I’m going to take a look one more time, I’ll never see this again.”

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President Signs 23 Actions On Gun Violence

1/16/2013

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January 16th, In front of an audience  that included elected officials, victims of gun violence and 4 school children that had written letters to the president requesting him to help prevent more tragedies like the one in Sandy Hook, Elementary, President Obama announced that he will be putting forth a series of reforms to help stop gun violence.  

The President stated “like most Americans, I believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual the right to bear arms. I respect our strong tradition of gun ownership and the rights of hunters and sportsmen. There are millions of responsible, law-abiding gun owners in America who cherish their right to bear arms for hunting, or sport, or protection, or collection.  But we all have a responsibility to take reasonable steps to ensure gun safety.”  

President Obama signed 23 Executive Actions for legislation on gun reform.  Based on recommendations from Vice President Joe Biden and the Task force which included members of the white house cabinet and some 229 groups including law enforcement, gun advocacy groups, mental health officials, sports huntsman and religious leaders.  

The Actions include mandatory universal background checks on all potential gun buyers, restoring the ban on military style assault weapons, a 10 round limit for magazines urged by Ronald Regan in a 1994 letter written to Congress, and stiffer penalties for people who break existing laws such as buying guns with the intent to resell to those that break the law.  

The President requested that Congress confirm Todd Jones who has been acting as Director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, a post that has not been confirmed in six years.  
He urged that policeman be hired to replace the cuts that have been made to police agencies around the country.   

President Obama said that these are “common-sense 
measures. They have the support of the majority of the American people.” He acknowledged that he cannot do it 
alone.  He needs the help of Congress to pass specific proposals 
immediately.  He urged the Ameripeople to get involved by going to their Congressman.

Soon after President Obama spoke, the NRA released an add calling the President an“elitist hypocrite”  in essence because the President’s daughters have secret service protection during school, but that the President has not agreed with the NRA’s proposal to put armed guards in all schools.  

This add angered some lawmakers who state the United States Presidents and their families are provided with armed security for obvious reasons, and that bringing their children into the fight should be off limits.  

The NRA did release a later statement that partly read “We look forward to working with Congress on a bi-partisan basis to find real solutions to protecting America’s most valuable asset-our children.”   

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Vice President Joe Biden Gun Task Force

1/13/2013

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President Obama Nominates Jack Lew for the Next Treasury Secretary

1/10/2013

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President Obama Nominates Jack Lew for the Next Treasury Secretary

1/10/2013

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President Obama announced his pick for the next Treasury Secretary to replace Timothy Geithner.  Jack Lew who currently serves as President Obama’s Chief of Staff, is a Washington 
insider whom the President said “has helped strengthen our and economy and streamline the government.”  

Before joining the State Department, Lew served as managing director and chief operating officer of Citi Global Wealth Management and then Citi Alternative Investments (CAI). He holds an under graduate degree from Harvard and a graduate 
degree for Georgetown. His first order of business will be to address the16 trillion plus deficit,  and the upcoming spending limits on government.

Their are some concerns that will most certainly arise during his senate confirmation.  During his 2010 senate confirmation 
hearing for white house budget chief, Jeff somewhat downplayed how much deregulation impacted the financial crisis.  He then stated that he did not believe that“deregulation was the cause.”

Jeff has worked for two administrations.  Past 
positions include the President Obama’s first Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources.   

Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB)  under Bill Clinton. 

Aid to Democratic House Speaker Tip O’Neill under Ronald Reagan.  

He was responsible for the 1997 balance budget deal, and the 1983 social security legislation.  

New Gingrich endorses Jeff Lew and says that“he is very smart, a tough negotiator who understands government and the financial market.”

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