Obama Care: Feb 25, 2013

Monday, February 25, 2013

Daily Guidance and Press Schedule for Monday, January 28, 2013

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

In the morning, the President and the Vice President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing in the Oval Office. This meeting is closed press.

In the afternoon, the President and the Vice President will meet for lunch in the private dining room. This lunch is closed press.

Later in the afternoon, the President will welcome the NBA Champion Miami Heat to the White House to honor the team and their 2012 NBA Championship victory. The President will also recognize the Heat’s ongoing support to the men and women who serve in our military and their families, continuing the tradition begun by President Obama of honoring sports teams for their efforts on and off the court. The President’s remarks in the East Room will be open press.

In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: FOX
Print: Washington Times
Radio: Talk Radio

EST

9:30AM
In-Town Pool Call Time

10:30AM
THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT receive the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press

12:30PM
THE PRESIDENT and THE VICE PRESIDENT meet for lunch
Private Dining Room
Closed Press

1:40PM
THE PRESIDENT welcomes the NBA Champion Miami Heat to the White House
The East Room
Open Press (Pre-Set 12:00PM—Final Gather 1:10PM—North Doors of the Palm Room

Briefing Schedule
12:30PM Press Briefing by Press Secretary Jay Carney

President Obama discusses his nomination of Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

Meet the Next White House Chief of Staff

President Obama taps Denis McDonough to serve as his chief of staff and lead the team at the White House.

view all related blog posts

View the original article here

Statement from the President on the Departure of Chris Lu

Statement from the President on the Departure of Chris Lu | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email Updates Contact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Briefing Room Your Weekly Address Speeches & Remarks Press Briefings Statements & Releases White House Schedule Presidential Actions Executive Orders Presidential Memoranda Proclamations Legislation Pending Legislation Signed Legislation Vetoed Legislation Nominations & Appointments Disclosures Visitor Access Records Financial Disclosures 2012 Annual Report to Congress 2011 Annual Report to Congress 2010 Annual Report to Congress on White House Staff A Commitment to Transparency

Browse White House visitor logs

Issues Civil Rights It Gets Better Defense End of Iraq War Disabilities Economy Jobs Reform and Fiscal Responsibility Strengthening the Middle Class A Plan for Refinancing Support for Business Education Energy & Environment Ethics Foreign Policy Health Care Homeland Security Immigration Taxes Tax Receipt The Buffett Rule Rural Urban Policy Veterans Joining Forces Technology Seniors & Social Security Service Snapshots Creating Jobs Health Care Small Business PreK-12 Education Women Violence Prevention Now Is The Time

To do something about gun violence

7 Things You Need to Know

About the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet 2010 Video Reports White House Staff Chief of Staff Jack Lew Deputy Chief of Staff Nancy-Ann DeParle Deputy Chief of Staff Alyssa Mastromonaco Counselor to the President Peter Rouse Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett Executive Office of the President Other Advisory Boards About the White House White House On the Go

Download our mobile apps

2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Inside the White House Interactive Tour West Wing Tour Video Series Décor and Art Holidays Presidents First Ladies The Oval Office The Vice President's Residence & Office Eisenhower Executive Office Building Camp David Air Force One White House Fellows President’s Commission About the Fellowship Current Class Staff Bios News and Newsletters White House Internships About Program Presidential Department Descriptions Selection Process Internship Timeline & FAQs Tours & Events 2012 Easter Egg Roll Kitchen Garden Tours Mobile Apps Our Government The Executive Branch The Legislative Branch The Judicial Branch The Constitution Federal Agencies & Commissions Elections & Voting State & Local Government Resources /* Maximize height of menu features. */if(typeof(jQuery)!='undefined')jQuery.each($('#topnav'),function(i,v){var o=$(v),oh=o.height(),sh=o.siblings().height();if(oh Home • Briefing Room • Statements & Releases The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 25, 2013 Statement from the President on the Departure of Chris Lu

WASHINGTON, DC — The White House today announced the departure of Chris Lu, Assistant to the President and Cabinet Secretary.

President Obama said, “Chris Lu is one of my longest-serving and closest advisors, first crafting my legislative agenda in the Senate, then leading my Presidential transition, and most recently, managing my relations with the Cabinet. Through his dedication and tireless efforts, Chris has overseen one of the most stable and effective Cabinets in history – a Cabinet that has produced extraordinary accomplishments over the past four years. For that reason, I have asked Chris to consider other opportunities to serve in my Administration, and after he enjoys some time off, I hope he will consider those opportunities. I know I speak on behalf of the entire Cabinet in thanking Chris for his friendship and exceptional service to our nation.”

Blog posts on this issue January 26, 2013 5:30 AM ESTWeekly Address: Two Nominees Who Will Fight for the American People

President Obama discusses his nomination of Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

January 25, 2013 5:12 PM ESTWeekly Wrap Up: Our People, Our Future

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

January 25, 2013 3:01 PM ESTMeet the Next White House Chief of Staff

President Obama taps Denis McDonough to serve as his chief of staff and lead the team at the White House.

En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Developers Apply for a Job

View the original article here

Presidential Memorandum -- Rulemaking Concerning the Standards for Designating Positions in the Competitive Service as National Security Sensitive and Related Matters

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

MEMORANDUM FOR THE DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE

THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT

SUBJECT: Rulemaking Concerning the Standards for Designating Positions in the Competitive Service as National Security Sensitive and Related Matters

The Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management shall jointly propose the amended regulations contained in the Office of Personnel Management's notice of proposed rulemaking in 75 Fed. Reg. 77783 (December 14, 2010), with such modifications as are necessary to permit their joint publication, without prejudice to the authorities of the Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the Office of Personnel Management under any Executive Order, and to the extent permitted by law.

This memorandum 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.

The Director of the Office of Personnel Management is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

President Obama discusses his nomination of Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

President Obama taps Denis McDonough to serve as his chief of staff and lead the team at the White House.

view all related blog posts

View the original article here

Cancer drug developer ImmunoGen takes bigger loss

WALTHAM, Mass. -- Drug developer ImmunoGen Inc. said Friday its fiscal second quarter nearly doubled, as it continued developing treatments for cancer.

ImmunoGen does not have any approved drugs. Its most advanced experimental product is T-DM1, which includes the main ingredient in Roche's drug Herceptin, used mainly to treat breast cancer. The Food and Drug Administration is scheduled to make a decision on T-DM1 by Feb. 26.

ImmunoGen said it expects to report clinical trial results from its three most advanced wholly-owned drugs in 2013 and will start clinical testing of a fourth drug.

The company is developing T-DM1 through a partnership with Roche. The drug contains trastuzumab, the active ingredient in Herceptin, with a second drug and a chemical that keeps the drugs linked until they reach a cancer cell, where the cocktail can be released. ImmunoGen developed the technology that combined the drugs, and it will get royalty payments on sales if the product is approved.

The companies have asked the FDA and European regulators to approve T-DM1 as a treatment for breast cancer. Roche is running additional clinical trials of T-DM1, studying the drug in different settings as a treatment for breast cancer as well as gastric cancer. ImmunoGen is running its own trials of drugs designed to treat lung cancer and multiple myeloma, ovarian cancer, and blood cancers.

In the fiscal quarter ended Dec. 31, ImmunoGen said it lost $24.4 million, or 29 cents per share. A year ago it took a loss of $12.8 million, or 17 cents per share.

A 10-percent increase in the number of outstanding shares made the loss in the recent quarter seem smaller on a per-share basis.

Revenue fell to $2.6 million from $7.6 million, because the company received fewer payments from its drug development partners.

Analysts were expecting a loss of 25 cents per share and $5.2 million in revenue, according to FactSet.

Shares of ImmunoGen lost 48 cents, or 3.2 percent, to $14.87 in midday trading.

View the original article here

Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email Updates Contact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Browse White House visitor logs

To do something about gun violence

7 Things You Need to Know

About the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

Download our mobile apps

2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 27, 2013 Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

On January 27th, International Holocaust Remembrance Day, we honor the memories of the 6 million Jews and millions of other innocent victims whose lives were tragically taken during the Holocaust over sixty years ago. Those who experienced the horrors of the cattle cars, ghettos, and concentration camps have witnessed humanity at its very worst and know too well the pain of losing loved ones to senseless violence.

But while this is a time for mourning and reflection, it is also the time for action. On this day, we recall the courage, spirit, and determination of those who heroically resisted the Nazis, exemplifying the very best of humanity. And like these courageous individuals, we must commit ourselves to resisting hate and persecution in all its forms. The United States, along with the international community, resolves to stand in the way of any tyrant or dictator who commits crimes against humanity, and stay true to the principle of “Never Again.”

By remaining vigilant against those who seek to perpetrate violence and murder, we honor those we lost during one of the darkest periods in human history. And we keep their memory alive for generations to come.

Blog posts on this issue January 26, 2013 5:30 AM ESTWeekly Address: Two Nominees Who Will Fight for the American People

President Obama discusses his nomination of Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

January 25, 2013 5:12 PM ESTWeekly Wrap Up: Our People, Our Future

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

January 25, 2013 3:01 PM ESTMeet the Next White House Chief of Staff

President Obama taps Denis McDonough to serve as his chief of staff and lead the team at the White House.

En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Developers Apply for a Job

View the original article here

On Top Of Current Flu Epidemic, ‘Winter Vomiting Virus’ Has Hit The U.S.

A new strain of the extremely unpleasant — though usually non-lethal — stomach bug known as the “norovirus” has led to more than 140 outbreaks since September, ABC News reports.

The virus, which has been rampant in other parts of the world for some time now, has now caused significant illness in America. Public health officials are particularly worried about the rapid pace at which the virus proliferates:

In the U.S., it is now accounting for about 60 percent of norovirus outbreaks, according to report released Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Norovirus — once known as Norwalk virus — is highly contagious and often spreads in places like schools, cruise ships and nursing homes, especially during the winter. [...]
Sometimes mistakenly called stomach flu, the virus causes bouts of vomiting and diarrhea for a few days. [...]
Ian Goodfellow, a prominent researcher at England’s University of Cambridge, calls norovirus ‘the Ferrari of viruses’ for the speed at which it passes through a large group of people.
“It can sweep through an environment very, very quickly. You can be feeling quite fine one minute and within several hours suffer continuous vomiting and diarrhea,” he said.

The virus, which is the root cause behind most U.S. food poisoning cases, is spread through the air as well as direct contact with contaminated surfaces. Luckily, its fatality rate is relatively low.

But the timing of the pathogen’s American debut is rather unfortunate given this year’s rampant flu epidemic, which has already forced some American emergency rooms to turn patients away from their facilities. And since the norovirus and influenza both disproportionately affect children and the elderly, the combination of the two could be a prescription for public health havoc.

View the original article here

Actavis, formerly Watson, sees 2013 profit growth

Jan 25 (Reuters) - Actavis Inc, the generic drugmaker previously known as Watson Pharmaceuticals, said on Friday that it expected earnings to rise at least 30 percent in 2013 as it expands globally, but its outlook still came in short of analysts' expectations.

Actavis said it expected earnings to rise to a range of $7.70 to $8.10 per share in 2013. Analysts on average are expecting $8.20 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S.

The third-largest global generic drugmaker changed its name this week from Watson after buying Actavis as part of its strategy to expand in international markets and offer more specialty drugs.

The company, which is holding a meeting with investors on Friday, said it expected 2012 earnings per share to be at the high end of its forecast range of $5.85 to $5.95.

That is in line with analysts' expectations for earnings of $5.93 per share, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S, and represents growth of 25 percent from 2011.

View the original article here

Obama, Clinton defend record in Middle East

President Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton defended their foreign policy record in the middle East, saying in an interview aired Sunday that they wisely chose not to “shoot from the hip.”

In a joint interview aired on CBS’s “60 Minutes,” the president and secretary of State said the United States has not retreated from the world stage, a charge made by critics urging the Obama administration to do more to intervene in Syria and take a tougher stance with Egypt’s President Mohamed Morsi, a member of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Obama cited both Egypt and Libya as instances where his administration played a leading role, saying that former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi “probably does not agree with that assessment” of U.S. retreat.

“We do nobody a service when we leap before we look, where we take on things without having thought through all the consequences of it," Obama said in the interview.

Gadhafi was deposed from power after a NATO-led air campaign backed rebel forces seeking his ouster.

Obama said that in Syria the U.S. needed to tread carefully.

“Syria's a classic example of where our involvement, we want to make sure that not only does it enhance U.S. security, but also that it is doing right by the people of Syria and neighbors like Israel that are going to be profoundly affected by it. And so it's true sometimes that we don't just shoot from the hip,” the president said.

Obama's critics have argued that the administration should do more to help the rebels locked in a civil war with Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces, from providing weapons to creating a no-fly zone. They’ve argued that Obama’s calls for Assad to step down have proven toothless without the support to back up the rhetoric, allowing the death toll to keep rising.

Clinton said the administration has thoughtfully weighed difficult choices in deciding what to do — and not to do —to respond to the civil war in Syria.

“Are there what we call wicked problems like Syria, which is the one you named? Absolutely,” Clinton told “60 Minutes” correspondent Steve Kroft.

“And we are on the side of American values. We're on the side of freedom. We're on the side of the aspirations of all people — to have a better life, have the opportunities that we are fortunate to have here,” she said. “But it's not always easy to perceive exactly what must be done in order to get to that outcome."

Kroft sat down with both Clinton and Obama — at the president’s request — for the interview that aired Sunday, where Obama praised Clinton’s record at State as she prepares to leave the administration.

Both of them played down any questions about Clinton’s potential ambitions in 2016, which have been sparked anew by the joint interview.

View Comments

View the original article here

Readout of the President's Meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus Leadership

Readout of the President's Meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus Leadership | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email Updates Contact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Browse White House visitor logs

To do something about gun violence

7 Things You Need to Know

About the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

Download our mobile apps

2012: A Year in Photos

A unique view of 2012

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release January 25, 2013 Readout of the President's Meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus Leadership

The President and Senior Administration Officials met this morning with leaders of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to discuss the need to make things fairer for and grow the middle class by fixing our broken immigration system so everyone plays by the same rules. The President thanked the Members for their long standing leadership on the issue, and reiterated that this is a top legislative priority.

The President was pleased to hear from CHC members and noted that they share the same vision, including that any legislation must include a path to earned citizenship. The President further noted that there is no excuse for stalling or delay. The President made it clear he will continue to lead on this issue, and that he looks forward to working with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and other key Members of Congress in a bipartisan process to move this debate forward at the earliest possible opportunity.

The President will be traveling to Nevada on Tuesday to redouble the Administration's efforts to work with Congress to fix the broken immigration system this year.

Blog posts on this issue January 26, 2013 5:30 AM ESTWeekly Address: Two Nominees Who Will Fight for the American People

President Obama discusses his nomination of Mary Jo White to lead the Securities and Exchange Commission and Richard Cordray to continue as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

January 25, 2013 5:12 PM ESTWeekly Wrap Up: Our People, Our Future

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

January 25, 2013 3:01 PM ESTMeet the Next White House Chief of Staff

President Obama taps Denis McDonough to serve as his chief of staff and lead the team at the White House.

En español Accessibility Copyright Information Privacy Policy Contact USA.gov Developers Apply for a Job

View the original article here

California Restaurant Owners Pocketed The Money Intended To Fund Their Employees’ Health Care

Over 50 San Francisco-based restaurant owners are under fire for prioritizing their own profits over their workers’ health care coverage. A city-wide investigation revealed that, after the restaurant industry collected a total of $14 million in worker health care surcharges in 2011, just a third of that money actually went toward providing low-wage workers with insurance.

Under a city-wide requirement, businesses in San Francisco are supposed to set aside some extra money — about $2 dollars an hour for each worker — to help their employees afford their insurance costs. When the rule first went into effect in 2008, some restaurant owners avoided raising the prices on their menu by tacking a surcharge onto the bottom of their bills and explaining to their customers that the fee would help fund workers’ health care.

But according to San Francisco Supervisor David Campos and Assemblyman Tom Ammiano, who helped conduct the investigation into the restaurant owners’ practices, those customers were being deceived. “I can’t say all of them, but for some of these restaurants it was a marketing ploy,” Campos said. And that marketing ploy came at the direct expense of their workers, some of whom didn’t have health insurance at all:

In some cases, not only did the surcharge money go back into owners’ pockets, but employees were denied health care altogether, Ammiano and Campos said.
The inconsistencies were caught after the health law was amended in 2011, requiring city audits of the surcharges. Last year, 3,652 restaurants turned in their paperwork to the labor office, which found oddities in the accounting. The documentation was then turned over to the city attorney for a full-fledged investigation. [...]
For Campos, it’s a consumer-trust issue. “These diners thought they were paying for workers’ health care. Instead these owners were gaming the system,” he said.

Low-wage workers like the employees in San Francisco’s restaurant industry typically don’t have access to health insurance — in fact, more than half of low-wage workers at small firms were uninsured in 2010. And workers’ health care costs are continuing to rise while their wages are stagnating, so it’s nearly impossible for them to afford their own insurance on the private market if their employers choose to deny them health coverage.

Obamacare will help address some of these issues in a similar way as San Francisco began doing in 2008. Starting in 2014, the health reform law will help ensure that employers can’t deny their workers health care simply to protect their own profits, and require businesses with more than 50 employees to offer basic health benefits. Nonetheless, profitable members of the restaurant industry like Olive Garden, Taco Bell, and Wendy’s are already using Obamacare as a convenient excuse to keep perpetrating their anti-worker labor practices and avoid giving their workers any benefits.

View the original article here

Obama Care

Donations Are Always Welcome and Appreciated

Translate

Monday, February 25, 2013

Daily Guidance and Press Schedule for Monday, January 28, 2013

Statement from the President on the Departure of Chris Lu

Presidential Memorandum -- Rulemaking Concerning the Standards for Designating Positions in the Competitive Service as National Security Sensitive and Related Matters

Cancer drug developer ImmunoGen takes bigger loss

Statement by the President on International Holocaust Remembrance Day

On Top Of Current Flu Epidemic, ‘Winter Vomiting Virus’ Has Hit The U.S.

Actavis, formerly Watson, sees 2013 profit growth

Obama, Clinton defend record in Middle East

Readout of the President's Meeting with Congressional Hispanic Caucus Leadership

California Restaurant Owners Pocketed The Money Intended To Fund Their Employees’ Health Care

About Me

Blog Archive