National Organization for Marriage

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The National Organization for Marriage is against redefining marriage and in favor of marriage as "the union of husband and wife". They believe this will protect the institution of marriage. The organisation's leader, Brian S. Brown, strongly opposed the Supreme Court's 2013 ruling on DOMA.[1]

? Brian S. Brown response to DOMA ruling

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Remarks by Tom Donilon, National Security Advisor to the President At the Launch of Columbia University’s Center on Global Energy Policy

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

Introduction

Thank you, Jason.  During your time at the White House, the President and our team counted on your deep knowledge of energy, climate and national security.   Thank you also to Columbia University.  You chose well in Jason and there could scarcely be a more timely moment for a Center like this one.   Finally, a special thanks to Dan Yergin, who has made an unparalleled contribution to how we understand and talk about energy.  Dan, I look forward to our discussion today.  But, I want to tell you that I think I should be interviewing you.  Congratulations also on hiring David Sandalow, who has been an important part of our team at the Department of Energy for the past four years, as your inaugural fellow. 

It is a bit unusual for a National Security Advisor to address an energy conference like this one.   So let me begin with a straightforward proposition:  energy matters profoundly to U.S. national security and foreign policy.   It matters because the availability of reliable, affordable energy is essential to our economic strength at home, which is the foundation for our leadership in the world.  It matters because scarce resources have driven both commerce and conflict since time immemorial—and still do today.   It matters because energy supplies present strategic leverage and disposable income for countries that have them.  It matters because the challenge of accessing affordable energy is one shared by people and businesses in every country in the world—in young democracies, emerging powers and developing economies; in allies and adversaries alike.  It matters because disruptions in supply anywhere can have economic impacts that are global. 

Energy shapes national interests and relations between nations.  It shapes politics, development and governance within nations.   And it shapes the security and stability of the climate and environment.   For all these reasons and many others, increasing global access to secure, affordable and ever cleaner supplies of energy is a global public good and a national interest of the United States.

Finally, at this moment in history, energy matters to those of us entrusted with U.S. national security because the United States is reaching an inflection point in the story that Dan Yergin has so expertly told.  We are in the midst of two changes that have presented themselves with great speed:  first, the substantial increase in the supply of available, affordable energy inside the United States – which is having important impacts on U.S. economic growth, energy security and geopolitics.  Second, a transformation in the global climate, driven by the world’s use of energy, that is presenting not just a transcendent challenge for the world but a present-day national security threat to the United States.  Both push us toward the same longer-term endpoint: the comprehensive transformation of the world’s energy economy toward cleaner, more sustainable energy solutions.
Today, I want to talk first about the changes underway and why they matter for U.S. national security.  Then, I want to explain how we intend to work, domestically and internationally, to seize the opportunities this moment presents and meet its challenges head on.

What We Are Seeing:  A Transformational Moment

Let me begin with a brief discussion of the changing context.   The current optimism about the U.S. and global energy picture is a relatively new development.  

In the 1940s, 50s and 60s, America was largely self-sufficient in oil production.  But in 1970, U.S. oil production peaked at over eleven million barrels per day, unable to keep up with growing U.S. demand.  In his Pulitzer-winning book, The Prize, Dan Yergin tells the story of the day in 1972 when the Texas Railroad Commission ended its decades-long practice of rationing oil supplies.  There was no more surplus oil left to ration.  The United States needed to consume it all.  This was a negative turning point whose implications for U.S. power in the world became painfully clear during the Arab oil embargo the following year.  Suddenly, the United States thought of itself as an energy poor nation, dependent on oil and subject to events beyond our shores.  That mindset held for nearly forty years. 

When President Obama took office, the energy picture looked decidedly different than it does today.  Indeed, forecasters said that the U.S. would need to double its imports of liquefied natural gas (LNG) over the next five years.  There was renewed talk of “peak oil.”  Nearly every prediction about our energy future made five years ago has been turned on its head.  U.S. innovation and technology are allowing us to tap unconventional energy resources.  Total U.S. oil consumption peaked in 2005 and has been declining since—a trend the President’s energy efficiency initiatives, including new fuel efficiency standards and investment in new energy sources, will only deepen.   

To understand just how significantly and quickly the landscape has shifted, consider a few statistics: 

Domestic oil and natural gas production has increased every year President Obama has been in office. We now produce seven million barrels of oil per day, the highest level in over two decades. The International Energy Agency has projected that the United States could be the world’s largest oil producer by the end of the decade. Of course, we recognize that these are early days and prediction is a risky business.In 2005, sixty percent of U.S. oil was imported.  Today the number is forty percent and falling—a dramatic move towards fulfilling the President’s goal of cutting our oil imports in half by 2020. Today the United States is the top natural gas producer in the world. Our natural gas production has grown by one-third since 2005, driven by the increase in shale gas, which now accounts for forty percent of our natural gas output.  The domestic price of natural gas has dropped from over $13 per million Btu in 2008 to around $4 today.   Natural gas imports are down almost sixty percent since 2005, and we are exporting more natural gas by pipeline to Mexico and Canada. U.S. energy-related greenhouse gas emissions have fallen to 1994 levels due in large part to our success over the past four years in doubling electricity from renewables, switching from coal to natural gas in power generation, and improving energy efficiency.

New opportunities are also emerging globally.  The Western Hemisphere is poised to be a major energy supplier in the decades ahead.  The Americas have been responsible for half of the growth in incremental oil supply over the past five years, and BP predicts that the Americas will account for almost two-thirds of the growth in global oil supply between now and 2035.  That also means more supplies from relatively more stable nations with greater commitment to the rule of law and open markets.   When the President travels in early May to Mexico and Central America, energy will be among the issues discussed.  

The nature of global energy demand is also shifting to reflect the changes in global economic growth.  Demand across Asia, the Middle East and Latin America is surging.  This year may well mark the first time in history that oil demand from developing economies surpasses that of developed nations. Last December, Chinese net oil imports exceeded those of the United States for the first time.  China alone has accounted for half the growth in global oil demand since 2000 and became the world’s largest energy consumer by 2009.  Coal met about forty percent of developing economies’ energy demand, but over seventy percent of China’s energy needs in 2011.

We are just beginning to understand and appreciate the geostrategic impacts of these changes to the U.S. and global energy landscape, but let me set out a few that I see:

First, the new U.S. energy posture and outlook will directly strengthen the nation’s economy.  There are not a lot of iron laws of history.  But one is that, as the President has said, a country’s political and military primacy depends on its economic vitality. Our strength at home is critical to our strength in the world, and our energy boom has proven to be an important driver for our economic recovery—boosting jobs, economic activity, and government revenues.  Take the example of North Dakota, where unemployment has dropped to near 3 percent, the lowest in the country, and the state has a $3.8 billion budget surplus, largely due to increased unconventional gas and oil production in the state.   IHS CERA estimates that shale gas supported direct and indirect employment for 600,000 Americans in 2010, a number that could double by 2020. 

America’s natural gas boom is helping to spark a domestic manufacturing revival.  Manufacturers in energy-intensive sectors have announced up to $95 billion investments across the U.S. to take advantage of low-cost natural gas.   The largest investments announced have been in the chemicals sector which uses natural gas as a feedstock, but there have also been major announcements in other industries like steel, plastics, and glass.  For the first time in over sixty years, the United States is exporting more refined petroleum than it is importing.   The reduction in energy imports has a positive impact on our trade balance, helps lower domestic and global energy prices, and allows a greater share of the money Americans spend on energy to remain within the U.S. economy. 

Furthermore, as a result of the Administration’s historic investments in clean energy, tens of thousands of Americans have jobs and America is now home to some of the largest wind and solar farms in the world.

Domestic economic developments like these improve U.S. standing and send a powerful message that the United States has the resources, as well as the resolve, to remain the world’s preeminent power for years to come. 

Second, America’s new energy posture allows us to engage from a position of greater strength.  Increasing U.S. energy supplies act as a cushion that helps reduce our vulnerability to global supply disruptions and price shocks. It also affords us a stronger hand in pursuing and implementing our international security goals.

For example, the United States is engaged in a dual-track strategy that marshals pressure on Iran in pursuit of constructive engagement to address the world’s concerns about Iran’s nuclear program.  As part of the pressure track, the United States engaged in tireless diplomacy to persuade consuming nations to end or significantly reduce their consumption of Iranian oil while emphasizing to suppliers the importance of keeping the world oil market stable and well supplied.   The substantial increase in oil production in the United States and elsewhere meant that international sanctions and U.S. and allied efforts could remove over 1 million barrels per day of Iranian oil while minimizing the burdens on the rest of the world.   And the same dynamic was at work in Libya in 2011 and in Syria today.

Third, the development of a more global natural gas market benefits the U.S. and our allies.  We have a strong interest in a world natural gas market that is well supplied, diverse, and efficiently priced.  Increased U.S. and global natural gas production can enhance diversity of supply, help delink gas prices from expensive oil indexed contracts, weaken control by traditional dominant natural gas suppliers, and encourage fuel switching from oil and coal to natural gas. 

A decade ago, market analysts forecast that the U.S. would need to import large volumes of natural gas by pipeline and LNG. Since then, domestic production has reached historic highs and domestic natural gas reserves have almost doubled. Gas supplies originally destined for the United States are being redirected to other countries.   

Many of our allies have expressed interest in the potential of the United States as a global natural gas supplier. The Department of Energy is currently reviewing at least seventeen applications to export U.S. LNG to non-Free Trade Agreement countries. It will conduct a comprehensive review of all relevant factors to determine whether each non-FTA LNG export project is deemed to be consistent with the public interest.

Global demand for natural gas is projected to rise by one-fifth over the coming decade. Burning natural gas is about one-half as carbon-intensive as coal—which makes it a critical “bridge fuel” as the world transitions to even cleaner sources of energy.

Fourth, reduced energy imports do not mean the United States can or should disengage from the Middle East or the world.   Global energy markets are part of a deeply interdependent world economy.  The United States continues to have an enduring interest in stable supplies of energy and the free flow of commerce everywhere.   

We have a set of enduring national security interests in the Middle East, including our unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security; our global nonproliferation objectives, including our commitment to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon; our ongoing national interest in fighting terrorism that threatens our personnel, interests and our homeland; our strong national interest in pursuit of Middle East peace; our historic stabilizing role in protecting regional allies and  partners and deterring aggression; and our interest in ensuring the democratic transitions in Yemen, North Africa and ultimately in Syria succeed. 

Which brings me to my fifth point: though it is typically discussed in terms of its energy, environmental or economic implications, the changes to our climate that we are seeing are also a national security challenge.  

The national security impacts of climate change stem from the increasingly severe environmental impacts it is having on countries and people around the world. Last year, the lower 48 U.S. states endured the warmest year on record.   At one point, two-thirds of the contiguous United States was in a state of drought, and almost 10 million acres of the West were charred from wildfires. And while no single weather event can be directly attributed to climate change, we know that climate change is fueling more frequent extreme weather events. Last year alone, we endured 11 weather-related disasters that inflicted a $1 billion or more in damages – including Hurricane Sandy. 

Internationally, we have seen the same: the first twelve years of this century are all among the fourteen warmest years on record.  Last year, Brazil experienced its worst drought in five decades; floods in Pakistan affected over five million people and damaged or destroyed over 460,000 homes; severe flooding across western Africa and the Sahel impacted three million people across fifteen countries--to give just a few examples among many. 

The fact that the environmental impacts of climate change present a national security challenge has been clear to this Administration from the outset. The President’s National Security Strategy recognizes in no uncertain terms that “the danger from climate change is real, urgent, and severe.  The change wrought by a warming planet will lead to new conflicts over refugees and resources; new suffering from drought and famine; catastrophic natural disasters; and the degradation of land across the globe.”

The Department of Defense’s 2010 Quadrennial Defense Review, issued by Secretary Robert Gates, warned not only that climate change “may act as an accelerant of instability or conflict, placing a burden to respond on civilian institutions and militaries around the world” but also of the potential impacts of climate change on our operating environment, and on our military installations at home and around the world. A National Intelligence Assessment in 2008, multiple Worldwide Threat Assessments produced by the Director of National Intelligence, and numerous expert analyses have reached similar conclusions.  This underscores the need – for the sake of our national security -- to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that drive climate change and to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for the impacts of climate change.

U.S. Policy

These are a few of the changes we are seeing and what they mean for U.S. national security.  Let me now turn to what we are doing about it. 

First and foremost, the United States is leading at home, which is where our energy and climate policy begins.  The United States is pursuing an “all of the above approach” to develop new sources of energy, expand oil and gas production, boost renewable power generation, support growth in nuclear power and increase energy efficiency, while also working to reduce reliance on imported oil. 

I do not believe that the dramatic and fast-paced energy changes we have seen in the United States in recent years were as likely to have begun elsewhere first.  It is not just that the U.S. has a substantial unconventional resource base.  Many other countries have promising shale deposits.  The reason that development has succeeded in the U.S. is because we have the right balance of an open investment climate, innovative entrepreneurial spirit, environmental safeguards, infrastructure and skilled service companies.  The U.S. shale experience demonstrates the powerful results that a complex resource base, combined with open markets, wise early government investments in key technologies, a vibrant private sector, access to capital, a predictable investment climate, and responsible regulatory structure can deliver.

Under President Obama, the United States has also made unprecedented investments in clean energy, research and development, and renewable fuels.  The President put in place historic new fuel standards for cars and light-duty trucks that will nearly double the efficiency of our fleet; doubled the amount of power produced by wind, solar, and geothermal; and boosted the efficiency of buildings and our industrial sector.   He has also called for the creation of an Energy Security Trust that will support new research and development of cost-effective advanced transportation technologies, and he is leading domestic and international efforts to support the safe use of nuclear power.
It is important to note that America has achieved a significant reduction in our greenhouse gas emissions.  Last year energy-related U.S. emissions fell to their lowest levels since 1994—a remarkable twelve percent below where we stood in 2005.  Even as our economy recovers, we are determined to keep moving toward our target for 2020: to bring greenhouse gas emissions approximately seventeen percent below 2005 levels.

In that spirit, the President will not hesitate to use existing tools and authorities to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, increase the preparedness and resiliency of our communities to climate change, and accelerate clean energy deployment. 

Second, we are working to manage potential causes of energy-related conflict.

For example, the promise of offshore energy resources is contributing to tensions in the South and East China Seas that will test East Asia’s political and security architecture.  While the United States has no territorial claims there, and does not take a position on the claims of others, the United States firmly opposes coercion or the use of force to advance territorial claims.  We have consistently made clear our position that only peaceful, collaborative and diplomatic efforts, consistent with international law, can bring about lasting solutions that will serve the interests of all claimants and all countries in this vital region. 

The Arctic is another place where the potential for new supplies of energy and new shipping routes could lead to rising tensions.  So far, that has not been the case and the United States looks forward to meeting with our partners in the eight-country Arctic Council next month, which we value as a forum for open and collaborative dialogue among littoral states on a range of Arctic issues.  The United States will promote productive dialogue to address international disputes in the region as they arise on issues from transportation to resource claims.  As ice caps melt, shipping routes open and energy supplies are made more accessible, the United States will work to ensure open access and transit, rules-based resolution of territorial disputes and adherence to the highest environmental standards.

To put ourselves on the strongest possible footing to prevent energy-related conflict, the United States must take the long overdue step of ratifying the Law of the Sea Treaty.  Every businessperson I speak with, every military leader, the Joint Chiefs of Staff and many, many others all come to the same conclusion:  ratifying the treaty will only strengthen America’s hand economically, diplomatically, and in terms of our security. 

Another example is Iraq.  After the U.S. has invested significant blood and treasure, we have a strong interest in seeing a peaceful and prosperous country emerge.  Key to that will be the successful development of Iraq’s energy resources.  This is a good example of where energy diplomacy matters.  Iraq’s energy sector has the potential to deepen internal and regional divisions, but it can also help unify the country.  And so we are working to help Iraq expand its oil production, build out its export infrastructure, and diversify its energy transportation routes.

Over the past two years, Iraq’s crude oil production has grown 25 percent to three million barrels per day, surpassing Iranian output and reaching levels not seen in over two decades.  We envision Iraq fulfilling its tremendous oil supply potential, with multiple existing and potential export routes, including from Basra to Ceyhan.  Getting there will require active diplomatic engagement and an agreement among Iraqis to share export revenues equitably, as set forth in their constitution, so that all Iraqi citizens benefit from their natural resources.  It is a long-term vision, but one that is essential for Iraqi stability, our own national security, and the future stability of global energy markets. And the United States will support this vision as a central priority in our partnership with Iraq.

Third, we are building on the unique diplomatic, regulatory and technical capacity of the United States to help other nations increase energy supply, build capacity and strengthen the institutions that enable international cooperation.  We are working to help develop supplies across the Western Hemisphere, where the use of conventional and new technologies in the United States, Canada and Brazil and Colombia is making an essential contribution to growing global energy supplies. 

Through bilateral and multilateral initiatives, technical and regulatory exchanges and trade and investment, the United States is helping countries accelerate this trend responsibly.  Last year, for example, the United States signed an important Transboundary Hydrocarbons Agreement with Mexico to develop our shared oil and gas resources in the Gulf of Mexico in an environmentally safe and responsible way.   

We have actively engaged countries such as Poland, Ukraine, Jordan, China, Colombia, Chile and Mexico to exchange lessons on developing unconventional energy resources.  We are sharing best practices on issues such as water management, air quality, permitting, contracting, and pricing—because countries and companies have seen from the U.S. experience that creating the right policy and investment environment is critical to successful development.  We are also working with countries in Africa, such as Mozambique and Tanzania, to help them establish responsible, sustainable ways to develop and manage their newfound energy resources.  

The United States does not view our energy security in zero-sum terms, and we are working with our partners around the world to ensure that they do not either.  For example, China will be increasingly reliant on imported oil and natural gas through this decade and beyond.   That means secure, affordable and cleaner supplies of energy is a goal we share with Beijing—and one we are working to fulfill through regulatory, technical, and industry exchanges led by the Departments of Commerce, Energy, and State.

As emerging economies consume an ever greater share of global energy, the International Energy Agency and other institutions will have to modernize to reflect evolving energy market realities. As major consumers, China, India and Brazil have a common interest in healthy and more transparent markets that function efficiently and effectively. It is critical that these countries are brought closer to the IEA and participate in coordinated responses to energy supply disruptions and reporting on energy markets.

But we should think about the modernization of the IEA more broadly.  When the IEA was established in the 1970s, oil was not a globally traded commodity. There was no financial market in oil.  Gasoline prices were heavily regulated.  Disruptions in supplies tended to show up as physical disruptions with long lines at gas stations. The global energy market has changed dramatically since then:  oil is now traded globally. There is a financial market that dwarfs the size of the physical market.  Gasoline prices are deregulated.  And disruptions in supply are more likely to show as price spikes than physical shortages.  The policies and practices of an IEA for the 21st century should reflect these changes as well.

Fourth and finally, we are working with other nations to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, prepare for the climate impacts it is too late to avoid, and bring about a global conversion to cleaner sources of energy. 

When it comes to climate change, action at home is necessary but insufficient.  We have to galvanize action from others.  Here, too, there is progress to report.  In Copenhagen in 2009, President Obama and other world leaders negotiated a climate agreement that for the first time included international emission reduction commitments from each of the world’s largest greenhouse gas emitters.  Under the agreement reached at Durban in 2011, we are working to negotiate a robust new international climate agreement by the end of 2015 that would take effect in 2020 and commit all of the major carbon polluting countries to take ambitious action. 

Alongside global talks, the Administration has looked for creative ways to convene key stakeholders to take concrete actions together.   Through the Major Economies Forum, we launched a new Clean Energy Ministerial where a group of nations representing more than three-quarters of global GHG emissions collaborate on deploying clean energy technologies and enhancing energy efficiency.  By the same token, the United States led in assembling the Climate and Clean Air Coalition of nations working to achieve targeted reductions in short-lived climate pollutants that account for over thirty percent of current global warming.   And we have worked to address climate change by leading global efforts to encourage countries to phase out harmful fossil fuel subsidies.

As we look forward, we are fortunate to welcome into the Obama Administration one of the most experienced and impassioned climate diplomats America has ever had: John Kerry, who already has launched a new process to ensure that climate change will be a central part of our Strategic and Economic Dialogue with China later this year.

Even as we work through all available channels to mitigate climate change, we are also working to prepare for the climate impacts it is already too late to avoid.  The United States is building greater climate resilience at home and helping developing nations withstand the impacts as well.  The U.S. intelligence community continues to study where and how climate-fueled security challenges may emerge.  The Defense Department is funding research projects and factoring climate change into analysis and planning, recognizing the challenge it presents for mission-critical infrastructure and military installations, capabilities, and readiness.

Conclusion

Energy and climate are critical elements of U.S. national security.  These issues have risen to the top of U.S. diplomatic agendas around the world: with Europeans considering their energy future; with China and other emerging powers addressing their growing needs; and with major energy consumers and producers, old and new.  How the United States manages these changes to our energy economy and to our climate will be an important measure of U.S. leadership for many years to come. 

There is a vigorous debate underway among international relations experts and commentators about so called “declinism” – the notion that America is a power on the wane. It is a proposition that I reject in the strongest terms.  In his most recent book, Strategic Vision, one of my predecessors, Zbig Brzezinski, presents what he calls “America’s Balance Sheet,” where he tallies America’s strategic assets and liabilities.  Many of our assets are well known:  economic and military strength, an unrivaled network of alliances spanning two oceans, favorable demographics and geography and unparalleled innovators and educators – all that ensures that the United States remains a global leader into the 21st century. 

When President Obama took office, America’s energy future would have been typically listed among the liabilities – and let’s be clear: an essential transition to cleaner sources of fuel still lies ahead.  But after years of talking about it, we are poised to control our own energy future. Under President Obama’s leadership, we are moving the U.S. energy position from a liability we manage into an asset that secures U.S. strength at home and leadership in the world.

President Obama travels to Waco, Texas to speak at a memorial service for those lost and injured in the deadly explosion at a fertilizer plant in nearby West, Texas.

President and Mrs. Obama joined all the former living Presidents -- and four previous First Ladies -- for the event in Dallas, Texas.

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Presidential Proclamation -- National Volunteer Week, 2013

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

NATIONAL VOLUNTEER WEEK, 2013

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

As Americans, we are inheritors to a legacy of diversity unlike any other place on earth. We are home to more than 300 million people who come from every background, practice every faith, and hold every point of view. But where difference could draw us apart, we are bound together by a single sacred word: citizen. It defines our way of life, and it captures our belief in something bigger than ourselves -- the notion that our destiny is shared, and all of us do better when we accept certain obligations to one another.

National Volunteer Week is a time to renew that fundamentally American idea of service and responsibility. It is also a time to recognize the men, women, and children who bring that principle into practice every day by lifting up the people around them. Volunteering rates are the highest they have been in years. More Americans are answering the call to serve -- not for fanfare or attention, but because they want to give back. And as they do, they are making our communities stronger. They are boosting local economies. And they are building ladders of opportunity for those who need them most.

My Administration is dedicated to helping more Americans make that commitment. Through the Corporation for National and Community Service, we are investing in programs like AmeriCorps, FEMA Corps, and Senior Corps so more people can focus their talents on improving our neighborhoods. As we continue to draw down our forces abroad, we are opening up new ways for Americans to serve our veterans and military families here at home. We are encouraging States to let workers on unemployment insurance volunteer and build the skills they need to find a job. And this year, we are proposing new funding for the Volunteer Generation Fund that would help nonprofits recruit, manage, and maintain strong volunteer workforces. We also renamed the program the George H.W. Bush Volunteer Generation Fund, honoring the legacy of our 41st President and his enduring commitment to volunteerism.

We need not look far to see the power of service. Less than 6 months ago, when Hurricane Sandy bore down on our Atlantic coast, Americans responded with compassion and resolve. As an act of terror struck Boston at the finish line of a great race, and an explosion in Texas tore through a tight-knit community, we stood by each other in times of need. Ordinary men and women have stepped forward and accomplished extraordinary things together, uniting as friends and neighbors and fellow citizens. The strength they have shown reminds us that even in our darkest hours, we look out for each other. We pull together. And we move forward as one. During National Volunteer Week, let us tap into that spirit once more. To find a service opportunity nearby, visit www.Serve.gov.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 21 through April 27, 2013, as National Volunteer Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week by volunteering in service projects across our country and pledging to make service a part of their daily lives.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

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Presidential Proclamation -- National Park Week, 2013

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

NATIONAL PARK WEEK, 2013

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

For generations, ordinary Americans have taken it upon themselves to preserve our national landscape. They have been public servants and private citizens, patrons and Presidents -- visionaries who saw our natural inheritance not as something to be used up, but as a treasure to be passed on. During National Park Week, we celebrate the wonders entrusted to us by our forebears and recommit to preserving them for our children and grandchildren.

We also take time to remember that in places like the Grand Canyon and the Teton Range, we see more than raw beauty. We see expansive freedom and rugged independence. We see the big ideas and bold ingenuity that inspired the first conservationists. We see our belief in collective responsibility -- the notion that all of us have an equal share in this land and an equal obligation to keep it safe. These spaces embody the best of the American spirit, and they summon us to experience it firsthand.

This week, the National Park Service will make that opportunity available to everyone by offering free admission to every park in the Union from April 22 through April 26. And to keep building on our country's long legacy of conservation, I have been proud to establish eight new National Monuments in the past year. These sites honor rich histories, spectacular landscapes, and pioneering heroes of the American story, from Colonel Charles Young to Harriet Tubman to Cesar Chavez. They also reflect my commitment to advancing a 21st-century conservation strategy that responds to the priorities of the American people, strengthens local economies, and protects our most special places for generations to come.

As we mark this week, I encourage all Americans to experience our natural heritage by stepping into the outdoors. To find a National Park in your area, visit www.NPS.gov.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 20 through April 28, 2013, as National Park Week. I encourage all Americans to visit their National Parks and be reminded of these unique blessings we share as a Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

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Presidential Proclamation -- National Crime Victims' Rights Week, 2013

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

NATIONAL CRIME VICTIMS' RIGHTS WEEK, 2013

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BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Every year, millions of Americans fall victim to crime through no fault of their own. These are people we know: families trying to rebuild after financial fraud or identity theft, grandparents spending their golden years in the shadow of elder abuse, children whose right to safety has been stolen away by violence or neglect. Many struggle to get help in the aftermath of a crime, and some never report their crime at all. During National Crime Victims' Rights Week, we reaffirm our solemn obligation to ensure they get the services they need -- from care and counseling to justice under the law.

Thanks to thousands of victim assistance programs all across our country, we are making progress toward that goal. As dedicated advocates continue their important work, my Administration will continue to support them by raising awareness about victims' rights, making sure those rights are protected and practiced, and investing in training programs for law enforcement and other professionals. I was proud to sign the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act into law last month, preserving and strengthening critical services for victims of abuse. We have continued to crack down on financial crimes that leave too many families struggling to get back on their feet. And we are stepping up our efforts in the fight against human trafficking, whether it occurs halfway around the world or right here at home.

Even now, we have more work to do. As an epidemic of gun violence has swept through places like Newtown, Aurora, Oak Creek, and cities and towns all across America, our country has come up against the hard question of whether we are doing enough to protect our children and our communities. As Americans everywhere have stood up and spoken out for change, my Administration has responded with reforms that give law enforcement, schools, mental health professionals, and public health officials better tools to reduce violent crime. But we cannot solve this problem alone. That is why I will continue to fight for common-sense measures that would address the epidemic of gun violence and help keep our children safe.

By working to prevent crime and extend support to those in need, we keep faith with our fellow citizens and the basic values that unite us. Let us renew that common cause this week, and let us rededicate ourselves to advancing it in the year ahead.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim April 21 through April 27, 2013, as National Crime Victims' Rights Week. I call upon all Americans to observe this week by participating in events that raise awareness of victims' rights and services, and by volunteering to serve victims in their time of need.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this nineteenth day of April, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.

BARACK OBAMA

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

President Obama hosts the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country.

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Readout of the President's National Security Council Meeting Today

Readout of the President's National Security Council Meeting Today | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

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For Immediate Release April 22, 2013 Readout of the President's National Security Council Meeting Today

President Obama convened the National Security Council in the Situation Room today from 11:30 to 1:00 to review the events in Boston. The President was updated by Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Monaco, National Security Advisor Donilon, Attorney General Holder, FBI Director Mueller, and Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano on the apprehension of Dzhokar Tsarnaev, and the related investigation. He was also briefed by the leadership of the intelligence community, including DNI Clapper and Director Brennan, about our ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and protect the American people. The President commended the work that was done to pursue justice in the Boston Marathon bombing, and underscored the need to continue gathering intelligence to answer the remaining questions about this terrorist attack going forward. As he did last night, the President also expressed appreciation for the efforts made by state and local officials, and law enforcement, in Boston and Massachusetts. Vice-President Biden joined the meeting via video-conference.

A photo of the meeting is available here: http://bit.ly/ZFYn6Y

Blog posts on this issue April 22, 2013 6:34 PM EDTCelebrate National Park Week!

National Park Week celebrates and gives back to our country’s great natural and cultural landscapes.

April 22, 2013 5:57 PM EDTYoung Scientists and Innovators Amaze President Obama at the White House Science Fair

100 students from more than 40 states were at the White House for an all-day, hands-on celebration of the power and potential of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

April 20, 2013 1:10 PM EDTWatch Live: 2013 White House Science Fair

President Obama hosts the 3rd Annual White House Science Fair and celebrate the student winners of a broad range of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) competitions from across the country.

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Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Tom Donilon’s Meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal

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For Immediate Release April 17, 2013 Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Tom Donilon’s Meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal

President Obama joined National Security Advisor Tom Donilon’s meeting today with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal.  The President and Prince Saud Al-Faisal reaffirmed the strong partnership between the United States and Saudi Arabia and discussed developments in the region, including the conflict in Syria.  Prince Saud Al-Faisal offered his condolences for those affected by the attack in Boston.  The President asked Prince Saud Al-Faisal to convey his best wishes to King Abdullah bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud.

Blog posts on this issue April 18, 2013 12:29 PM EDTIn the Face of Evil, Boston Has Shown that Americans Will Lift Up What Is Good

President Obama speaks at in interfaith service dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed at the Boston Marathon bombing.

April 18, 2013 10:15 AM EDTWatch Live: President Obama Addresses Healing Service in Boston

President Obama will deliver remarks this morning at Healing Our City: An Interfaith Service which is dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed in Monday’s bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon.

April 18, 2013 9:57 AM EDTCourage, Strength, Resilience: Women Fight AIDS

The Kaiser Foundation hosts an event for the launch of EMPOWERED, Alicia Keys' new campaign to help end the HIV/AIDs epidemic.

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Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Donilon’s Meetings in Russia

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Donilon’s Meetings in Russia | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

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

To do something about gun violence

Immigration Reform

Creating an Immigration System for the 21st Century

The Administration We the People

Create and Sign Petitions Now

President Barack Obama Vice President Joe Biden Being Biden Audio Series First Lady Michelle Obama Dr. Jill Biden The Cabinet White House Staff Chief of Staff Denis McDonough Deputy Chief of Staff Rob Nabors 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

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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 2013 Easter Egg Roll Kitchen Garden Tours Take a Virtual Tour of the White House 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

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For Immediate Release April 15, 2013 Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on National Security Advisor Donilon’s Meetings in Russia

On April 15, National Security Advisor Tom Donilon held discussions with President Putin, Security Council Secretary General Patrushev, Foreign Minister Lavrov, and Presidential Foreign Policy Advisor Ushakov on the full range of bilateral and global issues in preparation for the meeting between President Obama and President Putin on the margins of the G8 Summit and a U.S. - Russia bilateral summit in early September.  The discussions were comprehensive and constructive.

Blog posts on this issue April 13, 2013 6:00 AM EDTWeekly Address: Sandy Hook Victim’s Mother Calls for Commonsense Gun Responsibility Reforms

This week’s address is delivered by Francine Wheeler, whose six year old son, Ben, was murdered alongside nineteen other children and six educators in Newtown, Connecticut, four months ago. Now, Francine – joined by her husband David – is asking the American people to help prevent this type of tragedy from happening to more families like hers.

April 15, 2013 5:53 AM EDTWhite House Taxpayer Receipt

Understand how and where your tax dollars are being spent.

April 13, 2013 12:28 PM EDTPresident Obama: "Why I'm not giving the Weekly Address"

President Obama sends a message to the White House email list to explain why he asked Francine Wheeler to deliver the Weekly Address.

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Notice -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Somalia

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

NOTICE

- - - - - - -

CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO SOMALIA

On April 12, 2010, by Executive Order 13536, I declared a national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701-1706) to deal with the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States constituted by the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia, acts of piracy and armed robbery at sea off the coast of Somalia, which have repeatedly been the subject of United Nations Security Council resolutions, and violations of the arms embargo imposed by the United Nations Security Council.

On July 20, 2012, I issued Executive Order 13620 to take additional steps to deal with the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 in view of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2036 of February 22, 2012, and Resolution 2002 of July 29, 2011, and to address: exports of charcoal from Somalia, which generate significant revenue for al-Shabaab; the misappropriation of Somali public assets; and certain acts of violence committed against civilians in Somalia, all of which contribute to the deterioration of the security situation and the persistence of violence in Somalia.

The situation with respect to Somalia continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States. For this reason, the national emergency declared on April 12, 2010, and the measures adopted on that date and on July 20, 2012, to deal with that emergency, must continue in effect beyond April 12, 2013. Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

BARACK OBAMA

President Obama tell the American people about the budget he is sending to Congress, which makes the tough choices required to grow our economy and shrink our deficits

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

President Obama marks the end of the Easter season with a prayer breakfast at the White House.

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Letter -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Somalia

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

April 4, 2013

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13536 of April 12, 2010, with respect to Somalia is to continue in effect beyond April 12, 2013.

On January 17, 2013, the United States Government announced its formal recognition of the Government of Somalia. The United States had not recognized a government in Somalia for the previous 22 years. Although the U.S. recognition underscores a strong commitment to Somalia's stabilization, it does not remove the importance of U.S. sanctions, especially against persons undermining the stability of Somalia. For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Somalia and to maintain in force the sanctions to respond to this threat.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

President Obama tell the American people about the budget he is sending to Congress, which makes the tough choices required to grow our economy and shrink our deficits

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

President Obama marks the end of the Easter season with a prayer breakfast at the White House.

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A National Security Pipe Dream, Part 2

By Bill Becker (Part 1 can be found here)

With debate over the Keystone XL pipeline heating up, the White House has issued an update of President Obama’s “Blueprint for a Clean and Secure Energy Future“. It is the latest of White House policy pronouncements that leave us wondering whether President Obama will ever uncage his inner revolutionary to fight for genuine energy security.

At this point, it’s anyone’s guess. The blueprint’s content does not live up to the promise of its title. It contains stark contradictions. It sticks to Obama’s all-of-the-above energy strategy – a strategy transparently designed to keep all-of-the-above special interests happy. Because it supports all types of energy — including the fossil fuels responsible for global climate change — it advocates nothing.

Consider:

Oil Production: The President’s energy blueprint acknowledges that “rising gas prices serve as a reminder that we are still too reliant on oil, which comes at a cost to American families and businesses.” It “urges Congress to take up common-sense proposals that will further reduce our dependence on oil”.

At the same time, it boasts that since President Obama took office, “responsible oil and gas production has increased each year” in the United States. “Under my administration, America is producing more oil today than at any time in the last eight years,” the President said last year. “Over the last three years, I’ve directed my administration to open up millions of acres for gas and oil exploration across 23 different states. We’re opening up more than 75% of our potential oil resources offshore. We’ve quadrupled the number of operating rigs to a record high.”
If we are too dependent on oil, why is the President so bullish on producing more?

Energy Research: At a time the United States is under-investing in renewable energy R&D, the President’s new budget proposes $375 million for research on “cleaner energy from fossil fuels” including “more responsible” natural gas production and more funding for “clean coal” technology and carbon capture and storage.

While some fossil fuels are dirtier than others, none are clean. They all emit greenhouse gases when they are burned. They all involve environmental disruption when they are extracted. The cleanest of the fuels from a carbon standpoint, natural gas, has been accused of contaminating groundwater and leaking so much methane that it could be a bigger contributor to climate change than coal.

Meantime, clean energy is all around us but greatly underused. As others have pointed out, the greatest power plant ever created gives us free energy with no pollution, delivers it everywhere within seconds from 93 million miles away and won’t run out of fuel for 7 billion years. Rather than harvesting energy from the sun, why are we still trying so hard to dig it up from underground?

Corporate Welfare: To his credit, President Obama has urged Congress to repeal billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies for the oil industry. But from the standpoint of an effective market, providing taxpayer money for research on “cleaner energy from fossil fuels” is no better. The coal, gas and oil industries are all grown up now and making pretty good livings. Most other businesses have to do their own R&D to remain relevant in a changing market. Why shouldn’t the fossil industries?

As for natural gas, why should taxpayers foot the bill to help the industry be more responsible? If gas companies don’t adopt more responsible production practices voluntarily, the government’s job is not to write them a check; it’s to implement regulations that protect the public. That’s what EPA is trying to do with the standards it announced last year to control methane and other air pollutants from oil and gas operations.

In the meantime gas companies aren’t showing a lot of interest in responsible production; instead they seem to be fracking and drilling as fast as they can before regulations can take effect.

Making Our Own Drug: The International Energy Agency predicts that fracking and horizontal drilling will make the United States the world’s largest oil producer sometime around 2017, surpassing even Saudi Arabia.

That would be a welcome change from nearly a half-century of dependence on foreign oil. But it also would make us the world’s biggest producer of one of the products most responsible for global climate disruption. Is that the title we want? Or, as the nation responsible for most of the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere today, shouldn’t we set a more moral example as the nation that leads the world to a low-carbon economy?

Shouldn’t we at least have a national energy plan that defines how and when we’ll end our dependence on oil, foreign or domestic- a downramp that signals our commitment to other nations and gives financial markets an incentive to capitalize our transition to clean energy?

Domestic Security: While the advocates of the Keystone pipeline mistakenly claim that it will be good for national security, few have discussed the project’s impacts on homeland security. Oil and gas pipelines are among the most vulnerable parts of America’s infrastructure. Amory and Hunter Lovins warned about this 30 years ago in their book “Brittle Power“:

Federal policies are systematically making the energy system more vulnerable. The devices being promoted as the backbone of America’s energy supply for the 21st Century are precisely the most vulnerable ones: offshore and Arctic oil and gas, big pipelines, and huge power plants (especially nuclear ones) linked by long transmission lines.

Pipelines are even more vulnerable today. Saboteurs and terrorists don’t need to bother with infiltration and dynamite. The investigation that traced computer attacks against American institutions to China earlier this year dramatized how hackers anywhere on the planet can take control of U.S. oil and gas pipelines. One such attack already has occurred against Telvent, which keeps blueprints on more than half the oil and gas pipelines in North and South America.

William Rush is a retired scientist who worked for the Gas Technology Institute and led an effort to create a cyber security standard for the gas pipeline industry. “Anyone can blow up a gas pipeline with dynamite,” he says. “But with this stolen information (about the gas distribution infrastructure), if I wanted to blow up not one, but 1,000 compressor stations, I could. I could put the attack vectors in place, let them sit there for years, and set them all off at the same time. I don’t have to worry about getting people physically in place to do the job, I just pull the trigger with one mouse click.”

During one of his debates with Mitt Romney last fall, President Obama boasted that during his first term, “we’ve added enough new oil and gas pipeline to encircle the Earth and then some.” The Department of Transportation confirmed that nearly 30,000 miles of new pipelines were built during Obama’s first term.

In other words, we’ve moved approximately 30,000 miles farther away from domestic security over the last four years. Does it make sense for the federal government to spend billions of dollars on homeland security while encouraging the oil industry to spend billions more on energy infrastructure that makes us more vulnerable?

Greenhouse Gas Emissions: The good news that U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide have fallen 13% since 2007 is not a license to produce more fossil fuels. While some of that progress can be attributed to the Administration’s new vehicle economy standards, other factors are more fleeting.

Progressive state policies and welcome gains in national energy efficiency deserve significant credit for the decline in U.S. emissions, but conservatives around the country now are attacking those policies. The recession, the slow recovery and high gas prices helped depress emissions, but none of those is a factor we want to sustain. Natural gas prices have been low enough to encourage utilities to switch from coal, but those prices likely will rise with environmental regulations and greater demand.

As New York Times columnist Eduardo Porter puts it, “the United States’ serendipitous success in reducing greenhouse gas emissions suggests how much more needs to be done than switching from a particularly dirty source of carbon to a cleaner one.”

Temporary Sustainability: In its update of the President’s energy blueprint on March 15, the White House said it showed that Obama has “reiterated his commitment to a sustained, all-of-the-above energy strategy.” But how can we have a sustained energy strategy built in large part on finite resources?

***

None of this criticism should detract from the many good things President Obama has done so far to move us closer to a clean and secure economy. But there is disturbing dissonance and intellectual flim-flam in the Administration’s energy blueprint.

It is intellectually dishonest for the President to be bullish on fossil energy at the same time he promises to fight climate change, or to believe that building more fragile energy infrastructure is compatible with security, or that oil from any source protects us from spikes in gas prices, or that we can sustain a robust and competitive economy with fuels that are finite, environmentally dangerous and increasingly difficult to reach.

As I’ve written before, President Obama is not wrong to consider “all of the above” energy resources for our future. But he, and we, should support only the “best of the above”. We need a national energy blueprint that distinguishes the clean from the dirty, the safe from the dangerous, the stable from the volatile, and the sustainable from the finite. We need a timetable that’s ambitious. As Sam Walton reportedly said in a different context: “Incrementalism is innovation’s worst enemy. We don’t want continuous improvement, we want radical change.”

For better or worse, President Obama’s energy blueprint is a climate blueprint, an economic blueprint and a national security blueprint. It defines America’s future as well as Obama’s long-term legacy. He has a choice: He can be President Pipeline or President Sunshine, but he can’t be both.

Even though he has been liberated from reelection, we are gradually discovering that Barack Obama may not be the revolutionary change agent we so badly need.

– Bill Becker is Executive Director of the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP), an initiative of Natural Capitalism Solutions to help the President of the United States take decisive action on global warming and energy security.

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VIDEO: How Oil Drilling Threatens Theodore Roosevelt National Park

The Center for American Progress released a new video today revealing how North Dakota’s oil boom is threatening Theodore Roosevelt National Park. The park is located in the heart of the massive Bakken shale play, which has recently become one of the most productive oil fields in the United States thanks to improved technologies like hydraulic fracturing.

As the video shows, oil wells are creeping closer and closer to the park’s boundaries, and drill rigs and flares can even be seen from within the park itself. Already, visitors are discovering that the national park’s three units are becoming islands in a sea of industrial development — from oil trucks on roads leading to the park to intrusive noise levels that ruin the park’s natural quiet. Soon, there could even be drilling within the national park itself, as it is one of 30 national park units that could have drilling within its borders in the future.

There is tremendous irony in the oil and gas industry tarnishing the very park that honors our greatest conservation president, Theodore Roosevelt. Roosevelt spent a few formative years on ranches in the North Dakota badlands, which he credited with giving him the depth of character he needed to be president.

Winthrop Roosevelt, Roosevelt’s great-great-grandson who narrates the video, also today has a piece in the Daily Beast about his e indignation towards drilling so close to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. As he puts it:

If you are outraged like I am that a national park could be sacrificed in the oil and gas industry’s quest for selfish profit, it’s time to take action.

The North Dakotans featured in the video are quick to note that they are not against oil drilling but argue there needs to be a better balance between drilling and conservation. As Roosevelt himself put it, “I recognize the right and duty of this generation to develop and use the natural resources of our land; but I do not recognize the right to waste them, or to rob, by wasteful use, the generations that come after us.”

We can have both energy development and conservation on our public lands. But right now, the industry is winning: over the last four years, 2.5 times more acres of public lands have been leased to oil and gas companies than have been permanently protected. This must change. As former Secretary of the Interior Bruce Babbitt stated in February, President Obama and Congress should put conservation of our public lands “on equal ground” with energy development. One step forward in this direction would be to ensure that Theodore Roosevelt National Park is adequately protected from the consequences of oil drilling.

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Presidential Proclamation -- National Cancer Control Month, 2013

Presidential Proclamation -- National Cancer Control Month, 2013 | The White House Skip to main content | Skip to footer site map The White House. President Barack Obama Get Email UpdatesContact Us Go to homepage. The White House Blog Photos & Videos Photo Galleries Video Performances Live Streams Podcasts 2012: A Year in Photos

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For Immediate Release March 29, 2013 Presidential Proclamation -- National Cancer Control Month, 2013 NATIONAL CANCER CONTROL MONTH, 2013- - - - - - -BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICAA PROCLAMATION For more than a decade, Americans have watched the overall cancer death rate drop lower and lower with each passing year. As a Nation, we have measured that progress not just in the lives we have saved, but also in the moments we have shared -- patients lifted up by the promise of remission, parents blessed with the chance to watch their children grow up, young people confident that a diagnosis cannot put a limit on their dreams. But even with the gains we have made, we know there is more work to do when more than half a million Americans lose their lives to cancer every year. This month, we rededicate ourselves to securing better outcomes, reducing new cases, and advancing cancer research. To beat this disease, we must continue our efforts to prevent it. Each of us can reduce our risk of developing cancer by maintaining a healthy weight, exercising regularly, limiting alcohol intake and sun exposure, and living tobacco-free. For help quitting smoking, visit www.BeTobaccoFree.gov. Additional resources on what cancer is and how to prevent it are available at www.Cancer.gov. Detecting cancer early gives patients the best chance for successful treatment. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, insurers are required to cover recommended cancer screenings and other preventive services at no out-of-pocket cost to the patient -- a provision that has already helped nearly 71 million people. To build on those gains and stop cancer before it takes hold, I encourage all Americans to see their health care providers for regular screenings and check-ups. Expanding on today's progress also means investing in tomorrow's breakthroughs. My Administration is committed to supporting the kind of medical research that has unlocked decades of new therapies and promising interventions. Beginning in 2014, the Affordable Care Act will also give cancer patients better access to those treatments by preventing insurance companies from denying coverage because of a pre-existing condition or putting annual dollar limits on most benefits. Together, our Nation is moving forward in the fight against cancer. As we recommit to improving prevention, detection, and treatment, let us honor the memory of the courageous men and women we have lost to the disease, and let us stand with all those facing it today. The Congress of the United States, by joint resolution approved March 28, 1938 (52 Stat. 148; 36 U.S.C. 103), as amended, has requested the President to issue an annual proclamation declaring April as "Cancer Control Month." NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim April 2013 as National Cancer Control Month. I encourage citizens, government agencies, private businesses, nonprofit organizations, and other interested groups to join in activities that will increase awareness of what Americans can do to prevent and control cancer. IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of March, in the year of our Lord two thousand thirteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-seventh.  BARACK OBAMA

Blog posts on this issue March 29, 2013 5:47 PM EDTWeekly Wrap Up: ‘The Promise of America”

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

March 29, 2013 4:11 PM EDTIn Miami, President Obama Talks About his Plan to Put People to Work Rebuilding America

Despite strong efforts to fix our broken national infrastructure over the past four years, much work needs to be done if we are to prove to the world that there is no better place to do business than in the United States.

March 29, 2013 3:02 PM EDTOpen Government: A Time for Self-Assessment

The Obama Administration has harnessed new technology to engage the public, worked to disclose information more quickly, and given citizens a greater voice in decision-making. There is more work to do, and we remain committed to continuing this in the second term.

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