Agent Orange and Veterans: A 40-Year Wait

With the unwavering support of President Obama, VA is transforming to meet its 21st Century responsibilities. Advocacy, on behalf of every generation of Veterans, is central to this transformation.

Agent Orange was a blend of herbicides used by the U.S. military, during the Vietnam conflict, to deny concealment to enemy forces. More than 19 million gallons of herbicides were sprayed to remove foliage and undergrowth. The most common, Agent Orange, was sprayed in all four military zones of South Vietnam.

Heavily sprayed areas included the inland forests near the Demilitarized Zone; inland forests at the junction of the borders of Cambodia, Laos, and South Vietnam; inland forests north and northwest of Saigon; mangrove forests on the southernmost peninsula of Vietnam; and mangrove forests along major shipping channels southeast of Saigon.

The issue of Agent Orange’s toxic effects on Veterans, who served in Vietnam, has simmered for decades. Its insidious impact on those exposed to it has become increasingly apparent. That growing awareness has resulted in the Congress’, this Department’s, and the Institute of Medicine’s previous validations of some 12 diseases, which, to date, have been granted presumption of service connection for those exposed to Agent Orange.

Last October, based on the requirements of the Agent Orange Act of 1991 and the Institute of Medicine’s report, “Veterans and Agent Orange: Update 2008,” I determined that the evidence provided was sufficient to support presumptions of service connection for three additional diseases: Parkinson’s Disease, Hairy Cell and other Chronic B-Cell Leukemia, and Ischemic Heart Disease. After a public rulemaking process, we are now issuing a final regulation creating these new presumptions.

This action means that Veterans who were exposed to herbicides in service and who suffer from one of the “presumed” illnesses do not have to prove an association between their medical problems and their military service. This action helps Veterans to overcome the evidentiary requirements that might otherwise make it difficult for them to establish such an association in order to qualify for healthcare and other benefits needed as a result of their diseases. The “Presumption” simplifies and accelerates the application process and ensures that Veterans will receive the benefits they deserve.

As many as 150,000 Veterans may submit Agent Orange claims in the next 12 to 18 months. Additionally, VA will review approximately 90,000 previously denied claims from Vietnam Veterans for service connection for these three new diseases. All those who are awarded service-connection, and who are not currently enrolled in the VA health care system, will become eligible for enrollment.

Veterans who served in the Republic of Vietnam, including its inland waterways, between January 9, 1962 and May 7, 1975, are presumed to have been exposed to herbicides. If you know a Veteran who may have been exposed to herbicides in service and who suffers from one of the diseases that may be presumptively service connected, the Veteran or the Veteran's family can visit our website to find out how to file a claim for presumptive conditions related to herbicide exposure, as well as what information is needed by VA to determine disability compensation or survivors’ benefits. Additionally, VA’s Office of Public Health can answer questions about Agent Orange and VA’s services for Veterans exposed to it.

This rule is long overdue. It delivers justice to those who have suffered from Agent Orange’s toxic effects for 40 years. I have been invited to testify before the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee on 23 September to explain these decisions, and I am happy to do that. It was the right decision, and the President and I are proud to finally provide this group of Veterans the care and benefits they have long deserved.

VA is committed to addressing the health care needs of Veterans from all eras. Forty years from today, a future Secretary of VA should not be adjudicating presumptive disabilities associated with our current conflicts. Change is difficult for any good organization, but we are transforming this Department to advocate for Veterans. We will not let our Veterans languish without hope for service-connected disabilities resulting from their service.

Economic Recovery for Small Businesses: Now is Not the Time to Pull Back

As I travel around the country, I meet many small business owners who are poised to take that next step to grow their business and create jobs. In fact, this morning’s USA Today looks at one of those business owners - Amarjit Kaur who runs a convenience store and gas station in Wood Village, OR. Amarjit has been approved for an SBA loan so she can buy the property she now leases. But today her application sits in a queue waiting for passage of the Small Business Jobs Act currently before the Senate.

Here’s what’s happening: Up until a few months ago, SBA was able to waive the fees for SBA loan borrowers. This allowed small business owners to put more money back into their business. In fact, these fee reductions will save Amarjit about $35,000. At the same time, we were able to increase the government guarantee on SBA loans, to encourage more banks and credit unions to go ahead and make SBA loans to good, creditworthy small businesses.

This worked. SBA lenders approved about 70,000 SBA Recovery loans for small businesses since the Recovery Act passed, nearly $30 billion in total. And, we brought more than 1,300 lenders back to making SBA loans at a time when other banks were cutting back their small business lending.

Unfortunately, the funding for these popular enhancements ran out at the end of May – just when small business owners like Amarjit needed it. With support in Congress for extending these successful loan enhancements, we started the Recovery Loan Queue, a stand-by list just like at the airport.

Today, that list is at nearly 1,000 small businesses long, including Amarjit’s, totaling almost $500 million in loans. With the passage of the Small Business Jobs Act, SBA will be able to fund these loans. Additionally, among other programs, the Act will create the Small Business Lending Fund to provide additional capital to small, community banks so they can boost their lending to small businesses locally.

As Amarjit’s story points out, now is not the time to pull back. In communities all across the country there are business owners just like her who are in a position to do exactly what our economy needs them to do – grow and create jobs. With the Small Business Jobs Act, we can be the very partner these business owners need by giving them the tools to continue to drive our economic recovery.

Landmark: Number of Donut Hole Rebate Checks Passes One Million

Cross-posted from HealthCare.gov

On August 10th, you may have seen Jenny Backus’ post on HealthCare Notes noting that the third round of donut hole rebate checks went into the mail.

Recently, we hit a major milestone: the millionth check was sent out over the weekend.

If you haven’t heard about the rebate checks before, they are the first step in closing the prescription drug coverage gap under the Affordable Care Act. This gap is commonly referred to as the ‘donut hole.’ We know that many people with Medicare have tight budgets and some may skip or alter the medicines their doctors recommend they take in order to save money in the donut hole. That is dangerous and unacceptable. And that’s why the Affordable Care Act takes steps to close this coverage gap.

This year, as qualifying people with Medicare enter the ‘donut hole,’ Medicare will send them a tax-free, one-time rebate check for $250. Next year, if you reach the ‘donut hole,’ you will receive a 50 percent discount when buying covered brand-name prescription drugs.

If you are eligible for this assistance, remember, you don’t need to do anything special to receive the check. People who qualify for the one-time check do not need to sign up, since their checks are mailed automatically when they enter the donut hole. So just make sure to check the mailbox.

Just a reminder: you should never give out personal information to anyone who is not a trusted source. If anyone asks for your personal information you are encouraged to contact 1-800-MEDICARE and report the inquiry. You can also visit www.stopmedicarefraud.gov for more information.

We hope that the latest round of checks will ease the burden on individuals recently entering the donut hole. This is just one of several ways that the Affordable Care Act strengthens Medicare so make sure you check out Medicare.gov and other areas of HealthCare.gov for more information.

The President on the Economy: "Pushing This Economy Forward" vs. "The Blockade"

Speaking in the Rose Garden in the heat, the President began his remarks this morning on the economy by once again noting that for all the progress that's been made since "that terrible September when our economy teetered on the brink of collapse," there is much left to do -- and that millions of Americans are still struggling:

That’s why my administration remains focused, every single day, on pushing this economy forward, repairing the damage that’s been done to the middle class over the past decade, and promoting the growth we need to get our people back to work.

So, as Congress prepares to return to session, my economic team is hard at work in identifying additional measures that could make a difference in both promoting growth and hiring in the short term, and increasing our economy’s competitiveness in the long term. Steps like extending the tax cuts for the middle class that are set to expire this year. Redoubling our investment in clean energy and R&D. Rebuilding more of our infrastructure for the future. Further tax cuts to encourage businesses to put their capital to work creating jobs here in the United States. And I’ll be addressing these proposals in further detail in the days and weeks to come.

Having laid out this broader agenda, though, and making clear that no one bill would be the silver bullet, the President zeroed in on the obstruction that is standing in the way of even the most immediate and obvious of steps:

And there’s currently a jobs bill before Congress that would do two big things for small business owners: cut more taxes and make available more loans. It would help them get the credit they need, and eliminate capital gains taxes on key investments so they have more incentive to invest right now. And it would accelerate $55 billion of tax relief to encourage American businesses, small and large, to expand their investments over the next 14 months.

Unfortunately, this bill has been languishing in the Senate for months, held up by a partisan minority that won’t even allow it to go to a vote. That makes no sense. This bill is fully paid for. It won’t add to the deficit. And there is no reason to block it besides pure partisan politics.

Small business owners and the communities that rely on them, they don’t have time for political games. They shouldn’t have to wait any longer. In fact, just this morning, a story showed that small businesses have put hiring and expanding on hold while waiting for the Senate to act on this bill. Simply put: holding this bill hostage is directly detrimental to our economic growth.

So I ask Senate Republicans to drop the blockade. I know we’re entering election season. But the people who sent us here expect us to work together to get things done and improve this economy.

Newsflash! Economists Agree

The old adage goes that Presidents often wish for one-handed economists, to avoid all that “on the one hand, sir, we could be looking at X; though on the other hand, it could be Y.”

So when economic consensus forms around the outcome of a policy like the Recovery Act, it’s worth taking note. That’s why this article from USA Today, entitled (online) “Economists Agree: Stimulus Created 3 Million Jobs” is worth noting.

The piece cites various analyses from a wide variety of private sector economists as well as from the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office that all reach a similar conclusion: the Recovery Act was a key factor in preventing recession from becoming depression, and along the way, it has created or saved about three million jobs while making historic investments in clean energy, education, and upgrading the nation’s infrastructure (re these longer-term investments, this article from Time magazine reveals another important dimension of how the Act is helping).

There are lots of ways to validate this finding—the article cites the results of a recent study by former Federal Reserve Vice-Chair Alan Blinder and independent economist Mark Zandi, who find that the stimulus:

“…created 2.7 million jobs [so far] and…unemployment would be 11% today if the stimulus hadn’t been passed...”

The article also makes a point about timing that hasn’t been stressed enough. The President signed the Recovery Act on February 19 of last year, less than a month after he got here. Shortly thereafter, loss rates of GDP and job growth began to slow, with GDP turning positive in the third quarter of 2009, and net job growth following shortly thereafter.

Just consider what we view as one of the most important benchmarks of an economy that’s delivering for working families: private sector job growth. Over first seven months of last year, the job market hemorrhaged almost four million private sector jobs. Over those same months this year, the private sector added 630,000 jobs.

That result partly flows from the consumer spending that the Recovery Act helped to support, a point noted in the USAT article:

Stimulus outlays first topped $100 billion in the third quarter of 2009, which is when the economy resumed growing…Likewise, personal consumption spending began to increase in the third quarter after four consecutive quarterly declines.

This important point (remember, 70% of the US economy rests on consumer spending) was underscored in another recent and noteworthy analysis of the Recovery Act by economist Gary Burtless. Check out Figure 2 from his piece, which clearly portrays the impact of the Act on disposable income, leading Burtless to conclude that, “Another tangible sign of a payoff from the ARRA stimulus is the continued strength in consumer spending.”

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We know more needs to be done to build on the momentum attributable to the Recovery Act. After all, this terrible recession cost the economy more than 8 million jobs. That’s why we’re continuing to push hard for more help for small businesses, forward looking infrastructure investment, and continued support for the jobs of teachers, police, and firefighters.

But amidst a lot of politically motivated noise intended to fog the issues, it’s important to appreciate the building consensus that the Recovery Act has done what it was intended to do: helped to stabilize the economy and save jobs.

And that’s true both on one hand AND the other.

Vice President Biden Lands in Iraq

An update out from the White House moments ago:

Vice President Joe Biden in Iraq

Vice President Joe Biden has arrived in Iraq to participate in a Change of Command and Change of Mission Ceremony, fulfilling the commitment made by the President in his first month in office.

This is the Vice President’s sixth trip to Iraq since January 2009. The United States ends its combat mission in Iraq on August 31st, having drawn down to fewer than 50,000 troops from approximately 144,000 troops in January 2009. The remaining troops will advise and assist Iraq’s security forces, conduct partnered counter-terrorism operations, and protect U.S. civilians. In accordance with an agreement between the U.S. and Iraqi governments, all U.S. forces will leave Iraq by December 31, 2011.

President Obama will deliver a National Address on Iraq on August 31st. The Vice President’s visit at this juncture will reinforce the long-term U.S. commitment to Iraq. The Vice President will meet with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani, Vice President Tariq al-Hashimi, Vice President Adil Abd al-Mahdi, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki, leader of the Iraqiyya coalition Ayad Allawi, Chairman of the Islamic Supreme Council Ammar al-Hakim and other political leaders to discuss the latest developments in Iraq and to urge Iraqi leaders to conclude negotiations on the formation of a new government.

Five Years Later, Our Commitment Continues

It's difficult to look back on the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina with anything but sadness. Sadness for the lives lost, sadness for the displacement of so many people.

As we mark the fifth anniversary of Katrina, there is still work to be done. And the Department of Transportation's (DOT) commitment to help rebuild Gulf communities remains strong.

Five Years Later, Our Commitment Continues

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Ready Reserve vessels from DOT's Maritime Administration (MARAD) housed emergency workers and served as a temporary headquarters for the Port of New Orleans. The Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration assisted in the design and operation of emergency fuel distribution networks, which were needed to provide gas and diesel for generators at local hospitals and to support emergency relief operations. And the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) initiated free transit service to temporary housing sites.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) got to work fixing several key highways that had been dramatically disabled by Hurricane Katrina. One of the more striking of these disruptions was the I-10 Twin Spans bridge connecting the area east of New Orleans with Slidell, Louisiana. Emergency repairs were made immediately. But, since then, the FHWA has provided $800 million in sole-support for construction of a new, sturdier bridge. When opened in 2011, the bridge will help keep this vital supply and evacuation lifeline open in future storms.


Five Years Later, Our Commitment ContinuesMore recently, the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act has helped DOT continue aiding Katrina rebuilding efforts. Thanks to the Recovery Act, the FHWA is fixing the interchange of I-10 and the Lake Pontchartrain Causeway. Now, this interchange in Metairie serves more than 178,000 drivers daily--a number expected to grow to 246,000 by 2026--and is one of the worst traffic choke-points in all of Louisiana. Yet I-10 is one of the most important routes for goods and people into and out of New Orleans. A $51 million Recovery Act grant has fully funded flyover ramps to expand the interchange's capacity and adds capacity to local collector streets.

In all, there are eight different projects improving various sections of I-10 in Jefferson and Orleans Parishes.

And the FTA has awarded more than $66 million in Recovery Act transit grants in Louisiana, $25 million in Mississippi, and $50 million in Alabama. Whether for repairs or expansion projects, these grants are helping position area transit agencies to provide better services to residents.

Five Years Later, Our Commitment ContinuesImmediately after Hurricane Katrina, the FTA established the "Bus Bridge" between Baton Rouge and New Orleans. For four years, evacuees in Baton Rouge could visit their properties, pursue repairs, and go to work in New Orleans via this service, dubbed LA Swift. Last year, thanks to FTA support, the emergency free service transitioned to a permanent, fee-based route, indicating that Gulf residents, even those who own cars, have embraced public transit as a beneficial way of getting around.

That's why FTA's dedication to improving transit services in the region has not faded. FTA recently announced improvements to public transit in New Orleans, including a new streetcar loop in the city's central business district. This urban circulator is expected to stimulate economic development along its route and enhance New Orleans' livability in years to come.

Five Years Later, Our Commitment ContinuesMARAD's America's Marine Highways program is also working to restore the shipping capabilities of the Mississippi River and its port communities. We recognize how critical it is to support jobs up and down the river. And our marine highways have the added benefit of reducing road congestion and greenhouse gas emissions for people who live in the region.

As we look back on the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, of course we are reminded of how far we have yet to go to restore these communities. But this Administration is committed to helping Gulf residents rebuild, and here at DOT we will continue to do all we can to support that effort.

Helping New Orleans Rebuild Its Schools

Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina destroyed schools throughout New Orleans. Since then, the state and city have worked together to make the city’s schools a model for school reform. New Orleans schools have made remarkable progress. They have been an inspiration to those of us who are working to provide a world-class education to all of America’s children.

Despite the progress, New Orleans still has a lot of work to do. More than 100 school buildings were devastated by the floods of Katrina. The city still needs to replace, rebuild and rehabilitate buildings that were destroyed by the floods. Working together, state and city leaders have produced a master plan to will rebuild and renovate its schools.

Today, I joined Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano in announcing more than $1.8 billion in federal funds to support the rebuilding of New Orleans’ schools. This money will support the city in building the excellent learning environments that the children of New Orleans deserve.

In addition, the Department of Education continues to support schools throughout the Gulf Coast that suffered damage from Katrina and other hurricanes. Our staff is preparing to award $12 million in grants from the Gulf Coast Recovery Initiative. These grants will help districts replace instructional materials, renovate and repair schools buildings, and support afterschool and other initiatives to provide extended learning.

Over the past five years, the Department has provided nearly $2 billion for schools in the Gulf Coast region. The money helped schools re-open immediately after the hurricanes and supported schools that enrolled students displaced by the hurricanes. It also provided the $7 million to Louisiana, Alabama, Texas, and Mississippi to pay for mental health assessments for students, substitute teachers, and emergency transportation, and other needs shortly after the hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast.

Five years later, New Orleans and the rest of the Gulf Coast are still recovering. President Obama and I are committed to doing our part to provide the students there with the world-class education they deserve.

Weekly Address: The End of Combat Operations in Iraq

With the end of combat operations in Iraq days ahead, the President salutes our troops for their service and pledges to fulfill America’s commitment to them as veterans. 90,000 troops have left Iraq since the President came into office, and by the end of next year even the troops taking part in the non-combat mission will be home. The administration is upholding the sacred trust with our veterans by building a 21st century VA, making it easier for veterans with PTSD to receive the benefits they need, funding and implementing a Post-9/11 GI Bill, and devoting new resources to job training and placement to help those veterans looking for work in a tough economy.


Restoring the Gulf's Priceless Natural Resources

http://whitehouse-org.blogspot.com/I grew up in New Orleans. As a chemical engineering student at Tulane University, I worked and studied in the local environment, particularly the wetlands, marshes and swamps. I saw then that the wetlands were the beating heart of the region. The coastal waters support a multi-billion-dollar fishing industry that is a way of life for many families and communities. The rich sediment and marsh grasses help filter pollution and provide the home for a priceless and delicate ecosystem. And the abundant vegetation growing above the surface helps buffer storm surges during hurricanes – a vital function whose importance was all too apparent after Hurricane Katrina.

My mother was still living in New Orleans when Katrina struck. I happened to be visiting her at the time, and drove her to safety. But her house – the house where I grew up – was destroyed by the flooding. After the storm, she and many other Gulf residents learned that the flooding had been made worse because the marshes and wetlands had been destabilized by navigation channels, covered over by levee construction, and most damagingly, cut away for the placement of oil and gas lines.

Today my mother can make as compelling an argument for wetlands protection as any wetlands expert I’ve ever met – and in my line of work, I’ve met quite a few. She can tell you that every year almost 40 miles of wetlands outside New Orleans disappear. We’re losing them at the rate of an entire football field every 30 minutes. She can also tell you about the people hit hardest by this environmental degradation. Not just the people whose homes were flooded in the storms, but the local tribes and families whose lands are disappearing. They are finding it harder and harder to fish, trap, or catch the shrimp and shellfish that make up a major part of the local economy, and many of them are moving away.

In the years since Katrina, the EPA has made it a priority to better protect our nation’s vulnerable wetlands and coastal communities. Through grant programs we’ve helped to strengthen state and tribal restoration efforts and built partnerships between government, local groups and landowners. From restoring the Gulf’s New Cut Barrier Island and protecting Lake Borgne’s shoreline to creating the Bayou DuPont and Whiskey Island Back Barrier marshes, we’ve helped by investing more than $95 million in restoring and protecting the Gulf’s shores and wetlands.

While a clear priority for the EPA, this issue has also become a top priority for President Obama. In March, the administration released a roadmap for restoring the Gulf – outlining our work to build a better, more sustainable future for the region. Unfortunately, shortly after the release of the plan, yet another tragedy struck: the Deepwater BP oil spill.

Having learned valuable lessons from the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, we stepped up to defend the coastal communities and the wetlands that shield them from storms and oil alike. We mobilized in every way possible, from extensive skimming, booming and burning efforts, to dispersing the oil and speeding its degradation offshore, before it affected fragile wetlands.

Five years after Hurricane Katrina, this administration remains committed to ensuring the vitality of the Gulf Coast, the prosperity of its economy, and the health of its residents. Our work continues today, and will carry on until the area is back on the path to prosperity. One of the valuable lessons we’ve learned is that building safe, healthy communities means re-building and revitalizing the wetlands that are at the heart of the Gulf Coast.

West Wing Week: "Dispatches from Iraq" - Preview

Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that’s happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, watch a sneak preview of next Friday’s “Dispatches from Iraq” and join our brave men and women, both troops and civilians, on the ground as combat operations end in Iraq. Go behind the scenes with Provisional Reconstruction Teams, train with the Iraqi Federal Police, learn how millions of tons of equipment gets redeployed or sent home and much more. That’s happening next Friday, only at whitehouse.gov.


For information on what the Vice President has been up to this week, check out the links below:

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Monday, August 23, 2010

Women's Equality Day and the 90th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment

Today we celebrate Women’s Equality Day and we mark the 90th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment. We honor those who made this day possible like Alice Paul and Ida Wells-Barnett and the countless women who fought for suffrage. They understood what we know now – that there is power in participation. We believe in the importance of voting.

Since 1920, women have made enormous strides toward social, political, and economic equality in the United States. Today, women and girls comprise just over 50 percent of the United States' population. Women now outnumber men in undergraduate education, as they now earn 57 percent of bachelor’s degrees and they makeup nearly half of the U.S. workforce.

While we have made great strides, there is still more work to do. As President Obama noted in the Women’s Equality Day Proclamation “we celebrate this important milestone and the achievements and shattered ceilings of the past, we also recognize the inequalities that remain and our charge to overcome them.” Women in the U.S. only earn a mere 77 cents for every dollar a man earns and the wage gap grows for women of color: African American women earn 69 cents and Latina women earn 62 cents for every dollar earned by a white male per week. And women and girls continue to lag in key sectors that are critical to building our 21st century economy. For example, women hold only 27 percent of jobs in science and engineering.

For these reasons and many more, the Obama Administration is focused on keeping up the fight for equality. This is why we created the White House Council on Women and Girls. The Council is working to institutionalize and embed an ongoing focus on women and girls as part of how the federal government develops policies, pursues programs, and works with Congress. We strive to embed the fight for equality in all we do. Every day we stand on the shoulders of the women who went before us and we keep them in mind as we forge ahead for another 90 years.

You can learn more about Women's Equality by reading President Obama's Presidential Proclamation on Women's Equality Day.

What You Missed: Open for Questions on 90th Anniversary of Women’s Right To Vote

In honor of this year’s Women’s Equality Day and the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, I did a live web chat with Shireen Mitchell from the BlogHer community. Shireen and I had a great conversation, in which Shireen asked me a variety of questions from online participants. Watch the full video or use the links below to jump to the topics that interest you most:



The conversation left me energized about the progress women have made, but focused on the challenges ahead. There are countless opportunities for the public’s engagement in politics and government. The importance of voting and other forms of public participation in government is the foundation of our country. As the Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement and Director of the White House Council on Women and Girls, I am proud to commemorate Women’s Equality Day and the 90th anniversary of the 19th Amendment in such an inclusive way.

A special thank you to Shireen Mitchell, the BlogHer community, and all of those who participated for providing me this opportunity.

The Facts on the Recovery Act & American Innovation

Earlier this week, Vice President Biden unveiled a new report detailing how the Recovery Act is investing $100 billion in groundbreaking scientific research and advances in technology. The report focuses on how Recovery Act investments in modernizing transportation, jumpstarting the renewable energy sector, advancing medical research, and building a platform to enhance the private sector’s ability to innovate have helped put America on-track to achieve some major science and technology breakthroughs. You can read more about those efforts in Time Magazine this week, which calls the Recovery Act "the most ambitious energy legislation in history," and also looks at key investments in broadband, high-speed rail, science and tech, education, and health IT. As the Time article points out, "Any of those programs would have been a revolution in its own right."

While getting up to speed on the report, you may also come across a “fact-check” story the Associated Press is running on it. Unfortunately, the only thing AP’s “fact check” seems to be missing is… the full facts. Here’s the scoop:

  1. Increasing Renewable Energy: The AP questions whether we’re on track to double renewable energy generation and manufacturing capacity.
    1. Doubling U.S Renewable Energy Generation Capacity: The AP acknowledges that the Recovery Act has “helped increase renewable energy,” and their own expert says that “the U.S. could probably meet the… goal.”
    2. Doubling U.S. Renewable Energy Manufacturing Capacity: Here, the AP does not doubt that we will make our goal, but instead denigrates the significance of it. Nevertheless, we believe that compared to the last decade in which we’ve fallen severely behind, more renewable energy manufacturing in America is a good thing.
  2. Cutting the Cost of Solar Power: While the AP’s expert says “there was too much uncertainty in the world to make such a prediction,” this doesn’t fundamentally change the ability for our goal to be achieved. Our investments in the solar sector - coupled with continued support through the tax code – already are and will continue to accelerate the pace of commercial deployment in the U.S., driving down costs significantly over the next five years. What’s more, contrary to the assertion of their expert, the Recovery Act is driving technological innovation to lower these costs.
  3. Quicker, Cheaper Genetic Mapping: The AP agrees that we will make our goal, and says “many specialists believe the price may drop to less than $1,000 in a few years,” and also goes onto mention the worthiness of this goal: “The more sequencing scientists do allows them to better explore variations that contribute to disease.”
  4. High Speed Rail: Here, the AP does not attack the report’s claim that our investments are laying the groundwork for high speed rail in America. Instead, they point to some investments that are upgrading existing lines and say that building high speed rail is “a difficult, multiyear effort.” We agree that it will be “a difficult, multiyear effort" and, in fact, have long said so. But with the $8 billion we are investing through the Recovery Act, we are doing two things: 1) making upgrades to existing lines that are needed in order to equip them for supporting faster trains and 2) supporting actual high speed rail projects like the San Francisco to Los Angeles line cited by the AP.
  5. Health Information Technology: Again, the AP says nothing about the claims espoused in the report. In fact, the AP agrees that there are “economic dividends from greater efficiency and fewer costly medical mistakes” and only says that they could be “years away.” We agree that it will take several years to transform health IT in American hospitals and doctors’ offices and, again, have long said so.
  6. Electric Vehicles: Again, the AP says nothing disputing our goal of cutting the cost of batteries by 70 percent between 2009 and 2015, and in fact acknowledges that “strides are being made.” Instead, they criticize our efforts as “overly optimistic” and cite the price tag of the Chevy Volt. One of the main factors in the costs of electric cars today is the price of the electric-vehicle batteries - $33,000 in 2009, the majority of the cost of the car. Recovery Act investments are scaling up production as well as investing in new technologies – both ways to drive down prices. The battery is expected to hit a price of $10,000 by 2015, and continue to decline after that. With a price slash of $20,000, electric vehicles will be well on their way to competing with similar non-electric vehicles.

No doubt, there may be varying opinions as we transform the American economy. That’s what innovation is all about – a wealth of good ideas. But based on the facts we’ve laid out above and in the report, there’s no reason to believe that with dedication and resources America can’t achieve these ambitious goals we’ve set. Bottom line: After eight years of failed economic policies that devastated American science and innovation, we make no apology for setting ambitious targets to make American workers the most competitive in the global economy - and putting the resources behind achieving those goals.

SBA Disaster Assistance: Then and Now

Tommy and Maria DeLaune are a prime example of small business owners who suffered a one-two punch from Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater BP oil spill. They run Tommy’s Seafood, a New Orleans seafood processor and wholesaler that employs about 20 people.

When Hurricane Katrina hit, the business suffered major damage at its two facilities, including loss of equipment and inventory. They applied for an SBA disaster loan in October 2005 but didn’t get approved until May 2006 and the loan wasn’t fully disbursed until October 2006, a year later.

They got hit again when the oil spill forced closures on fishing waters in the Gulf of Mexico, where their suppliers work. Tommy and his wife Maria had to look 500 miles away to find more seafood to process, so they had higher expenses and lower profit margins. This time around, however, their experience with SBA was “amazing,” according to Maria. Their disaster loan was approved in just 16 days and it was fully disbursed just a month later. Additionally, SBA deferred their existing Katrina loan for 12 months so they can use more of their resources to deal with the financial strain caused by the oil spill.

Right now, hundreds of SBA staff are on the ground providing assistance through loans to business owners, homeowners, and renters in more than 40 locations across the country that have been hit by disasters. SBA’s disaster loan programs are a critical piece of the federal government’s overall response in the wake of disasters, and we are providing these loans more quickly and effectively than ever before.

As we approach the five-year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, it is important to look back and take note of the agency’s performance at that time. SBA was not prepared, nor fully equipped to effectively provide assistance in the wake of that disaster. But we’ve learned from our mistakes and, today, we have a much better disaster assistance program in place with increased staff, improved technology and training, and a streamlined loan process.

What does that mean in real terms?

  • It means we reduced the average processing time for disaster loans from over 70 days to just 10 days.
  • It means we created a way for disaster victims to apply online for loans, and now 30% of applicants choose to use this method.
  • It means we dramatically increased the capacity of our disaster loan processing centers (from 366 to 1,750 workstations) and our disaster credit management system (from 800 up to 10,000 users at the same time).
  • It means we increased the number of SBA disaster staff from 800 to 1,200. Additionally, we have more than 1,500 active reserve and 500 ready reserve on call when needed. And, it’s important to note that in our last annual survey, 83 percent of the active reservists and 63 percent of the ready reservists said they were available to be deployed with 48 hours notice.

The overhaul of the SBA disaster assistance program since Katrina has resulted in vast improvements that are helping us and our federal partners meet the needs of disaster victims more quickly than ever – helping people like Tommy and Maria DeLaune. Everyone at SBA remains committed to continuing to improve and strengthen this critical program. We know that it can – and is – making the difference in local communities across the country, helping families get back in their homes and helping businesses put employees back to work.

What You Need to Know About the Egg Recall

In recent weeks, an outbreak of Salmonella Enteritidis has sickened hundreds of people across the country and has led to a recall of shell eggs. FDA, CDC and state colleagues have worked hard to review reports of illness, to link these illnesses to eggs, and to trace these eggs to the farms involved.

We have had a team of investigators on two farms in Iowa investigating the problem, and ensuring that contaminated eggs are not shipped. The FDA is monitoring the recall, including conducting audit checks at retail stores, wholesalers, and distributors to make sure the recalled shell eggs are being removed from the market.

To avoid the possibility of foodborne illness, it’s always the case that consumers need to handle eggs safely. That means they need to keep them refrigerated, wash their hands before and after handling, and cook the yolk and egg white thoroughly. It’s also important to wash cooking utensils and food preparation surfaces after handling eggs.

Consumers should go to FoodSafety.gov to check for the list of recalled eggs and to get related egg safety information, including details on how to handle and prepare eggs safely.

Eggs tainted with salmonella look, smell, and taste normal. If you have any question as to whether the eggs in your refrigerator are among those that have been recalled, please either discard them or take them back to the store. Check foodsafety.gov for updates on the recall and tips on what you can do to reduce your risk of salmonella from eggs.

Protecting Medicare Benefits and Offering Clear Choices for Seniors

Cross-posted from HealthCare.gov

We’ve heard from seniors and other Medicare beneficiaries that sorting through the over 4,000 prescription drug plan choices, many of which offer similar benefits, can be a confusing and time-consuming process. Experts agree. That’s why seniors on Medicare, health policy researchers supported CMS’ efforts to make the Medicare Prescription Drug program less confusing by eliminating duplicative plans and making it easier for seniors to choose the plan that works for them.

Making Medicare Part D easier to use is one of our top priorities. A report for the Commonwealth Fund discussing seniors and the program found that “A significant majority of them reported that the benefit was too complicated, and some observers suggest that the complexity may have thwarted some beneficiaries from finding the plan that was best for them.”

Seniors shouldn’t have to wade through a mountain of paperwork to get their prescription drugs. So, this spring, as part of our continuing effort to make the Medicare prescription drug program easier to use, we let seniors know that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services would be ensuring that the choices available to them for coverage of prescription drugs would be meaningful and clear.

By phasing out duplicate and confusing drug plans, seniors and people with disabilities will have better choices available to them without any disruption in coverage. As a result of our continuing negotiations with part D plan sponsors we will reduce the number of duplicative plans by more than 700. But even after that, Medicare beneficiaries will still have 3,240 Part D drug plans to choose from.

And seniors enrolled in the Part D won’t spend a single day without coverage The change is seamless, and doesn’t require action by beneficiaries. Of course, if seniors want to change their plan, they can. All beneficiaries – including those enrolled in consolidated plans –can still evaluate all 2011 plan offerings to select the one that best suits their needs, as they’ve always been able to do. But now, these reforms will give beneficiaries more control over their health care.

It isn’t known at this time how many beneficiaries are enrolled in plans that are being consolidated, but we know that their benefits- and choices- will remain in place. These reforms provide more clarity for beneficiaries while keeping faith with the principle that if you like your plan, you can keep it.

These reforms are just one of the steps we are taking to improve Medicare. Through the Affordable Care Act we are making Medicare stronger and more secure. Before the new law passed, each year about a quarter of Medicare Part D beneficiaries hit the coverage gap known as the “donut hole”, where they would have to bear all the costs of their prescription drugs. That’s why this year, eligible beneficiaries who fall in the donut hole are receiving a one-time rebate check of $250 to help pay for their prescriptions. Next year, eligible beneficiaries who hit the coverage gap will receive a 50 percent discount on all covered brand-name prescription drugs. And we’ll continue to take steps each year to close the donut hole for all Medicare beneficiaries.

The Obama Administration is committed to ensuring that the benefits of Medicare are secure and that seniors gain more control and can more easily make choices that best meet their needs. We at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services will continue to keep seniors informed of their choices, and as always encourage people to call 1-800-MEDICARE with any questions.

Cutting Red Tape and Helping Communities Rebuild

Five years ago, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated communities across the Gulf Coast. Five years later, the communities are still working to recover and rebuild from the destruction and damage wrought by those storms. We know these efforts have been incredibly challenging and frustrating at times, but they have also been a powerful testament to the courage, hope and determination of the people of the Gulf Coast – and those across our country who helped.

The Obama Administration remains committed to supporting the people of the Gulf Coast in their ongoing efforts to rebuild stronger, vibrant communities. FEMA will continue to be a partner to the Gulf Coast region and support the ongoing work of our state and local partners, the private sector, and the numerous faith groups and non-profits throughout the region. We’re also continuing to work with our federal partners to build on the improvements that have been made in recent years, accelerate the recovery by cutting through red tape, and get money moving to important projects on the ground, from schools to police stations to hospitals to libraries and transportation systems. We know a lot of work still lies ahead.

We’ve also taken a number of steps under the leadership of President Obama and Secretary Napolitano to aggressively prepare for hurricanes and other natural disasters. By coordinating across all levels of government before a storm strikes, we can not only ensure a more robust federal response, but also give state and local officials access to the resources they need to help keep their community safe. We can’t control when a hurricane or other emergency strikes, but by working together, we can ensure we’re prepared.

We created a web site, Fema.gov/rebuildinglives, to provide updates on these recovery efforts and honor the work of the states, local governments, residents, volunteers and many others over the last five years. Recovering from a disaster the magnitude of Hurricane Katrina requires a team approach, and FEMA is only one part of the team, so this site provides only a snapshot of the overall work being done in the region. Katrina survivors and volunteers from around the country have been and continue to be the biggest contributors to the Gulf Coast’s recovery. Their impact simply cannot be measured, neither can the inspiration they have provided to all of us.

Please also take the time to visit Ready.gov to learn the few simple steps your family can take now so you are prepared before the next disaster strikes.

Keeping Taxes Low for the Middle Class and Small Businesses

Today the Vice President held a Middle Class Task Force roundtable discussion with workers and small business owners at Pete’s New Haven Style Apizza, a local restaurant that has benefitted from the small business provisions in the Recovery Act.

The discussion focused on tax policies—some already in place, others we’re fighting for—designed to help middle class families make ends meet and help small businesses invest and grow.

Vice President Biden, the Chair of the Middle Class Task Force, emphasized the importance of preserving tax cuts for the middle class - cuts that mean more than $2,000 per year for an average middle class family. He also stressed the need for Congress to pass legislation to give small businesses additional tax relief and access to capital so that they can continue to invest and create new jobs.

Soon after President Obama and Vice President Biden were sworn into office, our Administration took several steps to directly help middle class families and small businesses. Just to give you a few examples:

  • We cut taxes by up to $800 for 95% of working families (or more than 100 million households) through the Making Work Pay tax credit.
  • Through the American Opportunity Tax Credit (AOTC) we provided students and their families with a tax credit worth up to $2,500 for tuition and expenses each year. Those extra savings have already helped more than 8 million students pay for college. Among the folks at the table with the Vice President today were the parent of a current student who is benefiting from the AOTC and several parents saving for future college costs.
  • We have cut taxes eight times on the small businesses that are the key engine of American job creation.

The Vice President and the participants in the roundtable didn’t just talk about the past – they also talked about what we are trying to do now and how it is meeting some disappointing opposition.

At the end of this year the tax cuts that were put in place at the beginning of the last decade are scheduled to expire. We believe the middle class can't afford higher taxes in the midst of this recession and we want to extend the tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans.

Republicans in Congress are holding those efforts hostage by demanding that we also extend the tax cuts for the wealthiest two percent. These tax cuts would cost $700 billion; more than half of that money would go to give an average of $3 million each over the next 10 years to the 120,000 wealthiest households in America, which have an average income of more than $8 million a year. This is a tax cut that they don’t need, that we can’t afford and that won’t create jobs or economic growth.

Republicans are pretending that this defense of tax cuts for millionaires is about small businesses. Yet, only three percent of small businesses in America would be affected by the expiration of tax cuts for the wealthiest households. Further, they make this disingenuous argument while opposing deficit-neutral, bipartisan legislation before Congress that would once again cut taxes on small business investments, cut small business capital gains taxes to zero, and provide small businesses with better access to the credit they need to grow and expand.

There is never a good time for playing politics with the well-being of the middle class, but it is particularly unconscionable at a time when so many families are struggling in the aftermath of the Great Recession.

Republicans have chosen to go back to the same failed economic policies that exploded the deficit and lost millions of middle class Americans their jobs and their homes.

Our Administration has chosen to move forward by cutting taxes on middle class families and small businesses.

Five Years After Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, USDA Continues to Assist Gulf Residents

Devastation caused five years ago to the Gulf region by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita remains historic in proportion. It resulted in loss of life, families being displaced, homes and businesses destroyed, and communities left in ruins. In the midst of this great tragedy, USDA Rural Development lent their knowledge and time to assist in the immediate hours following the passing of the storms. It was a new, but critical role of supporting other Federal agencies in swiftly establishing 80 disaster recovery centers; assisting local residents and leaders as they faced unparalleled adversity.

In the early days of the recovery efforts, USDA Rural Development placed 10,343 evacuees in 3,552 available housing units in 45 states, provided over 22,000 families with temporary loan forbearance agreements on their mortgage payments, and received almost 11,000 calls for assistance from affected residents. Over the last five years, USDA Rural Development continued to stand beside Gulf Coast families and communities as they undertook the challenge of rebuilding their lives and local economies.

Today, we have great pride in how families and communities have regained their sense of dignity and hope, in many cases, because USDA Rural Development was there along the path to recovery. One example is Ms. Samantha Hills, a single mother of two daughters who spent the last five years living with relatives. Employed as a bus driver with St. Charles Parish Schools, and working part-time as manager with Burger King, Ms. Hill has utilized funding provided through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) to buy her own home. She is one of hundreds of Louisiana families that have utilized USDA Rural Development’s single-family housing programs to rebuild their lives. In fact, over the last two years, over 1,100 Louisiana families have been assisted through $165 million in ARRA funds for financing their home.

http://whitehouse-org.blogspot.com/When we look at the devastation caused by Katrina and Rita, or later with the Mid-West floods, or more recently the Gulf oil spill, we are reminded that both man-made and natural disasters frequently leave families and communities with a great sense of loss and the emotional and financial challenge of rebuilding their homes, businesses and communities. I am proud of the women and men of USDA Rural Development, who rolled up their sleeves to help in this rebuilding effort.

On the Road from Recovery to Revitalization

Five years ago, one of the most destructive natural disasters in our nation’s history hit the Gulf Coast. When they hit the coasts of Louisiana and Mississippi, Hurricanes Katrina and Rita took thousands of lives, displaced millions of residents, wiped out hundreds of square miles of coastal land, and inflicted major damage to nearly 300,000 homes.

A half-decade later, Gulf Coast residents are still trying to pick up the pieces. Since taking office in January 2009, the Obama Administration has been working hard to ensure residents are given the tools they need to recover from the hurricanes and rebuild their lives and communities. As a result, $2.43 billion in public assistance funds for recovery that had been stalled for years has been obligated since the beginning of the Administration, with President Obama’s Recovery Act providing billions more.

But the Obama Administration is committed to doing things differently in the Gulf – in two fundamental ways. First, we believe that government should stand with the residents of the Gulf Coast, not in their way. That means cutting through the red tape.

Secondly, we are not only helping the Gulf Coast recover from disaster – but working to revitalize the region and build it back better and stronger.

Since becoming HUD Secretary, I have had the privilege and experience of visiting the Gulf Coast region five times to see the challenges and progress for myself. From my first visit with Secretary Napolitano where we announced millions of dollars in funding to stimulate long term recovery, to volunteering with the St. Bernard Project to help rebuild the homes of two elderly families, it has been extremely important to see the progress we are making and the work that still lies ahead firsthand.

As I prepare to make my sixth trip this week on the 5th Anniversary of the storm, I wanted to share with you some of HUD’s accomplishments so far:

  • HUD’s work in the Obama Administration began with the Disaster Housing Assistance Program (DHAP). Shortly after President Obama’s inauguration, I discovered that thousands of families who received assistance through DHAP would see that assistance come to an end without having found permanent housing. Together with our partners in the Administration, we extended this assistance for an additional six months -- allowing displaced families more time to transition to self-sufficiency. By partnering with nearly 350 public housing agencies across the country, we were able to provide temporary housing to over 30,000 families displaced from their homes by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Today every DHAP family is accounted for – having already made the transition to permanent housing or well on their way to doing so.
  • HUD has also been able to assist displaced Gulf Coast residents through the Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing Program (HPRP) under President Obama’s Recovery Act. Under this program, states and communities received grants to help prevent homelessness and provide rapid re-housing assistance to those who are already homeless. Louisiana has received $13.5 billion in funding under HPRP, and Mississippi has received $13.3 billion.
  • We have also helped stabilize Gulf Coast communities suffering from foreclosures and abandonment. As part of the 2008 Housing and Economic Recovery Act, Mississippi received nearly $46.3 million under the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP), while Louisiana received $39 million, with an additional $29.7 million competitively awarded to the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority consortium. Indeed, with HUD strongly encouraging local non-profit organizations to help the city target their funds more effectively through technical assistance, Mayor Landrieu has made tremendous progress helping New Orleans cut through the red tape and ensure these funds are helping the neighborhoods that need it most.
  • We are also working to rebuild a stronger and more ethical housing authority in New Orleans. I recently appointed a new leadership team to the Housing Authority of New Orleans (HANO), led by David Gilmore. Bringing 40 years of public housing experience, Mr. Gilmore and his team are working to develop new affordable housing in New Orleans, fostering closer relationships with social service providers and expediting assistance to lower income families. At the same time, he is working to ensure that public housing is not only a place for families to find safe, affordable housing but also provides opportunities for those who live there – helping more than 800 New Orleans residents find work.

These accomplishments are just the beginning for a Gulf Coast region still struggling to regain its footing. But as long as we continue to cut through the red tape, listen to the voices of people on the ground and get help to families and neighborhoods that need it most, I have no doubt we will continue to produce results and help the families of the Gulf Coast move from recovery to revitalization.

An Increasingly Awkward Dance

Ever since the Recovery Act passed last February, Congressional Republicans who opposed this economic rescue plan have had to do an awkward dance around the truth. After all, when you declare from the beginning that the Recovery Act won’t create a single job, you’re going to be forced to do a little two-step around the facts as week after week leading economists, the nation’s governors, and even your own constituents say otherwise.

But yesterday, when Representative Boehner declared that “all this ‘stimulus’ spending has gotten us nowhere” on the same day the nonpartisan CBO said the program has created or saved as many as 3.3 million jobs nationwide and his own home state’s Department of Transportation said nearly 9,500 construction workers were on the job in July just on Ohio Recovery Act transportation projects alone… well, let’s just say that dance got a little more… awkward.

Now, Representative Boehner was one of the first to declare the Recovery Act dead on arrival - the day it was signed into law, he declared it would “do little to create jobs.” But as soon as June 2009, as funding for Recovery Act transportation projects began to flow into Ohio, he said those dollars would be used for – get this – “shovel-ready projects that will create much-needed jobs.” [Boehner.House.gov, 6/15/09]

And then when the nonpartisan CBO, Congress’s top watchdog and an institution widely respected on both sides of the aisle, began weighing in on the job impact of the Recovery Act, the dance got a little more complicated. Check out these quotes from Rep Boehner, followed by the facts:

AUGUST 2009: Maintains that stimulus hasn’t created any jobs: “You know, after the $1 trillion dollars stimulus bill that didn’t create any jobs.” [Hugh Hewitt Show, 8/29/09]

  • NOVEMBER 2009: The nonpartisan CBO announces the Recovery Act created or saved as many as 1.6 million jobs through September 2009. [CBO Report, 11/30/09]

JANUARY 2010: Says the stimulus “clearly hasn’t worked”: “Their trillion-dollar stimulus plan from a year ago clearly has not worked.” [NPR, 1/27/10]

  • FEBRUARY 2010: The nonpartisan CBO announces the Recovery Act has created or saved as many as 2.1 million jobs nationwide through December 2009. [CBO Report, 2/23/10]

MAY 2010: Still asking where the jobs are: “Where are the jobs?” [Boehner Statement, 5/7/10

  • MAY 2010: The nonpartisan CBO says the Recovery Act created or saved as many as 2.8 million jobs through March 2010. [CBO Report, 5/25/10]

And then, of course, yesterday was the most difficult dance step of all: on the very same day that he declares in a major speech that the Recovery Act has “gotten us nowhere,” first,the nonpartisan CBO announces the Recovery Act has created as many as 3.3 million jobs nationwide and lowered the unemployment rate by as much as 1.8 percent through March of this year [CBO Report, 8/24/10], and then the Ohio Department of Transportation announces that nearly 9,500 construction workers were on the job on Ohio Recovery Act transportation projects in July, the highest monthly total since it began. [Columbus Dispatch, 8/24/10]

I suspect those nearly 9,500 Ohio construction workers and 3.3 million Americans at work thanks to the Recovery act would disagree with Rep. Boehner’s statement that the Recovery Act has “gotten us nowhere.”

And then to make his dance even more complicated, leading economist Mark Zandi said today that the Congressman from Ohio was “just wrong” that the Recovery Act has “gotten us nowhere:”

Asked about Rep. Boehner’s claim that “all of this ‘stimulus’ spending has gotten us nowhere,” Mark Zandi, chief economist of Moody’s Analytics said “that is just wrong, the stimulus has been very helpful.” [Monitor Breakfast, 8/25/10]

And let’s keep in mind who we are talking about here. This is the same Republican leader that actually said he wanted all of those people to lose their jobs earlier this month when he called for stopping the Recovery Act – a claim that got him in some hot water with independent fact-checkers who rated his rhetoric flat-out false.

The true facts of the case are that this economy has undergone a major turnaround from the very deep recession that greeted President Obama when he took office, and the Recovery Act has been a major factor in that reversal. Yes, we’ve still got a long way to go, but we’re moving in the right direction.

While it’s bad enough that Rep Boehner refuses to accept these facts, what’s worse is that he and his Republican colleagues have only one solution: a return to the same Bush economic policies that got us into this mess. As the head of their campaign committee, Rep. Pete Sessions, said, if they take control of Congress, they will go back to “the exact same agenda” they were pushing before President Obama took office.

Mr. Boehner and his colleagues may well be the only Americans nostalgic for the economic policies of the Bush era. But we can’t go backwards. We need to recognize the positive impact of the Recovery Act and build on the momentum we’ve established.

Hurricane Katrina: Five Years of Remembering & Rebuilding

This weekend marks the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and provides an opportunity to remember what was lost, celebrate what has been regained, and restate our commitment to the Gulf region and to all those still working to rebuild lives and communities. The Obama Administration remains deeply committed to serving the needs of Gulf Coast residents. Since taking office, President Obama has made it clear that he will stand with the people in Gulf through this restoration process and on Sunday, the President and several members of the Cabinet will travel to New Orleans as a continued demonstration of that support (you can watch the event live on Sunday).

The storm and its tragic aftermath took more than a thousand lives, displaced more than a million residents, inflicted major damage to nearly 300,000 homes, and wiped out hundreds of square miles of coastal land. Since the hurricanes hit, the people of the Gulf Coast have never stopped working to rebuild their communities, but their resilience and determination were sometimes challenged by unnecessary bureaucratic obstacles. Since taking office, the Administration has eliminated bureaucratic red tape that has delayed assistance, including obligating nearly $2.42 billion in Public Assistance funds for recovery in Louisiana and Mississippi that had been stalled for years, and supported the Federal agencies and state and local partners who continue to provide assistance to the region. President Obama has also worked to improve disaster preparedness, response, and recovery nationwide, so that the Gulf Coast and all other regions of the country will be more resilient and better prepared in the face of future disasters.

By continuing to support local restoration efforts, provide assistance to businesses, schools and residents, and prepare for future events, the Administration’s efforts have been improving the functioning of government so that it works for all people. Government agencies have worked together in a collaborative manner to strengthen Federal emergency programs; enhance emergency communications; improve disaster housing; and work with state and local governments, community stakeholders, and individuals, to improve preparedness and capacity for long-term recovery from disasters.

In the five years since the storm, families have returned to area, houses have gone up, schools have reopened, and businesses have been rebuilt. But there is more work to do – and this Administration is committed to working with the people of the Gulf region to get the job done. This week, we will be featuring a series of blog posts on WhiteHouse.gov from government agencies that have been working with local communities to restore the region.

For more information about ongoing activities, read the fact sheet on Gulf Coast hurricane recovery and nationwide disaster preparedness and response efforts.

Read more posts from the Hurricane Katrina: 5 Years of Remembering & Rebuilding series: