Leading the Military toward a More Secure Energy Future

Posted by White House

October 13^th is the 235^th Anniversary of the founding of the United States Navy. So it was incredibly appropriate that today I had the opportunity to speak at two events focused on our military’s energy policy, because how the Navy and Marine Corps have harnessed energy has shaped our history since the birth of the Republic. And how energy is used and produced in the United States will continue to affect both our national security, and the strategic and tactical capabilities of our forces, long into the future.

The military and the United States depend too much on fossil fuels. But over the last two years the Department of the Navy has made significant strides to change that, and is moving toward the President’s vision of a new energy future powered by alternative energy. The reasons for making this change are clear. First and foremost, energy reform is about the lives of our troops. For every 24 fuel convoys that go into Afghanistan, we lose one American, killed or wounded. That is too high a price to pay for energy.

We also saw the consequences of our dependence on fossil fuels when the BP Deepwater Horizon drilling rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico this past April. The subsequent spill not only released a torrent of oil into the Gulf, but also began a chain reaction of events that dramatically affected the livelihoods of millions of Americans living along the coast. For months, I saw those impacts first-hand, as I worked on behalf of the President to create a plan that would allow for long-term ecosystem, health, and economic recovery on the Gulf Coast.

And we’ve seen that energy security is not just an American issue. Just two days ago, I returned from a trip to Europe, and what was continually reinforced to me was that energy, or more appropriately denial of energy, can be used as a weapon – one just as effective as tanks and airplanes.

Over the past year, the Navy and Marine Corps have worked towards ambitious goals, reducing our fossil fuel usage and investing in energy research and new projects so that by 2020, half of all the energy we use – afloat and ashore – will come from alternative sources.

In support of those goals, today Administrator Karen Mills of the Small Business Administration and I signed a memorandum of understanding to provide contract opportunities for small businesses on sustainable energy programs, pilots, and initiatives. This agreement was accompanied by the launch of the SECNAV Green Biz Ops website, which is designed to be the single Department of the Navy source for listing alternative energy products and services, energy conservation projects, and energy technologies.

Through these initiatives, and through continued development and testing of biofuels and other alternative energies, the Navy and Marine Corps will continue to lead the military towards a better and more secure energy future. Godspeed.

Ray Mabus is the Secretary of the Navy

Hurricane Katrina: The Work Continues

Posted by White House

Over the past week, we’ve been remembering the tragedy of Hurricane Katrina, highlighting the progress made, and restating the Administration’s commitment to the region. This past weekend, several members of the Cabinet, the First Lady and President Obama traveled to the Gulf Coast, where the President spoke about the stories of communities and families working to restore what was lost.

Watch the video:

Throughout our Hurricane Katrina: 5 Years of Remembering & Rebuilding series, we heard stories of dedication and restoration from across the federal government. Here are just a few examples of the Administration’s continued support for the individuals, families and communities who were affected:

• The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) provided more permanent housing to over 30,000 families stuck in disaster housing, made grants to help prevent homelessness, and helped stabilize Gulf Coast communities suffering from foreclosures and abandonment. Read the full post: On the Road from Recovery to Revitalization by Secretary Shaun Donovan.
• Over the last several years, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has taken a number of steps to eliminate red tape and bureaucracy, expand the agency’s support for local projects, and aggressively prepare for future hurricanes and other natural disasters. Read the full post: Cutting Red Tape and Helping Communities Rebuild by Administrator Craig Fugate.
• The Small Business Administration (SBA) has been working hard to overhaul its disaster assistance program and has succeeded in reducing the average processing time for loans, creating new ways for disaster victims to apply for loans, and increasing the capacity of loan processing centers and total disaster response staff. Read the full post: SBA Disaster Assistance: Then and Now by Administrator Karen Mills.
• Lisa Jackson, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), discussed her experiences growing up in New Orleans and her efforts to safeguard the region’s natural resources. Under her leadership, one of EPA’s priorities is the protection of our nation’s vulnerable wetlands and coastal communities. Read the full post: Restoring the Gulf's Priceless Natural Resources by Administrator Lisa Jackson.
• Since Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has been dedicated to rebuilding and strengthening the Gulf’s health care infrastructure, including support for the network of community health centers, providing funding for medical services and mental health programs, and encouraging primary care providers to work in underserved areas. Read the full post: Strengthening the Gulf's Health Care Infrastructure for Generations to Come by Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.
• The Department of Labor continues to invest in the region’s residents by funding training and education programs, and preparing workers for in-demand careers in high-growth industries. Because of these efforts, individuals and families are working to rebuild their communities and their livelihoods. Read the full post: Lost and Found: Preparing Workers for New Careers by Secretary Hilda Solis.
• The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has provided funding for new schools and universities, fire houses, police stations, and critical infrastructure, and continues to improve the country’s ability to prepare for, respond to, and recover from major disasters of all kinds. Read the full post: Improving America's Disaster Response by Secretary Janet Napolitano.
• Since Hurricane Katrina, the Department of Education has provided nearly $2 billion for Gulf Coast schools, helping schools re-open after the hurricanes, and supporting schools that enrolled displaced students. Read the full post: Helping New Orleans Rebuild Its Schools by Secretary Arne Duncan.
• The Department of Transportation’s ongoing work has been crucial in rebuilding the region and includes repairing and expanding highways, creating new public transit options, and restoring the shipping capabilities of the Mississippi River and its port communities. Read the full post: Five Years Later, Our Commitment Continues by Secretary Ray LaHood.
• Through the Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development office, work continues with local families to help them regain their sense of dignity and hope, including supporting hundreds of Louisiana families through single-family housing programs. In the last two years alone, over 1,100 Louisiana families have been assisted through $165 million in American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds for financing their home. Read the full post: Five Years After Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, USDA Continues to Assist Gulf Residents by Under Secretary Dallas Tonsager.

Despite these great efforts, there is still more work to be done. The Administration is committed to continuing our support for the Gulf Coast and the community of dedicated residents that are working together to restore the city. As the President said this weekend:

“And together, we are helping to make New Orleans a place that stands for what we can do in America -- not just for what we can’t do. Ultimately, that must be the legacy of Katrina: not one of neglect, but of action; not one of indifference, but of empathy; not of abandonment, but of a community working together to meet shared challenges.”

At the Indiana State Fair: Farmers, The First Entrepreneurs

Posted by White House

Ed. Note: Building on the President’s commitment to address issues important to rural Americans, Administration officials are visiting state fairs all summer. See a map of where we've been so far, and hear from SBA Deputy Administrator Johns about her recent visit to the Indian State Fair:

Having grown up in Indiana, I know firsthand that there is much debate over what a “Hoosier” is, but I can tell you for certain that there were many at the Indiana State Fair. From the young 4-H and FFA participants that I met at a pancake breakfast, to the small businesses selling their products, and the family farmers displaying their livestock, Hoosiers represent the diversity and growth of the small business community.

America’s farmers, like all small businesses, drive our economy. They are key parts of our heritage and our identity as Americans. And just as the FFA seeks to develop the next generation of leaders in agriculture, at the Small Business Administration (SBA) we’re working to create the next generation of entrepreneurs. At the 4-H breakfast I was privileged to speak with young women who are budding entrepreneurs. The leadership skills they’re developing through 4-H and FFA will be invaluable to them as they look to capitalize on their experiences and knowledge down the road.

There are about 6.5 million women-owned businesses in America. They’re one of the fastest growing segments of our economy. The SBA is committed to helping women create and grow businesses, like the ones I met at the Indiana State Fair and at a roundtable with Congressman Carson that afternoon. Through the SBA’s network of more than 14,000 affiliated resource partners, including 110 Women’s Business Centers (WBCs), SBA can help these young women turn their entrepreneurial dreams into reality.

At the Fair, we discussed that farming has much in common with what it takes to run other small businesses. That’s why the SBA’s Women’s Business Centers are great places to get advice and assistance to turn a business plan from good to great. Last year, the WBCs counseled and trained more than 150,000 women entrepreneurs and small business owners. Indiana’s future farmers and small business owners are working hard to be the next generation of entrepreneurs. The SBA is here to help them invest in success, create jobs, and drive the economy forward.

President to Congress: Put Small Business Assistance to a Vote

Posted by White House

This afternoon, President Obama called on a partisan minority in Congress to stop blocking legislation that would make loans more available and cut taxes for small businesses. In his remarks on the South Driveway, the President said this legislation “makes sense, and normally we would expect Democrats and Republicans to join together.”

I have been adamant about this because small businesses are the backbone of our economy. They create two out of every three new jobs in this country. And while a lot of big businesses and big banks have started recovering from this recession, small businesses and community banks that loan to small businesses have been lagging behind. They need help. And if we want this economy to create more jobs more quickly, we need to help them.

A report yesterday from the Labor Department underscores why this is so critical. In the final few months of last year, small businesses with fewer than 50 employees accounted for more than 60 percent of the job losses in America -- more than 60 percent. These are the businesses that usually create most of the jobs in this country. And this report, combined with this morning’s news that unemployment claims rose again, compels us to act. It compels us to stand with the small businessmen and women who are trying to grow their companies and make payroll and hire new workers.

The jobs bill that is stalled in Congress would completely eliminate taxes on key investments in small businesses. It would allow small business owners to write off more expenses. And it would make it easier for community banks to do more lending to small businesses, while allowing small firms to take out larger SBA loans with fewer fees, which countless entrepreneurs have told me would make a big difference in their companies. I’d also like to point out this legislation is fully paid for and will not add one single dime to our deficit.

The President called on Congress to stop playing politics with such an important measure:

So let me just make this simple point. There will be plenty of time between now and November to play politics. But the small business owners I met with this week, the ones that I’ve met with across the country this year, they don’t have time for political games. They’re not interested in what’s best for a political party. They’re interested in what’s best for the country.

When Congress reconvenes, this jobs bill will be the first business out of the gate. And the Senate Republican leadership needs to stop its efforts to block it. Let’s put aside the partisanship for awhile and work together for small businesses, for employees, and the communities that depend on them across this great country.