Obama Daily News Digest

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Attorney General Eric Holder on Tuesday defended plans to prosecute some terrorism suspects in traditional criminal courts, urging lawmakers to avoid politicizing the decision and inflaming public fears.

TRENTON, New Jersey (Reuters) - New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Tuesday outlined plans to close a budget gap that he described as a “grand canyon” by slashing spending on pensions, schools and cities, while amending the constitution to cap future increases.

Today the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released the National Broadband Plan, called for in the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to identify ways to expand access to broadband and promote economic growth and job creation.

In his statement on the plan’s release, President Obama committed to “build upon our efforts over the past year to make America's nationwide broadband infrastructure the world’s most powerful platform for economic growth and prosperity.” To that end, I’ve established a Broadband Subcommittee of the National Science and Technology Council’s Committee on Technology, co-chaired by Larry Strickling, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information at the Department of Commerce, and Scott Blake Harris, General Counsel at the Department of Energy. This interagency group will focus closely on the plan by the FCC—an independent agency—and advise the Administration on actions it can take to promote broadband as a platform to improve the lives of everyday Americans and drive innovation in the economy.

The Obama Administration is committed to continuing to build upon the nearly $2 billion already committed by the Commerce and Agriculture Departments to deliver broadband to unserved and underserved communities, stimulate job creation, and foster long-term economic growth. It has also undertaken initiatives to bring the efficiencies and innovations of broadband to many sectors of the economy. These initiatives include the Department of Health and Human Services’ commitment to facilitating the movement of healthcare information safely and securely from where it is collected to where it is needed in order to reduce costs and improve patient care; the Department of Energy’s investment of more than $11 billion in Recovery Act funds to use Internet-like technologies to modernize our electricity transmission system with an interactive “Smart Grid”; the Department of Homeland Security’s work to integrate broadband and next-generation technologies into the National Emergency Communications Plan, which will extend the developing advanced-information technology ecosystem to include emergency response; and the collaboration across all Departments and agencies throughout the Administration to ensure that new broadband platforms and the services that travel over them are secure.

The Administration will continue to engage the public on this issue, as Secretary Arne Duncan did last week when he called for public input on the draft National Education Technology Plan, which articulates a bold vision of a world-class education environment powered by technology that relies on broadband access both in and out of school. The Administration also continues to implement its Open Government Directive, which is seeking public input on how each Federal agency should achieve greater transparency, participation, and collaboration, in part by taking fuller advantage of the capabilities of broadband.

Thank you, Chairman Genachowski, the Commissioners, Executive Director Blair Levin, and the FCC staff for your tireless work and your dedication to the broadband future of the country.

Aneesh Chopra is U.S. Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Technology in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy

On the morning of Friday, March 19, 2010, as we draw even closer to health reform putting Americans in charge of their health care, President Obama will speak on the urgent need for reform in Fairfax, Virginia at George Mason University’s Patriot Center – get directions here. Doors open at 9:00AM EDT and the event kicks off at 11:30AM.

There are no tickets needed for this event, just show up – but if you are in the area and on Facebook by all means rsvp to our Facebook event. 

Just as a heads up, no signs or banners are permitted, and those who come are encouraged to limit personal items and not bring bags or purses

In the meantime, here's a video from his last health reform event:

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The pace of Iran’s nuclear weapons development appears to have slowed, buying time for a new round of sanctions now and possibly more sweeping measures further down the road, U.S. officials said on Tuesday.

It seems at first a simple graph; a few skinny bars reaching various heights along a non-descript x-axis.  By most accounts it is a simple depiction I suppose—a graph in this instance showing the number of pallets of relief aid that flowed across beaches the Navy created in response to the earthquake in Haiti.

I, however, see something completely different when I look at that sparse graphic in the corner of the powerpoint slide I have my staff produce everyday.  I look at the tiny measure of “three” on 18 January, and remember Captain Fred Wilhelm’s even and intent voice on the phone as he told me of the horror he and his GUNSTON HALL crew had encountered when they first went ashore in Killick, Haiti.  The vastness of the medical emergencies and the devastation at what used to be a functioning Haitian Coast Guard base—turned into what he described as the “site of a plane crash”.  I remember the urgency with which he dispatched his boat back to his ship to bring medical personnel and supplies—three pallets worth—including, though not specifically authorized, lots and lots of painkilling medicine to help the horribly injured.  In that tiny measure of “three” I see a Commanding Officer making tough gut calls balancing policy and regulation against the immediate and dire compulsion of people in need; I see hurried but professional Navy medical personnel attending to people strewn about, too weak and injured to move, some already gone and sadly but necessarily passed by.  I see young Sailors intently hand-over-handing boxes of medical supplies getting relief to those laying on the ground, too focused then to realize the images they were seeing that day would likely be with them the rest of their lives.  I see other Sailors resolutely carrying other injured Haitians to that section of spare grass reserved for those who would not be in need of the helicopters hovering overhead, those who were to be compassionately administered a final dose of morphine to relieve their suffering during their last moments on earth.  All this I see in that sad measure of “three”—the first pallets of relief delivered ashore into the vastness of devastation by the BATAAN Amphibious Relief Mission encountered in Haiti.

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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States on Tuesday reassured Israel the two countries enjoy an “unshakeable bond” but maintained pressure for renewed Israeli commitment to peace talks with the Palestinians.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The new financial reform bill introduced in the Senate will likely be approved at the committee level next week, but its shape could change substantially once it comes before the full Senate and winning Republican support comes into play, analysts said on Tuesday.

Moments ago the President issued a statement on the National Broadband Plan just released by the Federal Communications Commission:

America today is on the verge of a broadband-driven Internet era that will unleash innovation, create new jobs and industries, provide consumers with new powerful sources of information, enhance American safety and security, and connect communities in ways that strengthen our democracy.  Just as past generations of Americans met the great infrastructure challenges of the day, such as building the Transcontinental railroad and the Interstate highways, so too must we harness the potential of the Internet.  Expanding broadband across the nation will build a foundation of sustained economic growth and the widely shared prosperity we all seek.

I commend Chairman Julius Genachowski, the Commissioners, and the FCC staff for their hard work in developing the National Broadband Plan. 

My Administration will build upon our efforts over the past year to make America's nationwide broadband infrastructure the world’s most powerful platform for economic growth and prosperity, including improving access to mobile broadband, maximizing technology innovation, and supporting a nationwide, interoperable public safety wireless broadband network. 

FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski has a post up on the broadband blog laying out the basics — or if you prefer, here he is in video form:

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Earlier this morning, the First Lady spoke about her Let’s Move campaign to take action on childhood obesity at a Grocery Manufacturer’s Association Conference. She urged the manufacturers to join the effort to promote healthy eating habits by rethinking the kinds of products they offer, providing parents clear information about the products, and marketing healthier foods to children.

The First Lady called for clear, consistent labels on the products to help parents make good food decisions. “Folks just don’t have the time to line products up side by side and figure out whether these compare or not.  And they shouldn’t have to.  Parents shouldn’t need a magnifying glass and a calculator to make healthy choices for their kids,” she said.

She also asked them to rethink their marketing strategies targeted towards children, because the majority of commercials and ads promote unhealthy, fattening foods. She emphasized that it would not be enough to limit ads, but they would also need to take a strong effort to begin marketing healthy foods.

The First Lady explained that the government is taking similar steps by providing fresher, healthier food choices in all federal government workplaces.

“Today, with the issue of childhood obesity, we all face a similar opportunity.  And you face it not just as food industry leaders, but you face it as parents who love your kids and as citizens who love this nation.  And in the end, I am hopeful that you will choose to make the changes that we need not just because they’re good for your company, but because they’re good for our country. I know that you’ll do these things not just to fulfill your obligation to shareholders, but also because you have a sense of obligation to our children — because the truth is, all of us are paying the cost of childhood obesity.  But the truth is also that we all will gain from addressing it once and for all.”

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