EPA Go Green September Newsletter

September 2nd, 2010

GO GREEN! SEPTEMBER 2010
EPA GO GREEN NEWSLETTER

ENVIRO-TIP OF THE MONTH

Prepare for emergencies. Find out what you can do to reduce risks from environmental hazards before, during, and after if a natural disaster strikes. September is National Preparedness Month and also the peak of hurricane activity.
http://www.epa.gov/naturalevents

WHAT YOU CAN DO, WHAT YOU CAN USE

Share your thoughts online! There are several new opportunities how you can let us know what you think and discuss with others online:

-Comment on a draft strategy to protect our nation’s lakes, streams and coastal waters.
http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress.nsf/names/hq_2010-8-20_Draft_Water_Strategy

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Environment | No Comments »

President Obama Speech Ending Iraq War Oval Office Full Text

August 31st, 2010

Good evening. Tonight, I’d like to talk to you about the end of our combat mission in Iraq, the ongoing security challenges we face, and the need to rebuild our nation here at home.I know this historic moment comes at a time of great uncertainty for many Americans. We have now been through nearly a decade of war. We have endured a long and painful recession. And sometimes in the midst of these storms, the future that we are trying to build for our nation - a future of lasting peace and long-term prosperity may seem beyond our reach.

But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that the future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our leadership in this young century.

From this desk, seven and a half years ago, President Bush announced the beginning of military operations in Iraq. Much has changed since that night. A war to disarm a state became a fight against an insurgency. Terrorism and sectarian warfare threatened to tear Iraq apart. Thousands of Americans gave their lives; tens of thousands have been wounded. Our relations abroad were strained. Our unity at home was tested.

These are the rough waters encountered during the course of one of America’s longest wars. Yet there has been one constant amidst those shifting tides. At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve. As Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of their service. Like all Americans, I am awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Foreign Policy, National Security, Speeches | No Comments »

President Obama Iraq Speech Excerpts

August 31st, 2010

Excerpts from President Barack Obama’s Address to the Nation on the End of Combat Operations in Iraq

“But this milestone should serve as a reminder to all Americans that our future is ours to shape if we move forward with confidence and commitment. It should also serve as a message to the world that the United States of America intends to sustain and strengthen our leadership in this young century.”

***

“At every turn, America’s men and women in uniform have served with courage and resolve. As Commander-in-Chief, I am proud of their service. Like all Americans, I am awed by their sacrifice, and by the sacrifices of their families.”

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Foreign Policy, National Security, Speeches | No Comments »

Jonathan Alter Obama Newsweek Cover

August 31st, 2010
This Says It All.
Newsweek Cover
Newsweek Cover

Posted in News | No Comments »

President Obama Thanks Fort Bliss Troops Full Text Speech

August 31st, 2010

Hello, everybody. (Applause.) Everybody have a seat. Well, listen, I am extraordinarily honored to be with all of you today, and I want to thank General Pittard, I want to thank Command Sergeant Major Dave Davenport, who have shown such extraordinary leadership here.I wanted to come down to Fort Bliss mainly to say thank you and to say welcome home.

I’m going to make a speech to the nation tonight. It’s not going to be a victory lap. It’s not going to be self-congratulatory. There’s still a lot of work that we’ve got to do to make sure that Iraq is an effective partner with us. But the fact of the matter is that because of the extraordinary service that all of you have done, and so many people here at Fort Bliss have done, Iraq has an opportunity to create a better future for itself, and America is more secure.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in National Security, Speeches | No Comments »

President Obama Oval Office Remodel Photos Pictures

August 31st, 2010
Reuters Photo

Reuters Photo

More Photos

Following are highlights of the redo, as enumerated in a White House statement:

_ New and reupholstered furniture, new paint and wallpaper.
_ New rug produced and donated by a Michigan-based business and paid for by the non-profit White House Historical Association through a contribution from the Presidential Inaugural Committee. (This fund is being used to pay for the design costs of numerous rooms at the White House including the Oval Office, Yellow Oval Room, Center Hall and West Sitting Hall.)
_ The existing furniture in the Oval Office will remain the property of the White House and will be placed in a storage facility.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Misc | No Comments »

Obama Speech Xavier University New Orleans Katrina Anniversary Full Text

August 29th, 2010

President Obama spoke at Xavier University in New Orleans on the 5th Anniversary of Katrina.

Introducer

Jade Young is a 1st year pharmacy student at Xavier. A New Orleans native, Jade is the reigning “Miss Xavier” for the 2010-2011 academic year. She was attending Benjamin Franklin High School when Hurricane Katrina hit. She left New Orleans two days before the storm hit and temporarily evacuated with her family to Mississippi, returning 5 months later.

Anthem

Joshua Cooper is currently a junior at Xavier. He is majoring in Music.

Invocation

Father Giles Conwill is the Director of Campus Ministry at Xavier University.

Pledge of Allegiance

Chavis Goode is a current junior majoring in Business and Finance. He is from Newark, NJ and is a member of the ARMY ROTC

 

President’s Remarks:

 

It’s great to be back in New Orleans, and an honor to be back at Xavier University. I’m inspired to spend time with folks who have demonstrated what it means to persevere in the face of tragedy - and rebuild in the face of ruin. Thank you, Jade, for your introduction - and congratulations on being crowned Miss Xavier.

As Jade said, she was a junior at Ben Franklin High School five years ago when the storm came. After Katrina, Ben Franklin High was terribly damaged by wind and water. Millions of dollars were needed to rebuild the school. Many feared it would take years to reopen - if it could reopen at all. But then something remarkable happened. Parents and teachers, students and volunteers got to work making repairs. Donations came in from across New Orleans and around the world. And soon, silent, darkened corridors were bright and filled with the sounds of young men and women, including Jade, heading to class again. Jade then committed to Xavier, a University that likewise refused to succumb to despair. So Jade, like so many students here, embodies hope - and that sense of hope in difficult times is what I came to talk about today.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Speeches | No Comments »

Presidential Proclamation Women’s Equality Day Full Text

August 26th, 2010

 Ninety years ago, on August 26, 1920, the ratification of the 19th Amendment to our Constitution was completed, guaranteeing women the right to vote, renewing our commitment to equality and justice, and marking a turning point in our Nation’s history. As 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.

In a letter to John Adams, who was then serving as a delegate to the First Continental Congress, Abigail Adams once implored her husband to “remember the ladies” in the “new code of laws” of our fledgling country. It has taken the collective efforts of daring and tenacious women over many generations to realize the principles and freedoms enshrined in our Constitution. Standing on the shoulders of these trailblazers, we pay tribute to the brave women who dot the pages of our history books, and to those who have quietly broken barriers in our workplaces, communities, and society.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Civil Rights | No Comments »

Miss USA Universe Costume Is Tribute To Obama Peace Initiatives Youtube

August 23rd, 2010

Although Miss USA did not win tonight’s Miss Universe pageant, her costume will be the talk of the airwaves tomorrow as she took the opportunity to send the President a special peace message. Rima Fakih wore the gold eagle costume during the opening ceremonies, as a “symbol of peace” in recognition of all that the President has done to try to bring peace to the world.

Posted in Misc | No Comments »

Hillary Clinton Remarks Pakistan Flood US Aid

August 20th, 2010

Good afternoon, Secretary General Ban, President Treki. I listened with great interest and concern as Foreign Minister Qureshi detailed with somber eloquence and painful specificity what the people and Government of Pakistan are facing today.

We are here at the request of the Government of Pakistan to help them respond to the worst natural disaster in their history. As Foreign Minister Qureshi pointed out, the flooding which has affected more than 20 million Pakistanis, more than the population of New York State is so enormous that it is almost hard to fathom and the rain continues to fall. So the extent of the devastation is difficult to gauge. This flooding has already affected more people than the Indian Ocean tsunami, the Haiti earthquake, and the 2005 Pakistan earthquake combined. And as we meet, we fear that a new wave of water may be about to sweep through areas that have already been devastated and reach to those yet untouched.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who lost loved ones, who have been displaced from their homes, left without food and water. The United States has and continues to take swift action to help. And on behalf of President Obama and the American people, I want to state our resolve to help Pakistan meet the immediacy of this crisis and then to recover from it. I want the people of Pakistan to know that the United States will stand with you during this crisis. We will be with you as rivers rise and fall. We will be with you as you replant your fields and repair your roads. We will be with you as you meet the long-term challenges to build a stronger nation and a better future.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Administration, Foreign Policy | No Comments »

« Previous Entries