Tag Archives: Barbara Boxer

CONGRESS


The Senate's side of the Capitol Building in DC.

The Senate’s side of the Capitol Building in DC. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

  • The Senate stands in adjournment until 10:00am on Tuesday, May 14, 2013.
  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 11:00am with the Majority controlling the first half and the Republicans controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act with the time until noon equally divided and controlled between Senators Boxer and Vitter or their designees.
  • At noon, there will be a cloture vote on S.601, WRDA. The managers of the bill continue to work on a finite list of amendments; Senators will be notified if an agreement is reached.
  • The Senate will recess from 12:30pm until 2:15pm to allow for the weekly caucus meetings.

As a reminder, the filing deadline for second degree amendments to S.601, Water Resources Development Act, is 11:15am today. Please send a signed copy of any germane second degree amendments to the cloakroom prior to the deadline so that we may file it at the desk for you. If you have already filed, there is no need to re-file.

The managers of the bill continue to negotiate an agreement to complete action on the WRDA bill. Last night we hotlined a list of amendments that could either be agreed to or would require a vote. We believe we are close to being able to lock in an agreement to limit amendments and vitiate cloture, but, as always, that takes consent and we’re not quite there yet. Another message will be sent if and when an agreement is reached.

If no agreement can be reached, at approximately 12:00 noon the Senate will proceed to a roll call vote on the motion to invoke cloture on S.601, WRDA.

In an effort to give the managers additional time to work on an agreement to limit amendments to S.601, the cloture vote has been postponed and will now occur at 2:30pm.

If we are unable to reach an agreement, we will proceed to the cloture vote at 2:30pm. If cloture is invoked, it will be considered as having been invoked at 12:00 noon.

It appears that we are very close reaching an agreement on a finite list of amendments to S.601, WRDA. We are currently in a quorum call to finalize the details. If we are able to reach an agreement, cloture would be vitiated and we could see some votes on amendments in the 5:30pm range tonight. Again, if no deal is reached, we would proceed with the cloture vote.

The following amendments are pending to S.601, the Water Resources Development Act:

The following amendments have been considered to S.601:

Senator Boxer asked consent to consider a finite list of amendments including Johnson (SD) #891 (flood insurance) and Landrieu #888 (flood insurance). Senator Toomey reserved his right to object and stated his opposition to Landrieu’s amendment #888 and objected to the request.

After some debate between Senators Landrieu and Toomey, Senator Boxer asked the same consent without the Landrieu and Johnson (SD) amendments.

Senator Rubio reserved his right to object and asked that the Rubio amendment #892 (IRS) be in order. Senator Boxer reminded the Senate that this is a water resources bill and did not agree to include the Rubio amendment in the agreement. Senator Rubio did not object to the overall agreement on the WRDA bill and the request was agreed to.

As a result of this agreement, we will not have a cloture vote on the bill. We expect a series of 2 votes beginning at 5:00pm tonight. Most likely candidates for roll call votes tonight are Barrasso #868 and Sanders #889. Inhofe #797 will likely be a voice vote. We expect to resume voting in relation to the remaining amendments and passage at a time to be determined tomorrow.

The following amendments will be considered and agreed to, en bloc:

-          Baucus #847;

-          Boxer-Vitter #899, as modified;

-          Inhofe #895;

-          Wicker #894;

-          Inhofe #867;

-          Boozman #872;

-          Thune #912;

-          Cornyn #880;

-          Murkowski #904;

-          Klobuchar #884;

-          Wyden #870, as modified;

-          Cochran #911, as modified;

-          Carper #882;

-          Murkowski #903, as modified;

-          Durbin #906, as modified;

-          Levin #893;

-          Collins #898;

-          Cardin #861, as modified;

-          Brown-Graham #907; and

-          Wyden #896.

Further, that the only remaining amendments in order to the bill be the following:

-          Inhofe #797;

-          Barrasso #868 (60 affirmative vote threshold);;

-          Sanders #889 (60 affirmative vote threshold);

-          Coburn #815;

-          Coburn #816;

-          Merkley #866;

-          Udall(NM) #853;

-          Hoeven #909; and

-          Boozeman #822

No second degree amendments are in order to any of the amendments prior to votes in relation to the amendments. The time until 5:00pm will be equally divided between the two Leaders, or designees, for debate on the amendments. At 5:00pm, the Senate will proceed to vote in relation to the amendments in the order listed. All after the first vote will be ten minute votes. There will be two minutes equally divided prior to each vote. The following amendments are subject to a 60 affirmative vote threshold:  Sanders #889; Barrasso #868.

Finally, upon disposition of the Hoeven amendment #909, the cloture motion be withdrawn and the Senate proceed to vote on passage of S.601, as amended.

At 5pm today, the Senate will vote in relation to the Barrasso amendment #868 (water rights) and Sanders #889 (restoration of certain properties impacted by natural disasters). Both amendments are subject to 60-affirmative vote threshold. Following the votes, the Senate will turn to a period of morning business with senators permitted to speak therein for up to 10 minutes each. When the Senate resumes consideration of S.601, WRDA, tomorrow (expect around 11:15am), we will resume the voting sequence in the previous order. The first vote in each series will be 15 minute votes and the subsequent votes will be 10 minutes in duration.

5pm votes

-          Inhofe amendment #797 (land exchange) **expect voice vote

-          Barrasso amendment #868 (water rights)

-          Sanders #889 (restoration of certain properties impacted by natural disasters)

Tomorrow’s roll call votes (approx. 11:15am)

-          Coburn #815 (beach renourishment);

-          Coburn #816 (Infrastructure Deathourization Commission projects);

-          Merkley #866 (use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods);

-          Udall(NM) #853 (pilot program);

-          Hoeven #909 (surplus water charges);

-          Boozeman #822 (recreational lands pass programs);

-          Passage of S.601, as amended.

The Senate agreed to the Inhofe amendment #797 (land exchange) by voice vote.

At 5:06pm the Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on Barrasso amendment #868 (water rights) (60-vote threshold);

Not Agreed To: 52-44

Next Vote:

Sanders #889 (restoration of certain properties impacted by natural disasters)

5:34pm The Senate began a roll call vote on Sanders #889 (restoration of certain properties impacted by natural disasters);

Not Agreed To: 56-40

Senator Warner asked unanimous consent that the Senate go to conference on the Budget resolution.

Senator McConnell asked that the request be modified so that it not be in order for the Senate to consider a conference report that includes tax increases or reconciliation instructions to increase taxes or raise the debt ceiling.

Senator Warner objected to modifying the request.

Senator McConnell then objected to the original request.

WRAP UP

ROLL CALL VOTES

1)      Barrasso amendment #868 (water rights) (60-vote threshold); Not Agreed To: 52-44 (60-vote threshold)

2)      Sanders #889 (restoration of certain properties impacted by natural disasters); Not Agreed To: 56-40 (60-vote threshold)

LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

Adopted S.Res.140, Commemorating and acknowledging the dedication and sacrifices made by the Federal, State, and local law enforcement officers who have been killed or injured in the line of duty.

Adopted S.Res.141, A resolution recognizing the goals of National Travel and Tourism Week and honoring the valuable contributions of travel and tourism to the United States.

Began the Rule 14 process of S.953, the Student Loan Affordability Act. (Reed)

No EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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Last Floor Action:
2:03:49 P.M. – The Speaker announced that the House do now adjourn.

The next meeting is scheduled for 12:00 p.m. on May 14, 2013.

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

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The Senate Ignored Us


ThinkProgress War Room

Why Popular Policies Die in the Senate

The problems with the current Senate rules — namely the abuse of the filibuster by Republicans — are well known. Less well understood is how the Senate by design empowers the residents of small states at the expense of residents of larger states. This fact explains why a policy like background checks that enjoys the support of over 90 percent of Americans can still be killed in the Senate through a combination of filibuster abuse and the Senate’s bias toward small states.

ThinkProgress’ Ian Millhiser explains how this worked in the case of last night’s shameful Senate vote against expanded background checks:

To put this in perspective, Wyoming Sens. Mike Enzi (R) and John Barrasso (R) both voted against the gun safety provision. Together, they represent a little more than half a million people. California Sens. Dianne Feinstein (D) and Barbara Boxer (D) both voted for gun safety. They represent over 38 million Americans. In other words, a voter in Wyoming enjoys 66 times as much representation in the Senate as a voter in California.

As the least populous state, Wyoming makes out like bandits when it comes to Senate representation, but they are far from alone in enjoying such a windfall. A voter in Idaho (population 1,595,728) counts as almost 24 Californians. A voter in Nebraska (population 1,845,525) counts as nearly 21 Californians. And a voter in North Dakota (population 699,628) counts as more than 54 Californians. Indeed, if you add up the combined populations of Wyoming, North Dakota, Alaska, Idaho, Nebraska, Utah, Kansas, Arkansas, Mississippi, Oklahoma, Kentucky, South Carolina, and Alabama, that still adds up to over 3 million fewer people than live in the state of California. That also adds up to 26 senators, all of whom opposed background checks.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

The Texas fertilizer plant that exploded last night hadn’t been inspected in five years.

Gun violence victims detained, put through background checks for yelling “shame on you” at senators.

Morning Joe host shames senators for voting against background checks.

Gabby Giffords writes scathing op-ed directed at cowardly senators who voted against background checks.

Keystone XL tar sands pipeline will create only 35 permanent jobs, emit as much carbon pollution as 51 coal plants.

Regal Cinemas is latest company to face backlash after trying to dodge Obamacare rules by cutting workers’ hours.

Oklahoma’s Republican House majority leader and his colleagues have a laugh over his use of anti-Semitic slur.

No, rail transport won’t be able to replace the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline if it isn’t built.

Racist hate group seeks to use right-wing talk radio to kill immigration reform bill.

Weekly Address: Congress Must Act Now to Stop the Sequester.
President Obama urges Congress to stop the sequester — the harmful automatic cuts that threaten thousands of jobs and affect our national security from taking effect on March 1.

VAWA passes in the Senate 78 – 22 : We ALL need to Stand UP and Speak Out


VAWA and Men

April is known as “Sexual Assault Awareness Month” … Help break the accepted cycle and culture of violence -

Tell Congress to do what is right for ALL victims of Domestic Violence.

What better way for members of the House of Representatives to show ALL victims of domestic violence that as Public Servants, they support and protect the right to live a decent life which includes the pursuit of happiness by passing the Senate version of VAWA S.1925.

The fact is the Violence Against Women’s Act has always passed in both Chambers without a problem is well known, though the Republican led House chose to show overt prejudice against Native Alaskan, Native Americans, Undocumented and LGBT Americans when it rejected VAWA on March 30, 2012.

However, Republicans have yet another opportunity to do what is right. Tell your Republican member of Congress to be on the right side of History and pass the Senate version of #VAWA that protects all victims of these crimes, regardless of their age, gender, race, sexuality, or faith. The mission to continue that conservative party line lives on and seems to insist on taking, stripping, yanking, cutting, slashing away personal power while yelling that they want smaller Government and  it defies what Americans are about . Teapublicans in Congress, a small coalition, have made a choice to attack social issues, the decision to go out of their way to filibuster the economy is beyond my understanding.

If you believe Americans have A RIGHT to experience equality in all its forms: voter, union, women’s, gender, minority, and gay RIGHTs -along with more than a splash of compassion for the poor think about the Violence Against Women Act and how it might be affecting your family friends neighbors or co-workers.

on Apr 25, 2012 by    

Democratic Senators Barbara Boxer (CA), Amy Klobuchar (MN), and Patty Murray (WA) stress the importance of reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act to protect victims of domestic violence, regardless of sexual orientation or background.

President Obama and his administration changed the definition of rape to help more people

Please show support for S.1925, Call your member of Congress Tell them to PASS #VAWA  -

A lot of misinformation is being circulated by the bills detractors about S. 1925, the real #VAWA.

Read below for the facts !

(1)    Since #VAWA first passed, the number of individuals killed by an intimate partner has decreased by 34% for women and 57% for men. #VAWA has saved lives while saving money, saving $12.6 billion in its first 6 years alone.

(2)    S. 1925 saves money by consolidating and repealing more than 15 programs, ensuring more funding will go directly to needed victim services rather than grant administration.

(3)   S. 1925 adopts almost word-for-word the accountability measures developed by Senator Grassley for the Trafficking Victims Reauthorization Act.

(4)     S. 1925 does not create “new victims” or support “special interests”.  The real #VAWA protects all victims of these crimes, regardless of their age, gender, race, citizenship, sexuality, or faith.

(5)   Our nation must not say, “There are too many victims” or “You are not the ‘right’ kind of victim”. All victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking deserve help. That is what S. 1925, the real VAWA, does. It’s time – way past time — to do much more to stop this violence, and to protect victims from all walks of life including:

- Lack of services available to LGBTQ victims;•

- Barriers to services for undocumented victims; and•

- Continuing high levels of violence against Native American and Native Alaskan women.

- Please support VAWA’s Reauthorization.

- Domestic violence affects all of us.

- Congress should reauthorize the VAWA and provide funding.

Be a Seed for Change

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a message from … U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders


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Unless we take bold action to reverse climate change, our children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren are going to look back on this period in history and ask a very simple question: Where were they? Why didn’t the United States of America, the most powerful nation on earth, lead the international community in cutting greenhouse gas emissions and preventing the devastating damage that the scientific community was sure would come?
The issue that we are dealing with is not political. It has nothing to do with the squabbling we see in Washington every day. It has everything to do with physics. The leading scientists in the world who study climate change now tell us that their earlier projections were wrong. The crisis facing our planet is much worse than they had thought only a few years ago. 12 out of the last 15 years ranked as the warmest on record in the United States. Now, scientists say that our planet could be eight degrees Fahrenheit warmer or more by the end of this century if we take no decisive action to transform our energy system and cut greenhouse gas emissions.
What would that mean to planet earth? Sea levels would rise by three to six feet, which would flood cities like New Orleans, Boston and Miami and coastal communities all over the world. It would mean that every year we would see more and more extreme weather disturbances, like Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year and resulting in devastating blows to our economy and productive capabilities.
We would see the price of food go up because crops in the US and around the world would be affected by temperatures substantially greater than what we have today. It would mean greater threats of war and international instability because hungry and thirsty people would be fighting for limited resources. It would mean more disease and unnecessary deaths.
Legislation that I introduced (pdf) with the support of leading environmental organizations in the country can actually address the crisis and do what has to be done to protect the planet. Senator Barbara Boxer of California, chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works, co-sponsored the bill that would reverse greenhouse gas emissions in a significant way. It also would help create millions of jobs as we transform our energy system away from fossil fuel and into energy efficiency and such sustainably energies as wind, solar, geothermal and biomass.
A major focus of this legislation is a price on carbon and methane emissions. This fee on the largest fossil-fuel polluters affects fewer than 3,000 entities nationwide but covers 85% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the US, according to the Congressional Research Service. The legislation ends fossil fuel subsidies. It also protects communities by requiring that drillers engaged in a new technology called fracking must comply with the Safe Drinking Water Act and disclose chemicals they use.
To help consumers, 60% of the carbon fee revenue will be rebated to every US resident. To level the playing field for US manufacturers and create incentives for international cooperation, there would be a border fee on imported fuels and products unless the nation they were shipped from had a similar carbon price.
To transform our energy system, the legislation would make the boldest ever investment in energy efficiency and sustainable energy. That includes weatherizing one million homes a year, as President Obama has advocated. It also means tripling the budget for advanced research and investing hundreds of billions through incentives and a public-private Sustainable Technologies Fund focusing on energy efficiency and clean transportation technology, as well as solar, wind, geothermal and biomass alternatives.
In our bill, we also provide funds to train workers for jobs in the sustainable energy economy and to help communities become resilient in the face of extreme weather. We accomplish all of this while paying down the debt by roughly $300 billion over ten years.
With President Obama’s commitment in the state of the union address to reverse global warming, we have the opportunity now to make progress. The president must use his executive authority to cut down on power plant pollution and reject the dangerous Keystone XL project. But he must not give up on a comprehensive legislative solution, and neither should we. We will never fully deal with this crisis until Congress passes strong legislation. Senator Boxer and I are going to fight as hard as we can to do that, and we will work to rally support from American families all across this country that care deeply about their children and grandchildren’s future, and want to protect them from this planetary crisis.
Thank you for all that you do and for your efforts to combat climate change.
Sincerely,
Bernie                         Senator Bernie Sanders

tax deal … By the Numbers


By ThinkProgress War Room

What’s in the Tax Deal

After weeks of tense negotiations and drama (a detailed blow-by-blow can be found here), Congress finally managed to solve at least part of its latest manufactured crisis. After the country had technically already gone over the so-called “fiscal cliff,” the Senate overwhelmingly passed a compromise tax plan early Tuesday morning and the House followed suit late Tuesday night after a rebellion by rank-and-file House Republicans petered out.

Here’s some numbers to know about the deal (officially called the American Taxpayer Relief Act of 2012):

– 2: The number of decades since there has been a major tax increase on the wealthy.

– 39.6: The rate those earning more than $400,000 ($450,000 for a couple) will pay, the same as under President Clinton.

– 99 percent: The percentage of taxpayers who will keep Bush-era income tax rates.

– $73,633: The additional taxes to be paid by the average member of the top 1 percent.

– 77 percent: The percentage of household who will see a tax increase thanks to the expiration of the payroll tax holiday in place over the past two years. The expiration of the payroll tax cut and failure to replace it with something similar will deal a significant blow to the economy.

– $600 BILLION: The amount of new revenue raised by the deal after accounting for money saved by decreased borrowing costs. An additional approximately $130 BILLION is saved through decreased interest on the debt.

– $1.8 TRILLION: The amount of spending cuts put in place by President Obama so far, resulting in a roughly 2.5:1 ratio of programmatic spending cuts to revenue.

– 2 MILLION: The number of unemployed Americans whose extended unemployment benefits will continue.

– 20+ MILLION: The number of people who benefit from vital tax credits for students and both poor and middle class families that were extended for five years.

– 37,000: The number of jobs saved by the extension of wind energy tax credits.

– 3,730: The number of households that will be subject to the estate tax, the rate of which was increased slightly to 40 percent with a $5 million exemption. Without a deal, the rate would’ve reverted to 55 percent with a $1 million exemption. As the Atlantic’s Matt O’Brien noted, “Only 3,730 households will pay the estate tax next year if the exemption is set at $5 million, versus 47,170 if it’s set at $1 million.”

The deal also many other provisions, including help for underwater homeowners. Another element of the deal prevented a huge spike in the price of milk that would’ve occurred because House Republicans refused to pass a Farm Bill. Numerous special interest tax provisions, including for NASCAR and rum, also made it into the final package.

The deal also puts off automatic spending cuts known as a sequester for an additional two months. The president and Congress must now identify hundreds of billions of dollars in additional savings and revenues in order to cancel the remainder of these across-the-board spending cuts. While Republicans are once again likely to demand massive cuts to programs like Medicare and Social Security, the president reiterated that the next phase of deficit reduction must also be balanced.

Separately, we officially reached the nation’s borrowing limit on December 31 and extraordinary measures will only prevent the nation from defaulting on its obligations for approximately two months. Congress must do its job and raise the debt ceiling in order to make good on the cost of tax cuts, wars, and other spending Congress has already authorized. As the president noted last night, raising the debt ceiling is not up for debate and we will not repeat the debacle Republicans caused in 2011 when they nearly forced the nation into a default that would’ve triggered a global economic calamity.

Evening Brief: Important Stories That You Might’ve Missed

Filibuster reform may be delayed a few weeks.

Gov. Chris Christie (R-NJ) savaged Speaker Boehner (R-OH) for dropping a bill to aid Hurricane Sandy victims.

Boehner may have dropped the Sandy aid bill in order to spite Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-VA).

House Republicans also blocked the Violence Against Women Act.

How gerrymandering is keeping Democrats from controlling the House.

Arizona’s anti-immigrant law is costing it millions.

Long lines in Florida caused by GOP changes to election laws cost Obama more than 10,000 votes.

District court denies request for “kill list” disclosure.

Despite the drilling boom, U.S. gas prices hit a record high in 2012.

Reid Statement On Disabilities Treaty


senatedems

posted 12/4/2012

Washington, D.C.—Nevada Senator Harry Reid issued the following statement after Senate Republicans blocked a treaty to strengthen the rights of people with disabilities around the world. The Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities was modeled on U.S. law, considered the gold standard on equal opportunity laws for the disabled. It failed by a vote of 61-38. A two-thirds vote is required in the Senate to approve treaties.

“It is a sad day when we cannot pass a treaty that simply brings the world up to the American standard for protecting people with disabilities because the Republican party is in thrall to extremists and ideologues. The United States is seen as a leader around the world. Today, we had a chance to lead, and we failed because a small group of Republican senators fear the Tea Party more than they care about equality for people with disabilities.

“Today’s vote wasn’t about Republicans or Democrats. It was about standing up for our heroes – men and women who risked their lives on the battlefield for the United States of America. This treaty was about 57 million Americans who live with a disability. Republicans such as former President George H.W. Bush, Senator McCain and former Senator Bob Dole called on their Republican colleagues to support these Americans. I am saddened those Senators did not listen. Their arguments against the treaty had no basis in fact – the treaty does not change United States law. That is why I plan to bring this treaty up for a vote again in the next Congress. Our wounded veterans and millions more around the world deserve better.”

Harry Reid Senate Dems and the Headlines : January 2013


senatedems

 

Reid Statement On January Employment Report

Reid
Statement On The Appointment Of Denis McDonough As White House Chief Of
Staff

Reid
Statement On Senator Harkin’s Decision Not To Seek Re-Election

Reid
Statement On Rules Reform

Reid
Statement On House Vote To Decouple Debt Ceiling From Spending Cuts

Reid Statement on White House Proposals to Protect Our Children and Communities from Gun Violence

Reid Floor Remarks: Democrats Will Continue Putting Middle Class Families First In The 113th Congress

Senate Leaders Urge President Obama To Consider “Any Lawful Steps” To Avoid Default

Reid Statement On Sen. Jay Rockefeller’s Announced Retirement

Reid Statement On President Obama’s Nomination Of Jack Lew To Head The Treasury Department

Reid Statement On President Obama’s Nominations To Head The Pentagon And CIA

Reid Statement On Disaster Relief

Reid Announces Updated Committee Assignments For 113th Congress

Republicans object to confirming Medine to be Chrm Privacy and Civil Liberties Oversight Board

Reid Remarks To Convene The 113th Congress

Reid Statement On December Employment Report

White House … updates


The White House

Today, I would like to share with you some of the ways in which President Obama and his Administration continue to address the diverse needs of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community, including by honoring the life and legacy of Senator Daniel Inouye, the highest-ranking Asian American in the United States government.

To learn more about the White House Office of Public Engagement and the White House Initiative on AAPIs, visit http://whitehouse.gov/aapi and encourage your friends and colleagues to sign up for updates!
Best Regards,
Gautam Raghavan Office of Public Engagement The White House aapi@who.eop.gov

President Obama and Administration Officials Mark the Passing of Senator Daniel Inouye

President Barack Obama speaks at the funeral service for Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Dec. 21, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Earlier today, President Obama delivered a eulogy at the memorial service for Senator Daniel Inouye, President pro tempore of the United States Senate, saying in part:

I think it’s fair to say that Danny Inouye was perhaps my earliest political inspiration.  And then, for me to have the privilege of serving with him, to be elected to the United States Senate and arrive, and one of my first visits is to go to his office, and for him to greet me as a colleague, and treat me with the same respect that he treated everybody he met, and to sit me down and give me advice about how the Senate worked and then regale me with some stories about wartime and his recovery — stories full of humor, never bitterness, never boastfulness,  just matter-of-fact — some of them I must admit a little off-color.  I couldn’t probably repeat them in the cathedral.  (Laughter.)  There’s a side of Danny that — well.
Danny once told his son his service to this country had been for the children, or all the sons and daughters who deserved to grow up in a nation that never questioned their patriotism.  This is my country, he said.  Many of us have fought hard for the right to say that.  And, obviously, Rick Shinseki described what it meant for Japanese Americans, but my point is, is that when he referred to our sons and daughters he wasn’t just talking about Japanese Americans.  He was talking about all of us.  He was talking about those who serve today who might have been excluded in the past.  He’s talking about me.
And that’s who Danny was.  For him, freedom and dignity were not abstractions.  They were values that he had bled for, ideas he had sacrificed for, rights he understood as only someone can who has had them threatened, had them taken away.

Read the President’s full remarks.

In addition to the eulogy, the President also issued a statement on the Senator’s passing as well as a Presidential Proclamation directing that the flag of the United States be flown at half-staff at the White House and other public buildings and grounds until sunset on the day of Senator Inouye’s interment.

President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, former President Bill Clinton, and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, attend the funeral service for Hawaiian Senator Daniel Inouye at Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C., Dec. 21, 2012. Senator Inouye’s family is at left. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In addition, Vice President Biden issued a statement on the Senator’s passing, delivered remarks at the Arrival Ceremony for Senator Inouye at the United States Capitol, and today also delivered remarks at the memorial service.

Other senior Administration officials also released statements:

Statement by the President on the Presidential Election in the Republic of Korea

Recently, President Obama issued a statement on the election of President-elect Park Geun-hye, who will become the first female president of the Republic of Korea:

I congratulate President-elect Park Geun-hye on her success in the election held on Wednesday. I look forward to working closely with the Park Administration to further enhance our extensive cooperation with the Republic of Korea on a wide range of important bilateral, regional and global issues. The U.S.-ROK alliance serves as a linchpin of peace and security in the Asia Pacific and our two nations share a global partnership with deep economic, security, and people-to-people ties. I also wish to reiterate my admiration for all that President Lee has done to strengthen U.S.-ROK relations and promote a Global Korea.

On Friday, the President also called the President-elect – click here for a readout of that call.

Blog Highlights

President Barack Obama, with Vice President Joe Biden, delivers a statement and takes questions about the Administration’s gun policy process in the wake of the shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, Dec. 19, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Diplomatic Corps Holiday Reception


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Diplomatic Corps Holiday Reception