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CONGRESS


  • Wednesday, May 15, 2013

    capitol33

    The Senate stands in adjournment until 9:30am on Wednesday, May 15, 2013.

  • Following any Leader remarks, the Senate will be in a period of morning business until 10:30am with the time equally divided and controlled between the two Leaders or their designees with the Republicans controlling the first half and the Majority controlling the final half.
  • Following morning business, the Senate will resume consideration of S.601, the Water Resources Development Act.  There will be up to 7 roll call votes in relation to the items listed below, in the order listed.  All votes after the first vote will be 10 minutes in duration.  There will be 2 minutes of debate prior to each vote.
    • Coburn amendment #815 (beach nourishment);
    • Coburn amendment #816 (Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission projects);
    • Merkley amendment #866 (use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods);
    • Udall(NM) amendment #853 (pilot program);
    • Hoeven amendment #909 (surplus water charges);
    • Boozman amendment #822 (recreational lands pass programs);
    • Passage of S.601, as amended.
    • As a reminder, at 10:30am there will be up to 7 roll call votes in relation to amendments to S.601, Water Resources Development Act, and on passage of the bill.The first vote will be the usual 15 minute vote and the remaining votes will be 10 minutes in duration. Senator Reid intends to close the votes as quickly as possible. Senators are encouraged to remain on or close to the floor during the vote series.Last week we were able to reach short time agreements on the Tavenner (CMMS) and Orrick (Northern District Judge of CA) nominations. Senator Reid intends to execute those orders later today. Senators will be notified when the votes are scheduled.
    • 10:30am votes:-           Coburn amendment #815 (beach nourishment);-           Coburn amendment #816 (Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission projects);

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

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

    -           Hoeven amendment #909 (surplus water charges);

    -           Boozman amendment #822 (recreational lands pass programs);

    -           Passage of S.601, as amended.

    Tavenner Agreement:

    At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #92 the nomination of Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. There will be 1 hour for debate equally divided in the usual form prior to a vote on confirmation of the nomination.

    Orrick Agreement:

    At a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, in consultation with the Republican Leader, there will be up to 1 hour for debate equally divided and controlled prior to a vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #40, the nomination of William H. Orrick, III, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California.

    • 10:35am The Senate began a 15 minute roll call vote on Coburn amendment #815 (beach replenishment);Not Agreed To: 43-53
    • 11:01am The Senate began a roll call vote on Coburn amendment #816 (Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission projects);Not Agreed To: 35-61
    • The following amendments have been considered to S.601,  the Water Resources Development Act:
      • Coburn amendment #805 (Army Corps land/guns) Not Agreed to: 56-43 (60-vote threshold)
      • Whitehouse amendment #803 (oceans) Agreed to: 68-31 (60-vote threshold)
      • Boxer-Vitter substitute amendment #799 Agreed to by UC
      • Brown amendment #813, as modified (Asian carp) Agreed to: 95-0
      • Pryor amendment #801, as modified (farms) Agreed to by UC
      • Pryor amendment #806 (work-in-kind) Agreed to by UC
      • Inhofe amendment #835, with a modification to the instruction lines (rural water infrastructure projects) Agreed to by UC
      • McCain amendment #833 (levee safety programs) Agreed to by UC
      • Murray amendment #832 (cargo noncontainer) Agreed to by UC
      • Blunt amendment #800 (resilient construction techniques for extreme weather) Agreed to by UC
      • Sessions amendment #811, as modified (Tennessee Valley Authority to grant restrictions) Agreed to by UC
      • Coburn amendment #823 (Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission) Agreed to by UC
      • Warner amendment #873 (4 Mile Run) Agreed to by UC
      • Baucus amendment #847 Agreed to by UC
      • Boxer-Vitter amendment #899, as modified Agreed to by UC
      • Inhofe amendment #895 Agreed to by UC
      • Wicker amendment #894 Agreed to by UC
      • Inhofe amendment #867 Agreed to by UC
      • Boozman amendment #872 Agreed to by UC
      • Thune amendment #912 Agreed to by UC
      • Cornyn amendment #880 Agreed to by UC
      • Murkowski amendment #904 Agreed to by UC
      • Klobuchar amendment #884 Agreed to by UC
      • Wyden amendment #870, as modified Agreed to by UC
      • Cochran amendment #911, as modified Agreed to by UC
      • Carper amendment #882 Agreed to by UC
      • Murkowski amendment #903, as modified Agreed to by UC
      • Durbin amendment #906, as modified Agreed to by UC
      • Levin amendment #893 Agreed to by UC
      • Collins amendment #898 Agreed to by UC
      • Cardin amendment #861, as modified Agreed to by UC
      • Brown-Graham amendment #907 Agreed to by UC
      • Wyden amendment #896 Agreed to by UC
      • Inhofe amendment #797 Agreed to by UC
      • Barrasso amendment #868 Not Agreed to: 52-44
      • Sanders amendment #889 Not Agreed to: 56-40
      • Coburn amendment #815 (beach nourishment) Not Agreed To: 43-53
      • Coburn amendment #816 (Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission projects) Not Agreed to: 35-61
      • Boozman amendment #822 (recreational lands pass programs for military) Agreed to by voice vote
      • Merkley amendment #866 (use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods) Agreed to: 60-36
      • Hoeven amendment #909 (surplus water charges), as modified Agreed to by voice vote
      • Boozman amendment #822 (recreational lands pass programs) was agreed to by voice vote
      • 11:23am The Senate began a 10 minute roll call vote on Merkley amendment #866 (use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods);Agreed To: 60-36
      • The Senate is in a period of morning business until 2:00pm with senators permitted to speak for up to 10 minutes each.At 2:00pm today, the Senate will proceed to Executive Session to consider Executive Calendar #40 William H. Orrick, III, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California; and Executive Calendar #92, Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, en bloc.The time until 4:30 pm, will be equally divided in the usual form, with Senator Baucus in control of the time from 4:15 to 4:30pm. Upon the use or yielding back of time the Senate will proceed to vote without intervening action or debate on the nominations in the order listed.
      • There will be two minutes for debate between the votes. The second vote be 10 minutes in length.
      • 4:30pm votes:-         Executive Calendar #40 William H. Orrick, III, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California; and-         Executive Calendar #92, Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
      • Senator Wyden 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 Wyden objected to modifying the request.Senator McConnell then objected to the original request.
      • 4:38pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #40, William H. Orrick III, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of CaliforniaConfirmed: 56-41
      • 5:03pm The Senate began a roll call vote on confirmation of Executive Calendar #92, Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid ServicesConfirmed: 91-7
      • Executive Calendar #92, the nomination of Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, was confirmed 91-7. Following the vote, Senator Reid moved to proceed to S.954, a bill to reauthorize agricultural programs through 2018 (the Farm bill). There will be no further roll call votes today.
      • The Senate has reached an agreement that on Monday, May 20th, at a time to be determined by the Majority Leader, after consultation with the Republican Leader, the Senate proceed to the consideration of Calendar #73, S.954, the Farm bill.
      • WRAP UP FOR WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013ROLL CALL VOTES
      • 1)      Coburn amendment #815 (beach nourishment) to S.601, the Water Resources Development Act; Not Agreed to: 43-532)      Coburn amendment #816 (Infrastructure Deauthorization Commission projects); Not Agreed to: 35-613)      Merkley-Brown amendment #866 (use of American iron, steel, and manufactured goods); Agreed to: 60-364)      Passage of S.601, WRDA, as amended; Passed: 83-14

        5)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #40 William H. Orrick, III, of California, to be United States District Judge for the Northern District of California; Confirmed: 56-41

        6)      Confirmation of Executive Calendar #92, Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services; Confirmed: 91-7

        LEGISLATIVE ITEMS

        Adopted S.Res.142, designating May 15th, 2013, as “National MPS (Mucopolysaccharidosis) Awareness Day”.

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

        No additional EXECUTIVE ITEMS

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Wednesday, May 15, 2013

Watch Most Recent House Floor Activity

Last Floor Action: 5/14
9:10:47 P.M. – The House adjourned.

The next meeting is scheduled for 10:00 a.m. on May 15, 2013.

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Mayors for #theAmericanJOBsACT


Phil Gordon, the mayor of Phoenix, Arizona believes the American Jobs Act should be passed,

“We can’t afford to keep waiting. And the politics that are being played
not only in Washington, DC, but across the country are just devastating our
nation, our cities. And it’s important not only to put people back to work but
to train them for the 21st century.”

He is pleading with Congress – Republicans and Democrats – to pass the
American Jobs Act “right away.”

“Arizona has been hit—one of the two or three hardest states—in Phoenix in
particular—with housing, lack of conventions, tourism, lack of jobs,” Gordon
explains.  “It’s time to stop talking about it, it’s time to move forward.
There’s plenty of time for everybody to do politics afterwards. But right now,
in Phoenix, we have a lot of people out of work. We have a lot of children that
are now homeless with their moms and dads that shouldn’t be.”

Kansas City Mayor Sly James Supports the American Jobs Act

The American Job Act will help James answer the one question he says the residents of his Missouri city
ask any time he leaves the office, “’Mayor, where can I get a job? Mayor can you
help me get a job? Mayor can you help my brother or my mother get a job?”’Jobs
are at the forefront of people’s minds.”

Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer Supports the American Jobs Act 

There’s a real sense of urgency right now. A lot of people have been out of
work for a long period of time. Their savings are gone or practically gone. So
they see where they thought they were going to be fitting in the American dream,
and saying, “that may not happen to me anymore right now.” And so there’s this
feeling of hopelessness that we’ve got to address, we can’t wait until the next
election cycle. This is something the American people need today.

America’s Mayors Are in Sync: Congress Must Work on a Bipartisan Basis to put
America Back on Track

Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa of Los Angeles, California says that the residents
of his city are united in their message to him, and to elected officials in
Washington: “Job #1 is to create the jobs they need going into the future.”

Cincinnati Mayor Mark Mallory Supports the American Jobs Act 

Mayor Mark Mallory said that he — and the citizens of his city — are “very
excited” about the possibility of the Jobs Act because the President’s plan will
enable Cincinnati to keep firefighters and police officers on the
job.Mallory specifically refers to the provisions in the Act that provide funds for
infrastructure, and says Cincinnati’s “very large, very old” Brent
Spence Bridge needs to be replaced.

Mayor of Denver: American Jobs Act an “Opportunity for all Elected Officials to
Put Aside Differences”

Mayor Michael Hancock of Denver, Colorado says there is no more important
initiative that any elected official can be focused on than “trying to get
America back to work, right now.” Hancock believes that “this Job Act is an opportunity for all elected
officials at every level but particularly here in Washington, in Congress and
the White House, to finally put aside our differences and stand again for the
people of America and begin to put them to work.”

Mayor Rawlings-Blake of Baltimore Supports the American Jobs Act 

Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake says the country needs the American Jobs Act in order to “grow
out of this great recession.”  As an older city, Baltimore has tremendous
infrastructure needs and its mayor believes the $50
billion investment in rebuilding that is a core component of the Jobs Act
will make the streets and schools of her city “safer for generations to come.”
Rawlings-Blake also applauds the Jobs Act’s focus on offering relief to small
business owners, who she says are the “backbone” of Baltimore’s economy

Governor John Kitzhaber of Oregon says that in his state,

“the American Jobs Act
will translate into almost
9,000 jobs for vital transportation, school infrastructure projects for idol
construction workers, funding for our schools and incentives for small
businesses to put people back to work.”

Most importantly. says Kitzhaber, the jobs that are
created will be “good middle income family wage jobs,” which will create a
significant economic ripple across the state. “In an economic crisis we need to
be investing in the economy–we need to be investing in job creation and I think
the American Jobs Act is exactly
what we need at the right time and certainly for Oregon and I think for
America.”

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Bertolli


5 Tips for Cooking with Garlic and Onion

Nearly every savory Italian recipe starts with the dynamism of garlic and onion. Whether you are slicing onions thin to caramelize them for a pizza or peeling a whole garlic clove to add a touch of flavor to crunchy toasted crostini, this powerhouse produce combo enlivens cuisine from all regions of Italy.

Whether you are an avid cook or a weekend kitchen warrior, you know that they are not the easiest things to work with. Here are five tips for making sure your cooking with garlic and onion is successful and tear free.

  • 1
  • Does cooking with onion and garlic leave your hands or cutting board a little odoriferous for days? By rubbing your hands and work surface with a fresh lemon cut in half, you will naturally disinfect whatever the vegetables have touched and eliminate the smell. For a bonus, cut the used lemon into small pieces and pulse in your garbage disposal for a burst of citrusy-fresh blades.
  • 2
  • What causes the dreaded tearing up we experience while cutting vegetables in the onion family, known as alliums? They emit a sulfur product called a lacrimator that escapes into the air when we chop an onion and then breaks down into sulfuric acid, an irritant that stimulates your eye to release tears to flush out the foreign substance. The best way to prevent tearing up is to rinse cut onions, leeks or shallots in cold water, or let them sit in chilled water, for a full 30 to 60 minutes before cutting.
  • 3
  • The water method works for more than just keeping oniony tears at bay. If you are adding onions to a recipe in which they will be eaten raw, let the chopped onions soak in water for roughly an hour and a half. This will reduce their bitterness. (If you don’t have that much time, a hearty rinse in a sieve under cold water will help.)
  • 4
  • When sautéing garlic and onion together, the garlic will always cook first. To prevent undue browning (which makes onions taste sweeter but makes garlic bitter and harsh), start your sautéing in a cold pan with a little olive oil and butter combined. The oil-butter mixture keeps the butter from burning, and the slow increase in the pan’s heat will balance the difference between the two vegetables’ cook times.
  • 5
  • If you love serving garlicky food but fear the after-burn on your breath, try eating an apple. A component in garlic stays active in the digestive system a full 6 to 18 hours after eating, which is when it peaks in our mouths; but the same enzymes that cause fruit to brown will counteract the potent garlic and keep it from sneaking back into your breath.

NMAAHC public programs in March and May 2013


NMAAHC -- National Museum of African American History and Culture

NMAAHC public programs in March and May 2013 Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery, A Conversation between Deborah Willis and Lonnie Bunch

Deborah Willis  Envisioning-Emancipation_sm.gif

Monday, March 25, 2013, 7:00 pm

National Museum of American History, Warner Bros. Theater 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC First floor, enter through Constitution Ave doors Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle

Lonnie Bunch, founding director of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, will moderate a discussion with Deborah Willis, chair of the Department of Photography & Imaging at the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, about her latest work Envisioning Emancipation: Black Americans and the End of Slavery. The publication is a collaboration with Barbara Krauthamer, professor of history at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Through rare photographs and documents, the book focuses on black enslavement, emancipation and life from 1850 to1930. Recipient of Guggenheim, Fletcher and MacArthur fellowships, Willis is a founding member of the museum’s Scholarly Advisory Committee.

Books will be available for sale and signing following the program. For more information, visit http://nmaahc.si.edu/Events/calendar or call (202) 633-0070. Admission is free and on a first come, first serve basis.

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland w/ Dr. King Joan Trumpauer Mulholland walking beside Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

An Ordinary Hero: The True Story of Joan Mulholland, film screening and discussion

Wednesday, March 27, 2013, 7:00 pm to 9:30 pm

The Artisphere 1101 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA 22209

Joan Trumpauer Mulholland grew up in the segregated South and emerged as an activist who fought fervently for the rights of others. Attacked and beaten during the courageous Freedom Rides of 1961, Joan was imprisoned and hunted but never wavered in her beliefs. An Ordinary Hero is a moving chronicle of Mulholland’s life, containing rare images and footage from the Civil Rights Movement. Following the film will be a panel discussion featuring Mulholland, her son, Loki Mulholland, who is the writer and director of the film, and William Pretzer, Senior Curator of History at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC). Co-sponsors of the event are NMAAHC and the Arlington Public Library.

For more information, visit http://nmaahc.si.edu/Events/calendar or call (202) 633-0070. Admission is free and on a first come, first serve basis.

On Art and History: Natasha Trethewey Reads and Discusses Native Guard

Monday, May 6, 2013, 7:00 pm

National Museum of American History, Warner Bros. Theater 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, NW Washington, DC First floor, enter through Constitution Ave doors Metro: Smithsonian or Federal Triangle
Natasha Trethewey, appointed the U.S. Poet Laureate in June 2012, will read from her Pulitzer Prize-winning collection of poems titled Native Guard. Trethewey gives an impressive interpretation of the Native Guard, one of the first mostly black regiments to fight in the Union Army. The Native Guard was composed mostly of former slaves who enlisted and were assigned to guard Confederate prisoners of war. According to Trethewey’s poem “Elegy for the Native Guards,” the presence of the African American soldiers has gone unrecognized. She also explores her life from the mid-1960s through the early 1980s, a time of tremendous upheaval in Mississippi. Native Guard provides a thoughtful, long view of a tumultuous century in American History. The Rising Star Fife and Drum Band led by Sharde Thomas of Sardis, Miss., will open and close the program.

Books will be available for sale and signing following the program. For more information, visit http://nmaahc.si.edu/Events/calendar. Admission is free, but reservations are suggested, call (202) 633-0070.

Official Google Blog: Journalism Fellowship winners !


GOOGLeOur first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winners

Our first-ever Google Journalism Fellowship winnersPosted: 21 Feb 2013 01:55 PM PST

More than 2,300 students from across the globe applied for the first Google Journalism Fellowship. The interest the Fellowship attracted clearly demonstrates the need for these types of opportunities, especially as the worlds of journalism and technology increasingly become one.The students who have been picked for the 10-week program will get the chance to work with organizations focused on exciting projects ranging from those steeped in investigative journalism to those working for press freedom around the world and to those that are helping the industry figure out its future in the digital age. They will also spend a week with the Knight Foundation and a week with Google.We had so many applications—on the last day they poured in at a rate of roughly one every two minutes—that we extended our review period by a week to make selections. Our host organizations had the unenviable task of choosing just one Fellow out of the mass of talented students who applied; the Nieman Journalism Lab is taking two Fellows.

The Fellows who will take part in the program are:

Thank you to everyone who made the effort to apply and to the host organizations for their hard work.

Posted by Maggie Shiels, Google Communications and former BBC journalist

The Chromebook Pixel, for what’s nextPosted: 21 Feb 2013 11:22 AM PST

Chromebooks were designed to make computing speedy, simple and secure. For many of you, they have become the perfect, additional (and yes, affordable) computer: ideal for catching up on emails, sharing documents and chatting via Hangouts. We’re tremendously grateful to our partners—Samsung, Acer, Lenovo and HP—for their commitment. The momentum has been remarkable: the Samsung Chromebook has been #1 on Amazon’s bestseller list for laptops every day since it launched 125 days ago in the U.S., and Chromebooks now represent more than 10 percent of notebook sales at Currys PC World, the largest electronics retailer in the U.K.So what’s next? Today we’re excited to announce our newest laptop—the Chromebook Pixel—which brings together the best in hardware, software and design to inspire the next generation of Chromebooks. With the Pixel, we set out to rethink all elements of a computer in order to design the best laptop possible, especially for power users who have fully embraced the cloud. The philosophy of Chrome has always been to minimize the “chrome” of the browser. In much the same way, the goal of the Pixel is to make the pixels disappear, giving people the best web experience.

Let’s start with the screen. This Chromebook has the highest pixel density (239 pixels per inch) of any laptop screen on the market today. Packed with 4.3 million pixels, the display offers sharp text, vivid colors and extra-wide viewing angles. With a screen this rich and engaging, you want to reach out and touch it—so we added touch for a more immersive experience. Touch makes it simple and intuitive to do things like organize tabs, swipe through apps and edit photos with the tip of your finger.

The Pixel has been engineered with the highest quality components to ensure it’s comfortable to use all day long and meets the needs of demanding power users. The body of the Pixel is made from an anodized aluminum alloy to create a smooth and durable surface; vents are hidden, screws are invisible and the stereo speakers are seamlessly tucked away beneath the backlit keyboard. The touchpad is made from etched glass, analyzed and honed using a laser microscope to ensure precise navigation. The Pixel also has powerful, full-range speakers for crisp sound, a 720p webcam for clear video, and a total of three microphones designed to cancel out surrounding noise.

Other aspects of the Pixel include:

  • Speed: Speed has been a core tenet of Chrome and Chromebooks since the beginning. For Pixel, it’s critical that the overall experience, everything from loading webpages to switching between apps, is near instant. Powered by an Intel® Core™ i5 Processor and a solid state Flash memory architecture, the Pixel performs remarkably fast.
  • Connectivity: The Pixel has an industry-leading WiFi range thanks to carefully positioned antennas and dual-band support. Long-term evolution (LTE) is engineered directly into the machine, delivering fast connectivity across Verizon’s network, the largest, fastest 4G LTE network in the U.S. (LTE model optional). It also comes with 12 free GoGo® Inflight Internet passes for those times you need to connect while in the air.
  • Storage: Since this Chromebook is for people who live in the cloud, one terabyte of Google Drive cloud storage* is included with the Pixel. This enables you to save, access and share photos, videos, documents, and all of your stuff from all of your devices, from anywhere.

Finally, as you’ve come to expect from all Chromebooks, all of your favorite Google products like Search, Gmail, YouTube, Maps and Google+ Hangouts are integrated and just a click away. And since it’s based on Chrome OS, the Pixel boots up in seconds and never slows down, requires almost zero setup or maintenance, and comes with built-in virus protection. Best of all, it stays up to date with automatic updates every few weeks.

If you want to be part of the next step in the Chromebook journey, the Pixel will be available for purchase starting today on Google Play in the U.S. and U.K., and soon on BestBuy.com. The WiFi version ($1,299 U.S. and £1,049 U.K.) will start shipping next week and the LTE version ($1,449) will ship in the U.S. in April. If you’re interested in a hands-on experience, you can visit select Best Buy (U.S.) and Currys PC World (U.K.) store locations.

It’s one of the most exciting times in the history of personal computing, thanks to a rapid pace of change, innovation and consumer adoption of devices. Our goal is to continue to push the experience forward for everyone, working with the entire ecosystem to build the next generation of Chrome OS devices. We hope you enjoy what’s next.

Posted by Linus Upson, Vice President of Engineering

*You will have 1TB of free storage for 3 years, starting on the date you redeem the offer on eligible Chrome devices.
Doodle 4 Google: A stately competition Posted: 21 Feb 2013 10:09 AM PST

Are you a young artist from California? Alabama? Or Indiana (like me!)? Well, get doodling with the topic “My Best Day Ever…” for a chance to see your very own artwork on the Google homepage—and help represent your piece of the union.Today marks the 30-day countdown to the March 22 submission deadline for the U.S. Doodle 4 Google competition. And in the spirit of friendly competition, we’re inviting you to rally fellow students and teachers in your state to take part in Doodle 4 Google’s 30-day Race to the Finish with an interactive map that shows the top submitting states. States are ranked in order of submissions relative to student population size.

Whether your state tops the submissions race or not, you still have the chance to become the individual state winner. The 50 state winners will win an all-expenses paid trip to New York City in May for the final awards ceremony, where we’ll reveal the winning doodle. The national winner will see his or her doodle on the Google homepage, win a $30,000 college scholarship and a $50,000 technology grant for his or her school. Download an entry form today to get doodling!

Fun fact for those of you who can’t get enough doodles: we run Doodle 4 Google competitions in many countries worldwide, year-round. Vote for your Irish favorites now—the winner will appear on www.google.ie on April 16.

As always, happy doodling!

Posted by Ryan Germick, Doodle Team Lead

Weekly Address: Following the President’​s Plan for a Strong Middle Class


In this week’s address, President Obama calls for quick action on the proposals he made during the State of the Union to grow our economy and create jobs, including making America a magnet for manufacturing, strengthening our education system through high-quality preschool for every child, and raising the minimum wage.

Watch this week’s Weekly Address.

Watch this week's Weekly Address

In Case You Missed It

Here’s a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

State of the Union: On Tuesday, President Obama provided his vision for the country in the State of the Union address. President Obama said our generation’s challenge is “to reignite the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class.”

The President looks to grow the middle class through balanced deficit reduction, education reform, comprehensive immigration reform, and manufacturing among others.

If you missed the speech or want to see the address again view our enhanced broadcast with easy-to-read charts, infographics, and statistics. While on our page share your thoughts from the Tuesday speech through the Citizens Response tool, which allows you to actually go line by line and share with others from across the country what touched you the most.

You can read the President’s full remarks here and listen to the audio here.

President Obama on the Road: After the State of the Union, President Obama traveled to Arden, NC on Wednesday and Decatur, GA on Thursday to advance his agenda for the second term.

After touring the Linamar Corporation auto-parts plant, the President cited the significant role manufacturing plays in a thriving economy. “And I believe we attract new jobs to America by investing in new sources of energy and new infrastructure and the next generation of high-wage, high-tech American manufacturing,” touted President Obama. “I believe in manufacturing. I think it makes our country stronger.”

After weighing in on manufacturing, President Obama discussed another vital part of our economy, education. At Decatur Community Recreation Center, President Obama pushed for high-quality preschool for every child in America. The President believes it is critical to give every American child a fair shot and this should begin at the earliest ages.

“I am so proud of every single teacher who is here who has dedicated their lives to making sure those kids get a good start in life,” said President Obama. “I want to make sure that I’m helping, and I want to make sure that the country is behind you every step of the way.”

The Medal of Honor: On Monday, President Obama awarded Army Staff Sargent Clinton Romesha the Medal of Honor for “acts of gallantry and intrepidity” and serving his Nation “above and beyond the call of duty.” President Obama shared the country’s gratitude through his remarks of Romesha. “When I called Clint to tell him that he would receive this medal, he said he was honored, but he also said, it wasn’t just me out there, it was a team effort.”

VP Biden in Philly: On Monday, Vice President Biden traveled to Philadelphia for a roundtable discussion with law enforcement officials on gun violence. The Philadelphia trip was one of many as the Administration is working hard to protect our children and our communities through common-sense gun legislation.

At the session, the Vice President pledged to put 15,000 police officers on the street, while also pressing for assault weapons ban and background checks for gun buyers. Download the President’s plan to reduce gun violence here.

POTUS Google+ Hangout: On Thursday, President Obama joined Americans from across the country in the latest “Fireside Hangout.” Speaking from the Roosevelt Room in the West Wing, the discussion revolved around his State of the Union address from Tuesday night.

The President fielded questions from gun violence to immigration. The discussion was not all policy as the President happily discussed Valentine’s Day etiquette and baby names for a child.

Watch the event it its entirety and follow us on Google+ for updates to learn how you can participate in upcoming hangouts.

Mayors Against Illegal Guns


Demand a Plan

Cleopatra Crowley-Pendleton’s 15-year-old daughter Hadiya performed at President Obama’s inauguration.  A week later she was murdered with a gun.
No parent should have to go through such heartbreak.
Please watch this powerful TV ad Cleo recorded calling on Congress to require background checks for all gun sales — then share it with your friends and family:

Cleopatra Watch and Share

  Members of Congress are back home for the next week, talking to their constituents about gun reform and other important issues.  This is a good time to start a conversation in your community about common sense laws that could save countless lives.
Please forward this email to your friends and family or share Cleo’s video on Facebook or Twitter:
http://DemandAPlan/Cleo
Thank you for spreading the word,
Mark Glaze                                 Mayors Against Illegal Guns

Congressional Budget Office : cost estimate S.252


cbocloud

S. 252, the Prematurity Research Expansion and Education for Mothers who deliver Infants Early Reauthorization Act

 

As ordered reported by the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions on February 13, 2013

Keep Frankenfish Out of Our Food Chain …


Take ActionThe FDA is moving toward approving genetically-engineered fish for human consumption. Please help us ensure our native fish populations are protected! Take Action Today!

Earthjustice, Protect Northwest Orcas Campaign
What do you think would happen if our precious and vulnerable native salmon came face-to-face with fast-growing, genetically-engineered salmon? Not sure? Unfortunately, you’re not the only one.

During the holidays, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) took a controversial step toward approving the first-ever genetically-engineered fish made for human consumption. These fish are the spawn of a company called AquaBounty Technologies and are engineered in foreign laboratories to grow twice as fast as natural Atlantic salmon.

And if that’s not scary enough, the FDA isn’t planning on thoroughly studying all the environmental risks presented by these Frankenfish before giving the green light to AquaBounty. This means these Frankenfish will be produced on a commercial scale before anyone knows what damaging impacts they may have if they invade our most sensitive natural marine environments. The FDA wants to be able to save these crucial questions for a later time, but we think the questions need to need to be answered now, before it’s too late.

If you agree, join us in calling on the FDA to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the full range of potential environmental impacts of these genetically-engineered fish.

We have until April 26, 2013 to submit comments. Please help us ensure our native fish populations are protected!