Hi, all. As of today, this Daily Report appears on weekdays only. Please click the subscribe button so you don't miss an installment. As always, I thank you for your support of this diary and for your great civility in the thread.
Today's report features:
• Federal pay freeze: Lots of background from the President, Press Secretary, OPM Director and OMB Director.
• Document leak: Secretary of State Clinton delivers a statement to the press on the release of confidential documents.
• Tuesday Talks: Energy Secretary Chu is answering your questions in a live video chat November 30th at 1:15 p.m. EST. Watch at WhiteHouse.gov/live .
• DREAM Act: Deputy Assistant to the President Cecilia Munoz takes questions about the DREAM Act, which provides a path to legal status for youth who pursue higher education or serve in the Armed Forces.
• It gets Better: Agriculture Secretary Vilsack’s video message of encouragement to LGBT youth.
And a link to Blackwaterdog.
• FEDERAL PAY FREEZE •
White House, Nov. 29, 2010:
President Obama Proposes Federal Employee Pay Freeze
President Obama announces his intention to seek a two-year pay freeze for civilian Federal employees, a measure that would provide $28 billion in cumulative savings over the next five years.
Office of the Press Secretary, November 29, 2010:
Remarks by the President on the Federal Employee Pay Freeze
THE PRESIDENT:
Hello, everybody. Good morning, everybody.
Let me begin by pointing out that although Washington is supposed to be a town of sharp elbows, it’s getting a little carried away. For those of you who are worried about my lip, I should be okay. The doctor has given me a clean bill of health, and I will continue to be playing basketball whenever I get a chance. In fact, I played yesterday with Sasha and Malia and they took it easy on me because they were feeling pity.
I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving, but now it’s time to get back to work. Congress is back in town this week. And I’m looking forward to sitting down with Republican leaders tomorrow to discuss many issues -- foremost among them the American people’s business that remains to be done this year. My hope is that tomorrow’s meeting will mark a first step towards a new and productive working relationship. Because we now have a shared responsibility to deliver for the American people on the issues that define not only these times but our future -- and I hope we can do that in a cooperative and serious way.
Our two most fundamental challenges are keeping the American people safe and growing our economy -- and it’s in that spirit that I look forward to sitting down tomorrow and talking about urgent matters like the ratification of the New START treaty, which is so essential to our safety and security; and the status of the Bush-era tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of this year. And this is just one of the many economic issues we’ve got to tackle together in the months ahead.
As I said a few weeks ago, the most important contest of our time is not the contest between Democrats and Republicans; it’s between America and our economic competitors all around the world. Winning that contest means that we’ve got to ensure our children are the best educated in the world; that our research and development is second to none; and that we lead the globe in renewable energy and technological innovation.
It also means making sure that in the future we’re not dragged down by long-term debt. This is a challenge that both parties have a responsibility to address -- to get federal spending under control and bring down the deficits that have been growing for most of the last decade.
Now, there’s no doubt that if we want to bring down our deficits, it’s critical to keep growing our economy. More importantly, there’s still a lot of pain out there, and we can’t afford to take any steps that might derail our recovery or our efforts to put Americans back to work and to make Main Street whole again. So we can’t put the brakes on too quickly. And I’m going to be interested in hearing ideas from my Republican colleagues, as well as Democrats, about how we continue to grow the economy and how we put people back to work.
But we do have to correct our long-term fiscal course. And that’s why earlier this year I created a bipartisan deficit commission that is poised to report back later this week with ideas that I hope will spark a serious and long-overdue conversation in this town. Those of us who have been charged to lead will have to confront some very difficult decisions, cutting spending we don’t need in order to invest in the things that we do.
As President, I’m committed to doing my part. From the earliest days of my administration, we’ve worked to eliminate wasteful spending and streamline government. I promised to go through the budget line by line to eliminate programs that have outlived their usefulness, and in each of the budgets I’ve put forward so far, we’ve proposed approximately $20 billion in savings through shrinking or ending more than 120 such programs.
I’ve also set goals for this government that we’re on track to meet: reducing improper payments by $50 billion, saving $40 billion in contracting, and selling off $8 billion of unneeded federal land and buildings.
I’ve also proposed a three-year freeze on all non-security discretionary spending -- a step that would bring that spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years. And we’ve brought unprecedented transparency to federal spending by placing all of it online at USAspending.gov and Recovery.gov, so Americans can see how their tax dollars are spent.
The hard truth is that getting this deficit under control is going to require broad sacrifice. And that sacrifice must be shared by the employees of the federal government.
After all, small businesses and families are tightening their belts. Their government should, too. And that’s why, on my first day as President, I froze all pay for my senior staff. This year I’ve proposed extending that freeze for senior political appointees throughout the government and eliminating bonuses for all political appointees.
And today I’m proposing a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal workers. This would save $2 billion over the rest of this fiscal year and $28 billion in cumulative savings over the next five years. And I want to be clear: This freeze does not apply to the men and women of our Armed Forces, who along with their families continue to bear enormous burdens with our nation at war.
I did not reach this decision easily. This is not just a line item on a federal ledger. These are people’s lives. They’re doctors and nurses who care for our veterans; scientists who search for better treatments and cures; men and women who care for our national parks and secure our borders and our skies; Americans who see that the Social Security checks get out on time, who make sure that scholarships comes through, who devote themselves to our safety. They’re patriots who love their country and often make many sacrifices to serve their country.
In these challenging times, we want the best and brightest to join and make a difference. But these are also times where all of us are called on to make some sacrifices. And I’m asking civil servants to do what they’ve always done -- play their part.
Going forward, we’re going to have to make some additional very tough decisions that this town has put off for a very long time. And that’s what this upcoming week is really about. My hope is that, starting today, we can begin a bipartisan conversation about our future, because we face challenges that will require the cooperation of Democrats, Republicans and Independents. Everybody is going to have to cooperate. We can’t afford to fall back onto the same old ideologies or the same stale sound bites. We’re going to have to budge on some deeply held positions and compromise for the good of the country. We’re going to have to set aside the politics of the moment to make progress for the long term. And as I’ve often said, we’re going to have to think not just about the next election, but about the next generation, because if there’s anything the American people said this month, it’s that they want their leaders to have one single focus: making sure their work is rewarded so that the American Dream remains within their reach. It would be unwise to assume they prefer one way of thinking over another. That wasn’t the lesson that I took when I entered into office, and it’s not the lesson today.
So while our ideas may be different, our goals must be the same -- growing this economy, putting people back to work, and securing the dream for all who work for it; to summon what’s best for each of us to make lives better for all of us. And that’s why we are here and that’s why we serve. That’s how we’ve moved this country forward in the past -- and I’m absolutely confident that that is how we are going to move this country forward once again.
Thank you very much, everybody.
OPM, Nov. 29, 2010:
Statement by U.S. Office of Personnel Management Director John Berry on Federal Employee Pay Freeze
"Federal employees work hard for our nation each day, and this sacrifice the President asked them to make today is significant and emblematic of the shared sacrifice we all will have to make if we are to bring the deficit to heel and preserve an economic future for our children."
See Director Berry's It Gets Better video here.
Office of the Press Secretary, November 29, 2010:
Fact Sheet: Cutting the Deficit by Freezing Federal Employee Pay
Because of the irresponsibility of the past decade, the President inherited a $1.3 trillion projected deficit upon taking office and an economic crisis that threatened to put the nation into a second Great Depression. He moved quickly to get the economy moving again. Now, the economy is growing, and we have gained private sector jobs for the past 10 months. But families and businesses are still hurting, and our top priority is making sure that we are doing everything we can to help boost economic growth and spur job creation.
Now, we need to turn our attention to addressing the massive deficits we inherited and the unsustainable fiscal course that we are on. Doing so will take some very tough choices. Just as families and businesses around the nation have tightened their belts so must their government. That must be done in a targeted way that focuses our investments in what works and in what will lay the foundation for job creation and economic growth for years to come while cutting back elsewhere in our budget.
That is why the President has decided to propose a freeze in civilian pay for federal employees for two years, 2011 and 2012.
• This two-year pay freeze will save $2 billion for the remainder of FY 2011, $28 billion over the next five years, and more than $60 billion over the next 10 years.
• It will apply to all civilian federal employees, including those in various alternative pay plans and those working at the Department of Defense – but not military personnel.
This was a decision that was not made lightly. From the doctors and nurses who care for our veterans to the scientists searching for better treatments and cures, the men and women who care for our national parks, and the thousands who make sure that the Social Security check is in the mail and that students get their scholarships, federal workers serve their fellow Americans. They do so often with great sacrifice and motivated by a patriotic love for their country. This freeze is not to punish federal workers or to disrespect the work that they do. It is the first of many actions we will take in the upcoming budget to put our nation on sound fiscal footing – which will ask for some sacrifice from us all.
This move also is another step in what the Administration has done as part of its Accountable Government Initiative to cut costs, save taxpayer dollars and do more with less in the federal government:
• Upon taking office, the President froze salaries for all senior White House officials; in last year’s budget, he proposed to extend this freeze to other top political appointees; and he eliminated bonuses for all political appointees.
• The President directed agencies to dispose of excess real estate to save $8 billion over the next two years.
• The President set an aggressive goal of reducing improper payments by $50 billion by the end of 2012.
• In each of his budgets, the President put forward approximately $20 billion in terminations and reductions, encompassing more than 120 programs all of which have strong supporters.
• The President put forward more than $1 trillion in deficit reduction in his 2011 budget, including a three-year freeze in non-security spending – which will bring non-security discretionary spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years.
Ultimately, reining in our deficits will take tough decisions and sacrifices made by us all. We look forward to working with both sides on Capitol Hill over the next several months to forge a commonsense deficit reduction strategy that will rein in our deficits, keep our economy growing, and lay the foundation for American competitiveness for years to come.
White House Blog, Nov. 29, 2010:
Tightening Our Belts
Posted by Jack Lew, Director of the Office of Management and Budget
As I wrote last week upon my return to the Office of Management and Budget, the fiscal and economic situation we face today is very different than the projected surpluses we left behind the last time I served as OMB Director in the 1990's. After years of fiscal irresponsibility, President Obama inherited a $1.3 trillion projected deficit and the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression.
The President and his economic team worked quickly to address the crisis, and we are seeing our economy recover – albeit more slowly than anyone would like. Families and businesses are still hurting, and too many who want to work are not able to find a job. Our top priority must be to do what we can to help boost economic growth and spur private sector job creation.
But to lay the foundation for long-term economic growth and to make our nation competitive for years to come, we must put the United States back on a sustainable fiscal course. And that’s going to require some tough choices.
Today, the President made one of those: proposing a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal workers. This will save $2 billion over the remainder of this fiscal year, $28 billion in cumulative savings over the next five years, and more than $60 billion over the next 10 years. The freeze will apply to all civilian federal employees, including those in various alternative pay plans and those working at the Department of Defense – but not military personnel.
We are announcing this move today because tomorrow is the legal deadline to submit to Congress the President’s decision about locality pay, a key component of overall federal worker pay. In addition, we are in the midst of the 2012 budget process, and need to make a decision about pay to develop the 2012 budget. Simply, the time to decide about pay for those two years is now.
Make no mistake: this decision was not made lightly.
Like everyone honored to serve in the White House or the Cabinet, we work with extraordinarily talented public servants every day. Throughout my career in the Congress, at the State department, and here at OMB, I have met federal workers who have sacrificed more lucrative jobs and hours with their families -- and, in some cases, put their lives in harm’s way -- in order to serve their fellow Americans. Indeed, anyone who has flown safely, enjoyed our national parks, received a Pell grant to go to college, or relied on a Social Security check to retire in dignity has benefited from the service of federal workers.
This pay freeze is not a reflection on their fine work. It is a reflection of the fiscal reality that we face: just as families and businesses across the nation have tightened their belts, so must the federal government.
Already, the Administration has taken a number of steps in this regard as part of its Accountable Government Initiative from the President freezing the salaries for all senior White House officials and other top political appointees upon taking office to his efforts to get rid of $8 billion of excess federal real property over the next two years, reduce improper payments by $50 billion by the end of 2012, and freeze non-security spending for three years – which will bring non-security discretionary spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years.
Moving forward, we will need to make many more tough choices to construct a plan to pay down these deficits and put our nation on sound fiscal footing. Later this week, the Fiscal Commission will release its report laying out its approach, and I look forward to working with people from across the spectrum on this challenge in the weeks to come.
Department of Defense, Nov. 29, 2010:
Obama Proposes Federal Pay Freeze
By Terri Moon Cronk, American Forces Press Service
President Barack Obama today proposed a two-year federal pay freeze to aid in reducing the federal deficit.
The proposed freeze would not affect military pay, and would require congressional action to become law....
When Obama took office in January 2009, he immediately froze salaries for senior White House officials. Earlier this year, he also proposed freezing salaries for all political appointees throughout the government, White House officials said.
Obama noted today that he also has proposed a three-year freeze on all nonsecurity discretionary spending, a step he said would bring that spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years.
White House, Nov. 29, 2010:
11/29/10: White House Press Briefing
White House Press Briefings are conducted most weekdays from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the West Wing.
Office of the Press Secretary, November 29, 2010:
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 11/29/2010
MR. GIBBS: I don’t think a -- I think there’s a whole host of decisions, again, as you heard the President say, that are going to have to be made in the next year or two years or three years to address a problem it took us many years to get into. Jake, I think -- look, the President did not say today that this action alone will solve our deficit problems. There are a series of actions alone that won’t solve our deficit problems. But we have to make a series of collective but very difficult decisions to get our fiscal house in order.
Obviously the deficit and debt commission will come back later this week and the President will get a chance to, and the team here, to evaluate where we are in that process as we create a budget going forward....
The timing has everything to do with the fact that decisions had to be made by the end of the month or pay raises -- different information transpires that leads to an increase in pay, which the President froze today.
I will say that I think -- whether it’s freezing the pay of federal employees, whether it’s looking for inefficiency or waste, I think this is an area under which Democrats and Republicans ought to be able to work together.
This was not intended to have anything to do with either the fiscal commission or the meeting tomorrow, but I think it does -- it certainly highlights the fact that for all the back-and-forth and for all the "this side versus that side," there are some things that we believe in common and we’re going to have to find those areas and move those compromises forward to make any progress....
Q: On the pay freeze, I know you were saying, and earlier Mr. Zients was saying that this was driven by this deadline by the end of this month. But Mr. Obama, the President, said that, "my hope is that starting today we can begin a bipartisan conversation about our future," as if this was the first -- an opening gesture in the conversation.
MR. GIBBS: I think what he was referring to is what I referred to a few moments ago, and that is I think that if you laid out ideas, you would see some commonality in -- I think prior to or including today, you’ve seen commonality on each side of the aisle in freezing the pay of federal employees. I don’t doubt that there are other issues. And the President hopes there are more issues that we can find common agreement on.
Again, the decision that was announced today was not driven by, as I said a minute ago, either the meeting on Tuesday or the fiscal commission’s report on Wednesday. It was due to a series of deadlines that you mentioned.
Q: My question is, why does the President -- he did this with off-shore oil drilling, too. Why does the President go out and set -- and make these proposals at a podium instead of behind closed doors with your political adversaries in a negotiating position where you might be able to get something in return? What is the President getting in return by making this gesture?
MR. GIBBS: I think $2 billion in savings next year and $28 billion over five.
Q: And he does not think that Democrats should try to actually extract some concessions from Republicans when he makes moves that anger the left? Because he has angered the left.
MR. GIBBS: Jonathan, I think on a daily basis we anger many people. That comes with the job of governing. The President makes a series of decisions that he thinks are in the best interest of the country and I think, as he said today, not focused on the next election, but focused on the next generation. That's why the President made the decision that he made with the deadline that we had -- not as a bargaining chip or a bargaining tool, but because it was the right thing to do....
Q: Also in terms of -- you said it’s not -- the pay freeze isn’t a bargaining chip. But is it supposed to be a symbol of his seriousness? It’s symbolic. It’s only $5 billion over two years. Is it supposed to be a symbol of his seriousness about the deficit?
MR. GIBBS: Yes, I keep thinking that $5 billion is actually a decent chunk of change. So I don't know that I would consider $5 billion to be symbolic. I think it’s a lot of money.
Q: A down payment on his seriousness about the deficit? Or what –
MR. GIBBS: Well -- look, again, we’ve proposed a series of programs be cut or eliminated. We’ve proposed a non-security discretionary spending freeze; freeze in pay. I think all of these are emblematic of the steps that we have to take in order to get our fiscal house in order.
I would also point to the fact that what the Medicare trustees said health care reform does in terms of over the course of the next two decades, getting our fiscal house in order, that that’s a lot of money that is anything but symbolic. Those are substantial changes that add life to the Medicare trust fund....
• DOCUMENT LEAK •
Department of State, Nov. 29, 2010:
Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks to the Press on the Release of Confidential Documents
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers a statement to the press on the release of confidential documents, Washington, D.C., November 29, 2010.
Remarks to the Press on the Release of Confidential Documents
Secretary Clinton:
.... In my conversations with counterparts from around the world over the past few days, and in my meeting earlier today with Foreign Minister Davutoglu of Turkey, I have had very productive discussions on this issue.
The United States strongly condemns the illegal disclosure of classified information. It puts people’s lives in danger, threatens our national security, and undermines our efforts to work with other countries to solve shared problems. This Administration is advancing a robust foreign policy that is focused on advancing America’s national interests and leading the world in solving the most complex challenges of our time, from fixing the global economy, to thwarting international terrorism, to stopping the spread of catastrophic weapons, to advancing human rights and universal values. In every country and in every region of the world, we are working with partners to pursue these aims.
So let’s be clear: this disclosure is not just an attack on America’s foreign policy interests. It is an attack on the international community – the alliances and partnerships, the conversations and negotiations, that safeguard global security and advance economic prosperity.
I am confident that the partnerships that the Obama Administration has worked so hard to build will withstand this challenge. The President and I have made these partnerships a priority – and we are proud of the progress that they have helped achieve – and they will remain at the center of our efforts.
I will not comment on or confirm what are alleged to be stolen State Department cables. But I can say that the United States deeply regrets the disclosure of any information that was intended to be confidential, including private discussions between counterparts or our diplomats’ personal assessments and observations. I want to make clear that our official foreign policy is not set through these messages, but here in Washington. Our policy is a matter of public record, as reflected in our statements and our actions around the world.
I would also add that to the American people and to our friends and partners, I want you to know that we are taking aggressive steps to hold responsible those who stole this information. I have directed that specific actions be taken at the State Department, in addition to new security safeguards at the Department of Defense and elsewhere to protect State Department information so that this kind of breach cannot and does not ever happen again.
Relations between governments aren’t the only concern created by the publication of this material. U.S. diplomats meet with local human rights workers, journalists, religious leaders, and others outside of governments who offer their own candid insights. These conversations also depend on trust and confidence. For example, if an anti-corruption activist shares information about official misconduct, or a social worker passes along documentation of sexual violence, revealing that person’s identity could have serious repercussions: imprisonment, torture, even death.
So whatever are the motives in disseminating these documents, it is clear that releasing them poses real risks to real people, and often to the very people who have dedicated their own lives to protecting others.
Now, I am aware that some may mistakenly applaud those responsible, so I want to set the record straight: There is nothing laudable about endangering innocent people, and there is nothing brave about sabotaging the peaceful relations between nations on which our common security depends.
There have been examples in history in which official conduct has been made public in the name of exposing wrongdoings or misdeeds. This is not one of those cases. In contrast, what is being put on display in this cache of documents is the fact that American diplomats are doing the work we expect them to do. They are helping identify and prevent conflicts before they start. They are working hard every day to solve serious practical problems – to secure dangerous materials, to fight international crime, to assist human rights defenders, to restore our alliances, to ensure global economic stability. This is the role that America plays in the world. This is the role our diplomats play in serving America. And it should make every one of us proud.
The work of our diplomats doesn’t just benefit Americans, but also billions of others around the globe. In addition to endangering particular individuals, disclosures like these tear at the fabric of the proper function of responsible government.
People of good faith understand the need for sensitive diplomatic communications, both to protect the national interest and the global common interest. Every country, including the United States, must be able to have candid conversations about the people and nations with whom they deal. And every country, including the United States, must be able to have honest, private dialogue with other countries about issues of common concern. I know that diplomats around the world share this view – but this is not unique to diplomacy. In almost every profession – whether it’s law or journalism, finance or medicine or academia or running a small business – people rely on confidential communications to do their jobs. We count on the space of trust that confidentiality provides. When someone breaches that trust, we are all worse off for it. And so despite some of the rhetoric we’ve heard these past few days, confidential communications do not run counter to the public interest. They are fundamental to our ability to serve the public interest.
In America, we welcome genuine debates about pressing questions of public policy. We have elections about them. That is one of the greatest strengths of our democracy. It is part of who we are and it is a priority for this Administration. But stealing confidential documents and then releasing them without regard for the consequences does not serve the public good, and it is not the way to engage in a healthy debate.
In the past few days, I have spoken with many of my counterparts around the world, and we have all agreed that we will continue to focus on the issues and tasks at hand. In that spirit, President Obama and I remain committed to productive cooperation with our partners as we seek to build a better, more prosperous world for all....
• TUESDAY TALKS: BUILDING A CLEAN ENERGY ECONOMY •
White House Blog, Nov. 29, 2010:
Tuesday Talks: Building A Clean Energy Economy with Energy Secretary Chu
Posted by Kori Schulman
In Tuesday Talks this week, Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu is answering your questions in a live video chat. Secretary Chu recently delivered a speech calling on the United States to sharply accelerate innovations in clean energy -- citing China and other countries' recent advances in clean technology as a critical "Sputnik Moment" for the U.S. Now, it’s your chance to ask the Secretary your questions on building a clean energy economy.
Join us for a talk with Secretary Chu on Tuesday, November 30th at 1:15 p.m. EST.
Here's how you can participate in advance:
• Ask your questions in advance on WhiteHouse.gov
• Ask your questions in advance on Facebook
Here’s how you can join live:
• Join the discussion live through the White House Facebookapplication
• Watch the chat through WhiteHouse.gov/live
Watch what you missed in previous Tuesday Talks:
• Health Care Reform Implementation with Nancy-Ann DeParle
• The National Medals Laureates of Science, Technology and Innovation
• Veterans Day with Tammy Duckworth
• The President’s Trip to Asia
• David Axelrod
• Austan Goolsbee
• The President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities
• Tuesday Talk with Elizabeth Warren
• DREAM ACT UPDATE •
White House Blog, Nov. 29, 2010:
What's Going On With the DREAM Act
Posted by Kalpen Modi
This afternoon, the White House reiterated the President's commitment to the DREAM Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation designed to stop punishing innocent young people for the actions of their parents by giving them the chance to obtain legal status by pursuing a higher education, or by serving in the U.S. armed forces for the country they've grown up in and love as their own.
Thanks to the participation of young people from all over the country, Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Intergovernmental Affairs, Cecilia Munoz took great questions on whether the legislation would encourage people to come to the United States illegally (it would not) and whether the DREAM Act can be implemented by the President via Executive Order (it cannot, which is why he is strongly urging Congress to do the right thing by passing it).
Today's webchat is part of the President's ongoing commitment to engage with young people all over the country. If you'd like to be added to the White House youth engagement distribution list, send an email to youth@who.eop.gov
Miss the webchat live? Check it out in its entirety with full questions and answers here:
White House, Nov. 29:
Open for Questions: The DREAM Act with Cecilia Munoz
Deputy Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs Cecilia Munoz takes questions about the DREAM Act, legislation that provides a path to legal status for youth who pursue higher education or serve in the Armed Forces.
• IT GETS BETTER: USDA SECRETARY VILSACK •
The White House Blog, Nov. 29, 2010:
Secretary Vilsack: It Gets Better
Posted by Justin DeJong, USDA Press Secretary
Editor's note: This blog post is cross-posted from the USDA's Blog.
White House, Nov. 29, 2010:
USDA Secretary Tom Vilsack's message for the It Gets Better Project
If you have ever been bullied, Secretary Vilsack wants you to know that it gets better.
The "It Gets Better" project is a website that aims to inspire hope for young people facing harassment because they are gay or perceived to be gay. With over 15 million views the website encourages people to submit videos to show LGBT youth that despite the bullying, it does indeed get better. Secretary Vilsack recently joined the movement and submitted his own video because he wants LGBT youth – especially youth in small-town and rural America – to know that they are never alone.
I hope that you take a moment to watch the Secretary’s video submission to the "It Gets Better" project. It’s important for LGBT youth of rural America, as well as their family members and friends to know that there are resources available and folks willing to help.
Thank you so much, and I hope that you too will take a stand to stop bullying in your community.
If you’re a young person who’s been bullied or harassed by your peers, or you’re a parent or teacher who knows a young person being bullied or harassed, here are a few resources that can help you:
The Trevor Project
The Trevor Project is determined to end suicide among LBGTQ youth by providing resources and a nationwide, 24 hour hotline. If you are considering suicide or need help, call: 866-4-U-TREVOR (866-488-7386).
BullyingInfo.org
BullyingInfo.org is a project of the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP) focused on providing tools and resources for youth, parents, teachers and mental health providers to prevent and address bullying.
It Gets Better Project
President Obama's video and Vice President Biden’s video are just a couple of the thousands of videos submitted by people across the country to inspire and encourage LGBT youth who are struggling. You can watch more videos at ItGetsBetterProject.com..
For even more information and resources visit or call:
• Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network (GLSEN)
• Matthew Shepard Foundation
• Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
National Suicide Lifeline 800-273-TALK (8255)