Hi all. Today's report features:
• Two Presidents: The President meets with President Nicolas Sarkozy of France.
• In memoriam: The President, First Lady and White House staff join in a moment of silent remembrance; a Presidential Proclamation honoring the victims; moment of silence observed by NASA's Mission Control and the International Space Station.
• Afghanistan: The Vice President visits Kabul to assess progress in handing over security to Afghan forces; the President received the resignation of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction.
• US-China relations: Defense Secretary Gates is in China for discussions on strengthening the countries' military-to-military relationship.
• Labor news: DOL recovers back wages for L.A. garment workers; Secretary Solis to re-establish the charter of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health.
• New features for Energy.gov: Energy's website unveils the first wave of improvements.
• TWO PRESIDENTS •
White House, Jan. 10, 2011:
President Obama Meets with President Sarkozy
President Obama and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France speak to the media following a bilateral meeting at the White House. President Obama again speaks about the shooting tragedy in Arizona.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 10, 2011:
Remarks by President Obama and President Sarkozy of France after Bilateral Meeting
PRESIDENT OBAMA: We'll, I’m very grateful to have my dear friend, Nicolas Sarkozy, here. And I think Nicolas has agreed that at the top I want to just make a few comments about the situation in Tucson, Arizona.
Obviously all of us are still grieving and in shock from the tragedy that took place. Gabby Giffords and others are still fighting to recover. Families are still absorbing the enormity of their losses. We have a criminal investigation that is ongoing and charges that no doubt will be brought against the perpetrator of this heinous crime.
I think it’s important for us to also focus, though, on the extraordinary courage that was shown during the course of these events: a 20-year-old college student who ran into the line of fire to rescue his boss; a wounded woman who helped secure the ammunition that might have caused even more damage; the citizens who wrestled down the gunman. Part of what I think that speaks to is the best of America, even in the face of such mindless violence.
And so, in the coming days we're going to have a lot of time to reflect. Right now, the main thing we're doing is to offer our thoughts and prayers to those who’ve been impacted, making sure that we're joining together and pulling together as a country. And as President of the United States, but also as a father, obviously I'm spending a lot of time just thinking about the families and reaching out to them.
Now, I want to say to Nicolas that I want to offer my condolences to his countrymen as well. They just recently had two French citizens who were kidnapped in Niger. It points to the challenge of terrorism that we jointly share, and this is just one more area in which cooperation between France and the United States is so critical.
We don’t have a stronger friend and a stronger ally than Nicolas Sarkozy and the French people. We have cooperated over the last several years on dealing with a global economic crisis, dealing with the challenges of terrorism, dealing with a range of geopolitical issues from the Middle East to Iran to Afghanistan. And I’ve always found Nicolas to be an outstanding partner and an outstanding friend to the American people, as well as a leader on the world stage.
We spent the initial part of this meeting discussing the G8 and G20 agenda, because both in France and the United States and around the world, although we are in the process of healing and recovery from the disastrous recession that we went through, we’re not yet where we want to be. Too many people are still out of work. Too many businesses are still having problems getting financing. There’s still too many imbalances in the world economy that are inhibiting the prospects of growth.
And so in our discussions, with the French in the lead both at the G8 and the G20 this year, we discussed how we can coordinate our agendas to make sure that we are as productive as possible in delivering the kinds of reforms and follow-through that will result in prosperity for peoples around the globe.
After this brief press appearance we’re going to be having lunch, and during that time we’ll be discussing issues in which there has been extraordinarily close collaboration. Obviously the French are one of our strongest allies -- a NATO ally; they are key members of ISAF. French troops have been sacrificing alongside Americans in uniform in Afghanistan. And we are very grateful for those sacrifices. So we will be discussing our strategies there, building off of the discussions we had in Lisbon.
We’re also going to be discussing issues like Iran and the impact that sanctions are currently having on their nuclear program, and our hope that we can resolve this issue diplomatically. But we will be building on our shared resolve to assure that we’re not seeing nuclear weapons in Iran.
We’ll discuss the Middle East, where Nicolas and I share a deep and abiding belief in the need for two states standing side by side in peace and security.
We’ll be discussing issues like Cote d’Ivoire, where democracy is being threatened at this moment and where France has extraordinary historical ties and has shown great leadership; Sudan, where a referendum is taking place this weekend in which so much is at stake in preventing outbreaks of violence that could end up devastating the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, but also where there’s a prospect of a peaceful transition that could result in a better life for people in both the north and the south of Sudan.
We’ll also finally be discussing Lebanon where I think we are all deeply concerned with the special tribunal there and making sure that justice is appropriately served.
So I just want to say how much I appreciate not only Nicolas’s friendship but also his leadership. And I also want to point out that the last time that Nicolas and his lovely wife Carla were here we sent them to Ben’s Chili Bowl. I can’t say that half-smokes will be on the menu here at the White House -- the First Lady is having lunch with Carla while Nicolas and I have a working lunch -- but I hope you find the hospitality outstanding nevertheless.
And on behalf of the American people, we want to again express our friendship to the French people and wish everybody in your country a happy new year.
PRESIDENT SARKOZY: (As translated.) I, first of all, want to say to the American people how deeply moved and upset the French people have been at your loss and tragedy.
And I also want to thank President Obama for his expression of solidarity to the French people in light of the loss that we have felt at the cowardly killing of two young Frenchmen who were killed in a barbaric fashion by terrorists.
Both the U.S. and France are determined to stand firm as allies on this issue of terrorism. Both of us believe that any show of weakness would be culpable. We have no choice but to go after these terrorists wherever they may be. When values as fundamental as those we cherish are being challenged, democracies cannot afford to give in. They must -- they must -- combat.
With the American President, we talked about the future of the G20, and I said to him in very clear terms that we wish to work hand in glove, France and the United States, on these issues.
We are in the 21st century, and we need new ideas for this new century. And with President Obama, we are determined to forge ahead, come up with these new ideas for the greater benefit of the peoples of the world, for their prosperity and for the stability of this world of ours.
I’ve always been a great friend, a tremendous friend of the United States, and I know how important a role the U.S. plays in the world, how important the U.S. dollar is as the world’s number one currency. And with Barack Obama, we are determined to propose new ideas to get things moving, both within the framework of the G8 and the G20.
And our teams are going to be working very hard together to come up with common papers and common positions on the issues which are of interest and which come within the agreement of the G20, such as the matter of currencies, of commodity prices, and all that needs to be done in order to reduce the current and present imbalances.
Lastly, I want to thank Barack Obama, my host, for his show of leadership, and also point out that something that has always struck me about him, is his ability to get to the fundamentals, the root of issues, the root causes of things. I appreciate his openness, the way he speaks very frankly about things with me. And I am convinced, ladies and gentlemen, that in 2011, we will be able to come up with the structural solutions that will enable us to settle or at least to tackle the world’s imbalances and problems.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: Thank you, everybody.
Q: Will you go to Tucson, Mr. President?
PRESIDENT OBAMA: We’re in close consultations with the families who have suffered these losses, as well as Governor Brewer, congressional leadership. There is no doubt that we will establish some mechanism, memorial, during the course of the next several days. And when we have that, we will announce it.
But I think it’s going to be important, I think, for the country as a whole, as well as the people of Arizona, to feel as if we are speaking directly to our sense of loss, but also speaking to our hopes for the future and how out of this tragedy we can come together as a stronger nation.
• IN MEMORIAM •
White House, Jan. 10, 2010:
A Moment of Silence for Arizona Shooting Victims
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama are joined by White House staff on the South Lawn as they observe a moment of silence to honor the victims of the tragic shootings in Tucson, Arizona. January 10, 2011.
White House Blog, Jan. 10, 2011:
Moment of Silence for the Victims in Arizona
Posted by Jesse Lee
This morning at 11:00AM EST President Obama, the First Lady and White House staff joined many across the country in observing a moment of silence to honor the innocent victims of the senseless tragedy in Tucson, Arizona, including those still fighting for their lives.
In addition to staying on top of the investigation and helping wherever possible. The President has been and will continue to be in close contact with those concerned, having made calls to Representative Gifford's husband, Mark Kelly, the families of Christina-Taylor Green and Gabe Zimmerman, as well as House Leadership and members of the Arizona delegation in both the House and Senate.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 9, 2011:
Presidential Proclamation--Honoring the Victims of the Tragedy in Tucson, Arizona
As a mark of respect for the victims of the senseless acts of violence perpetrated on Saturday, January 8, 2011, in Tucson, Arizona, by the authority vested in me as President of the United States by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, I hereby order that the flag of the United States shall be flown at half-staff at the White House and upon all public buildings and grounds, at all military posts and naval stations, and on all naval vessels of the Federal Government in the District of Columbia and throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, January 14, 2011. I also direct that the flag shall be flown at half-staff for the same length of time at all United States embassies, legations, consular offices, and other facilities abroad, including all military facilities and naval vessels and stations.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
ninth day of January, in the year of our Lord two thousand eleven, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fifth.
BARACK OBAMA
NASA, Jan 10, 2011:
NASA'S Mission Control and ISS Crew Observe National Moment of Silence
At Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston and aboard the International Space Station, flight controllers and the Expedition 26 crew paused to observe a National Moment of Silence Jan. 10, 2011. The event was held for the victims of the shootings in Tucson, Ariz., Jan. 8 that left six people dead and more than a dozen wounded, including Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-AZ). Station Commander Scott Kelly, Giffords' brother-in-law, led the station crew in its observance from 220 miles above the Earth.
• AFGHANISTAN •
Associated Press, Jan. 10, 2011:
Raw Video: Biden Makes Surprise Visit to Kabul
Vice President Joe Biden made a surprise visit to Afghanistan Monday to assess progress toward the key objective of handing over security from foreign to Afghan forces. Biden started his visit by talking college football with Gen. David Petraeus.
Department of Defense, Jan. 10, 2011:
Biden to Assess Progress in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 10, 2011 – Vice President Joe Biden arrived in Afghanistan today for a previously unannounced visit that White House officials said is designed to assess progress and reinforce the U.S. commitment.
Biden is scheduled to meet with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, to speak to U.S. service members and civilians, and to visit an Afghan army training center.
This is Biden's first trip to Afghanistan as vice president. He was greeted by U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan Karl W. Eikenberry; Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO military commander in Afghanistan; and three Afghan officials.
A White House official said the vice president will assess progress toward the transition to Afghan-led security and to demonstrate U.S. commitment to a long-term partnership with Afghanistan. He also will meet with Petraeus and Eikenberry to get an "update from them on the situation on the ground," the official added.
Biden and Karzai are scheduled to have lunch together during the trip, and are scheduled to participate in an expanded meeting with officials from both countries.
Biden last visited Afghanistan in 2009 as vice president-elect.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 10, 2011:
Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction Submits Resignation
The President has received the resignation of retired Major General Arnold Fields as the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR).
Shortly after being appointed SIGAR in June of 2008, General Fields established offices in Washington, DC and Afghanistan and assembled a staff of more than 120 committed professionals. His team has helped lead the effort to provide comprehensive and independent oversight of fiscal initiatives in Afghanistan. Under General Fields’ tenure, SIGAR produced numerous critical reports that have improved reconstruction efforts, and helped insure that U.S.-funded programs are achieving their objectives.
General Fields’ hard work and steadfast determination have established SIGAR as a critical oversight agency. By accepting the offer to become the SIGAR in 2008, He continued a long and distinguished career of public service. For more than 40 years, General Fields has been committed to securing our national defense. As he moves on to new challenges, he can do so confident in the knowledge that the President and the American people owe him a debt of gratitude for his courage, leadership, and selfless service to our nation.
SIGAR has a fundamental role in protecting the vital interests of the United States. Going forward, we will continue to work through SIGAR and with Congress to ensure that U.S. programs in Afghanistan effectively and efficiently achieve their objectives.
• US-CHINA RELATIONS •
Department of Defense, Jan. 10, 2011:
U.S./China Military Relations
Secretary of Defense Robert Gates and Chinese leaders agree to work on strengthening relations between the two nations.
Department of Defense, Jan. 10, 2011:
U.S., China Must Cooperate as World Powers, Gates Says
By Jim Garamone, American Forces Press Service
BEIJING, Jan. 10, 2011 – The United States and China are world powers that need to cooperate, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said here today.
At a news conference with after their meeting at the Bayi Building, Gates and Gen. Liang Guanglie, China’s minister of national defense, spoke of the importance of strong, reliable military-to-military contacts between the nations.
"Our two nations now have an extraordinary opportunity to define our relationship not by the obstacles that at times divide us, but by the opportunities that exist to foster greater cooperation and bring us closer together," Gates said.
Both men noted that Chinese President Hu Jintao and President Barack Obama want good military-to-military ties between the nations.
Later, Gates met with Chinese Vice President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People. "We’ve seen the United States and Chia cooperate to address several issues on the international front that pose dangers both regionally and across the world," Gates said to Xi. "These are examples of what we can accomplish when we work together."
The Chinese cut off military-to-military ties after the U.S. government sold defensive weapons to Taiwan last year. Gates has stressed that the military-to-military relationship must continue in good times and bad.
"We are in strong agreement that in order to reduce the chances of miscommunication, misunderstanding or miscalculation, it is important that our military-to-military ties are solid, consistent and not subject to shifting political winds," Gates said.
Liang seemed to agree. Through a translator, the Chinese defense minister said both countries desire a healthy military-to-military relationship. "We both recognize that enhancing and maintaining dialogue and communication at all levels is of great significance in the development of military-to-military relations," Liang said. Both sides share a responsibility to build mutual trust, he added.
The United States and China have more uniting them than dividing them, both men said. The United States and China agreed to cooperate on counterterrorism, counterpiracy, humanitarian operations and disaster assistance. The United States proposed, and the Chinese agreed, to study beginning a strategic security dialogue "as part of a broader strategic and economic dialogue that covers, nuclear, missile defense, space and cyber issues," Gates said.
The two agreed to pick up and move out on seven high-priority areas for developing military-to-military relations that Gates negotiated with Gen. Xu Caihou, vice chairman of the Central Military Commission, in October 2009. They include high-level visits, institutionalized exchange programs and military education.
The high-level visits will begin soon with Gen. Chen Bingde, the Chinese army’s chief of staff, visiting the United States in the coming months as the guest of Navy Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The two men sought to institutionalize and normalize contacts between the two militaries, agreeing that the defense consultative talks, the defense policy coordination talks and the military maritime consultative agreement can serve as important channels of communication between the two nations. Liang announced that the two nations agreed to hold the military maritime working group meeting and the defense policy coordination talks in the first half of this year.
The United States and China also will put together a joint working group that will discuss the guiding principles and framework for military-to-military relations and produce working documents for approval.
Gates and Liang both stressed that the cooperation will expand mutual interests and avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation.
China and the United States share many common interests and concerns that can best be addressed cooperatively, Gates said, noting that the two nations can work together addressing the challenges posed by the spread of nuclear, space, cyber and missile technology. They also can work to maintain peace and security on the Korean peninsula by facilitating engagement between the two Koreas and working toward the de-nuclearization of the Korean peninsula, he added.
China and the United States also can cooperate to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and to defuse global conflicts and tensions.
U.S. service members can expect more joint exercises with the Chinese military.
"Not only will joint exercises improve key capabilities on both sides," Gates said, "they will also lead to safer practices for our sea and air forces and over time cultivate trust and lead to more opportunities for defense cooperation."
• LABOR NEWS •
From the Department of Labor, Jan. 10, 2011:
US Labor Department recovers nearly $160,000 in back wages for 110 Los Angeles garment workers
Employees produced jeans sold at major nationwide retailers
LOS ANGELES — Clothing manufacturer Joe's Jeans has paid $158,952 in back wages owed to 110 garment workers who worked for one of the company's Los Angeles-based sewing contractors. The action results from an agreement between Joe's Jeans in Commerce, Calif., and the U.S. Department of Labor following an investigation by the department's Wage and Hour Division that found the contractor failed to pay the workers minimum wage and overtime as required by the Fair Labor Standards Act.
"This is a clear case of a company enjoying a high profit on the backs of vulnerable workers who were not even paid the minimum wage or overtime," said George Friday Jr., administrator of the Wage and Hour Division's Western Regional Office. "We expect employers to take responsibility to ensure that anyone manufacturing their products follows the law, and if they do not, we will take necessary actions to ensure that they do."
The contractor, Angel's Finishing Inc., worked exclusively for Joe's Jeans, finishing jeans that were later shipped throughout the U.S. and sold at major department stores including Macy's, Neiman Marcus, Dillard's, Bloomingdale's, Saks Fifth Avenue and Nordstrom.
Investigators found that Angel's Finishing paid its employees on a piece-rate basis without regard for minimum wage and overtime pay requirements for all hours worked, including some Saturdays and Sundays. Additionally, the investigators found that weekend work was not recorded on employee time cards.
Joe's Jeans has paid the full amount of back wages for a two-year period and agreed to a plan promoting compliance by all its contractors. Under the plan, Joe's Jeans will conduct periodic monitoring of its contractors for FLSA compliance. The plan also calls for various education and outreach efforts, and a discussion about the financial terms of the contracts to ensure the contractors' financial ability to comply. Although in this case Joe's Jeans stepped forward to cover the full amount of back wages due, the Wage and Hour Division also assessed Angel's Finishing and its owners, Daisy Mazariegos and Estuardo Santizo, $41,140 in civil money penalties for willfully violating the law by falsifying employees' time records.
The FLSA requires that covered employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked over 40 per week. Employers must maintain accurate time and payroll records. For more information about the FLSA, call the Wage and Hour Division's toll-free helpline at 866-4US-WAGE (487-9243) or call the division's Los Angeles District Office at 626-966-0478. Information is also available here.
• Read this news release en Español.
Department of Labor, Jan. 10, 2011:
Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis to establish charter of maritime advisory committee for safety and health
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis will re-establish the charter of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's Maritime Advisory Committee for Occupational Safety and Health. Established in 1995, the committee is composed of approximately 15 members who are industry professionals selected to represent the interests of the maritime community. A notice is published in today's Federal Register.
"Re-establishing MACOSH will allow the committee to proceed with its important work to advise OSHA in protecting the safety and health of workers in the maritime industry," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for OSHA Dr. David Michaels. "MACOSH meetings provide the public with an opportunity to participate in committee activities on issues related to the safety and health of shipyard, long shoring and marine terminal workers."
The maritime industry has been selected for special attention due to high injury and illness rates and the specialized nature of some occupations. On behalf of Secretary Solis, Michaels may seek advice from the committee on a variety of subjects, which may include rulemaking to update regulatory requirements; development of guidance and outreach materials tailored to individual sectors of the industry; and other activities to help reduce work-related deaths, injuries and illnesses. The committee may also provide advice in new areas in which OSHA chooses to pursue or expand its maritime programs to address specific needs.
Meetings of the committee are announced in the Federal Register and are open to the public. General information inquiries should be directed to Joseph Daddura, director of OSHA's Office of Maritime in the Directorate of Standards and Guidance, at 202-693-2067.
For more information about the charter, visit FIDO.gov and search by name for "Maritime Advisory Committee." More information on the committee can be found here.
Under the Occupational Safety and Health Act, employers are responsible for providing safe and healthful workplaces for their employees. OSHA's role is to assure these conditions for America's working men and women by setting and enforcing standards, and providing training, education and assistance. For more information, visit OSHA.
• NEW FEATURES AT ENERGY.GOV •
Department of Energy, Jan. 9, 2011:
Steven Chu Wants To Hear From You
Secretary of Energy Steven Chu would like to hear directly from you about what topics you'd like to discuss with us in the coming year. Submit your ideas and comments at Facebook/StevenChu.
A New Look for Energy.gov
Submitted by Cammie Croft, a Senior Advisor and Director of New Media and Citizen Engagement
You may have noticed – Energy.gov looks more than a little different today. We’ve spruced up our design to better showcase the information and services the Energy Department (DOE) provides online. We’ve made it easier to find the resources you’re looking for and engage with us.
But that’s not the only thing we’re rolling out today. We’re also announcing a few new online features to better serve you:
Energy Matters
As Secretary Chu announced in a special video message to his Facebook friends today, we’re starting a new live-chat series, called Energy Matters, to better connect you with our Energy experts. Secretary Chu will host the first chat later this month. Is there a particular topic you’d like us to cover in the weeks and months ahead? Visit Secretary Chu’s Facebook page and leave a comment to let us know.
Profiles
Profiles is our way of adding a human touch to the work that we do. Profiles, formerly known as EnergyEmpowers.gov, is a new feature on the Energy Blog that uses personal stories, testimonials, pictures and video to illustrate how our energy programs impact the daily lives of people and businesses in communities across the country.
Vintage DOE
In any effort to improve a website, you typically spend a lot of time reviewing past content and this tends to be a laborious process. However, we realized we’ve been having a blast sifting through the DOE archive, particularly watching our older videos. So, we thought, why not share our fun with folks on the Energy Blog? And thus, Vintage DOE was born. Vintage DOE is a new series on the Energy Blog that not only highlights an interesting item in DOE’s archive, but gives us an opportunity to discuss the Energy Department’s mission and current work on the same topic.
A few months ago, we launched the Energy Blog and an Energy Department presence on Facebook and Twitter. Today’s roll out is another significant step forward in our effort to become a more transparent, participatory and accessible Department. However, we know we have a lot more work to do.
Our vision is to turn Energy.gov/ into a cutting-edge, 21st century, interactive information platform that delivers resources and services to you whenever and wherever you want it while also empowering Energy Department staff with simple tools and guidance to engage with you and also each other. We know we can’t achieve this vision without overhauling the technological backbone of Energy.gov, which is why we’ve already begun the work of moving Energy.gov to Drupal, an open source content management system, in the months ahead.
So, today take a moment to enjoy our new look and new features, but stick around. There’s a lot more to come.