What Government Did Today

Ronald Reagan Building Washington, D.C. 10:08 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat.  Thank you.  Well, good morning, everybody.  Thank you, Catherine Bertini, and Dan Glickman and everyone at the Chicago Council.  We were originally going to convene, along with the G8, in Chicago.  But since we’re not doing this in my hometown, I wanted to bring a little bit of Chicago to Washington.  (Laughter.)  It is wonderful to see all of you.  It is great to see quite a few young people here as well.  And I want to acknowledge a good friend.  We were just talking backstage — he was my inspiration for singing at the Apollo — (laughter) — Bono is here, and it is good to see him.  (Applause.) Now, this weekend at the G8, we’ll be represented by many of the world's largest economies.  We face urgent challenges — creating jobs, addressing the situation in the eurozone, sustaining the global economic recovery.  But even as we deal with these issues, I felt it was also important, also critical to focus on the urgent challenge that confronts some 1 billion men, women and children around the world — the injustice of chronic hunger; the need for long-term food security.

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Remarks by the President at Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security

WASHINGTON, DC – On Monday, May 21, the President will travel to Joplin, Missouri, where he will deliver the commencement address at Joplin High School’s 2011-2012 graduation ceremony.  After devastating tornadoes ravaged the Joplin area nearly a year ago, the Joplin community’s resilience and selflessness in the face of tragedy continues to inspire our nation.  The President looks forward to joining Missouri Governor Jay Nixon at Joplin High School’s graduation ceremony and addressing this year‘s graduating seniors and their families. 

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President Obama to Deliver Commencement Address at Joplin High School’s Graduation Ceremony

At the Camp David Summit, G-8 and African leaders will commit to the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition , the next phase of our shared commitment to achieving global food security.  In partnership with Africa’s people and leaders, our goals are to increase responsible domestic and foreign private investments in African agriculture, take innovations that can enhance agricultural productivity to scale, and reduce the risk borne by vulnerable economies and communities.  We recognize and will act upon the critical role played by smallholder farmers, especially women, in transforming agriculture and building thriving economies. The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition is a shared commitment to achieve sustained and inclusive agricultural growth and raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years by aligning the commitments of Africa’s leadership to drive effective country plans and policies for food security; the commitments of private sector partners to increase investments where the conditions are right; and the commitments of the G-8 to expand Africa’s potential for rapid and sustainable agricultural growth.  We welcome the support of the World Bank and African Development Bank, and of the United Nations’ World Food Program, International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Food and Agriculture Organization for the New Alliance .  We also welcome the successful conclusion of the Voluntary Guidelines on the Responsible Governance of Tenure of Land, Fisheries and Forests in the context of National Food Security and support the broad-based consultation process and pilot use of the Principles of Responsible Agricultural Investment.  The New Alliance Will Build on and Help Realize the Promise of L’Aquila Since the L’Aquila Summit, where we committed to “act with the scale and urgency needed to achieve sustainable global food security,” we have increased our bilateral and multilateral investments in food security and changed the way we do business, consistent with core principles of aid effectiveness.  Based on the findings of the 2012 G-8 Accountability Report and consistent with the Rome Principles on Sustainable Global Food Security, the G-8 will agree to:  Promptly fulfill outstanding L’Aquila financial pledges and seek to maintain strong support to address current and future global food security challenges, including through bilateral and multilateral assistance; Ensure that our assistance is directly aligned behind country plans;  Strengthen the coordination of G-8 strategies, assistance and programs in-country and with partner countries to increase efficiencies, reduce transaction burdens, and eliminate redundancies and gaps

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Fact Sheet: G-8 Action on Food Security and Nutrition

Via Conference Call 3:24 P.M. EDT MS. HAYDEN:  Thank you very much.  Thanks, everyone, for joining us on this call.  The call today is on the record and embargoed until 6:00 a.m.

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Press Briefing by Senior Administration Officials on Food Security

Michelle and I were saddened to hear about the passing of Donna Summer.  A five-time Grammy Award winner, Donna truly was the “Queen of Disco.”  Her voice was unforgettable, and the music industry has lost a legend far too soon.  Our thoughts and prayers go out to Donna's family and her dedicated fans.

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Statement by the President on the Passing of Donna Summer

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Gary Blankinship to serve as United States Marshal for the Southern District of Texas. "Throughout his distinguished career, Gary Blankinship has served his country with great courage and commitment," said President Obama

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President Obama Nominates Gary Blankinship to Serve as US Marshal

Attached is a message from the President to the Senate regarding the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

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Message to the Senate from the President Regarding the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

Attached is a message from the President to the Senate regarding the Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in Respect of Securities Held with an Intermediary.

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Message to the Senate from the President Regarding the Convention on the Law Applicable to Certain Rights in Respect of Securities Held with an Intermediary

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES: I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to its ratification, the Protocol Amending the Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, done at Paris on May 27, 2010 (the "proposed Protocol"), which was signed by the United States on May 27, 2010. The existing Convention on Mutual Administrative Assistance in Tax Matters, done at Strasbourg on January 25, 1988, entered into force for the United States on January 4, 1995 (the "existing Convention").

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Message to the Senate from the President Regarding a Tax Convention

TO THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES: I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to their ratification, the Convention between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Chile for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and the Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with Respect to Taxes on Income and Capital, signed in Washington on February 4, 2010, with a Protocol signed the same day, as corrected by exchanges of notes effected February 25, 2011, and February 10 and 21, 2012, and a related agreement effected by exchange of notes (the "related Agreement") on February 4, 2010.  I also transmit for the information of the Senate the report of the Department of State, which includes an Overview of the proposed Convention, the Protocol, and related Agreement. The proposed Convention, Protocol, and related Agreement (together "proposed Treaty") would be the first bilateral income tax treaty between the United States and Chile.  The proposed Treaty contains comprehensive provisions designed to address "treaty shopping," which is the inappropriate use of a tax treaty by residents of a third country, and provides for a robust exchange of information between the tax authorities in the two countries to facilitate the administration of each country's tax laws

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Message from the President to the Senate Regarding a Tax Treaty with Chile