What Government Did Today

At the Camp David Summit, G-8 Leaders recognized that the development of and universal access to environmentally safe, sustainable, secure, and affordable sources of energy is essential to global economic growth and to their overall efforts to address climate change.  As such, they identified several actions for the G-8 to take together: Pursue a Comprehensive Energy Strategy – Safely Recognize the value of simultaneously pursuing a wide variety of energy sources in order to meet energy demands, acknowledging each nation’s different needs and different approaches.  In pursuing an appropriate mix from all of the above, we recognize that different energy sources have different inherent risks and must be developed in a safe, efficient, and environmentally sustainable manner.

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Fact Sheet: G-8 Action on Energy and Climate Change

“There have been increasing disruptions in the supply of oil to the global market over the past several months, which pose a substantial risk to global economic growth.  In response, major producers have increased their output while drawing prudently on excess capacity.  Looking ahead to the likelihood of further disruptions in oil sales and the expected increased demand over the coming months, we are monitoring the situation closely and stand ready to call upon the International Energy Agency to take appropriate action to ensure that the market is fully and timely supplied.”

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Statement by the G-8 on Global Oil Markets

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama discussed Wall Street reform that he put in place to protect consumers, make Wall Street play by the same set of rules, and ensure that taxpayers are never again on the hook for the type of irresponsible behavior on Wall Street that nearly destroyed our financial system and cost the economy millions of jobs.  While Republicans in Congress are still trying to delay and dismantle these critical Wall Street reforms, President Obama continues to urgeCongress to finish implementing these reformsso that we can prevent excessive risk-taking and help create an economy that is built to last. The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov  at 6:00 a.m.

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WEEKLY ADDRESS: Congress Must Move Forward, Not Back On Wall Street Reform

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION With every assignment and in every theater, America's men and women in uniform perform their duties with the utmost dignity, honor, and professionalism. Through their dauntless courage and dedication, they live up to our Nation's highest ideals in even the most perilous circumstances.

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Presidential Proclamation — Armed Forces Day, 2012

NOTICE – - – - – - – CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO THE STABILIZATION OF IRAQ On May 22, 2003, by Executive Order 13303, the President declared a national emergency protecting the Development Fund for Iraq and certain other property in which Iraq has an interest, pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C.

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Notice — Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to the Stabilization of Iraq

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

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

NOTICE CONTINUATION OF THE NATIONAL EMERGENCY WITH RESPECT TO BURMA On May 20, 1997, the President issued Executive Order 13047, certifying to the Congress under section 570(b) of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1997 (Public Law 104 208), that the Government of Burma had committed large scale repression of the democratic opposition in Burma after September 30, 1996, thereby invoking the prohibition on new investment in Burma by United States persons contained in that section.  The President also declared a national emergency to deal with the threat posed to the national security and foreign policy of the United States by the actions and policies of the Government of Burma, invoking the authority, inter alia , of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act, 50 U.S.C. 1701 1706.

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Notice — Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Burma