President Barack Obama Weekly Address 05/16/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, May 16, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.5 mb

Full Text Transcript:

Good morning. Over the past few months, as we have put in place a plan to speed our economic recovery, I have spoken repeatedly of the need to lay a new foundation for lasting prosperity; a foundation that will support good jobs and rising incomes; a foundation for economic growth where we no longer rely on excessive debt and reckless risk – but instead on skilled workers and sound investments to lead the world in the industries of the 21st century.

Two pillars of this new foundation are clean energy and health care. And while there remains a great deal of difficult work ahead, I am heartened by what we have seen these past few days: a willingness of those with different points of view and disparate interests to come together around common goals – to embrace a shared sense of responsibility and make historic progress.

Chairman Henry Waxman and members of the Energy and Commerce Committee brought together stakeholders from all corners of the country – and every sector of our economy – to reach an historic agreement on comprehensive energy legislation. It’s another promising sign of progress, as longtime opponents are sitting together, at the same table, to help solve one of America’s most serious challenges.

For the first time, utility companies and corporate leaders are joining, not opposing, environmental advocates and labor leaders to create a new system of clean energy initiatives that will help unleash a new era of growth and prosperity.

It’s a plan that will finally reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil and cap the carbon pollution that threatens our health and our climate. Most important, it’s a plan that will trigger the creation of millions of new jobs for Americans, who will produce the wind turbines and solar panels and develop the alternative fuels to power the future. Because this we know: the nation that leads in 21st century clean energy is the nation that will lead the 21st century global economy. America can and must be that nation – and this agreement is a major step toward this goal.

But we know that our families, our economy, and our nation itself will not succeed in the 21st century if we continue to be held down by the weight of rapidly rising health care costs and a broken health care system. That’s why I met with representatives of insurance and drug companies, doctors and hospitals, and labor unions who are pledging to do their part to reduce health care costs. These are some of the groups who have been among the fiercest critics of past comprehensive health care reform plans. But today they too are recognizing that we must act. Our businesses will not be able to compete; our families will not be able to save or spend; our budgets will remain unsustainable unless we get health care costs under control.

These groups have pledged to do their part to reduce the annual health care spending growth rate by 1.5 percentage points. Coupled with comprehensive reform, their efforts could help to save our nation more than $2 trillion in the next ten years – and save hardworking families $2,500 each in the coming years.

This week, I also invited Speaker of House Nancy Pelosi, Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, and other congressional leaders to the White House to discuss comprehensive health reform legislation. The House is working to pass a bill by the end of July – before they head out for their August recess. That’s the kind of urgency and determination we need to achieve comprehensive reform by the end of this year. And the reductions in spending the health care community has pledged will help make this reform possible.

I have always believed that it is better to talk than not to talk; that it is far more productive to reach over a divide than to shake your fist across it. This has been an alien notion in Washington for far too long, but we are seeing that the ways of Washington are beginning to change. For the calling of this moment is too loud and too urgent to ignore. Our success as a nation – the future of our children and grandchildren – depends upon our willingness to cast aside old arguments, overcome stubborn divisions, and march forward as one people and one nation.

This is how progress has always been made. This is how a new foundation will be built. We cannot assume that interests will always align, or that fragile partnerships will not fray. There will be setbacks. There will be difficult days. But we are off to a good start. And I am confident that we will – in the weeks, months, and years ahead – build on what we have already achieved and lay this foundation which will not only bring about prosperity for this generation, but for generations to come.

Thanks so much.

Congressman Charles Boustany Weekly Republican Address 05/16/09 VIDEO TEXT

TEXT TRANSCRIPT: Remarks by Charles W. Boustany, Jr., MD, (R-Southwest Louisiana) today delivered the weekly Republican Address, urging Congress and the President to work to achieve commonsense solutions to lower the cost of healthcare while ensuring quality and access.

Hello, I’m Charles Boustany, a doctor and member of the House Republican Health Care Solutions Group.

We all know that in this troubled economy, American families are increasingly worried about their healthcare. In my home of Louisiana, I hear constantly from families and small businesses about rising costs and fears of losing coverage, and as a physician I saw this first-hand.

Let me be clear, Republicans want to work with President Obama and other Democrats to ensure that every American has access to affordable, high-quality health coverage.

Despite our differences on some important healthcare-related issues, we are convinced there are areas offering potential for common ground on healthcare reform among the two parties.

We believe we must make quality healthcare coverage affordable and accessible for every American, regardless of preexisting health conditions.

President Obama has called for a plan that "puts us on a clear path to cover all Americans," and said "no American should be denied coverage because of preexisting conditions."

Republicans agree.

We believe healthcare reform must let Americans who like their healthcare coverage keep it, and give all Americans the freedom to choose the healthcare plan that best meets their families’ needs.

The president has said Americans "should have the option of keeping their employer-based health plan," and said reform "should provide Americans a choice of health plans and physicians."

Republicans agree.

We believe healthcare reform must improve Americans’ lives through effective prevention, wellness and disease management programs, while developing new treatments and cures for life-threatening diseases, and respecting the value of human life. The president has said healthcare reform must address "cost drivers" in our system such as "obesity, sedentary lifestyles, and smoking."

Republicans agree.

We believe it is possible -- and necessary -- to achieve these objectives through common-sense reforms without raising taxes, rationing care, eliminating employer-sponsored health benefits for working families, empowering government bureaucrats at the expense of patients and doctors, or adding even more to our ever-growing national debt.

At the same time, Republicans are concerned about news reports indicating that some Democrats favor a policy called a "government" or "public" option. We need to be clear about what this means.

From my former practice, I know allowing the government to replace the health coverage that more than 100 million Americans currently have through their jobs could have devastating consequences.

A government takeover of healthcare will put bureaucrats in charge of healthcare decisions that should be made by families and doctors. It will limit treatment options and lead to rationed care.

And to pay for government healthcare, your taxes will be raised. That is something we cannot support, and frankly, it would clearly violate some of the principles the president himself has endorsed.

That having been said, I want to reiterate Republicans’ sincere desire to work with President Obama and Democrats to find common ground on the issue of healthcare reform. Despite our differences, we are convinced there are areas of common-sense agreement on healthcare reform among Republicans and Democrats.

This issue is just too important to let partisanship or blind ideology get in the way. Let’s all work together to do the right thing for the American people. Thank you for listening. ###

Nancy Pelosi claims CIA mislead her about Torture Methods TEXT VIDEO

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi claims CIA mislead her about Torture Methods.

Today, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said that in 2002 the CIA "misled" her about torture techniques used by the U.S. military. She stated that she learned of the military's use of waterboarding in 2003.

TEXT TRANSCRIPT, as prepared for delivery. Speaker Pelosi's Remarks at Press Conference About Briefing on Enhanced Interrogation Techniques.

Washington, D.C. –Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke this morning at a press conference in the Capitol on Congressional briefings related to enhanced interrogation techniques. Below are her remarks as prepared:

“Throughout my entire career, I am proud to have worked for human rights, and against the use of torture, around the world.

“As Ranking Member of the Foreign Operations Appropriations Subcommittee in the 1990s, I helped secure the first funding for the Torture Victims Relief Act to assist those suffering from the physical and psychological effects of torture.

“I unequivocally oppose the use of torture by our government because it is contrary to our national values.

“Like all Members of Congress who are briefed on classified information, I have signed oaths pledging not to disclose any of that information. This is an oath I have taken very seriously, and I have always abided by it.

“The CIA briefed me only once on some enhanced interrogation techniques, in September 2002, in my capacity as Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee.

“I was informed then that Department of Justice opinions had concluded that the use of enhanced interrogation techniques was legal. The only mention of waterboarding at that briefing was that it was not being employed.

“Those conducting the briefing promised to inform the appropriate Members of Congress if that technique were to be used in the future.

“Congress and the American people now know that contrary opinions within the Executive Branch concluded that these interrogation techniques were not legal. However, those opinions were not provided to Congress.

“We also now know that techniques, including waterboarding, had already been employed, and that those briefing me in September 2002 gave me inaccurate and incomplete information.

“At the same time, the Bush Administration was misleading the American people about the threat of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq.

“Five months later, in February 2003, a member of my staff informed me that the Republican chairman and new Democratic Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee had been briefed about the use of certain techniques which had been the subject of earlier legal opinions.

“Following that briefing, a letter raising concerns was sent to CIA General Counsel Scott Muller by the new Democratic Ranking Member of the House Intelligence Committee, the appropriate person to register a protest.

“But no letter could change the policy. It was clear we had to change the leadership of the Congress and the White House. That was my job.

“When Democrats assumed control of Congress in 2007, Congress passed legislation banning torture and requiring all government agencies to abide by the Army Field Manual. President Bush vetoed this bill barring the use of torture. An effort to overturn his veto failed because of the votes of Republican Members.

“We needed to elect a new President. We did; and he has banned torture.

“Congress and the Administration must review the National Security Act of 1947 to determine if a larger number of Members of Congress should receive classified briefings so that information can be utilized for proper oversight and legislative activity without violating oaths of secrecy.

“I have long supported creation of an independent Truth Commission to determine how intelligence was misused, and how controversial and possibly illegal activities like torture were authorized within the Executive Branch.

“Until a Truth Commission is implemented, I encourage the appropriate committees of the House to conduct vigorous oversight of these issues.”

For Immediate Release 05/14/2009 Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami 202-226-7616

Governor Charlie Crist will run for Senate Biography VIDEO

Biography: Governor Charlie Crist confirmed Tuesday he will run for U.S. Senate instead of re-election next year, a decision that gives Republicans their best shot at maintaining the seat Mel Martinez is leaving after one term.

Governor Charlie Crist prepares for departure to the world’s largest sugar mill, the COSAN Usina da Barra located in Barra Bonita; however, the tour of the mill was cancelled due to weather conditions.

Governor Charlie Crist was born in 1956 in Altoona, Pennsylvania, but his family soon settled in St. Petersburg. As a public school student Governor Crist quickly learned the value of participation, leading him to serve as class president at St. Petersburg High School and, later, as student body vice president at Florida State University. In high school Governor Crist was the starting quarterback for his football team.

He later played football at Wake Forest University before transferring and receiving his undergraduate degree from Florida State in 1978. Governor Crist then earned his law degree from the Cumberland School of Law in Birmingham, Alabama.

Governor Crist received experience in Florida’s criminal justice system while interning in the State Attorney’s Office before accepting a position as general counsel for the minor league division of the Baseball Commissioner’s Office. Governor Crist began his government service as state director for former U.S. Senator Connie Mack before later returning to the private practice of law with the Tampa firm of Wood and Crist.

In 1992, Governor Crist won a seat in the Florida Senate. For six years in the Senate, Governor Crist served as Chairman of the Senate Ethics and Elections Committee and as Chairman of the Appropriations Criminal Justice Subcommittee. A strong voice for public safety, he sponsored, among other legislation, the Stop Turning Out Prisoners (STOP) bill requiring prisoners to serve at least 85 percent of their prison sentences. This earned him numerous honors, including appointment as an Honorary Sheriff by the Florida Sheriffs Association—only the third person to receive the honor in the organization’s long history.

After Governor Crist completed his Senate service, Governor Jeb Bush appointed him as Deputy Secretary of the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation. In 2000, Governor Crist won a special election and became Florida’s last elected Commissioner of Education. Governor Crist’s path of public service next led him to seek election as Attorney General in 2002. He carried the general election by more than one-third of a million votes to become Florida’s first elected Republican Attorney General. On November 7, 2006, Governor Charlie Crist was elected to serve as Florida’s Governor. Governor Crist is a lifelong member of the St. Petersburg Chapter of the NAACP.

Governor Crist and his wife Carole have been married since December 12, 2008. They were married in his hometown of St. Petersburg, Florida.

SOURCES:

• Florida Governor Charlie Crist | Executive Office of the Governor:
• YouTube - AssociatedPress's Channel

2009 White House Correspondents' Dinner VIDEO

Almost 3000 journalists, politicians and celebrities gathered at the Washington Hilton for the White House Correspondents' Association Annual Dinner. The current White House Correspondents' Association president Jennifer Loven served as master of ceremonies.

Michelle Obama presented youth scholarships and Brian Williams presented the White House Correspondents' Association Awards to journalists. President Obama gave humorous after-dinner remarks in his first speech to the organization. He was followed by comedienne Wanda Sykes who made humorous observations about President Obama and the political climate in Washington.

Live coverage of guests arriving at the Washington Hilton Hotel for the annual White House Correspondents' Dinner.



President Obama gave humorous remarks about current events and the political climate in Washington.



Wanda Sykes made humorous observations about President Obama and the political climate in Washington.

TEXT TRANSCRIPT: REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT AT WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS' ASSOCIATION DINNER, May 9, 2009, Washington Hilton, Washington, D.C. 9:56 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you, everybody. Good evening. You know, I had an entire speech prepared for this wonderful occasion, but now that I'm here I think I'm going to try something a little different. Tonight I want to speak from the heart. I'm going to speak off the cuff. (Teleprompters rise.) (Laughter and applause.)

Good evening. (Laughter.) Pause for laughter. (Laughter.) Wait a minute, this may not be working as well as I -- (laughter.) Let me try that again.

Good evening, everybody. (Applause.) I would like to welcome you all to the 10-day anniversary of my first 100 days. (Laughter.) I am Barack Obama. Most of you covered me. All of you voted for me. (Laughter and applause.) Apologies to the Fox table. (Laughter.) They're -- where are they? I have to confess I really did not want to be here tonight, but I knew I had to come -- just one more problem that I've inherited from George W. Bush. (Laughter.)

But now that I'm here, it's great to be here. It's great to see all of you. Michelle Obama is here, the First Lady of the United States. (Applause.) Hasn't she been an outstanding First Lady? (Applause.) She's even begun to bridge the differences that have divided us for so long, because no matter which party you belong to we can all agree that Michelle has the right to bare arms. (Laughter and applause.)

Now Sasha and Malia aren't here tonight because they're grounded. You can't just take Air Force One on a joy ride to Manhattan. (Laughter.) I don't care whose kids you are. (Laughter.) We've been setting some ground rules here. They're starting to get a little carried away.

Now, speaking -- when I think about children obviously I think about Michelle and it reminds me that tomorrow is Mother's Day. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers in the audience. (Applause.) I do have to say, though, that this is a tough holiday for Rahm Emanuel because he's not used to saying the word "day" after "mother." (Laughter.) That's true. (Laughter.)

David Axelrod is here. You know, David and I have been together for a long time. I can still remember -- I got to sort of -- I tear up a little bit when I think back to that day that I called Ax so many years ago and said, you and I can do wonderful things together. And he said to me the same thing that partners all across America are saying to one another right now: Let's go to Iowa and make it official. (Laughter and applause.)

Michael Steele is in the house tonight. (Applause.) Or as he would say, "in the heezy." (Laughter.) What's up? (Laughter.) Where is Michael? Michael, for the last time, the Republican Party does not qualify for a bailout. (Laughter.) Rush Limbaugh does not count as a troubled asset, I'm sorry. (Laughter.)

Dick Cheney was supposed to be here but he is very busy working on his memoirs, tentatively titled, "How to Shoot Friends and Interrogate People." (Laughter.)

You know, it's been a whirlwind of activity these first hundred days. We've enacted a major economic recovery package, we passed a budget, we forged a new path in Iraq, and no President in history has ever named three Commerce Secretaries this quickly. (Laughter.) Which reminds me, if Judd Gregg is here, your business cards are ready now. (Laughter.)

On top of that, I've also reversed the ban on stem cell research, signed an expansion -- (applause) -- signed an expansion of the children's health insurance. Just last week, Car and Driver named me auto executive of the year. (Laughter.) Something I'm very proud of.

We've also begun to change the culture in Washington. We've even made the White House a place where people can learn and can grow. Just recently, Larry Summers asked if he could chair the White House Council on Women and Girls. (Laughter.) And I do appreciate that Larry is here tonight because it is seven hours past his bedtime. (Laughter.) Gibbs liked that one. (Laughter.)

In the last hundred days, we've also grown the Democratic Party by infusing it with new energy and bringing in fresh, young faces like Arlen Specter. (Laughter.) Now, Joe Biden rightly deserves a lot of credit for convincing Arlen to make the switch, but Secretary Clinton actually had a lot to do with it too. One day she just pulled him aside and she said, Arlen, you know what I always say -- "if you can't beat them, join them." (Laughter.)

Which brings me to another thing that's changed in this new, warmer, fuzzier White House, and that's my relationship with Hillary. You know, we had been rivals during the campaign, but these days we could not be closer. In fact, the second she got back from Mexico she pulled into a hug and gave me a big kiss. (Laughter.) Told me I'd better get down there myself. (Laughter.) Which I really appreciated. I mean, it was -- it was nice. (Laughter.)

And of course we've also begun to change America's image in the world. We talked about this during this campaign and we're starting to execute. We've renewed alliances with important partners and friends. If you look on the screen there, there I am with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. There I am with Gordon Brown.

But as I said during the campaign, we can't just talk to our friends. As hard as it is, we also have to talk to our enemies, and I've begun to do exactly that. Take a look at the monitor there. (Laughter.) Now, let me be clear, just because he handed me a copy of Peter Pan does not mean that I'm going to read it -- (laughter) -- but it's good diplomatic practice to just accept these gifts.

All this change hasn't been easy. Change never is. So I've cut the tension by bringing a new friend to the White House. He's warm, he's cuddly, loyal, enthusiastic. You just have to keep him on a tight leash. Every once in a while he goes charging off in the wrong direction and gets himself into trouble. But enough about Joe Biden. (Laughter.)

All in all, we're proud of the change we've brought to Washington in these first hundred days but we've got a lot of work left to do, as all of you know. So I'd like to talk a little bit about what my administration plans to achieve in the next hundred days.

During the second hundred days, we will design, build and open a library dedicated to my first hundred days. (Laughter.) It's going to be big, folks. (Laughter.) In the next hundred days, I will learn to go off the prompter and Joe Biden will learn to stay on the prompter. (Laughter.)

In the next hundred days, our bipartisan outreach will be so successful that even John Boehner will consider becoming a Democrat. After all, we have a lot in common. He is a person of color. (Laughter.) Although not a color that appears in the natural world. (Laughter.) What's up, John? (Laughter.)

In the next hundred days, I will meet with a leader who rules over millions with an iron fist, who owns the airwaves and uses his power to crush all who would challenge his authority at the ballot box. It's good to see you, Mayor Bloomberg. (Laughter.)

In the next hundred days, we will housetrain our dog, Bo, because the last thing Tim Geithner needs is someone else treating him like a fire hydrant. (Laughter.) In the next hundred days, I will strongly consider losing my cool. (Laughter.)

Finally, I believe that my next hundred days will be so successful I will be able to complete them in 72 days. (Laughter.) And on the 73rd day, I will rest. (Laughter.)

I just -- I want to end by saying a few words about the men and women in this room whose job it is to inform the public and pursue the truth. You know, we meet tonight at a moment of extraordinary challenge for this nation and for the world, but it's also a time of real hardship for the field of journalism. And like so many other businesses in this global age, you've seen sweeping changes and technology and communications that lead to a sense of uncertainty and anxiety about what the future will hold.
Across the country, there are extraordinary, hardworking journalists who have lost their jobs in recent days, recent weeks, recent months. And I know that each newspaper and media outlet is wrestling with how to respond to these changes, and some are struggling simply to stay open. And it won't be easy. Not every ending will be a happy one.

But it's also true that your ultimate success as an industry is essential to the success of our democracy. It's what makes this thing work. You know, Thomas Jefferson once said that if he had the choice between a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, he would not hesitate to choose the latter.

Clearly, Thomas Jefferson never had cable news to contend with -- (laughter) -- but his central point remains: A government without newspapers, a government without a tough and vibrant media of all sorts, is not an option for the United States of America. (Applause.)

So I may not -- I may not agree with everything you write or report. I may even complain, or more likely Gibbs will complain, from time to time about how you do your jobs, but I do so with the knowledge that when you are at your best, then you help me be at my best. You help all of us who serve at the pleasure of the American people do our jobs better by holding us accountable, by demanding honesty, by preventing us from taking shortcuts and falling into easy political games that people are so desperately weary of.

And that kind of reporting is worth preserving -- not just for your sake, but for the public's. We count on you to help us make sense of a complex world and tell the stories of our lives the way they happen, and we look for you for truth, even if it's always an approximation, even if -- (laughter.)

This is a season of renewal and reinvention. That is what government must learn to do, that's what businesses must learn to do, and that's what journalism is in the process of doing. And when I look out at this room and think about the dedicated men and women whose questions I've answered over the last few years, I know that for all the challenges this industry faces, it's not short on talent or creativity or passion or commitment. It's not short of young people who are eager to break news or the not-so-young who still manage to ask the tough ones time and time again. These qualities alone will not solve all your problems, but they certainly prove that the problems are worth solving. And that is a good place as any to begin.

So I offer you my thanks, I offer you my support, and I look forward to working with you and answering to you and the American people as we seek a more perfect union in the months and years ahead.

Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.)

END 10:12 P.M. EDT

President Barack Obama Weekly Address 05/09/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, May 9, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.2 mb

Full Text Transcript:

Good morning. I want to briefly share some news about our economy, and talk about the work that we’re doing both to protect American consumers, and to put our economy back on a path to growth and prosperity.

This week, we saw some signs that the gears of America’s economic engine are slowly beginning to turn. Consumer spending and home sales are stabilizing. Unemployment claims are dropping and job losses are beginning to slow. But these trends are far from satisfactory. The unemployment rate is at its highest point in twenty-five years. We are still in the midst of a deep recession that was years in the making, and it will take time to fully turn this economy around.

We cannot rest until our work is done. Not when Americans continue to lose their jobs and struggle to pay their bills. Not when we are wrestling with record deficits and an over-burdened middle class. That is why every action that my Administration is taking is focused on clearing away the wreckage of this recession, and building a new foundation for job-creation and long-term growth.

This past week, we acted on several fronts. To restart the flow of credit that businesses and individuals depend upon, we completed an unprecedented review of the condition of our nation’s largest banks to determine what additional steps are necessary to get our economy moving. To restore fiscal discipline, we identified 121 programs to eliminate from our budget. And to restore a sense of fairness to our tax code and common sense to our economy, I have asked Congress to work with me in closing the loopholes that let companies ship jobs and stash profits overseas – reforms will help save $210 billion over the next ten years.

These important steps are just one part of a broad effort to get government, businesses and banks to act more responsibly, so that we are creating good jobs and making sound investments instead of spending recklessly and padding false profits. Because American institutions must act with the same sense of responsibility and fairness that the American people aspire to in their own lives.

Nowhere is this more apparent than in our credit card industry. Americans know that they have a responsibility to live within their means and pay what they owe. But they also have a right to not get ripped off by the sudden rate hikes, unfair penalties, and hidden fees that have become all-too common in our credit card industry. You shouldn’t have to fear that any new credit card is going to come with strings attached, nor should you need a magnifying glass and a reference book to read a credit card application. And the abuses in our credit card industry have only multiplied in the midst of this recession, when Americans can least afford to bear an extra burden.

It is past time for rules that are fair and transparent. That is why I have called for a set of new principles to reform our credit card industry. Instead of an "anything goes" approach, we need strong and reliable protections for consumers. Instead of fine print that hides the truth, we need credit card forms and statements that have plain language in plain sight, and we need to give people the tools they need to find a credit card that meets their needs. And instead of abuse that goes unpunished, we need to strengthen monitoring, enforcement, and penalties for credit card companies that take advantage of ordinary Americans.

The House has taken important steps toward putting these principles into law, and the Senate is poised to do the same next week. Now, I’m calling on Congress to take final action to pass a credit card reform bill that protects American consumers so that I can sign it into law by Memorial Day. There is no time for delay. We need a durable and successful flow of credit in our economy, but we can’t tolerate profits that depend upon misleading working families. Those days are over.

This economic crisis has reminded us that we are all in this together. We can’t prosper by putting off hard choices, or by protecting the profits of the few at the expense of the middle class. We are making steady progress toward recovery, but we must ensure that the legacy of this recession is an American economy that rewards work and innovation; that is guided by fairness and responsibility; and that grows steadily into the future.

Thanks.

Senator Kit Bond Weekly Republican Address 05/09/09 VIDEO TEXT

Full Text Transcript:

“This is Missouri Senator Kit Bond.

“As the senior Republican on the Senate Intelligence Committee, I understand that protecting the American people is the government’s highest priority and most important responsibility.

“And keeping our nation safe should not be a political issue, it’s an American one.

“I hope my colleagues in Congress keep that in mind over the next couple of weeks as we debate the troop funding bill.

“Guantanamo Bay – known as GITMO – doesn’t house middle-of-the-road, white-collar criminals.

“Instead, this detainee facility houses deadly terrorists, including 9-11-mastermind Khalid Sheihk Mohammed.

“While President Obama has no plan for what to do with these killers, he has pledged to close the terrorist-detention facility in January to fulfill a campaign promise.

“This is a dangerous case of putting symbolism over security.

“Or as I like to say – this is a classic example of a ‘READY, FIRE, AIM’ strategy.

“When it comes to national security decisions, I prefer aiming before shooting, which is why I keep calling on President Obama to tell us, the American people, how his plan to close Guantanamo will make our nation safer.

“The President needs to honor his pledge of transparency and provide the American people with answers.

“I think the American people have a right to know exactly what the White House plans to do with these terrorists.

“Americans also have a right to know if President Obama plans to send any of these terrorists to their communities.

“Any plan must answer these questions: Where will these men go? And will that make America safer?

“Now just last week the administration admitted that some of the terrorists could be coming soon to a neighborhood near you.

“Defense Secretary Gates testified before Congress that as many as 100 Guantanamo detainees could be transferred to the United States.

“Whether these terrorists are coming to a prison in Kansas, or a halfway house in Missouri, or any other state – I can tell you this:

“Americans don’t want these terrorists in their neighborhoods.

“That’s why when we put it to a vote, the Senate voted 94 to 3 against importing detainees to American soil – even if that meant to a maximum security prison.

“Americans also don’t want to send these terrorists back to the battlefield to kill our troops.

“And, we know that terrorists detained at Guantanamo and released have gone back to the fight.

“The Pentagon has confirmed that at least 18 detainees who were released have gone back to the fight. And, 43 more are suspected of doing the same.

“There are no easy solutions here. But, having no solution and moving forward with the closing [of] the prison at Guantanamo is a dangerous gamble with our security here at home and our troops abroad.

“I, for one, am not willing to gamble with our national security.

“Closing our terrorist-detention facility with no backup plan is one campaign promise that can’t hold up to national security realities.

“While the President has made closing Guantanamo Bay a priority, the highest priority must be keeping America safe.

“Thank you for listening.”

Republican National Committee | 310 First Street | Washington, D. C. 20003 p/202.863.8500 | f/202.863.8820 | e/info@gop.com

9/11 Guantánamo Bay Detainees VIDEO

The Detainees - 9/11, House Republicans are committed to preventing the release or transfer of terrorists to American soil.



Oliver North and Sean Hannity Discuss GOP "Detainees" video that profiles three of the most dangerous Guantanamo Bay detainees.

Tribute to Jack Kemp VIDEO

Tribute to Jack Kemp, a standard-bearer within the Republican Party for economic conservatism and lower taxes, and a true Lincoln Republican who was a tireless advocate for civil rights.

Statement by RNC Chairman Michael Steele on the Passing of Jack Kemp

WASHINGTON – Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele released the following statement today:

“For over three decades Jack Kemp was a standard-bearer for economic conservatism and lower taxes within the Republican Party. From his 18 years spent representing upstate New York in the United States House of Representatives, to his four years as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George H. W. Bush, to his work with Empower America, to his selection as the 1996 Republican vice-presidential nominee, Mr. Kemp was a tireless proponent of America’s entrepreneurial and political spirit.

On a personal note, Jack was a dear friend and mentor. He would often remind me what it meant to be a ‘Lincoln Republican.’ Through his words and deeds, he inspired a new generation of republican activists. Our heartfelt condolences go out to his wife Joanne and their children, Jeffrey, Jennifer, Judith and Jimmy and the entire Kemp family as we thank them for sharing the life of Jack Kemp, with the American people.”

Congressman Ron Paul on the Recent Swine Flu Scare VIDEO

Congressman Paul gives his perspective on the swine flu issue.

Congressman Ron Paul represents the 14th district of Texas. Congressman Paul enjoys a national reputation as the premier advocate for liberty in politics today. Dr. Paul is the leading spokesman in Washington for limited constitutional government, low taxes, free markets, and a return to sound monetary policies based on commodity-backed currency. He is known among both his colleagues in Congress and his constituents for his consistent voting record in the House of Representatives: Dr. Paul never votes for legislation unless the proposed measure is expressly authorized by the Constitution.

www.house.gov/paul, Age: 73. City: Washington, DC. Hometown: Lake Jackson, TX. Country: United States

President Barack Obama Weekly Address 05/02/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, May 2, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 3.78 mb

Over the last week, my administration has taken several precautions to address the challenge posed by the 2009 H1N1 flu virus. Today, I’d like to take a few minutes to explain why.

This is a new strain of the flu virus, and because we haven’t developed an immunity to it, it has more potential to cause us harm. Unlike the various strains of animal flu that have emerged in the past, it’s a flu that is spreading from human to human. This creates the potential for a pandemic, which is why we are acting quickly and aggressively.

This H1N1 flu has had its biggest impact in Mexico, where it has claimed a number of lives and infected hundreds more. Thus far, the strain in this country that has infected people in at least nineteen states has not been as potent or as deadly. We cannot know for certain why that is, which is why we are taking all necessary precautions in the event that the virus does turn into something worse.

This is also why the Centers for Disease Control has recommended that schools and child care facilities with confirmed cases of the virus close for up to fourteen days. It is why we urge employers to allow infected employees to take as many sick days as necessary. If more schools are forced to close, we’ve also recommended that both parents and businesses think about contingency plans if children do have to stay home. We have asked every American to take the same steps you would take to prevent any other flu: keep your hands washed; cover your mouth when you cough; stay home from work if you’re sick; and keep your children home from school if they’re sick. And the White House has launched pages in Facebook, MySpace and Twitter to support the ongoing efforts by the CDC to update the public as quickly and effectively as possible.

As our scientists and researchers learn more information about this virus every day, the guidance we offer will likely change. What will not change is the fact that we’ll be making every recommendation based on the best science possible.

We will also continue investing in every resource necessary to treat this virus and prevent a wider outbreak. The good news is that the current strain of H1N1 can be defeated by a course of antiviral treatment that we already have on hand. We began this week with 50 million courses of this treatment in the Strategic National Stockpile. Over the course of the last few days, we have delivered one-quarter of that stockpile to states so that they are prepared to treat anyone who is infected with this virus. We then purchased an additional thirteen million treatments to refill our strategic stockpile.

Out of an abundance of caution, I have also asked Congress for $1.5 billion if it is needed to purchase additional antivirals, emergency equipment, and the development of a vaccine that can prevent this virus as we prepare for the next flu season in the fall.

The Recovery Act that Congress enacted in February also included expansions of community health centers, a dramatic increase in the training of health care workers and nurses, and $300 million for the development and deployment of vaccines – all of which will help us meet this threat.

Finally, thanks to the work that the last administration and Congress did to prepare for a possible avian flu pandemic in 2005, states and the federal government have fully operable influenza readiness plans and are better prepared to deal with such a challenge than ever before.

It is my greatest hope and prayer that all of these precautions and preparations prove unnecessary. But because we have it within our power to limit the potential damage of this virus, we have a solemn and urgent responsibility to take the necessary steps. I would sooner take action now than hesitate and face graver consequences later. I have no higher priority as President of the United States than the safety and security of the American people, and I will do whatever is necessary to protect this country. So I want to thank every American for their patience and understanding during this developing challenge, and I promise that this government will continue speaking clearly and honestly about the steps we’re taking to meet it.

Thank you.

Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins Weekly Republican Address 05/02/09 VIDEO TEXT

This is Kansas Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins. This is my first year in Congress, and what I’ve seen since I arrived in Washington has been truly eye-opening.

The pace that Democrats in Congress and the White House are spending your tax dollars is simply staggering. A trillion dollars for the so-called ‘stimulus’ bill. Nearly a half-trillion on an ‘omnibus’ spending measure with nearly 9,000 un-scrutinized earmarks.

And $3.6 trillion on a budget that Democrats just passed this week, which includes trillion-dollar deficits as far as the eye can see. As a mother with two children, I'm concerned – like any mom would be – about the debt we’re piling on future generations.

I know a thing or two about handling taxpayer dollars. I was the state treasurer in Kansas for six years before I came to Congress, and before that I practiced public accounting as a certified public accountant for nearly two decades.

So trust me when I say Washington’s books are a mess.

Remember when the president promised strict oversight of how states and local communities are spending those critical ‘stimulus’ dollars? Well, in the last few weeks, we’ve heard about plenty of ‘stimulus’ waste.

Taxpayer dollars earmarked for a homeless program in a town with no homeless problem. Millions to extend an ‘Artwalk’ in New York. And more than a million dollars for sidewalks and trash cans outside a casino in Michigan. His bill was supposed to be about jobs, but it’s gone off the rails in practically no time at all and millions of our tax dollars are being wasted.

It’s quickly turning into a symbol of everything wrong with Washington, D.C. – unchecked spending, no accountability and oversight, and more and more debt piled onto our children and grandchildren.

This week, we marked the president’s 100th day in office. And while, like most of you, I like the president personally, I think the Democrats’ first 100 days running Washington can be summed up in three words: spending, taxing, and borrowing.

The plans they’ve passed in the first 100 days will add more to our nation’s public debt than all previous presidents combined in 200 plus years. They’ve taken away President Obama’s promised middle-class tax cut and paved the way for a new national energy tax to be paid by every American who dares to flip on a light switch.

Middle-class families and small businesses across America are tightening their belts and making sacrifices each and every day during this recession, and Republicans believe that it’s time for Washington to do the same.

We offered a budget that curbs spending, creates jobs by cutting taxes, and controls the debt. We’ve also offered proposals to help rebuild your savings, revitalize the housing market, and create twice as many jobs as the Democrats’ ‘stimulus’ at half the cost.

More than two million Americans have lost their jobs this year, and by all accounts, our national recession has gotten worse than expected. Americans are worried, and rightfully so. They know that we can’t spend our way back to prosperity.

Republicans are fighting for middle-class families and small businesses every day here in Washington. And we are ready to work in a bipartisan way on real solutions to create jobs, rebuild your savings, and get our economy moving again. Let’s hope the Democrats in charge are as well. Thank you for listening. ###

This has been an expensive 100 days for the American people Jon Kyl VIDEO

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Republican Whip Jon Kyl delivered remarks Wednesday on the Senate floor regarding the President’s first 100 days in office. The following are his prepared remarks:

“President Obama’s first 100 days in office make for compelling news stories, but what we should really focus on is what lies ahead in the next 100 days, next year, in the next four years, and beyond.

“This has been an expensive 100 days for the American people. Since his inauguration, President Obama has signed into law $1.19 trillion in new spending. That’s $11.9 billion of spending for each day he has been in office.

“And those figures don’t include his $3.7 trillion budget for next year, a measure now awaiting final action. The Congressional Budget Office estimates that if this budget is passed and signed into law by President Obama, by 2019, public debt will reach 82.4 percent of GDP. That means more new debt will be created under this one budget than all of the combined debt created by the previous 43 presidents – back to George Washington.

“I believe President Obama’s budget will put us on an unsustainable course. It proposes a sweeping change of course for the U.S. economy that will shift the balance of power away from the private sector toward the federal government.

“It’s not just the uncharted levels of spending and debt; this budget levies higher taxes on every household in the form of a national energy tax and puts taxpayers on the hook to pay for a larger and more intrusive federal government. In other words, this budget spends too much, taxes too much, and borrows too much.

“President Obama has made his proposed new spending sound more palatable by describing it all as an ‘investment’ that will pay off by saving us money down the road. Most of the new spending, however, is for services and programs whose long-term value continues to be debated by senators, economists, and the public alike.

“Nor is there any intention of cutting spending on a future date. This budget does not propose one-time investments followed by years of reduced spending. Instead, billions in new outlays will continue indefinitely – meaning the permanent accruement of power in Washington. Rolling back the federal government’s reach in the coming years could prove a Sisyphean challenge.

“Those of us in Washington need to keep in mind that families and small businesses, now more than ever, make sacrifices and tradeoffs in their own budgets. Shouldn’t we do the same? This budget continues business as usual, making no hard choices about how to reign in out-of-control government spending. The budget is so big that, according to Heritage Foundation estimates, a quarter of a million new federal bureaucrats may be required just to spend it all.

“In response to concerns about spending, President Obama has instructed his cabinet to cut $100 million from the budget in the next 90 days. This is a good start, but it does not go far enough. $100 million represents just .003 percent of this budget.

“It’s hard to imagine an Arizona family using the same math to trim its too-big budget. A typical Arizona family makes $47,215 per year. Say they would like a budget that spends $71,848 in the coming year. They would have a budget shortfall of $24,633. Following the president's example, the family would cut $2.05 in expenses and put the remaining $24,631 on the family credit card.

“No family would decide to do this. It wouldn’t put it on course for future prosperity. So we need to cut a lot for this budget to be fiscally sustainable.

“President Obama has said he will cut taxes for 95 percent of Americans. But his budget would raise taxes by $1.4 trillion over 10 years. It would implement a new $646 billion energy tax that will affect every American household – regardless of income – and is estimated to increase energy costs for every family by as much as $3,168 annually. And it’s described as a ‘down payment,’ meaning there’s more to come.

“This tax is touted as a way to curb greenhouse gas emissions. But it will unavoidably tax virtually all economic activity, since almost every aspect of our daily lives requires energy from fossil fuels. I recall candidate Obama telling the San Francisco Chronicle that, ‘Under my plan of a cap-and-trade system, electricity rates would necessarily skyrocket.’

“Economic historian John Steele Gordon draws a good analogy to an energy tax in the April issue of Commentary magazine: ‘If passed it will act on the economy as a whole exactly the way a governor acts on a steam engine, increasingly resisting any increase in revolutions per minute,’ Gordon writes.

“He continues: ‘With the supply of licenses to emit carbon dioxide fixed, the price of the permits will inevitably rise as economic activity picks up. That means that any increase in overall demand will increase the price of energy…. That will damp down demand. The more the economy tries to speed up the more [this tax] will work to prevent it from doing so.’

“Does this sound like a good idea – especially in time of recession?

“The budget also lets some of the existing low tax rates expire, thus raising taxes—and hurting our economy. In a recent report by President Obama’s chair of the Council of Economic Advisers, Christina Romer, and her husband, economist David Romer, show that higher taxes retard economic growth.

“The Romers’ paper, ‘The Macroeconomic Effects of Tax Changes: Estimates Based on a New Measure of Fiscal Shocks,’ published in November 2008 by the University of California, Berkeley, distinguishes between the effects of legislated tax changes, as they refer to them, and tax changes that affect individual workers when they earn more money or move into a higher tax bracket.

“The Romers examined data from 1947 to 2006 and concluded that legislated tax changes have a detrimental effect on gross domestic product.

“They write: ‘Our estimates suggest that a tax increase of 1 percent of GDP reduces output over the next three years by 3 percent.’ This is hardly an endorsement for raising taxes.

“We need to keep in mind that our economy is a complex and dynamic force, made up of individuals and families deciding on their own how much to save, spend, and invest—and whether or not to create jobs or open new businesses. It resists policymakers’ attempts to manipulate and control it. It is not a ball of clay that Washington can mold any way it wants and expect never to encounter adverse results. I also want to emphasize that simply extending current law to keep tax rates where they are is not a new tax cut. When an Arizona family thinks of a tax cut, it assumes it will pay less in taxes from one year to the next. The administration has declared that if you don’t pay more in taxes, you are receiving a tax cut.

“We’re straying too far from the principle that the purpose of taxes is to pay for the costs of government in a way that does the least damage to the economy. How many activities or services can we now think of that the government does not tax or is not aiming to tax?

“Finally, there’s the deficit. In five years, this budget will double the public debt. In 10 years it will triple it. The Congressional Budget Office projects President Obama’s budget will accumulate $9.2 trillion in deficits through 2019, which would raise debt held by the public to an astonishing 82.4 percent of GDP that year.

“Senator McCain told us during the campaign that spending and deficits are two sides of the same coin; that President Obama’s spending promises would raise deficits to unsustainable levels; and that huge tax hikes—and not just for the wealthy—would be required to pay for it all. Now even the president’s Office of Management and Budget director Peter Orzag has confirmed what Senator McCain said all along: These levels of spending and deficits will not be sustainable.

“The Washington Post recently editorialized: ‘President Obama’s budget plan would have the government spending more than 23 percent of gross domestic product throughout the second half of this decade while collecting less than 19 percent in revenue.’ Is this the legacy we want to leave for the next generation? Unprecedented debt?

“And we can’t forget the finance charges. By 2014, the interest on the national debt will be the largest single expenditure in the budget – more than we’ll spend on education, on healthcare, on national security.

“This excessive borrowing also increases our dependence on creditors in countries such as China and Russia. Other countries now hold more than half of America’s total publicly held debt. As Senator Bayh pointed out in a recent Wall Street Journal column , when other countries hold a large amount of our debt they also have leverage to influence our currency, trade, and national security policies.

“All of us in the Senate share the goal of getting the economy back on track. To do so, we need a budget that meets the test of fiscal responsibility. This budget does not. Moreover, it contradicts President Obama’s campaign promises for a ‘net spending reduction’ and ‘no tax increases for 95 percent of Americans.’

“And the unprecedented amounts of spending, taxing, and borrowing are sure to hinder an economic recovery. Facts are stubborn things, as President Reagan used to say. We’ve seen throughout our country’s history that increasing taxes and introducing new regulation during a recession has never led to economic growth. Why would this time be any different? Right now, Mr. President, we should be working on growing our economy, not the federal government.” ###

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 29, 2009. CONTACT: Andrew Wilder or Ryan Patmintra (202) 224-4521

Statement Arlen Specter Party Switch VIDEO TEXT

I have been a Republican since 1966. I have been working extremely hard for the Party, for its candidates and for the ideals of a Republican Party whose tent is big enough to welcome diverse points of view. While I have been comfortable being a Republican, my Party has not defined who I am. I have taken each issue one at a time and have exercised independent judgment to do what I thought was best for Pennsylvania and the nation.

Since my election in 1980, as part of the Reagan Big Tent, the Republican Party has moved far to the right. Last year, more than 200,000 Republicans in Pennsylvania changed their registration to become Democrats. I now find my political philosophy more in line with Democrats than Republicans.

When I supported the stimulus package, I knew that it would not be popular with the Republican Party. But, I saw the stimulus as necessary to lessen the risk of a far more serious recession than we are now experiencing.

Since then, I have traveled the State, talked to Republican leaders and office-holders and my supporters and I have carefully examined public opinion. It has become clear to me that the stimulus vote caused a schism which makes our differences irreconcilable. On this state of the record, I am unwilling to have my twenty-nine year Senate record judged by the Pennsylvania Republican primary electorate. I have not represented the Republican Party. I have represented the people of Pennsylvania.

I have decided to run for re-election in 2010 in the Democratic primary.

I am ready, willing and anxious to take on all comers and have my candidacy for re-election determined in a general election.

I deeply regret that I will be disappointing many friends and supporters. I can understand their disappointment. I am also disappointed that so many in the Party I have worked for for more than four decades do not want me to be their candidate. It is very painful on both sides. I thank specially Senators McConnell and Cornyn for their forbearance.

I am not making this decision because there are no important and interesting opportunities outside the Senate. I take on this complicated run for re-election because I am deeply concerned about the future of our country and I believe I have a significant contribution to make on many of the key issues of the day, especially medical research. NIH funding has saved or lengthened thousands of lives, including mine, and much more needs to be done. And my seniority is very important to continue to bring important projects vital to Pennsylvania's economy.

I am taking this action now because there are fewer than thirteen months to the 2010 Pennsylvania Primary and there is much to be done in preparation for that election. Upon request, I will return campaign contributions contributed during this cycle.

While each member of the Senate caucuses with his Party, what each of us hopes to accomplish is distinct from his party affiliation. The American people do not care which Party solves the problems confronting our nation. And no Senator, no matter how loyal he is to his Party, should or would put party loyalty above his duty to the state and nation.

My change in party affiliation does not mean that I will be a party-line voter any more for the Democrats that I have been for the Republicans. Unlike Senator Jeffords' switch which changed party control, I will not be an automatic 60th vote for cloture. For example, my position on Employees Free Choice (Card Check) will not change.

Whatever my party affiliation, I will continue to be guided by President Kennedy's statement that sometimes Party asks too much. When it does, I will continue my independent voting and follow my conscience on what I think is best for Pennsylvania and America.

Republican Leadership Press Conference 4/28/09 VIDEO

Boehner Statement on the President’s First 100 Days in Office Apr 28, 2009 Washington.

Congressman John Boehner (R-West Chester) released the following statement on President Obama’s first 100 days in office:

“America has lost more than two million jobs in the last three months, so this is no time for Democrats in Washington to be taking a victory lap. It’s time to hit the ‘reset button’ and for the Administration to begin keeping its promises of a ‘new era of responsibility,’ more transparency, and more bipartisan cooperation by working with Republicans to ensure that Washington is making the same sacrifices that families and small businesses are forced to make every day.

“The President’s first 100 days can be summed up in three words: spending, taxing, and borrowing. While middle-class families and small businesses struggle during this economic crisis, the Administration and Democrats in Congress have spent more taxpayer dollars in 100 days than all previous presidents have spent combined, raised taxes on middle-class families in the middle of a recession, and piled an unprecedented amount of new debt on our children and grandchildren. Republicans have offered better solutions, including a stimulus plan that would create twice the jobs at half the cost of the Democrats’ legislation, a fiscally-responsible budget, and plans to revitalize the housing market and rebuild Americans’ savings.

“As we head into the next 100 days and beyond, Republicans will continue to keep our promise to work with the President when we can and offer better solutions when we cannot. I support the President’s responsible plans to bring our troops home from Iraq after victory and bring stability to Afghanistan, and I hope that the President will build on those strategies by laying out for the American people a comprehensive plan to confront and defeat the terrorist threat around the world. The world did not suddenly become safer in January 2009, and the American people deserve to know how their government will protect them and our allies. On this and the other challenges our nation will face in the weeks and months ahead, Republicans will continue reaching out to the President to find common ground and offer superior policy alternatives when we disagree.” -ee-

Swine Influenza Swine Flu CDC PODCAST VIDEO

Centers for Disease Control Swine Flu Update. Product ID: 285774-1. Format: News Conference. Last Airing: 05/06/2009. Event Date: 05/06/2009. Length: 29 minutes. Location: Washington, DC, United States

In this video, Dr. Joe Bresee, with the CDC Influenza Division, describes swine flu - its signs and symptoms, how it's transmitted, medicines to treat it, steps people can take to protect themselves from it, and what people should do if they become ill.

Date Released: 4/25/2009, Running time: 5:46, Author: Coordinating Center for Infectious Diseases, National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, Influenza Division (CCID/NCIRD/ID) Series Name: CDC Featured Podcasts

PODCAST Swine Flu VBR MP3 3.97 mb, Swine Flu Ogg Vorbis 3.70 mb VIDEO Swine Flu MPEG4 16 mb, Swine Flu Ogg Video 21 mb

What is Swine Influenza?
Swine Influenza (swine flu) is a respiratory disease of pigs caused by type A influenza virus that regularly causes outbreaks of influenza in pigs. Swine flu viruses cause high levels of illness and low death rates in pigs. Swine influenza viruses may circulate among swine throughout the year, but most outbreaks occur during the late fall and winter months similar to outbreaks in humans. The classical swine flu virus (an influenza type A H1N1 virus) was first isolated from a pig in 1930.

This preliminary negative stained transmission electron micrograph (TEM) depicted some of the ultrastructural morphology of the A/CA/4/09 swine flu virus.

How many swine flu viruses are there?
Like all influenza viruses, swine flu viruses change constantly. Pigs can be infected by avian influenza and human influenza viruses as well as swine influenza viruses. When influenza viruses from different species infect pigs, the viruses can reassort (i.e. swap genes) and new viruses that are a mix of swine, human and/or avian influenza viruses can emerge. Over the years, different variations of swine flu viruses have emerged. At this time, there are four main influenza type A virus subtypes that have been isolated in pigs: H1N1, H1N2, H3N2, and H3N1. However, most of the recently isolated influenza viruses from pigs have been H1N1 viruses.
Swine Flu in Humans

LIVE H1N1 Swine Flu Map

View H1N1 Swine Flu in a larger map

H1N1 Swine Flu. H1N1 Swine flu in 2009. Pink markers are suspect. Purple markers are confirmed. Deaths lack a dot in marker. Yellow markers are negative

Can humans catch swine flu?
Swine flu viruses do not normally infect humans. However, sporadic human infections with swine flu have occurred. Most commonly, these cases occur in persons with direct exposure to pigs (e.g. children near pigs at a fair or workers in the swine industry). In addition, there have been documented cases of one person spreading swine flu to others. For example, an outbreak of apparent swine flu infection in pigs in Wisconsin in 1988 resulted in multiple human infections, and, although no community outbreak resulted, there was antibody evidence of virus transmission from the patient to health care workers who had close contact with the patient.

How common is swine flu infection in humans?
In the past, CDC received reports of approximately one human swine influenza virus infection every one to two years in the U.S., but from December 2005 through February 2009, 12 cases of human infection with swine influenza have been reported.

What are the symptoms of swine flu in humans?
The symptoms of swine flu in people are expected to be similar to the symptoms of regular human seasonal influenza and include fever, lethargy, lack of appetite and coughing. Some people with swine flu also have reported runny nose, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Can people catch swine flu from eating pork?
No. Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160°F kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.

How does swine flu spread?
Influenza viruses can be directly transmitted from pigs to people and from people to pigs. Human infection with flu viruses from pigs are most likely to occur when people are in close proximity to infected pigs, such as in pig barns and livestock exhibits housing pigs at fairs. Human-to-human transmission of swine flu can also occur. This is thought to occur in the same way as seasonal flu occurs in people, which is mainly person-to-person transmission through coughing or sneezing of people infected with the influenza virus. People may become infected by touching something with flu viruses on it and then touching their mouth or nose.

What do we know about human-to-human spread of swine flu?
In September 1988, a previously healthy 32-year-old pregnant woman was hospitalized for pneumonia and died 8 days later. A swine H1N1 flu virus was detected. Four days before getting sick, the patient visited a county fair swine exhibition where there was widespread influenza-like illness among the swine.

In follow-up studies, 76% of swine exhibitors tested had antibody evidence of swine flu infection but no serious illnesses were detected among this group. Additional studies suggest that one to three health care personnel who had contact with the patient developed mild influenza-like illnesses with antibody evidence of swine flu infection.

How can human infections with swine influenza be diagnosed?
To diagnose swine influenza A infection, a respiratory specimen would generally need to be collected within the first 4 to 5 days of illness (when an infected person is most likely to be shedding virus). However, some persons, especially children, may shed virus for 10 days or longer. Identification as a swine flu influenza A virus requires sending the specimen to CDC for laboratory testing.

What medications are available to treat swine flu infections in humans?
There are four different antiviral drugs that are licensed for use in the US for the treatment of influenza: amantadine, rimantadine, oseltamivir (Tamiflu) and zanamivir. While most swine influenza viruses have been susceptible to all four drugs, the most recent swine influenza viruses isolated from humans are resistant to amantadine and rimantadine. At this time, CDC recommends the use of oseltamivir or zanamivir for the treatment and/or prevention of infection with swine influenza viruses.

What other examples of swine flu outbreaks are there?
Probably the most well known is an outbreak of swine flu among soldiers in Fort Dix, New Jersey in 1976. The virus caused disease with x-ray evidence of pneumonia in at least 4 soldiers and 1 death; all of these patients had previously been healthy. The virus was transmitted to close contacts in a basic training environment, with limited transmission outside the basic training group. The virus is thought to have circulated for a month and disappeared. The source of the virus, the exact time of its introduction into Fort Dix, and factors limiting its spread and duration are unknown. The Fort Dix outbreak may have been caused by introduction of an animal virus into a stressed human population in close contact in crowded facilities during the winter. The swine influenza A virus collected from a Fort Dix soldier was named A/New Jersey/76 (Hsw1N1).

Is the H1N1 swine flu virus the same as human H1N1 viruses?
No. The H1N1 swine flu viruses are antigenically very different from human H1N1 viruses and, therefore, vaccines for human seasonal flu would not provide protection from H1N1 swine flu viruses.

Swine Flu in Pigs

How does swine flu spread among pigs?
Swine flu viruses are thought to be spread mostly through close contact among pigs and possibly from contaminated objects moving between infected and uninfected pigs. Herds with continuous swine flu infections and herds that are vaccinated against swine flu may have sporadic disease, or may show only mild or no symptoms of infection.

What are signs of swine flu in pigs?
Signs of swine flu in pigs can include sudden onset of fever, depression, coughing (barking), discharge from the nose or eyes, sneezing, breathing difficulties, eye redness or inflammation, and going off feed.

How common is swine flu among pigs?
H1N1 and H3N2 swine flu viruses are endemic among pig populations in the United States and something that the industry deals with routinely. Outbreaks among pigs normally occur in colder weather months (late fall and winter) and sometimes with the introduction of new pigs into susceptible herds. Studies have shown that the swine flu H1N1 is common throughout pig populations worldwide, with 25 percent of animals showing antibody evidence of infection. In the U.S. studies have shown that 30 percent of the pig population has antibody evidence of having had H1N1 infection. More specifically, 51 percent of pigs in the north-central U.S. have been shown to have antibody evidence of infection with swine H1N1. Human infections with swine flu H1N1 viruses are rare. There is currently no way to differentiate antibody produced in response to flu vaccination in pigs from antibody made in response to pig infections with swine H1N1 influenza.

While H1N1 swine viruses have been known to circulate among pig populations since at least 1930, H3N2 influenza viruses did not begin circulating among US pigs until 1998. The H3N2 viruses initially were introduced into the pig population from humans. The current swine flu H3N2 viruses are closely related to human H3N2 viruses.

Is there a vaccine for swine flu?
Vaccines are available to be given to pigs to prevent swine influenza. There is no vaccine to protect humans from swine flu. The seasonal influenza vaccine will likely help provide partial protection against swine H3N2, but not swine H1N1 viruses.

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President Barack Obama Weekly Address 04/25/09 PODCAST VIDEO TEXT

Remarks of President Barack Obama Weekly Address Saturday, April 25, 2009 Washington, DC PODCAST OF THIS ARTICLE Download MP3 4.0 mb

Good morning. Over the last three months, my Administration has taken aggressive action to confront an historic economic crisis. As we do everything that we can to create jobs and get our economy moving, we’re also building a new foundation for lasting prosperity – a foundation that invests in quality education, lowers health care costs, and develops new sources of energy powered by new jobs and industries.

One of the pillars of that foundation must be fiscal discipline. We came into office facing a budget deficit of $1.3 trillion for this year alone, and the cost of confronting our economic crisis is high. But we cannot settle for a future of rising deficits and debts that our children cannot pay.

All across America, families are tightening their belts and making hard choices. Now, Washington must show that same sense of responsibility. That is why we have identified two trillion dollars in deficit-reductions over the next decade, while taking on the special interest spending that doesn’t advance the peoples’ interests.

But we must also recognize that we cannot meet the challenges of today with old habits and stale thinking. So much of our government was built to deal with different challenges from a different era. Too often, the result is wasteful spending, bloated programs, and inefficient results.

It’s time to fundamentally change the way that we do business in Washington. To help build a new foundation for the 21st century, we need to reform our government so that it is more efficient, more transparent, and more creative. That will demand new thinking and a new sense of responsibility for every dollar that is spent.

Earlier this week, I held my first Cabinet meeting and sent a clear message: cut what doesn’t work. Already, we’ve identified substantial savings. And in the days and weeks ahead, we will continue going through the budget line by line, and we’ll identify more than 100 programs that will be cut or eliminated.

But we can’t stop there. We need to go further, and we need an all-hands-on-deck approach to reforming government. That’s why I’m announcing several steps that my Administration will take in the weeks ahead to restore fiscal discipline while making our government work better.

First, we need to adhere to the basic principle that new tax or entitlement policies should be paid for. This principle – known as PAYGO – helped transform large deficits into surpluses in the 1990s. Now, we must restore that sense of fiscal discipline. That’s why I’m calling on Congress to pass PAYGO legislation like a bill that will be introduced by Congressman Baron Hill, so that government acts the same way any responsible family does in setting its budget.

Second, we’ll create new incentives to reduce wasteful spending and to invest in what works. We don’t want agencies to protect bloated budgets – we want them to promote effective programs. So the idea is simple: agencies that identify savings will get to keep a portion of those savings to invest in programs that work. The result will be a smaller budget, and a more effective government.

Third, we’ll look for ideas from the bottom up. After all, Americans across the country know that the best ideas often come from workers – not just management. That’s why we’ll establish a process through which every government worker can submit their ideas for how their agency can save money and perform better. We’ll put the suggestions that work into practice. And later this year, I will meet with those who come up with the best ideas to hear firsthand about how they would make your government more efficient and effective.

And finally, we will reach beyond the halls of government. Many businesses have innovative ways of using technology to save money, and many experts have new ideas to make government work more efficiently. Government can – and must – learn from them. So later this year, we will host a forum on reforming government for the 21st century, so that we’re also guided by voices that come from outside of Washington.

We cannot sustain deficits that mortgage our children’s future, nor tolerate wasteful inefficiency. Government has a responsibility to spend the peoples’ money wisely, and to serve the people effectively. I will work every single day that I am President to live up to that responsibility, and to transform our government so that is held to a higher standard of performance on behalf of the American people.

Thank you.

Senator Lamar Alexander Weekly Republican Address 04/25/09 VIDEO PODCAST TEXT

PODCAST Senator Lamar Alexander Delivers Republican weekly radio address download MP3 4.8 mb running time 5:05 min.

Full Text Transcript:

Hello I'm Senator Lamar Alexander from Tennessee. Chairman or the Senate Republican Conference

Do you remember a few years ago when our Congress got mad at France and banned French fries in the House of Representatives cafeteria?

We Americans always have had a love-hate relationship with the French. Which was why it was so galling last month when the Democratic Congress passed a budget with such big deficits that it makes the United States literally ineligible to join France in the European Union.

Now of course we don’t want to be in the European Union. We’re the United States of America. But French deficits are lower than ours, and their president has been running around sounding like a Republican -- lecturing our president about spending so much.

Now the debate in Congress is shifting to the size of your electric and gasoline bills and to climate change. So guess who has one of the lowest electric rates in Western Europe and the second lowest carbon emissions in the entire European Union.

It’s France again.

And what’s more, they’re doing it with a technology we invented and have been reluctant to use: nuclear power.

Thirty years ago, the contrary French became reliant on nuclear power when others wouldn’t. Today, nuclear plants provide 80 percent of their electricity. They even sell electricity to Germany, whose politicians built windmills and solar panels and promised not to build nuclear plants.

Which was exactly the attitude in the United States between 1979 and 2008 – when not one new nuclear plant was built. Still, nuclear, which supplies just 20% of all U.S. electricity, provides 70% of our pollution-free electricity.

So you’d think that if Democrats want to talk about energy and climate change and clean air, they’d put American-made nuclear power front and center. Instead, their answer is billions in subsidies for renewable energy from the sun, the wind and the earth.

Well, we Republicans like renewable energy, too.

We proposed a new Manhattan Project – like the one in World War II – to find ways to make......solar power cost-competitive and to improve advanced biofuels. But today, renewable electricity from the sun, the wind and the earth provides only about 1 1/2% of America’s electricity. Double it or triple it, and we still don’t have very much.

So there is a potentially a dangerous energy gap between the renewable electricity we want and the reliable electricity we must have.

To close that gap, Republicans say start with conservation and efficiency. We have so much electricity at night, for example, we could electrify half our cars and trucks and plug them in while we sleep without building one new power plant.

On that, Republicans and Democrats agree.

But when it comes to producing more energy, we disagree.

When Republicans say, build 100 new nuclear power plants during the next twenty years, Democrats say, no place to put the used nuclear fuel.

We say, recycle the fuel -- the way France does. They say, no we can’t.

We say,how about another Manhattan Project to remove carbon from coal plant emissions? Imaginary, they say.

We say, for a bridge to a clean energy future, find more natural gas and oil offshore. Farmers, homeowners and factories must have the natural gas. And more of the oil we’ll still need should be ours, instead of sending billions overseas.

They can’t wait to put another ban on offshore drilling.

We say incentives. They say mandates.

We say, keep prices down. Democrats say, put a big new national sales tax on electric bills and gasoline.

We both want a clean energy future, but here’s the real difference: Republicans want to find more American energy, and use less.

Democrats want to use less – but they really don’t want to find much more.

They talk about President Kennedy sending a man to the moon. Their energy proposals wouldn’t get America halfway to the moon.

We Republicans didn’t like it when Democrats passed a budget that gave the French bragging rights on deficits. So we’re not about to let the French also outdo us on electric and gasoline bills, clean air and climate change.

We say find more American energy and use less. Energy that’s as clean as possible, as reliable as possible, and at as low a cost as possible. And one place to start is with 100 more nuclear plants.” ###

Right & Wrong 101 DHS mistakes our troops for possible terrorists VIDEO

This video series will help liberal democrats learn how to fake an understanding of right and wrong that resonates with the American people. Today's lesson will demonstrate how to avoid statements like the one by Obama's Department of Homeland Security that claims some of our returning veterans could be terrorists.

Paid for by the Republican National Committee Not Authorized By Any Candidate Or Candidate's Committee www.GOP.com. Republican National Committee | 310 First Street | Washington, D. C. 20003 p/202.863.8500 | f/202.863.8820 | e/info@gop.com

Michael Steele on the Napolitano DHS Statement about US Soldiers VIDEO

Statement by U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano on the Threat of Right-Wing Extremism.

The primary mission of this department is to prevent terrorist attacks on our nation. The document on right-wing extremism sent last week by this department’s Office of Intelligence and Analysis is one in an ongoing series of assessments to provide situational awareness to state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies on the phenomenon and trends of violent radicalization in the United States. I was briefed on the general topic, which is one that struck a nerve as someone personally involved in the Timothy McVeigh prosecution.

Let me be very clear: we monitor the risks of violent extremism taking root here in the United States. We don’t have the luxury of focusing our efforts on one group; we must protect the country from terrorism whether foreign or homegrown, and regardless of the ideology that motivates its violence.

We are on the lookout for criminal and terrorist activity but we do not – nor will we ever – monitor ideology or political beliefs. We take seriously our responsibility to protect the civil rights and liberties of the American people, including subjecting our activities to rigorous oversight from numerous internal and external sources.

I am aware of the letter from American Legion National Commander Rehbein, and my staff has already contacted him to set up a meeting next week once I return from travel. I will tell him face-to-face that we honor veterans at DHS and employ thousands across the department, up to and including the Deputy Secretary.

As the department responsible for protecting the homeland, DHS will continue to work with its state and local partners to prevent and protect against the potential threat to the United States associated with any rise in violent extremist activity. ###

For Immediate Release Office of the Press Secretary Contact: 202-282-8010