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____________________________________________
WASHINGTON, DC


MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2010













U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA



President Barack Obama proposes a pay freeze for federal employees and calls for bipartisan compromise and broad sacrifice to get our economy going and our deficit down.

White House Photography by Chuck Kennedy, November 29, 2010

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"PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA ON THE FEDERAL EMPLOYEE PAY FREEZE"
Posted and Written by Karen An Carr
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WASHINGTON, DC- Federal workers are being asked to make another sacrifice, namely, to accept the freeze of their pay. In these challenging times people are willing to accept lower pay to and even less hours to keep from joining the multitudes of people searching for a job.

President Barack Obama said, "today I’m proposing a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal workers.  This would save $2 billion over the rest of this fiscal year and $28 billion in cumulative savings over the next five years.  And I want to be clear:  This freeze does not apply to the men and women of our Armed Forces, who along with their families continue to bear enormous burdens with our nation at war."
 
"I did not reach this decision easily," President Obama said.  "This is not just a line item on a federal ledger.  These are people’s lives.  They’re doctors and nurses who care for our veterans; scientists who search for better treatments and cures; men and women who care for our national parks and secure our borders and our skies; Americans who see that the Social Security checks get out on time, who make sure that scholarships comes through, who devote themselves to our safety.  They’re patriots who love their country and often make many sacrifices to serve their country."  

The President went on to say that he proposed a pay freeze for federal employees and called for bipartisan compromise and broad sacrifice because the U.S. deficit is climbing and most be kept down to sustain the U.S. economy.
 
"In these challenging times," President Obama said, "we want the best and brightest to join and make a difference.  But these are also times where all of us are called on to make some sacrifices.  And I’m asking civil servants to do what they’ve always done -- play their part.
 
"Going forward, we’re going to have to make some additional very tough decisions that this town has put off for a very long time.  And that’s what this upcoming week is really about.  My hope is that, starting today, we can begin a bipartisan conversation about our future, because we face challenges that will require the cooperation of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.  Everybody is going to have to cooperate.  We can’t afford to fall back onto the same old ideologies or the same stale sound bites.  We’re going to have to budge on some deeply held positions and compromise for the good of the country.  We’re going to have to set aside the politics of the moment to make progress for the long term.  And as I’ve often said, we’re going to have to think not just about the next election, but about the next generation, because if there’s anything the American people said this month, it’s that they want their leaders to have one single focus:  making sure their work is rewarded so that the American Dream remains within their reach.  It would be unwise to assume they prefer one way of thinking over another.  That wasn’t the lesson that I took when I entered into office, and it’s not the lesson today."

Today's announcement is another courageous move, being taken by the Obama administration,  to sustain the federal governments operations.

This comes at a time when the Federal Reserve is buying the debt of the U.S. Government every month, at a rate of 70 Billion dollars per month.

 

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U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA


President Barack Obama reads a document following a meeting with senior advisors in the Oval Office.

White House Photo by Pete Souza, September 27, 2010.


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WHITE HOUSE

Eisenhower Executive Office Building

 

PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA:
     "Hello, everybody.  Good morning, everybody.  
Let me begin by pointing out that although Washington is supposed to be a town of sharp elbows, it’s getting a little carried away.  For those of you who are worried about my lip, I should be okay.  The doctor has given me a clean bill of health, and I will continue to be playing basketball whenever I get a chance.  In fact, I played yesterday with Sasha and Malia and they took it easy on me because they were feeling pity.
 
    I hope everybody had a great Thanksgiving, but now it’s time to get back to work.  Congress is back in town this week.  And I’m looking forward to sitting down with Republican leaders tomorrow to discuss many issues -- foremost among them the American people’s business that remains to be done this year.  My hope is that tomorrow’s meeting will mark a first step towards a new and productive working relationship.  Because we now have a shared responsibility to deliver for the American people on the issues that define not only these times but our future -- and I hope we can do that in a cooperative and serious way.
 
     Our two most fundamental challenges are keeping the American people safe and growing our economy -- and it’s in that spirit that I look forward to sitting down tomorrow and talking about urgent matters like the ratification of the New START treaty, which is so essential to our safety and security; and the status of the Bush-era tax cuts that are set to expire at the end of this year.  And this is just one of the many economic issues we’ve got to tackle together in the months ahead.  
 
     As I said a few weeks ago, the most important contest of our time is not the contest between Democrats and Republicans; it’s between America and our economic competitors all around the world.  Winning that contest means that we’ve got to ensure our children are the best educated in the world; that our research and development is second to none; and that we lead the globe in renewable energy and technological innovation.  
 
     It also means making sure that in the future we’re not dragged down by long-term debt.  This is a challenge that both parties have a responsibility to address -- to get federal spending under control and bring down the deficits that have been growing for most of the last decade.
 
     Now, there’s no doubt that if we want to bring down our deficits, it’s critical to keep growing our economy.  More importantly, there’s still a lot of pain out there, and we can’t afford to take any steps that might derail our recovery or our efforts to put Americans back to work and to make Main Street whole again.  So we can’t put the brakes on too quickly.  And I’m going to be interested in hearing ideas from my Republican colleagues, as well as Democrats, about how we continue to grow the economy and how we put people back to work.
     
     But we do have to correct our long-term fiscal course.  And that’s why earlier this year I created a bipartisan deficit commission that is poised to report back later this week with ideas that I hope will spark a serious and long-overdue conversation in this town.  Those of us who have been charged to lead will have to confront some very difficult decisions, cutting spending we don’t need in order to invest in the things that we do.
 
     As President, I’m committed to doing my part.  From the earliest days of my administration, we’ve worked to eliminate wasteful spending and streamline government.  I promised to go through the budget line by line to eliminate programs that have outlived their usefulness, and in each of the budgets I’ve put forward so far, we’ve proposed approximately $20 billion in savings through shrinking or ending more than 120 such programs.  
 
     I’ve also set goals for this government that we’re on track to meet:  reducing improper payments by $50 billion, saving $40 billion in contracting, and selling off $8 billion of unneeded federal land and buildings.  
 
     I’ve also proposed a three-year freeze on all non-security discretionary spending -- a step that would bring that spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years.  And we’ve brought unprecedented transparency to federal spending by placing all of it online at USA spending.gov and Recovery.gov, so Americans can see how their tax dollars are spent.
 
     The hard truth is that getting this deficit under control is going to require broad sacrifice.  And that sacrifice must be shared by the employees of the federal government.
 
     After all, small businesses and families are tightening their belts.  Their government should, too.  And that’s why, on my first day as President, I froze all pay for my senior staff.  This year I’ve proposed extending that freeze for senior political appointees throughout the government and eliminating bonuses for all political appointees.
 
     And today I’m proposing a two-year pay freeze for all civilian federal workers.  This would save $2 billion over the rest of this fiscal year and $28 billion in cumulative savings over the next five years.  And I want to be clear:  This freeze does not apply to the men and women of our Armed Forces, who along with their families continue to bear enormous burdens with our nation at war.
 
     I did not reach this decision easily.  This is not just a line item on a federal ledger.  These are people’s lives.  They’re doctors and nurses who care for our veterans; scientists who search for better treatments and cures; men and women who care for our national parks and secure our borders and our skies; Americans who see that the Social Security checks get out on time, who make sure that scholarships comes through, who devote themselves to our safety.  They’re patriots who love their country and often make many sacrifices to serve their country.  
 
     In these challenging times, we want the best and brightest to join and make a difference.  But these are also times where all of us are called on to make some sacrifices.  And I’m asking civil servants to do what they’ve always done -- play their part.
 
     Going forward, we’re going to have to make some additional very tough decisions that this town has put off for a very long time.  And that’s what this upcoming week is really about.  My hope is that, starting today, we can begin a bipartisan conversation about our future, because we face challenges that will require the cooperation of Democrats, Republicans and Independents.  Everybody is going to have to cooperate.  We can’t afford to fall back onto the same old ideologies or the same stale sound bites.  We’re going to have to budge on some deeply held positions and compromise for the good of the country.  We’re going to have to set aside the politics of the moment to make progress for the long term.  And as I’ve often said, we’re going to have to think not just about the next election, but about the next generation, because if there’s anything the American people said this month, it’s that they want their leaders to have one single focus:  making sure their work is rewarded so that the American Dream remains within their reach.  It would be unwise to assume they prefer one way of thinking over another.  That wasn’t the lesson that I took when I entered into office, and it’s not the lesson today.
 
     So while our ideas may be different, our goals must be the same -- growing this economy, putting people back to work, and securing the dream for all who work for it; to summon what’s best for each of us to make lives better for all of us.  And that’s why we are here and that’s why we serve.  That’s how we’ve moved this country forward in the past -- and I’m absolutely confident that that is how we are going to move this country forward once again.  
 
     Thank you very much, everybody."

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WASHINGTON, DC

MONDAY, NOVEMBER 29, 2010

U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA & MAYOR ANTONIO VILLARAIGOSA


U.S. President Barack Obama listens to Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during a meeting on infrastructure investment in the State Dining Room of the White House.

White House Photography by Pete Sousa, October 11, 2010.



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SUSAN E. RICE
_______
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
U.S. Mission to the United Nations


New York, NY
November 29, 2010
 
      
 

"I welcome today’s renewal by the UN Security Council of sanctions related to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The new sanctions resolution maintains the existing arms embargo on non-state actors operating in the DRC, as well as the travel ban and asset freeze for individuals linked to illegal armed groups, to the obstruction of humanitarian assistance, to the illicit trade of natural resources and to violations of human rights including sexual and gender based violence. These sanctions can play an important role in bringing stability to the DRC and holding accountable those who direct the massacre of civilians, recruit child soldiers, or use rape as a weapon of war.

I also welcome the Security Council's unprecedented decision to support new due diligence guidelines for individuals and companies who import, process, or consume Congolese mineral products. If implemented, these guidelines could significantly limit the illicit minerals trade, which has for many years fueled violence in the DRC.

The United States appreciates the work of the DRC Sanctions Committee and the UN's DRC Group of Experts, and we will continue to support targeted sanctions designations against actors whose behavior undermines progress toward peace and stability in Congo and the region."

                                                                                                         



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PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA AND FOOTBALL TEAM

President Barack Obama leads a cheer for the La Follette Lancers football team during an unannounced stop at La Follette High School in Madison, Wis.

White House Photo by Pete Souza, Sept. 28, 2010.



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ADMINISTRATION'S REASONING FOR PAY FREEZE

White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer and U.S. Chief Performance Officer and OMB Deputy Director for Management Jeffrey Zients to Discuss Federal Employee Issues

MR. BAER: 
"Good morning, everybody.  Thanks for getting on.  We’re going to have Dan Pfeiffer, White House Communications Director, say a few words, and then Jeffrey Zients, who is the Deputy Director of Management and the U.S. Chief Performance Officer from here at OMB, say a few words.  Then we’ll go right to questions.

By the way, everything here is on the record and for attribution.

Dan.

DIRECTOR DAN PFEIFFER: 
Thanks, Ken.  And thanks, everyone, for joining us -- and welcome back from your holiday weekend.  As most of you, or some of you at least, have reported, this is an announcement involving a freeze in civilian federal worker pay.  

Let me first put this in a little bit of context and talk briefly about what the announcement is.  And then I’ll let Jeff talk through some of the details and what this means, and then we’ll take your questions.

To put this in context, when this President came into office he inherited a $1.3 trillion deficit.  At the same time, he also had an economic crisis that threatened to put the nation into a second Great Depression.  Our first step was to take emergency action to get the economy moving again.  We have broken -- the economy is growing now.  We are no longer losing jobs; we’ve been gaining private sector jobs for many months now.  But families and businesses are still hurting and job growth is still too slow, as you’ve heard the President say on many occasions.

Our top priority is making sure we’re doing everything we can to help boost economic growth and spur job creation.  But as the economy recovers we also need to focus on addressing the massive deficit we’ve inherited and the unsustainable fiscal course we’re on."

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DIRECTOR DAN PFEIFFER: 
"As this President has said many times, doing so is going to take making some very tough choices.  And just as families and businesses around the nation have tightened their belts in this economy, so must the government.  That is why today the President will announce that he’s proposing a two-year freeze in civilian federal worker pay -- the two years are 2011 and 2012.  This announcement affects only civilians.  It does not affect military personnel.

And with that, let me turn it over to Jeff for some additional details of the announcement."

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS: 
"Thanks, Dan.  Let me start by taking you through the numbers.   As Dan said, the President is proposing a two-year freeze for civilian federal worker pay.  So that’s for calendar year 2011 and 2012.  This will save $2 billion for the fiscal year which we’re currently in -- fiscal year 2011 -- and will save $28 billion when you combine the savings from this year’s freeze and the second year’s freeze, calendar year 2012.  It will be $28 billion of savings across the next five years, and more than $60 billion in total over the next 10 years.  So those are the numbers.

Clearly this is a difficult decision.  Federal employees are hardworking and dedicated and central to delivering essential services to the American people.  And today we are -- the President is clearly asking them to make a sacrifice.  We believe it’s the first of many difficult steps ahead that we’ll be taking in the upcoming budget to put our nation on sound fiscal footing -- steps that will ask for all of us to sacrifice.  

It’s a tough decision, but it’s also consistent with actions that we’ve already made as part of the President’s Accountable Government Initiative to cut costs and do more with less.

Upon taking office, the President froze salaries for senior White House officials.  And earlier this year, he proposed freezing salaries for all political appointees across the government.

We’re going after excesses in contracting -- the more than $500 billion we spend each year in contracting.  We’re taking action across government to save at least $40 billion in contracting by the end of 2012.

The President has also set an aggressive goal of reducing improper payments by $50 billion by the end of next year and has also directed agencies to dispose of excess real estate to save $8 billion over the next two years.

In each of his budgets, the President put forward approximately $20 billion in terminations and reductions, encompassing more than 120 programs.  And the President has proposed a three-year freeze in security spending, which will bring non-security discretionary spending to its lowest level as a share of the economy in 50 years.

So you can see today’s decision is really a continuation of our work to reduce costs and make government more efficient.  And it’s one of the many difficult decisions we’ll have to make in the months ahead.  Ultimately, addressing the deficits will take tough decisions and sacrifices by all of us.  And we look forward to working with both sides on Capitol Hill over the next several months to develop a common-sense deficit-reduction strategy that will rein in our deficits and keep our economy growing."

MR. BAER:
"Great, thanks.  Operator, we’re ready to take some questions."

QUESTION:
"Thank you very much.  Republicans on the Hill, a number of them have proposed pay freezes or even such things as a two-year furlough, which would be a pay cut.  One, why did you not simply allow Republicans to propose and perhaps enact this -- obviously with the help of Democrats in the Senate -- as opposed to doing this administratively?  And why did you decide on a two-year freeze as opposed to, say, a two-week furlough, which has been proposed in the House?"

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"Thanks, Joe.  This, as I mentioned earlier, is really a continuation of the work that we’ve done in the Accountable Government Initiative, and the President, when he took office, immediately froze White House senior salaries, proposed earlier this year extending that political senior freeze across government.

We’re acting today because the President needs to send by the end of this month, Tuesday, to the Hill locality pay for 2011, and we’re also at the point in the budget process where we need to decide on 2012 compensation.  So that’s the reason for this timing.

We will evaluate other proposals beyond federal workers, all the different various proposals from the fiscal commission and others, as part of our 2012 budget process and be rolling that out across the next couple of months."

QUESTION:
Hi, thanks for holding this call.  I’m wondering in the President’s remarks if he’s going to be calling on Congress to extend the unemployment benefits that are set to expire?

DIRECTOR DAN PFEIFFER:
"This announcement is specifically about federal pay." 

QUESTION:
Hi, guys.  Is it fair to say that since health care premiums are also going up for federal employees that this isn’t just a freeze but also in a sense a pay cut?  

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"Yes, Ed, there’s been increases in premiums across all sectors, and what we’re talking about today is the annual increase, and there will be no annual increase for 2011 and 2012, so I think it’s fair to say that pay has been frozen."

QUESTION:
"Hi, everyone, thanks for doing the call.  A couple of quick questions.  Does this need congressional approval?  What is the two-year savings?  You’ve mentioned the one-year savings and the ten-year, but what about the two-year?  And finally, do you think that this will help the President make a case for not extending the upper-end tax cuts and why?"

DIRECTOR DAN PFEIFFER:
"Well, Margaret, let me answer your I think first and fourth question, or first and third.  It does require congressional action.  And this is about finding ways to deal with the deficit and cut spending.  And I don’t view this as part of a -- as specifically connected to the tax cut debate.

That is a -- the case of -- the Republicans are going to have to make a case for why we should spend $700 billion to permanently extend the tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.  That’s the case they’ll have to make and explain how that comports with a seriousness about the deficit.  This is a separate announcement."

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"The two-year savings is in excess of $5 billion."

QUESTION:
Hi.  Thanks, guys, for doing this.  Since federal workers are being asked to forgo or not have any pay increases for the next two years, can you make any assurance that the President is going to fight to try to prevent the reduction and the size of the federal workforces?  Or is that something that’s likely as deficit reduction goes forward?

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"We’re in the midst of the 2012 budgeting process.  Clearly, agencies are going to need to do more with less.  And no specific decisions have been made about the size of the federal workforce at this point.  We’ll roll that out as part of the budget."

QUESTION:
Good morning.  Interestingly, you guys are announcing this -- timing-wise, Jeff, it makes sense in terms of how you describe it.  But there’s also been a ton of reporting, a ton of back and forth between the government and media about how much federal workers are paid, whether they’re paid too much, whether they’re paid -- the rate of increase.  Did that play in the decision at all?  Not necessarily the back and forth, but as you looked at the salaries, as you looked at, for instance, information from the Federal Salary Council, did that play in your decision at all?


DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"No, Jason.  The decision is made in the context of the difficult deficit situation and the need to make, as you point out, a decision at this point."

QUESTION:
"Hey, guys, again.  I realize that there has to be big cuts and that everything is being looked at.  But Jeff, I know you especially have worried a lot about recruiting top talent.  And with the hiring reforms and everything underway, I’m just curious what you say to people who are considering applying or are in the process of applying for a job right now with the federal government, partly because they know that the pay and benefits are so generous.  And what do you say to those who may have just joined up knowing that, and now are facing a slightly less attractive pay and benefits package?"

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"You’re right, we do need to continue to recruit the best and brightest to federal service.  I care about that passionately as a way to really drive strong performance to increase productivity and efficiency across federal agencies.  I’m confident that we have a overall value proposition for employment that’s quite strong and that a lot of people do want to serve, and that this freeze will not get in the way of our efforts to bring in the best and brightest."

QUESTION:
"Hi.  Thanks for holding this call.  Just on the timing of this announcement, the deficit commission is going to meet this week.  Is there any sense of which this was announced because that deficit commission is unlikely to make any recommendation formally?  And will you expect any other deficit-related announcements this week?"


DIRECTOR DAN PFEIFFER:
"No, Jeff explained it, and he can explain again, the timing of why we had to make this announcement now -- it involves a legal deadline coming very shortly.  And this is -- the deficit commission is going to finish the report on Wednesday.  We’ll see where that -- we’ll see what the result of that is and we’ll be prepared to comment on that then.  But this should not be viewed as anticipating anything they may or may not do."


DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"So just to repeat what I said earlier, the timing is driven by a legal requirement for the President to submit to the Hill a locality pay increase, and that will be zero here.  And also by where we are in the budget process, we’re at the point where annually we decide what pay will be as part of the budget.  So that’s the driver of the timing here."

QUESTION:
"Hi, guys.  Thanks for doing the call.  Just following up one of the previous questions, so do you all agree with the critique that federal worker pay has increased excessively in the last 10 years, that it has outpaced private sector increases, and do you think -- and would the President be willing to consider proposals the Republicans make to actually cut that pay?  Or is he drawing a line here saying he’ll freeze it but he doesn’t plan to do any further?"

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"Dan, I’ll take that.  No, this is not in response to that recent coverage.  As I mentioned before, this is in the context of difficult decisions that we need to make as part of deficit reduction."

QUESTION:
"Hi, thanks for the call.  I was wondering if you could just explain the figures for how it breaks down over the five years -- over the 10 years and beyond where those savings are made in addition to the obvious savings from a lack of increase in pay and whatnot?"

DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"I’m going to make it sort of the simple version here.  It’s a little more complicated because of how the numbers compound and all the rest.  But let me just keep this simple.

The $2 billion for fiscal year ‘11 is actually about a $3 billion or so annual run rate.  It’s $2 billion because the fiscal year starts October 1st and pay is set on a calendar-year basis.  So the $2 billion only captures 9/12 of the actual savings.  Obviously, in out-years you get the benefit of the full annualized savings.  So think of it as around $3 billion, the second year being around $3 billion on an annual basis, or $2 billon in actual fiscal year 2012.  So take $3 billion plus roughly $3 billion -- you’re at $6 billion.  You do that for 10 years; that’s your $60 billion.  For five years it’s slightly less than half because of that nine-month piece for the first couple of years, and that’s how you get $28 billion for five years.

QUESTION:
Hi, thanks a lot for taking the question here.  Just a real quick question on the function of this.  Would it also freeze someone’s pay scale?  So let’s say this year someone is a GS-9.  Next year would they -- if they’re supposed to, let’s say, considering how many years they’ve been working in their current position, let’s say they were supposed to go to a 10 next year, would it freeze them at where their scale pay is right now, or it only freezes each level of the government pay scale?"


DEPUTY DIRECTOR JEFFREY ZIENTS:
"That individual -- that hypothetical individual would be eligible to receive such a promotion.  So if they were promoted, yes, they would go up, in fact."

MR. BAER: 
"Great.  Listen, thank you, everyone, for getting on the call.  Again, this information is not embargoed, and if you need any further questions to be answered, feel free to contact us at OMB communications or of course the White House Press Office.  Thank you very much."

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U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA & JUAN BLANCO


U.S. President Barack Obama fist-bumps Make-a-Wish child Juan Blanco in the Oval Office.

White House Photo by Pete Souza, October 6, 2010.


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U.S. Department of State, Jazz at Lincoln Center, and National Geographic Live!

WASHINGTON, DC- The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, in partnership with Jazz at Lincoln Center and National Geographic Live!, will present a free concert featuring the musicians of The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad on Thursday, December 2, 2010, 6:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m., at The National Geographic Society’s Grosvenor Auditorium (1600 M Street NW, Washington, D.C.). This concert is last in a series that features talented 2010 Rhythm Road musicians for audiences in the United States after they have traveled internationally on behalf of the U.S. Department of State.

"The Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) promotes international mutual understanding through a wide range of academic, cultural, professional, and sports exchange programs. ECA exchanges engage youth, students, educators, artists, athletes, and emerging leaders in many fields in the United States and in more than 160 countries. Alumni of ECA exchanges comprise over one million people around the world, including more than 50 Nobel Laureates and more than 300 current or former heads of state and government."

The concert Features Artists of the:
Johnny Rodgers Band, a New York City-based quartet that brings musical depth to new, original songs. The Johnny Rodgers Band members are masters of an array of music styles, ranging from the supreme sophistication of jazz to Americana Pop to the piano-driven energy of rock and roll. In November 2010, the group traveled to Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Cambodia, Philippines, and Malaysia.

Nasar Abadey and SUPERNOVA, a hometown favorite based in Washington D.C., explores and performs various jazz elements such as traditional African rhythms, bebop, fusion, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, and free form. The group traveled in September to Rwanda, Uganda, Ethiopia, Zambia, and Mozambique.

The Rhythm Road: American Music Abroad selects 10 American quartets to travel abroad to present original American music, including jazz, urban, gospel, and roots. Representing U.S. culture through concerts, jam sessions, classes, and interactions with foreign audiences, these musical ambassadors follow in the footsteps of the legendary Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, Dave Brubeck, and other great American performers.

THE WHITE HOUSE

The White House, seen from the North Grounds, is bathed in pink light in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson, Oct. 14, 2010.


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Bo, the Obama family dog, peers into the Outer Oval Office from the White House Colonnade.

White House Photo by Pete Souza, October 26, 2010.







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U.S. PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA, SASHA OBAMA & MALIA OBAMA

President Barack Obama talks with daughters Sasha and Malia in the Oval Office before pardoning a turkey named Apple in the Rose Garden.
 
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FIRST LADY MICHELLE OBAMA AND CHILDREN


First Lady Michelle Obama joins students for a Let's Move! Salad Bars to Schools launch event at Riverside Elementary School in Miami, Florida.
 
White House Photography by Chuck Kennedy, November 22, 2010



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