On December 8, 2009, the Administration issued the Open Government Directive to hardwire the values of transparency, participation and collaboration into the DNA of the Federal government.  Around here, we call the general effort "Open Gov." You can learn more about it here: WhiteHouse.gov/open.

As part of the Directive, federal agencies have answered the President’s call by democratizing hundreds of high-value datasets on every aspect of government operations.  While this is meaningful for the technology community and transparency advocates who have been working on this issue for years, the data released will have direct impact on the daily lives of the American people.  Here are three examples to consider:

Parents can make better decisions when buying a car seat for their newborn because the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration released data rating child safety seats for ease of use, simplicity of instructions and vehicle installation features
Consumers can make intelligent decisions when buying a car because the Department of Transportation released details behind automobile safety and crash ratings gathered during crash and rollover tests conducted at their research facilities
As Norm Eisen mentioned in his earlier post (which has a few other good examples), entrepreneurs, researchers and healthcare professionals can access Medicare Part B data to analyze the cost, volume and types of services delivered to meet the needs of Medicare beneficiaries because the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services has released data that used to cost $100 and was delivered on CD-ROM, for free via Data.gov

The Obama Administration is committed to unlocking public data to drive innovation by tapping into the ingenuity of the American people; increase agency accountability; and change the default setting of Washington to be open, transparent and participatory.  For far too long, government data has been locked within the four walls of Washington and confined to a selected group of people. President Obama has said, “information maintained by the Federal Government is a national asset.”  This is why, on his first full day in office, the President charged agencies to harness new technologies to put information about their operations and decisions online.

To institutionalize a culture of open government, on February 6 we will launch a public dashboard to provide an ongoing assessment of the Executive Branch’s progress against the Directive.  You’ll be able to find that at WhiteHouse.gov/open.

Vivek Kundra is the Federal Chief Information Officer

If you visit data.gov, you’ll find a wide array of new, high-value datasets that federal agencies have uploaded pursuant to the Open Government Directive.  This information serves two valuable functions.  First, it facilitates private innovation by allowing entrepreneurs, scientists, and others to utilize raw data to build new services and conduct insightful studies that serve Americans.  Second, citizens will also be able to use this data to hold government accountable—again, so it can better serve the people. 

For example, the Department of Education posted two data sets that will enable parents to better understand education outcomes and financing.  The TIMSS 2007 Public-Use Datafile is a school- based assessment that provides descriptive data on the educational outcomes of U.S. fourth- and eighth-graders in mathematics and science.  And the CCD: School District Financial Survey collects data on revenues and expenditures for each public, elementary and secondary education school district in the United States.  Releasing data like this allows parents and teachers to ensure that their tax dollars are being well used and to track the progress of American STEM education.

Another important example is the Medicare Part B Extract Summary System Data.  This dataset from the Department of Health and Human Services provides detailed breakdowns of volume of physician services delivered to Medicare beneficiaries and payments for those services by individual procedure code (e.g., by type of anesthesiology service, cardiology service, etc.).  This data can be used to look at patterns of Medicare spending and analyze the types of services delivered to address the health needs of the Medicare population.  Researchers and others used to have to pay to get this on a CD-ROM – now it can be downloaded for free at data.gov.

Here’s one last example of how we are helping you hold government accountable.  The Social Security Administration posted two data sets – Hearing Office Average Processing Time Ranking Report and Hearing Office Dispositions Per ALJ Per Day Rate Ranking Report.  They give you information on how long it takes different parts of the country to process social security adjudications.  You’ll be able to tell how your area is doing, and give the Administration feedback and direction in that regard. And we hope you will.

Norm Eisen is Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform

In this week’s address, President Barack Obama addresses the Supreme Court decision to further empower corporations to use their financial clout to directly influence elections and vows that "as long as I’m your President, I’ll never stop fighting to make sure that the most powerful voice in Washington belongs to you." 

President Obama Signs Legislation Providing Immediate Tax Deductions for Haiti Charitable Contributions

In the days since the earthquake in Haiti, Americans have shown their generosity with millions of dollars in donations.  Tonight, President Obama signed a bill into law that makes it easier to give.  This legislation will allow taxpayers to receive the tax benefit from donations made to the Haiti effort in this tax season, rather than having to wait until they file their 2010 tax returns next year.  Specifically, cash donations to charities for the Haitian relief effort given after January 11 and before March 1 of this year may be treated as if the contribution was made on December 31 of last year so that the contribution can be deducted from 2009 income. This measure applies to monetary donations, not goods or services.

One way to contribute is the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.  To donate, visit ClintonBushHaitiFund.org or text “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation that will be added to your cell phone bill.  To learn more about the situation in Haiti and what you can do to help, visit WhiteHouse.gov/HaitiEarthquake.

Born on January 18, 1856, Daniel Hale Williams was the fifth of seven children to Daniel and Sarah Williams. His father was a barber that moved his family to Annapolis, MD but soon died of tuberculosis.  Daniel’s mother could not manage all the kids on her own and sent a number of them to live with relatives.

Daniel was apprenticed to a shoemaker in Baltimore but soon ran away to join his mother who had moved to Rockford, IL. He then left to join his sister in Edgerton, WI moving to nearby Janesville where he became fascinated with the local physician, Dr. Henry Palmer.  He apprenticed with Dr. Palmer for two years before entering the now known Northwestern University Medical School.

Daniel graduated in 1883 to open his own medical office in Chicago, IL. There were primitive social and medical conditions existing in this era and Dr. Williams was forced to treat many patients in their own homes.  He was known to perform surgery on kitchen tables but he used the emerging sterilization methods and procedures of the day and quickly became known for his professionalism.

dr daniel hale williams at work

He became a surgeon on staff at South Side Dispensary and a clinical instructor in anatomy at his former college, Northwestern.  He was appointed to the Illinois State Board of Health in 1889 and one year later set about to establish an interracial hospital. The Provident Hospital & Training School Association, a three-story building with 12-beds was founded to serve the community.

Several black nurses and doctors of all races were trained at the school.  In just one year of operating, the Provident Hospital has treated more than 189 patients, 141 of these patients saw a complete recovery with only 22-deaths.  This was significant success for a new hospital because Dr. Williams insisted on the highest standards for procedures and sanitary conditions.

On July 9, 1893 something revolutionary happened at Provident Hospital.  James Cornish, a young black man was stabbed in the chest in a bar fight with a knife. By the time Cornish was transported to Provident, he had lost a considerable amount of blood and had gone into shock.

daniel williams open heart surgery patient

Dr. Williams made the decision to open the man’s chest cavity something that was unheard of in those days because such action often resulted in certain infection and the death of the patient. Dr. Williams repaired the man’s pericardium, the sac surrounding the heart, and sutured it.  He then applied antiseptic procedures before closing his chest.

Fifty-one days later Cornish walked out of Provident Hospital fully recovered and would go on to live for another 50-years but Dr. Williams was too busy to document the procedure which allowed others to lay claim to be the first to perform open heart surgery.

Fortunately for Dr. Williams, local newspapers of the day did help to spread the news and he later received the acclaim he deserved.  He was therefore noted as the first person to perform open heart surgery but more noteworthy; he was the first surgeon to successfully open a chest cavity without the patient dying of infection.  His procedures were later used as standards for internal surgeries.

miles electric elevator patent drawing

Throughout history dating as far back as the 1800s, blacks (African Americans) have been responsible for either inventing or significantly improving upon various inventions without the due recognition.

Several African American kids are growing up thinking that black people are only exceptional in sports and entertainment. It should be also noted that mainstream press can always find time to highlight the short-comings of the few high profile blacks without the same attention afforded to their accomplishments.

Thisinventionisblack seeks to highlight as many of the accomplishments as we can find to educate all kids about African American people and their contributions to our society.

Did you know these black inventions?

On February 5, 1884, W. Johnson patented a spring-like whisk device made of wires and a handle that today is used to help mix ingredients. Johnson’s eggbeater changed the way ingredients are mixed together from the time-consuming hand-mixing that was quite labor-intensive.

On March 17, 1896, C.B. Brooks designed and patented the street sweeper to clean the streets mechanically rather than teams of workers having to pick up the trash by hand or sweep it with hand-held brooms.  As cities grew larger and more trash accumulated on our streets, the street sweeper is now an indispensable tool to keep our environment clean.

On November 23, 1897, J.L. Love developed and patented the pencil sharpener out of complete frustration for having to use his knife to repeatedly shave off thin slices of wood from his pencil in order to make a new point to write his notes and letters.  Love’s pencil sharpener consisted of a crank and roter that was used to shave off the slices of wood until a point was created.

On October 11, 1887, Alexander Miles of Duluth, MN patented an electrical elevator that improved upon the existing elevators that required patrons to manually shutoff the access door to the elevator shafts.  While Alexander Miles did not invent the elevator, his improvement to create an automatic mechanism to close the access door to the elevator shaft resulted in fewer accidents.  Often people would forget to close the access door that leads to the elevator shaft and people would accidentally plunged down the shafts and be seriously injured.

President Obama made it clear to voters in Ohio today that he is not giving up the fight for health reform that protects consumers from insurance company abuses, lowers costs and help businesses and families around this country.

I didn’t take up this issue to boost my poll numbers or score political points – believe me, if I were, I would have picked something a lot easier than this. No, I’m trying to solve the problems that folks here in Elyria and across this country face every day. And I am not going to walk away just because it’s hard. We’re going to keep on working to get this done with Democrats, Republicans – anyone who is willing to step up.  Because I am not going to watch more people get crushed by costs, or denied the care they need by insurance company bureaucrats, or partisan politics, or special interest power in Washington.

The President told the crowd that he is working closely with Congress to complete work on reform that will bring security and stability to Americans who have insurance and provide affordable options to those who don’t.  After 70 years of effort, we are closer than we have ever been to achieving these goals.  We will not stop now. 

We’ll post the video and the full transcript shortly.

Nancy-Ann DeParle is Director of the Office of Health Reform

Ever wonder how much effort goes into planning a President’s trip to, well, anywhere? So did we. Fortunately, the White House Presidential Advance team allowed us to invade their world for a couple weeks as they made arrangements for President Obama’s trip to Ohio later today.

This will be the second stop on the President’s “White House to Main Street” tour where he spends the better part of an entire day in one community to hear and see what people are experiencing in these hard economic times. Our cameras followed the team that flies out early to make sure every site he visits, every walk he takes, and every town hall he conducts runs as smooth as possible. 

Click here to see the video.

Be sure to check out the President’s town hall from Lorain County, Ohio today at 2pm ET at WhiteHouse.gov/live.

Yesterday, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus signed a  Memorandum of Understanding between their departments to encourage the development of advanced biofuels and other renewable energy systems.  This agreement will simultaneously strengthen the economic recovery in rural America, creating new jobs and new industries that cannot be exported;  enhance our national security by decreasing our dependence on foreign oil; and address the challenge of climate change. 

(left to right) Secretary of Agriculture Thomas Vilsack, U.S. Representative Mike McIntyre, and Secretary of the Navy the Honorable Ray Mabus address the media following a memorandum of understanding signing ceremony at the Pentagon.

The Obama Administration has been engaged in these efforts since May 2009, when President Obama established the Biofuels Interagency Working Group, an effort to help coordinate efforts across the federal government to advance biofuels research and commercialization.  This agreement creates a strong partnership that promotes clean energy technologies and will help stimulate additional private investment and innovation to develop the next generation of biofuels.    In fiscal year 2008, the Navy alone consumed nearly 1.2 billion gallons of petroleum, predominantly in fuel for ships and aircraft.

Read more about yesterday’s announcement.

To demonstrate the potential of this partnership, the Marine Corps had on display a prototype Light Armored Vehicle or LAV.  The U.S. Army’s Tank and Automotive Command, has for the past 6 months conducted tests with biofuels in LAVs ranging in biofuel mixture level from 5%-30%.  The Department of the Navy is committed to testing biofuels for use in its aircraft, surface ships and tactical vehicles like LAVs.  The LAV-25A2 on display is mechanically the same as the LAV-25 operating in Afghanistan.

Tony Russell is Communication Advisor for the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change.

Today President Obama is traveling to Lorain County, Ohio to talk to Americans about what the economy is like on the ground during these tough economic times. This is the second stop of the White House to Main Street Tour; last month the President spent some time with folks in the Lehigh Valley in Pennsylvania.

Get a first glimpse at the ticket line this week for Friday’s Town Hall with President Obama.

Click here to see the video.

Missed the ticket giveaway? Watch the President’s town hall live from Lorain at WhiteHouse.gov/Live today at 2:00PM EST.