This morning Secretary of State Hillary Clinton gave a landmark speech on internet freedom around the world, making it clear exactly where the United States stands:

On their own, new technologies do not take sides in the struggle for freedom and progress, but the United States does. We stand for a single Internet where all of humanity has equal access to knowledge and ideas. And we recognize that the world’s information infrastructure will become what we and others make of it. Now, this challenge may be new, but our responsibility to help ensure the free exchange of ideas goes back to the birth of our republic.

DipNote, the State Department’s blog, has full coverage including the transcript and highlights, but it’s well worth your time to watch it in full:

On December 3rd the President hosted a jobs forum with leading economic experts of all stripes.  Since then, in addition to the community jobs forums held all over the country, the economic team has been digesting the information and feedback from the forum.  Over the past couple days, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett has been following up with participants – the email she has sent out is below, which included the final report from the forum.

Read the report (pdf)

Subject: Thank you, and follow-up from Jobs and Economic Growth Forum

Dear Colleagues –

I hope you had a wonderful holiday season and your new year is off to a good start. 

I want to thank you for your participation in the White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth last month.  As the President said, it was a thought-provoking and idea-filled afternoon, and we are grateful for your time and energy. 

This e-mail is intended to update you on some of our efforts since the Forum, and to let you know what we will be doing to keep you engaged in our ongoing work to help create jobs and economic growth.  In order to summarize the efforts and continue the conversation, I have included a report with the ideas compiled from each of the breakout groups during the Forum.

On December 8th, during a speech at the Brookings Institution, the President outlined some of the job creation ideas he’d like to see implemented.  The President outlined three key areas:
1. Helping Small Businesses Expand Investment, Hire Workers and Access Credit
2. Investing in America’s Roads, Bridges and Infrastructure
3. Creating Jobs Through Energy Efficiency and Clean Energy Investments

[The full text of his speech and additional background materials are included at the end of this email.] 

As you can see, many of the ideas from the Forum informed his thinking, and some of them we have already put into action.  You may also have heard that we broadened the efforts you initiated through Community Jobs Forums across the country involving more than 50 mayors, dozens of state legislators, and thousands of citizens – we’ll be completing the report based on their feedback in the coming weeks.

Moving forward, we are planning to continue the conversation through the President’s Cabinet, who remain heavily involved in this effort.  Over the coming weeks, Cabinet officials will be reaching out to participants to schedule follow-up calls or meetings on specific ideas.  As you have in the past, we hope that you will find time in your schedules to stay involved, and please keep us informed of your own job creation efforts and stories.

I also have a short public service announcement.  Many people have been asking what they can do to help with the Haiti rescue and relief efforts.  Last Saturday, President Obama was joined by President George W. Bush and President Bill Clinton where they announced the creation of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, a partnership by Presidents Bush and Clinton “to help the Haitian people reclaim their country and build back not only their infrastructure but also their unwavering spirit.” 

Please visit www.clintonbushhaitifund.org , and share with your colleagues, friends, family, and employees.  Please also keep us informed of your Haiti support efforts, and thank you in advance for your help in this time of great human need.

Thank you again for your involvement.  This is a vital issue and an important time, and our work together will help create stronger businesses and improve the lives of many Americans. 

All the best.

Valerie Jarrett
Senior Advisor to the President

Links and Follow-up Resources:
White House Forum on Jobs and Economic Growth:

Background and Video

President Obama’s Speech at the Brookings Institution on Job Creation and Economic Growth:

Video
Speech Text

Click here to see the video.

This morning the President proposed what he called "the Volcker Rule," named after one of the fiercest advocates for financial reform over the past year, and who has been particularly focused on addressing the issue of banks being "too big to fail."  He also proposed addressing one of the clearest issues leading to the financial crisis of the past years, namely banks that stray wildly from their core mission: serving their customer.  Having met with Paul Volcker this morning, and having last week proposed new fees on Wall Street to ensure the taxpayers get their money back, the President came with a direct message for banks that might object to these changes:

I welcome constructive input from folks in the financial sector.  But what we’ve seen so far, in recent weeks, is an army of industry lobbyists from Wall Street descending on Capitol Hill to try and block basic and common-sense rules of the road that would protect our economy and the American people.

So if these folks want a fight, it’s a fight I’m ready to have.  And my resolve is only strengthened when I see a return to old practices at some of the very firms fighting reform; and when I see soaring profits and obscene bonuses at some of the very firms claiming that they can’t lend more to small business, they can’t keep credit card rates low, they can’t pay a fee to refund taxpayers for the bailout without passing on the cost to shareholders or customers — that’s the claims they’re making.  It’s exactly this kind of irresponsibility that makes clear reform is necessary.

President Barack Obama meets with Economic Recovery Advisory Board Chair Paul Volcker in the Oval Office

The President went on to explain the reforms he was proposing in more detail:

First, we should no longer allow banks to stray too far from their central mission of serving their customers.  In recent years, too many financial firms have put taxpayer money at risk by operating hedge funds and private equity funds and making riskier investments to reap a quick reward.  And these firms have taken these risks while benefiting from special financial privileges that are reserved only for banks.

Our government provides deposit insurance and other safeguards and guarantees to firms that operate banks.  We do so because a stable and reliable banking system promotes sustained growth, and because we learned how dangerous the failure of that system can be during the Great Depression. 

But these privileges were not created to bestow banks operating hedge funds or private equity funds with an unfair advantage.  When banks benefit from the safety net that taxpayers provide –- which includes lower-cost capital –- it is not appropriate for them to turn around and use that cheap money to trade for profit.  And that is especially true when this kind of trading often puts banks in direct conflict with their customers’ interests.

The fact is, these kinds of trading operations can create enormous and costly risks, endangering the entire bank if things go wrong.  We simply cannot accept a system in which hedge funds or private equity firms inside banks can place huge, risky bets that are subsidized by taxpayers and that could pose a conflict of interest.  And we cannot accept a system in which shareholders make money on these operations if the bank wins but taxpayers foot the bill if the bank loses.

Get much more from the White House fact sheet.

Taking a page from our efforts here in the Obama Administration, the United Kingdom today launched data.gov.uk – a site to aggregate datasets from the UK government.  It is exciting to see the seeds of openness, accountability, and transparency taking root around the world. 

When we launched Data.gov here at the White House website in May 2009, we had just 47 datasets online.  It was a modest start, but the growth we’ve seen has been phenomenal.  Today, there are more than 168,000 datasets online, and federal agencies are poised to publish new high-value information this week as the next step in Administration’s Open Government Initiative. 

But the U.S. and UK governments aren’t alone in data sites.  There is a nationwide movement to unlock public data.  Governments of all sizes are unlocking the value of data for their constituents.  Washington, D.C., San Francisco, the City of New York, the State of California, the State of Utah, the State of Michigan, and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have launched data.gov-type sites, as have cities in Canada and the UK.  All of these sites are dedicated to breaking down longstanding barriers between governments and the people they serve — facilitating collaboration and transforming dry data into tools that can improve people’s lives.

As we grow Data.gov across the Administration, we are focused on releasing high-value datasets to increase agency accountability and responsiveness; improve public knowledge of the agency and its operations; create economic opportunity; or respond to need and demand as identified through public consultation.

For instance, when the Department of Agriculture makes nutrition information available, families can make smarter eating choices; when the Department of Education makes key information available about colleges and universities, students can make better-informed choices about the quality and cost of education; and when the Department of Labor makes safety information available, employers can better protect workers.

The Federal Government does not have a monopoly on the best ideas.  We are all part of an increasingly complex network of communities, ideas, and information.  We applaud today’s launch of data.gov.uk  and look forward to working with the  international community to ensure that people across the world are actively engaged in helping find the most innovative paths to solve some of the toughest problems we face. Moreover, we are pleased to see that other governments share the Administration’s philosophy that data availability will help change how government operates and empower citizens to participate in making government services more effective, accessible, and transparent.

Vivek Kundra is U.S. Chief Information Officer

For over 40 years, the Presidential Citizens Medal has recognized Americans who have "performed exemplary deeds of service for their country or their fellow citizens." This year, the President is inviting you, the American public, to nominate candidates for the second highest civilian honor in our nation. So, who has inspired you? Who’s selfless dedication to service has touched your life or the lives of others? Now’s your chance to nominate that everyday hero for this high honor.

Past recipients of this award have included some of America’s most respected public figures – from Muhammad Ali to Colin Powell; Claiborne Pell to Bob Dole. But also everyday heroes known only to the people whose lives they changed – heroes like Oseola McCarty, a washerwoman who left an astounding $150,000 – her entire life savings – to the University of Southern Mississippi so they could establish a scholarship fund for students in need.

Watch a video message from the President and tell us who you feel deserves this award.

Click here to see the video.

The 2010 Citizens Medal will recognize citizens who have performed exemplary deeds of service outside of their regular jobs. If you want to nominate someone for the 2010 Citizens Medal, please review the full criteria for this year’s Medal. Nominees must be citizens of the United States, as required by the 1969 Executive Order. Additional awardees may be selected outside of the public nomination process. The deadline to submit is Thursday, January 28, 2010 at 11:59 p.m. EST.

The below was released by the White House as part of our ongoing efforts to keep the public abreast of developments in Haiti.

On January 12, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti, causing catastrophic damage inside and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince.  President Obama has said, "at this moment, we are moving forward with one of the largest relief efforts in our history — to save lives and to deliver relief that averts an even larger catastrophe.  In these difficult hours, America stands united.  We stand united with the people of Haiti, who have shown such incredible resilience, and we will help them to recover and to rebuild."

The United States Government has mobilized resources and people to aid in the relief effort.  At the direction of President Obama, this is a whole-of-government effort, and USAID has the lead in this swift, aggressive and coordinated response.  Military personnel are playing an indispensable role in supporting this humanitarian effort, including making the logistics chain possible and distributing life-saving assistance.  Aid workers are working around the clock to deliver more aid more quickly and more effectively to more people in need.

Below, please find some key facts and examples of government actions to date.  All numbers below are accurate as of 2 p.m., Wednesday, January 20.

INTERNATIONAL COORDINATION

At the request of the Haitian government, the U.S. continues to coordinate America’s relief efforts with the United Nations and the international community.  We are coordinating closely with more than 30 nations and hundreds of NGOs to deliver food and water quickly throughout the country.

Tuesday evening, the President’s National Security Advisor convened a Principals Committee meeting with the Vice President, Secretaries of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, our Ambassador to the UN, the Administrators of USAID and FEMA, and the Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs to discuss ongoing efforts and coordination.
Afterwards, Dr. Shah said the meeting was an opportunity "to take stock of the performance and to make sure we were doing everything we possibly could to accelerate our efforts and do even better by reaching more people in Haiti with needed and critical supplies of food, water, shelter, and other critically needed items like medical kids and access to medical services."
Secretary Clinton spoke with Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) President Moreno on January 19 about ongoing relief efforts.

HEALTH/MEDICAL

The USNS Comfort arrived in Haiti today.  The Comfort brings a hospital with a capacity for over 1,000 beds on board and has already started to receive patients by helicopter.
Department of Defense personnel have treated over 200 patients and supported the movement of more than 29,000 lbs of medical supplies to date.
As of January 20, more than 5,000 patients have been treated by Disaster Medical Assistance Teams (DMATs) from the Department of Health and Human Services. .

AIRPORTS & PORTS

The airfield is open for 24/7 operations – 153 flights were expected for today.  The U.S. was using 38 of those slots.

U.S. Transportation Command reports that since commencing air operations, a total of 136 missions have been flown that have carried more than 2,400 tons of equipment and more than 1,900 passengers into Haiti.

U.S. Army/Navy dive teams with underwater construction teams continued to assess port structural damage with the goal of reopening as quickly as possible.
As of today, there are 20 U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard vessels and 51 helicopters deployed.
The San Isidro airfield in the Dominican Republic is now open for C-130 operations to assist in the Haiti relief effort.

SAFETY & SECURITY

The major focus of military efforts is establishing water distribution sites, and delivering fuel, food, and medicine.
As of January 20, approximately 11,500 military personnel (2,000 ashore and 9,500 afloat) are a part of the relief effort.

The BATAAN Amphibious Readiness Group (ARG)/22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit with 1,960 Marines and Sailors arrived and began moving forces ashore yesterday.  The Marines began relief operations in the vicinity of Leogane.

The Coast Guard has approximately 516 service members on site assisting with the Haiti recovery effort (24 ashore, 422 afloat, and 70 aircrew).  On January 19, Secretary Napolitano authorized the activation of up to 900 reserve U.S. Coast Guard service men and women in to (mission: replace those deployed on the Comfort? And to assist with port security?) .

EVACUATION & RESCUES

Evacuations:  The U.S. is conducting evacuations 24 hours a day.  88 American evacuees departed Port-Au-Prince this morning (1/20).  On January 19, 1328 were evacuated.  To date, more than 6,174 Americans have been evacuated.
Search and Rescue:  On January 19, Urban Search and Rescue (USAR) teams from Virginia Beach and New York rescued two children.  And a USAR team from Fairfax worked with locals as well a French USAR team to rescue a female Haitian who had been trapped for seven days without food or water in a supermarket in the Bois Verna neighborhood of Port-au-Prince.
Currently, 43 international USAR teams, comprised of 1,739 rescue workers, with 161 dogs, are working in Haiti.  6 of those teams are from the United States – with 511 rescue workers from Fairfax County, Los Angeles County, Miami, Miami-Dade, Virginia Beach, and New York.

To date, U.S. USAR teams have rescued 43 people from collapsed buildings, while international and U.S. USAR teams together have rescued a total of 122 people.

FOOD & WATER

U.S. military aircraft, helicopters, and vessels are giving the highest priority to the shipment of water.

152,000 liters bulk water and more than 165,000 water bottles were delivered yesterday (1/19).
The USS Carl Vinson is producing 100,000 gallons of potable water daily – 2,000 gallons were distributed yesterday.
Water tanks are being installed in each zone of the city.  Potable water is now available at 45 distribution points.

There are currently four established food and water distribution hubs and 190 distribution sites active and serving 96,000 people.
The U.S. Coast Guard has distributed a total of 38.5 tons of water (62,880 bottles ) to date.
Over the past several days, JTF-Haiti has distributed more than 400,000 meals/humanitarian rations and more than 600,000 bottles of water.
C-17 air delivery of food and water will resume Thursday (1/21) — approximately 15,000 water bottles and 14,500 MREs/Humanitarian Rations are slated for delivery.

The first C-17 air delivery was conducted Monday, consisting of 14,000 1-liter bottles and 14,000 packages of daily rations.

The vessel Americas departed Port Everglades today with 500,000 MREs, 290,000 liters of drinking water, 8,400 cots, 19,500 blankets, 41,800 tarps, 560 rolls of sheeting, and 70,000 comfort kits provided by FEMA, as well as medical supplies provided by USAID.
On January 19, two USAID/OFDA funded flights carrying emergency relief supplies arrived in Port-au-Prince.  Commodities included:

40,200 water containers that provide water for 80,400 people,
13,056 hygiene kits, which will serve 65,280 people,
200 rolls of plastic sheeting that will provide shelter for 10,000 people,
5 U.N. World Health Organization medical kits,
8 water bladders,
6 water purification units – each unit produces 100,000 liters of water per day and will provide water to a total of  60,000 people,
3 industrial air-conditioning units, and
1 generator.

As of January 19, total USAID/OFDA commodities delivered to Port-au-Prince included:

9 water treatment units to provide 900,000 liters of safe drinking water for 90,000 individuals per day;
71,000 ten-liter water containers to benefit 142,000 people;
nearly 24,500 hygiene kits to serve more than 121,000 beneficiaries;
700 rolls of plastic sheeting to support the shelter needs of approximately 35,000 people;
18 water bladders, each with a capacity of 10,000 liters, and
five U.N. World Health Organization (WHO) medical kits capable of supplying medical supplies for up to 10,000 individuals for a two-month period.

ADOPTIONS

As Secretary Clinton said today at the State Department, “We are coordinating closely with the Haitian government, the United Nations, our other international partners, and NGOs on the ground to ensure that aid reaches Haiti’s orphanages and that newly orphaned children are accounted for and cared for…We will also do everything we can to reunite the many children and families who have become separated in the aftermath of the earthquake.  And this is a crucial point: we have to be very careful not to exacerbate this difficult situation by removing children from Haiti who might have surviving family members.  We will not let red tape stand in the way of helping those in need, but we will ensure that international adoption procedures to protect children and families are followed.”
The State Department is heading up a joint task force with the Departments of Homeland Security and Health and Human Services to streamline this process and ensure that these families are united as quickly as possible while still ensuring that proper safeguards are in place to protect children in our care.
An interagency working group has been established to focus on the humanitarian needs of highly vulnerable children. And the Administration is also working closely with the many Members of Congress who are understandably very concerned about this process.

ASSISTANCE

As of today, in FY 2010, the U.S. Government has provided nearly $171 million in humanitarian assistance for the Haiti earthquake:

Secretary of Defense Gates signed the Haiti Disaster Relief Execution Order authorizing up to $20 million in humanitarian, disaster and civic aids funds,
USAID’s Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (USAID/OFDA) contribution of nearly $82 million,
USAID’s Office of Food for Peace (USAID/FFP) assistance valued at $68 million, and
USAID Dominican Republic (USAID/DR) health assistance valued at $1 million.

HOW TO SUPPORT RELIEF EFFORTS
We are all deeply affected by the devastation in Haiti. Our common humanity demands that we act, as does America’s leadership and deep ties with Haiti.  At the request of President Obama, former Presidents Bush and Clinton are coordinating private assistance and urging Americans to help at www.clintonbushhaitifund.org

Funding raised through Text Message Program (keyword "Haiti", and short code number "90999"): $25 million from over 2.5 million people.     
You can also contribute online through ClintonBushHaitiFund.org.

Text “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a $10 donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (the donation will be added to your cell phone bill).

Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information (www.cidi.org).

Get Information about Friends or Family

The State Department has set up a web page that will serve as a clearinghouse for information on Haiti: state.gov/haitiquake, including a new tool, the “Person Finder,” to allow people to find and share information on missing loved ones in Haiti.
The State Department Operations Center has set up the following phone number for Americans seeking information about family members in Haiti: 1-888-407-4747 (due to heavy volume, some callers may receive a recording).  You can also send an email to the State Department.  Please be aware that communications within Haiti are very difficult at this time.
The State Department has also partnered with the tech community to launch a free SMS relief information service to help people in Haiti.  The text message program allows people with service from Digetel and Voila to text their location and needs to a free short code: "4636."  Since the initiative was launched on January 18, NGO partners have received over 2,000 messages, including on food distribution, missing persons, water.
Whitehouse.gov — The White House website continues to serve as a focal point for information for about the relief effort, including accounting for family and friends in Haiti and contributing to the relief effort.

Right now there are a lot of discussions going on about the best path forward. But let’s be clear that the President’s preference is to pass a bill that meets the principles he laid out months ago: more stability and security for those who have insurance, affordable coverage options for those who don’t, and lower costs for families, businesses, and governments.

Update: For more specific context, some stories floating around have claimed that the President has decided to pursue a slimmed-down health reform bill.

Dan Pfeiffer is White House Communications Director

Chief Master Sergeant Tyler Foster is the Air Force Special Operations Command Public Affairs deployed chief of operations at the Troussaint Louverture International Airport in Port au Prince, Haiti.  He and his team are supporting U.S. Southern Command relief efforts in the wake of the Jan. 12 earthquake that devastated the nation.

There is no "easing" into the day here at the military encampment at the Port au Prince airport.  Navy and Marine helos hit the deck here at 0630 sharp.  There’s no snooze button on that alarm.  You roll out of your cot, put the same uniform on that you’ve worn for the last 3 or 4 days.  Does it stink?  Who knows, everyone is in the same boat.  This ain’t no formal dinner.  These are bare base operations.  Our focus is mission.  Our mission is saving lives.

Bleary-eyed Airmen migrate toward the port-o-lets then off to their work space: a table, a steel chair, the flightline, the rubble of a building.  There’s no complaining.  You grab a cup of joe if it’s ready.  Otherwise, it’s water.  Water all day every day to keep hydrated.

You learn to tune out the incessant and essential cacophony the ever-busy flightline offers.  The word "noisy" doesn’t do this environment justice.  At times it is deafening.  The hum of the flightline means life saving supplies, equipment and personnel are on their way to the Haitian citizens who need them.  One life at a time.  That’s all we can do.  Save one life at a time.

U.S. Air Force Medics, Master Sgt. Douglas Brook and Tech. Sgt Nicholas Wentworth, Air Force Special Operations Command, perform urgent medical care to a Haitian man at the Troussaint Louverture International Airport, Haiti.

January is National Mentoring Month and this afternoon President Obama and the First Lady will welcome mentors and young Americans from around the country.   As we gather in the East Room, organizations and community groups dedicated to supporting our nation’s young people will come together to reaffirm the importance of mentorship.  The President will also announce the White House Mentorship Program for 20 young men from local high schools.  Each student was nominated by his school and will be paired with an Administration staffer for one year.  This program will allow the participants to serve our local community and students will be encouraged to pursue excellence in school as well as expand their horizons as they are introduced to numerous opportunities for personal development, including career skills.  Mentorship has long been a priority for both the President and Mrs. Obama, as a part of their commitment to their community and personal responsibility.  The First Lady launched her initiative for young women this past November and they’re already off to a great start.  Check out a video of the First Lady and senior Administration women on a mentoring trip to Denver to see this initiative in action. 

Click here to see the video.

All of us are excited to begin this important work and we’re proud that this is the first time the White House has offered such a program.  Last June, the President launched a National Conversation on Fatherhood and Personal Responsibility.  This is an important corollary to that effort.  We know that a responsible, caring adult taking the time to mentor a young person often makes an incredibly positive difference in the lives of both. 

Michael Strautmanis is Chief of Staff to the Assistant to the President for Intergovernmental Relations and Public Engagement

One year ago, after President Obama was inaugurated, he and the First Lady decided to surprise visitors who were on White House tours to reinforce the message of the White House being the People’s House. Mrs. Obama is marking the first year by continuing this tradition today – taking some time to do greet visitors of the People’s House.

[UPDATE: This event has now concluded. A video of the event is below.]

Click here to see the video.