AGENCIES COMMIT TO HELP VETERANS TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN LIFE

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
Agencies Commit to Transition Assistance Program
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30, 2013 - The Departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Labor, Education, the Office of Personnel Management and the Small Business Administration codified their continued commitment to help transitioning service members be "career ready" for civilian life by signing a statement of intent on Aug. 15.

"This [statement of intent] puts our shared commitment to our service members in black and white," said Dr. Susan Kelly, principal director of DOD's Transition to Veterans Program office.

Each of the military services was represented during the formal signing of the statement of intent, said Francine Blackmon, deputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for force management integration.

The services have aggressively implemented the various components of the redesigned Transition Assistance Program, Blackmon said.

Working elbow-to-elbow with the various partnering agencies, the services are ensuring service members are provided all the necessary tools to make a successful transition to civilian life, she said.

"The [statement of intent] strengthens our resolve for a concerted interagency effort working toward this common goal," Blackmon added.

More than 250,000 service members separate from active duty each year, and they face numerous challenges as they transition to civilian life. The statement of intent is a milestone for the interagency effort to redesign the 1990s-era transition assistance program model and help service members meet those challenges. The signing shows that the redesigned TAP is not a short-term effort but a set of greatly improved transition services that the partners will sustain for the long-term.

"Even in this time of budget constraints, each of the interagency partners and the services will sustain the effort to implement the redesign of transition assistance," Kelly said. This includes staff at installations to provide face-to-face information and new skills, as well as a virtual curriculum to build the same career readiness skills for service members and reservists in isolated and geographically separated locations, she added.

The statement of intent also establishes the objectives for the new governance structure and the foundation of the new TAP Executive Council, comprised of DOD, VA and DOL co-chairs, as well as senior executives from SBA, OPM, ED and the military services. The new TAP Executive Council will steer the collaboration and partnership efforts through 2016 and implement and modify the redesigned program as needed to meet changing needs of transitioning service members through the years.

Over the last eighteen months, the DOD and VA have led the efforts of the Veterans Employment Initiative Task Force interagency partners and the White House Economic and Domestic Policy Council staffs in redesigning the Desert Storm-era Transition Assistance Program to better prepare service members for these challenges as they leave the military and become veterans.

The redesigned TAP provides training that will build skills to enable transitioning service members to meet career readiness standards established by DOD. The training, known as Transition GPS (goals, plans, success), is comprised of interlinked curriculum, services, and processes conducted by numerous partners -- DOD, the military services, VA, DOL, SBA, and OPM.

Interagency partner Department of Education and the National Guard Bureau continue to serve in valued consultative and advisory roles.

Advancing their work together, the agencies will cultivate an interagency partnership that builds upon mutual respect, cooperation and shared goals to successfully transition career ready service members to the civilian sector.

U.S. SENDS BEST WISHES TO PEOPLE ON AFGHANISTAN ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Afghanistan's Independence Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
August 18, 2013

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I send best wishes to the government and people of Afghanistan as you celebrate your Independence Day on August 19.

I have been to Afghanistan many times and seen firsthand the enduring partnership between our countries, which is founded on mutual respect and common interests. I have seen the people of Afghanistan work to build a peaceful, prosperous and unified nation that respects the rights of women and minorities in every fabric of society. The United States is committed to working with you and supporting the efforts necessary to achieve this goal and sustaining the gains that have been made.

There has been inspiring progress across Afghanistan in many sectors, including health care, media, education, women’s rights, trade and commerce. During the past year alone, the Afghan people have also taken significant steps to prepare for the coming security and political transitions, from the milestone event on June 18 that marked Afghan forces taking the lead for security across the country to the new electoral laws that set the stage for the coming 2014 elections. At the same time, Afghans continue to build their economy by working toward WTO accession, attracting private sector investment and developing their natural resources.

This progress is creating a better life for all Afghans. As you celebrate your independence, the United States shares your commitment to a strong and sovereign Afghanistan where Afghans enjoy security, peace, prosperity, and dignity for generations to come.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S WEEKLY ADRESS

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Working to Implement the Affordable Care Act

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama said we are on the way to fully implementing the Affordable Care Act and helping millions of Americans.  Unfortunately, a group of Republicans in Congress are working to confuse people and are even suggesting they will shut down the government if they cannot shut down the health care law.  Health insurance isn’t something to play politics with, and the President will keep working to make sure the law works as it’s supposed to, and he encourages everyone to visit HealthCare.gov to find out more about the law and how to sign up.


Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 17, 2013

Hi, everybody.  Over the past few weeks, I’ve been visiting with Americans across the country to talk about what we need to do to secure a better bargain for the middle class.

We need to rebuild an economy that rewards hard work and responsibility; an economy built firmly on the cornerstones of middle-class life.  Good jobs.  A good education.  A home of your own.  A secure retirement.  And quality, affordable health care that’s there when you need it.

Right now, we’re well on our way to fully implementing the Affordable Care Act.  And in the next few months, we’ll reach a couple milestones with real meaning for millions of Americans.

If you’re one of the 85% of Americans who already have insurance, you’ve already got new benefits and protections under this law that you didn’t before.  Free checkups, mammograms, and contraceptive care.  Discounted prescription medicine on Medicare.  The fact you can stay on your parents’ plan until you turn 26.  And much, much more.  And it’s okay if you’re not a fan of the Affordable Care Act – you can take advantage of these things anyway.

If you don’t have insurance, beginning on October 1st, private plans will actually compete for your business.  You can comparison shop in an online marketplace, just like you would for cell phone plans or plane tickets.  You may be eligible for new tax credits to help you afford the plan that’s right for you.  And if you’re in the up to half of all Americans who’ve been sick or have a preexisting condition, this law means that beginning January 1st, insurance companies have to cover you – and they can’t use your medical history to charge you more than anybody else.

You can find out more about the law, and how to sign up to buy your own coverage right now at HealthCare.gov.  Tell your friends and neighbors without insurance about it, too.  And tell your kids that there’s a new, easy way to buy affordable plans specifically tailored to young people.

Many Members of Congress, in both parties, are working hard to inform their constituents about these benefits, protections, and affordable plans.  But there’s also a group of Republicans in Congress working hard to confuse people, and making empty promises that they’ll either shut down the health care law, or, if they don’t get their way, they’ll shut down the government.

Think about that.  They’re actually having a debate between hurting Americans who will no longer be denied affordable care just because they’ve been sick – and harming the economy and millions of Americans in the process.  And many Republicans are more concerned with how badly this debate will hurt them politically than they are with how badly it’ll hurt the country.

A lot of Republicans seem to believe that if they can gum up the works and make this law fail, they’ll somehow be sticking it to me.  But they’d just be sticking it to you.

Some even say that if you call their office with questions about the law, they’ll refuse to help.  Call me old-fashioned – but that’s lousy constituent service.  And it’s not what you deserve.

Your health insurance isn’t something to play politics with.  Our economy isn’t something to play politics with.  This isn’t a game.  This is about the economic security of millions of families.

See, in the states where governors and legislatures and insurers are working together to implement this law properly – states like California, New York, Colorado and Maryland – competition and consumer choice are actually making insurance affordable.

So I’m going to keep doing everything in my power to make sure this law works as it’s supposed to.  Because in the United States of America, health insurance isn’t a privilege – it is your right.  And we’re going to keep it that way.

Thanks.  And have a great weekend.

DOJ MAKES VIDEO ABOUT EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION AND DISCRIMINATION

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE 
Thursday, July 11, 2013
Justice Department Releases Educational Video About Discrimination in Employment Eligibility Verification

The Justice Department announced today the launch of a new educational video to assist employers in avoiding charges of discrimination in the employment eligibility verification form I-9 process and in the use of E-Verify. The video also helps educate employees about their legal rights.  The Office of Special Counsel for Immigration-Related Unfair Employment Practices (OSC) within the department’s Civil Rights Division enforces the anti-discrimination provision of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), which prohibits employers from discriminating against work-authorized individuals in hiring, firing, recruitment or referral for a fee, regardless of their citizenship status or national origin.  The law also prohibits discrimination during the form I-9 and E-Verify processes.

OSC developed its latest video to address issues that frequently arise from calls to its hotline and charges filed. Employers sometimes incorrectly believe that they need to request more documents than are necessary for the employment eligibility verification form I-9.  Additionally, employers using E-Verify may improperly request specific documents due to misunderstanding of E-Verify requirements.  OSC’s new video highlights some practices that are not permissible and may lead to claims under the anti-discrimination provision.

“We believe this video will help both employers and employees across the country understand employment eligibility verification rules,” said Gregory Friel, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Rights Division.  “Federal law prohibits discrimination in the employment eligibility verification process, and the Justice Department is committed to enforcing the law.”

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL COMMENTS ON COMMITMENT TO MILITARY FAMILIES EDUCATION

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE 
Hagel Calls DOD Education Support a Strategic Priority
By Karen Parrish
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, July 9, 2013 - The Defense Department's commitment to military families and to quality education for military children is a strategic imperative that leaders will maintain, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said in remarks today.

During closing remarks at the Military Child Education Coalition's 15th National Training Seminar, Hagel announced that the department has selected the first round of schools that will receive DOD educational partnership grants for the upcoming school year. A total of nearly $20 million will go to 15 public school districts that serve 23 military installations across the country, he said.

"These grants to school systems from California to Texas to Maryland will bolster science, technology, engineering and mathematics programs, as well as foreign language studies," Hagel told an audience of teachers, school liaisons, program directors and other education professionals. "This year's grant selection process is continuing, and we look forward to making more awards in the weeks to come."

The secretary noted that since 2009, the department has awarded 186 of the grants, totaling more than $220 million and reaching more than 750,000 students. DOD has also awarded grants to improve public schools on military installations, Hagel said; 13 schools received grants over the past year, and 17 more are working through the grant process.

The all-volunteer force has helped build a military that is more capable, more resilient and more respected than ever before, Hagel said. To attract and retain that force, he added, "DOD has had to demonstrate that it will always do the right thing for the families, [and] that Americans don't need to choose between serving their country in uniform and being a mom or a dad. As a result, the military became a more family-centered institution."

The secretary noted the military community includes 1.8 million children, who face unique challenges based on their parents' duties. They face the stress of a parent's deployment, often repeatedly, he said, "or the anguish of coping with a parent who never returns from the battlefield. Or one who does return, but is changed in body and mind."

The secretary said that family support "is and will remain" a key part of the all-volunteer force. The fiscal year 2014 defense budget request, he noted, includes $8.9 billion in support programs, including the DOD Education Activity.

Hagel listed several other educational efforts in which department leaders participate, noting, "We ultimately share the same goal as all parents and educators – to teach our children as best we can, and make the world they inherit a better, safer place."

He said part of teaching children involves living out the values they should learn, including honesty.

"So I'm going to be honest with you today about the challenges DOD is facing, particularly when it comes to our new fiscal realities," he said.

The secretary noted that on top of $87 billion in spending cuts over the next decade imposed by the Budget Control Act of 2011, the department faces a further funding reduction of $37 billion by the end of September, and another $52 billion in fiscal 2014. Overall, sequester will cost DOD half a trillion dollars over a decade if it's not stopped, he said.

"Sequester is irresponsible, and terribly damaging, but it is the law of the land as it stands now," he said. "We teach our children to face their problems head-on, and now we must do the same. We cannot run away from sequester. We must deal with it. Anything less would be irresponsible."

Hagel spoke regretfully about furloughs, which began this week as most DOD civilian employees have taken or will take the first of 11 unpaid days off, one per week until late September.

"This was a very, very difficult decision; one that was not made lightly," he said. "The last thing I wanted to do was furlough anyone."

Hagel said he approved the furloughs, though reluctantly, because military readiness was already suffering: "Planes aren't flying, ships aren't sailing and soldiers aren't training. You don't always see or hear about some of these changes, but they are happening. Because I could not cut any more into our readiness, in the end I had no choice but to make a tough decision on furloughs."

He warned that while DOD schools have been sheltered as much as possible, and will remain open and accredited, he can't guarantee family programs won't feel some future cuts.

"We will have to make more tough choices in the future," he said. "Perfect solutions do not exist." Although efforts to replace the sequester continue, he said, there is no guarantee they will be successful.

"In my budget meetings with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and DOD senior leadership, I always emphasize that we're going into this challenge together and that we will come out together," the secretary said. " ... I won't choose up between services. We are all one service. We are going through difficult times, which you all recognize and realize, but we will get through those difficult times together."

Adults can learn a lot from military children's resilience, adaptability and courage, he said.

"And so today, I leave you with one request -- that you continue to do what you're doing," he said. " ... Our military children look to all of us. They look to us for guidance and reassurance every day. And supporting them is the most important thing we'll ever do."

PROTOCOL FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT MEDICAL FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Release of the Updated National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations 2d

April 24th
Today, I was fortunate to join Attorney General Eric Holder, Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West, OVC Principal Deputy Director Joye Frost and OJP Acting Assistant Attorney General MaryLou Leary in honoring 12 extraordinary individuals at the Office for Victims of Crime’s National Crime Victims’ Service Awards Ceremony for demonstrating outstanding service in supporting crime victims and victim services. The ceremony also provided an opportunity to gather together and commemorate National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAM) and Denim Day. And we celebrated a long-awaited accomplishment – the release of the updated National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations, Adult/Adolescent (SAFE Protocol, 2d.). The Attorney General’s announcement of the revised protocol is a tribute to victims of crime and to all of our partners working tirelessly on the front lines to support survivors.

In the nine years since the protocol was initially released, there have been marked improvements in the "state of the art" for forensic medical examinations. The revised edition maintains the same traditions of standardization, quality, and best practice as the first SAFE Protocol. Like the first edition, this newest version is an indispensable resource, updated with improvements to reflect current technology and practice.

"The SAFE protocol is crucial to our efforts to end sexual violence," said Attorney General Holder. "It is our responsibility to ensure that victims feel comfortable coming forward. The SAFE Protocol helps us coordinate and improve our response when these courageous individuals do seek help from first responders including nurses, doctors, advocates, law enforcement, and prosecutors."

The revised SAFE Protocol reflects the many important improvements that can help increase the quality of the services victims receive. There is information on populations with special needs, such as victims with limited English proficiency, victims with disabilities, American Indian and Alaska Native victims, victims in the Military, and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender victims. The new version also provides more information on topics such as drug and alcohol facilitated sexual assault, pregnancy, confidentiality, and alternative reporting procedures. The revised version also increases the emphasis on victim-centered care and collaboration, including offering victims an informed choice about participating in the criminal justice system.

Advocates and practitioners who work with sexual assault survivors have a firsthand understanding of the importance of high-quality forensic evidence collection as specified in the SAFE Protocol. When these procedures are used, they make a difference. Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) programs have been found to improve the quality of forensic evidence, improve law enforcement’s ability to collect information and to file charges, and increase the likelihood of successful prosecution. The updated SAFE Protocol is a tremendous victory for victims of sexual assault and the dedicated SAFEs, SANEs, advocates, law enforcement, and prosecutors that support victims and hold offenders accountable.

We know that SAFE and SANE programs positively impact the experience of victims. SAFEs and SANEs are specially trained to provide compassionate care for victims while collecting evidence that improves outcomes for victims, police, and prosecutors. One study found that sexual assault victims are more likely to engage in investigation and prosecution if they receive care at SANE programs.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND AGRICULTURE SECRETARIES TOWN HALL MEETING ON CAREER PATHS AND POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION

FROM:  DEPARTMENT HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Secretary Duncan joined Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville to host a White House Rural Council town hall with agriculture teachers and students from across Wisconsin.

USDA and Education Host White House Rural Council Meeting, Sign Interagency Agreement to Promote Career Pathways and Postsecondary Education
APRIL 18, 2012
The U.S. Departments of Education and Agriculture have teamed up to enhance agricultural education and related programs that promote postsecondary and career pathways, including teaching, according to an interagency agreement to advance agricultural education. U.S. Education and Agriculture Secretaries Arne Duncan and Tom Vilsack announced the agreement today during a White House Rural Council meeting with local educators at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville.

“Agricultural education is central to the future of American prosperity,” Secretary Duncan said. “Many Americans may not realize that agriculture supports 1 in 12 jobs across the nation. For the U.S. economy to continue to rebound and grow, agriculture has to help lead the way.”

Duncan added: “Agricultural educators face unique challenges—but they also can tap into unique strengths within their tight-knit communities. Agricultural education is very much about the jobs of the future—and not a backwards-looking curriculum to preserve the past.”

“American agriculture makes incredible contributions to the health of our economy and the strength of our nation as a whole. That’s why it’s so important to recruit the best and brightest of the next generation to pursue careers in agriculture,” said Vilsack. “USDA works each day to help educate, train and support the scientists, farmers and ranchers we’ll need to provide America’s families with the food and energy they need. This partnership with the Department of Education will help us offer even greater opportunities for young people who want to dedicate their lives to agriculture, food and natural resources.”

The agreement calls for the Departments to exchange a variety of information and participate in joint activities, including webinars, conferences, outreach materials, and helping each other identify industry-validated standards, assessments, best practices, accreditations, and certifications. The Departments also will work jointly to find and use pathways and career programs of study that can prepare students for rewarding careers related to agriculture, food and natural resources.

Since taking office, President Obama’s administration has taken historic steps to improve the lives of rural Americans, put people back to work and build thriving economies in rural communities. From proposing the American Jobs Act to establishing the first-ever White House Rural Council – chaired by Agriculture Secretary Vilsack – the President is committed to a smarter use of existing Federal resources to foster sustainable economic prosperity and ensure the government is a strong partner for businesses, entrepreneurs and working families in rural communities. The Council is working to break down silos and find areas for better collaboration and improved flexibility in government programs and works closely with local governments, non-profits and private companies to leverage federal support.

Since August 2011, the White House Rural Council has supported a broad spectrum of rural initiatives, including a $350 million commitment in SBA funding to rural small businesses over the next five years, launching a series of conferences to connect investors with rural start-ups, creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors interested in making rural investments, making job search information available at 2,800 local USDA offices nationwide, making HHS loans available to help more than 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals recruit additional staff, and helping rural hospitals purchase software and hardware to implement health IT. USDA and the Navy have also announced a partnership to advance the use of next-generation biofuels in Navy operations.