U.S. OFFICIAL’S REMARKS AT OAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

FROM :  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks to the 42nd OAS General Assembly
Remarks Roberta S. Jacobson
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs As prepared for delivery
Cochabamba, Bolivia
June 4, 2012
(Remarks delivered by Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, United States Permanent Representative to the OAS)
I want to begin by thanking President Evo Morales, Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca, Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, and Assistant Secretary Albert Ramdin for organizing and hosting this 42nd General Assembly of the Organization of the American States.

It is a pleasure to be with all of you in Cochabamba to advance this dialogue that is so important to all the citizens of our hemisphere, and indeed, all the citizens of the world.

Mr. Chair, the United States is deeply committed to food security. Shortly after taking office, President Obama identified addressing global hunger and food insecurity as one of the top priorities of this administration. Over the past three years, the United States has launched an unprecedented effort to forge a strong and swift global response to alleviate the misery of chronic hunger that affects an estimated 1 billion people around the world.

This global campaign began with the commitments made by President Obama and our partners at the G-8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy in July 2009. The United States pledged $3.5 billion over three years to fight global hunger that helped to leverage and align resources from other partners and donors. Our efforts ultimately mobilized more than $22 billion for a global food security initiative to revitalize investment in the agricultural sectors of poor countries and increase food supply for the neediest among us.

In May 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched “Feed the Future,” a comprehensive effort by the United States to enhance food security. We have focused on investing in nutrition and agricultural development to reduce hunger, while addressing critical emergency needs through humanitarian food assistance. At the Camp David Summit last month, President Obama announced the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, a shared commitment to achieve sustained and inclusive agricultural growth in Africa to raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years, in partnership with the G-8 countries, Africa’s leadership, and private sector support.

President Obama has described combating food insecurity as a moral imperative, an economic imperative, and a security imperative. And this imperative extends to the Americas, as our Bolivian hosts have so rightly recognized. Despite marked progress in reducing levels of malnutrition, the stark fact remains that the levels of food security in our hemisphere still do not match our natural abundance. Our region is now a major agricultural supplier to the world, but every day millions of people in the Americas still struggle to put food on the table, and every night too many children still go to bed hungry.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, an estimated 53 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean were undernourished in 2010. And the repercussions of food insecurity go far beyond its impacts on health and life expectancy. Food scarcity can deepen social tensions, contribute to levels of crime and violence, and even undermine the quality of democratic governance. As a noted French essayist wrote nearly two hundred years ago, “The destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they feed themselves.” Today, those words still ring true.

If we can help the rural poor produce more food and sell it in thriving local, regional, and global markets, we can decrease chronic hunger today and build an ample food supply for tomorrow.

Our flagship “Feed the Future” program targets investments in poor rural areas of three focus countries in the Americas: Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti. Over the next five years, these programs will assist almost one million vulnerable women, children, and family members—mostly smallholder farmers—escape hunger and poverty. We have advanced with Brazil our trilateral partnership in Honduras and Haiti, and we salute Brazil's leadership in our work together to improve health and food security in Africa. This cooperation provides concrete examples of how, working as equal partners, we can seek to spark positive economic growth that allows people and nations to rise from poverty.

Indeed, in addressing the problem of food security, we need to build on the important policy lessons learned over the past two decades. Governments must create sound policy environments that foster clear property rights and encourage domestic and foreign investment. Farmers need to have access to improved agricultural technology and the training to use it effectively. And, critically, real food security depends on lowering barriers to agricultural trade. While we all recognize that each government in this room, including my own, faces important political and economic constraints to further opening trade in agricultural products, this step would contribute markedly to hemispheric food security.

Moreover, fighting hunger is not an isolated challenge. Our efforts can only be sustainable when based in a strategy to promote socially inclusive economic growth. And this will require partnership between donor and partner countries, civil society, international organizations, and the local and multinational private sector.
Mr. Chair, the United States is certain that by working together, the members of the OAS can contribute collectively to food security at both the hemispheric and global levels. But to achieve that ambition, we must safeguard the political and economic progress that we have made to date.

In our work to contribute to global common goods – on issues as diverse as food security, climate change, or combating transnational crime – we know that our common cause does not compromise sovereignty, but safeguards it. As Secretary Clinton has said, “We must turn the Americas, already a community of shared history, geography, culture, and values, into something greater – a shared platform for global success.” That is why we must strive to strengthen the underpinnings of our democratic societies – good governance, responsive institutions, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms – that are essential elements of democracy and the founding principles of this Organization. As enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter, we are bound to uphold the dignity of all persons by honoring their human, political, and civil rights to participate fully and freely in our societies.

This is a useful moment to remind ourselves that the Charter indicates that “freedom of expression and of the press are essential components in the exercise of democracy.” When citizens or media outlets speak out, dissent, or criticize, they are ensuring that this essential component is functioning as designed. We celebrate that our hemisphere has codified this profound truth, and undertake to ensure that these freedoms are always preserved. We should collectively value this record and seek to build upon it.

At this General Assembly in Cochabamba, we will adopt a Social Charter that, as a complement to the Inter-American Democratic Charter, will improve economic opportunity, social inclusion, and respect for human rights.

We will pass a resolution that continues the discussion on strengthening the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and we will agree on a document that ensures the autonomy and independence of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

We must stand together in full and robust support for these accomplishments along with our inter-American institutions and principles. In recent months, our discussions have sometimes seemed as if we are seeking to weaken the fabric that binds us together in the inter-American system, rather than focusing on how the countries of the Americas can work together to address the issues that most concern our citizens. I sincerely hope that this General Assembly will mark an inflection point that will guide us back to our core values and how we can work collectively to advance them.

Mr. Chair, let me conclude by reaffirming the commitment of the United States, and my personal commitment, to work with all of you in the spirit of genuine and equal partnership, to advance liberty and prosperity for all the citizens of the hemisphere.
Thank you.

JOINT BRIEFING BY U.S. AND VIETNAM

 FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, left, shakes hands with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh, in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 4, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo 


Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Vietnamese Minister of Defense Gen. Phung Quang Thanh June 04, 2012
Joint Press Briefing with Secretary Panetta and Vietnamese Minister of Defense Gen. Phung Quang Thanh from Hanoi, Vietnam

            (Note:  The defense minister's remarks are provided through interpreter.)
            STAFF:  The press conference on the occasion of the official visit of the -- of the Secretary of Defense of the United States to Vietnam now begins.  I would like to invite the two ministers to the podiums.
            And now I would like to invite Excellency Phung Quang Thanh, the Minister of Defense of Vietnam, to deliver a speech.

            MINISTER PHUNG QUANG THANH:  Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to warmly welcome the presence here of all Vietnamese and international press and all the reporters to be here to deliver the news about the visit by Secretary of Defense of the United States, Excellency Mr. Leon Panetta.

            We just had discussions of openness, friendliness, about all mutual concerns, issues about the cooperation and relations between the United States and Vietnam.  And we focused on the solutions to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding, was -- which was signed between the two countries at the end of last year -- the memorandum of understanding, which covers some of the following issues.
            The first one is the exchange of high-ranking dialogues between the two countries.
            The second area, which is search and rescue, and the third area, which is peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.
            The fourth area, which is the military management.
            And lastly is humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
            And besides we have some other issues that we are now working on to further the development, which are firstly the war legacy, and the second area, which is the missing in action of the United States soldiers and Vietnamese soldiers in the war.  And we are now trying to exchange the artifacts of our two sides, however, in order to provide more information to the families of the lost soldiers.  And I would like to take this opportunity today to present to Excellency Mr. Secretary, the three letters which are the three artifacts of the United States soldiers in the war.

            And the two sides will continue to cooperate in the fields of bombs and mines clearings, and the United States will continue to support Vietnam with facilities and technology.  And we will also continue to cooperate in the fields of mitigation of Orange Agent -- (inaudible) -- in the areas of some airports and some areas which were affected in the war.

            So we will continue our cooperation between the Vietnam and the United States in the spirit of -- firstly, in the framework of the memorandum of understanding which was signed between the two countries; secondly, in the nontraditional security efforts; and thirdly is on the war legacy, HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief), and search and rescue.  And we both see the great potential of this cooperation between the two countries.  We will continue our bilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefits, mutual trust, for the benefits of the two countries with respect to the sovereignty of the two countries of peace, stability and cooperation and -- for the peace and stability of the region and the world without doing harm to any third parties.  Thank you.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Mr. Minister.

            Now I would like to invite the Secretary of Defense of the United States, Excellency Mr. Panetta, to deliver his speech.

            SECRETARY LEON PANETTA:  Thank you very much general, and I want to express my deepest thanks to you and to your entire delegation for hosting me on my first trip to Vietnam as secretary of defense.  I also want to thank the Vietnam for giving me the opportunity yesterday to visit Cam Ranh Bay.  It was a first visit of a secretary -- United States secretary of defense to Cam Ranh Bay since the war.  It gave me the opportunity to visit a United States ship in Cam Ranh Bay, the Robert E. Byrd, which is being repaired by a Vietnamese business located in that area.  And we are very thankful for that level of cooperation that has been provided to our ships.

            It's been only 17 years since the normalization of United States-Vietnamese diplomatic relations, but we have taken some very important steps to advance that relationship in the meeting that we had today.  Our meeting today was an opportunity to take pride in how far we've come over this relatively short period in our bilateral defense relationship, a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding.
            And we discussed some very important steps for the future, like how --
            STAFF:  (In Vietnamese.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  Go ahead.

            STAFF:  (In Vietnamese.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  How we could improve together the effort to fully implement the 2011 memorandum of understanding to advance our defense cooperation.  We also discussed how the U.S. could work with Vietnam in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) defense ministers group to try to improve the maritime rights of all nations.  And we also discussed our shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific region.

            As we -- as we move forward, General Thanh and I agree to expand some very important cooperation in five key areas: continued high-level dialogue; maritime security; search-and-rescue operations; peacekeeping operations; and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  I also noted in our discussion the importance of our establishing an Office of Defense Cooperation to enhance our cooperation in these areas and as a signal of the United States' enduring commitment to this important defense relationship for the future.
            Let me -- let me also take this opportunity to thank the general and his ministry for their long-standing assistance in efforts to identify and locate the remains of our fallen service members and those missing in action in Vietnam.  In particular, I want to thank him for his offer to open up three new areas for remains recovery.

            And I want to thank him for the letters that he will be giving me.  And I want him to know that we, in turn, are going to provide a diary that was recovered in war that can, hopefully, be given back to that individual's family.

            Our commitment to the effort to have an accounting of the efforts of both sides that were involved in the war, I think, is critical to our personnel serving today, to make clear that we stand by our pledge to leave no one behind.  Our continued progress in this area, as well as other legacies of war, reflects, I think, without question the growing maturity of our relationship between the United States and Vietnam.
            I want the general to know and the people of Vietnam to know that we will, in the United States, do everything possible to continue to work together to achieve our shared objectives and our common goals.  I believe that the United States and Vietnam can build a better future, not only for our people but for the entire Asia-Pacific region.

            Thank you.  (Applause.)

            STAFF:  Thank you very much, Excellency Secretary Leon Panetta.
            I would like to invite Excellency General Phung Quang Thanh to hand over the artifacts of the war to Excellency Secretary Panetta.  (Applause.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  Thank you very much.

            STAFF:  And now Excellency Secretary Panetta to hand over the artifacts of the Vietnam soldiers to Excellency General Phung Quang Thanh.  (Applause.)
            Thank you very much, Excellency.  And now we will start the Q-and-A session.
            First of all, I would like to invite reporter from the military department.

            Q:  (Through interpreter.)  Excellency, I'm a reporter from the People's Army Newspaper and have a question to Excellency Secretary Panetta.  So what is your feeling about the visit to Vietnam this time, Excellency?

            SEC. PANETTA:  Well, I have to tell you that for me personally, this has been a very moving experience.  I was an officer in the Army during the Vietnam War era.  And although I never fought here, I had many friends who did and who died in that war.

            A few days ago I was before the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington recognizing the 50th anniversary of that war.  Yesterday I visited Cam Ranh Bay, and today I visit Hanoi and recognize the normalization of our relations and the effort to improve our relations for the future.

            There were many lives lost in that war, both from the United States and from Vietnam.  If we can work together, both of our countries, to develop a better relationship between the United States and Vietnam, all of the sacrifice involved in that war will have proven worthwhile because we will improve the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

STAFF:  (Through interpreter.)  Thank you, Excellency.

            Now I would like to invite a reporter from an international press to raise your question.  And before you raise your question, please tell us your name and which press you are working for.  Thank you.

            STAFF:  First question from Dan De Luce of the -- of the Agence France-Presse.

            Q:  Yes.  First to the Vietnamese defense minister -- did you discuss today the possible sale of U.S. military equipment to Vietnam?  And would your government be open to expanding access to U.S. naval ships in Cam Ranh Bay, including the type of ships and the frequency of those ship visits?  And Secretary Panetta, when you spoke yesterday about wanting to take the defense relationship to a new level, to what degree are you concerned about human rights and threats to freedom of expression here preventing that from happening?

            MIN. THANH:  Thank you for your question.  Firstly, regarding the purchase of U.S. weapons, I would like to inform you that up to the moment the nonlethal weapons restrictions has been lifted but not the lethal weapons restrictions.  And we look forward to the United States to remove the lethal weapons restrictions to Vietnam and this would benefits the two countries.  And this would also have to fully normalize the relations between the two countries.

            And once when the lethal weapons restrictions is lifted, Vietnam has the demand to buy some facilities from the United States, firstly to repair, to overhaul the weapons that left from the war.  And after that depends on the financial capacity and the demands of our military, who will choose to buy -- to purchase certain kinds of weapons for the potential modernization of our military.

            And regarding the second questions, we welcome the logistic and logistic ships of the United States to be prepared -- to be repaired in the commercial port belonging to (inaudible) of Vietnam.

            And for Vietnam would have the advantage that in the repairing services in commercial ports of Vietnam, we have very skillful workers and the price is also very competitive.  This would help to promote the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries and also help us to create more jobs for the Vietnamese workers.
 
          SEC. PANETTA:  The purpose of my trip is to do whatever we can to strengthen the defense relationship between the United States and Vietnam.  We have developed a new strategy -- a new defense strategy in the United States, and one of the keys to that strategy is to stress the Asia-Pacific region, but more importantly to stress the importance of developing the capabilities of our Asian partners, such as Vietnam.  And the whole -- the whole thrust of what we discussed in our meeting is to try to take this relationship to a new level with regards to not only a high-level dialogue, but also maritime security and increased Navy visits, to improve the search-and-rescue operations as well as increasing our humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and peacekeeping operations.  And we look forward to providing additional assistance and obviously that additional assistance will in part depend on the progress that is being made on human rights and on other reforms.  But we are very confident that the steps we are taking will in fact provide a stronger relationship and a stronger partnership between the United States and Vietnam in the future.

            Q:  Hello, sir, my name is -- (inaudible).

            I come from -- (inaudible) -- daily newspaper.  I'd like to ask you about the fear.  There is some fear that the U.S. military presence, which has been increasing in the region for the past few years might cause anxiety for the whole country.  So what is your response to those people who have this kind of fear?
            Thank you.

            SEC. PANETTA:  I want all people in this region to recognize that a fundamental goal of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region is to improve the chances for peace, prosperity and security for all nations.  Our goal is to work with all nations in this region, including China, to improve our military-to-military relationships and to help develop the capabilities of all countries to better secure and defend themselves.

            The United States is a Pacific nation, and we consider ourselves a member of the family of Pacific nations.  And our goal is to work with all of those countries to ensure that we advance the prosperity and security of all nations in this region.  And the key to that is that we have a shared -- a shared group of values and principles that all countries ought to abide by, that we will always continue to follow international rules, international regulations and an international rule of law.  If we all do that, then I think we can achieve the goal of a better and more secure region.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Mr. Secretary.  Now would like to invite an international reporter to raise your question.

            MR. LITTLE:  I understand this will be the last question.  Julian Barnes of the Wall Street Journal.

            Q:  To the minister of defense:  Do you see -- do you think Asian nations should have to make a choice between close relations with China and with the U.S.?  And do you worry about provoking China through closer relations or access to the United States?
         
 And to Mr. Panetta:  Some Asian countries have expressed the worry that the United States new strategy could potentially destabilize the region.  You know, given your last answer, how can you build a partnership without undermining regional security you're trying to secure or souring relations with China?

            MIN. THANH:  Thanks for your question.
            Thank you for your question.  And I would like to inform you about the foreign policy of Vietnam.  This is the foreign policy of independence and sovereignty, and we do not depend on any country.  And this is also the foreign policy of representation and multilateralization of our relations with all other countries.  And for Vietnam, we would like to expand the defense operations with all countries for peace and stability of the region and the world.

            And Vietnam would like to have fine relations with neighboring countries, with regional countries and with the major powers of the world, and especially for the United States and for China.  We look forward to having a stable and long-standing relations and cooperation for peace and stability.

            Vietnam would never go with one country to against another.  And we all know that China is a close neighboring country of Vietnam, which say a lot of similarities.  China is a comprehensive and a strategic partnership of Vietnam.  In the period of 16 months and -- (inaudible) -- between the two countries.  The relations between the two parties, between the two governments, between the two people and between the two armed forces is developing very fast.

            And we also look forward to having a very fine defense cooperation with the United States, in the spirit of friendship, stability, cooperation and for the mutual benefits of the two armed forces -- and comprehensively.  Thank you.

            SEC. PANETTA:  And the goal of the United States -- let me make clear -- is to advance exactly what the general referred to, advance the independence and the sovereignty of all nations in this region.  It is in the interest of stability -- it's in the interest of stability to have a strong Vietnam, a strong Indonesia, a strong Philippines, a strong Singapore and strong nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.  Frankly, the most destabilizing situation would be if we had a group of weak nations and only the United States and China were major powers in this region.

            So the key to future stability, to future prosperity, to the future in which all of our people can enjoy a better life - the key to that is ensuring that all nations develop their capability, develop their economy, develop their trade and develop the kind of relationship that will bring these nations together, not apart.  That's the goal of the United States, and that's the reason I'm here in Vietnam.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Excellencies, and now I would like to announce that we will conclude the press conference on occasion of the visit by Secretary Panetta to Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  Thank you, Excellencies.

U.S. NAVY SPREADING MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
Cmdr. Brice Nicholson performs cataract surgery on an Indonesian patient as Indonesian optometry residents observe in an operating room aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during Pacific Partnership 2012. Now in its seventh year, Pacific Partnership is an annual U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian and civic assistance mission that brings together U.S. military personnel, host and partner nations, non-government organizations and international agencies to build stronger relationships and develop disaster response capabilities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Feddersen (Released) 120601-N-GL340-085

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK WORKS TO GIVE LONG ISLAND BUSINESSES A GLOBAL COMPETITIVE EDGE

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Rep. Israel, Ex-Im Bank Chairman Hochberg Host Forum for Long Island Businesses to Help Them Gain Competitive Edge in Global Economy
Long Island, New York -- Today, Long Island businesses were told how they can successfully grow their sales and their businesses by selling their products around the world instead of focusing on just selling around the corner.

Representative Steve Israel (D-NY-2) and Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg hosted an exporter forum for local small businesses at the Long Island Association. More than 75 representatives from local companies attended the event, which focused on how American companies can gain a competitive edge when exporting their products overseas. Long Island small businesses also received one-on-one trade counseling from Export-Import Bank experts.

“Long Island small businesses should be aware of the enormous consumer base that exists beyond our national borders and take advantage of it when selling their products,” Rep. Israel. “I invited Chairman Hochberg to Long Island so our local businesses could learn about the resources available to them to help increase their exports and grow the economy in Long Island.”

“Our nation’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it is critical that we give them the tools they need to compete in international markets,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Ex-Im Bank will continue to host Global Access forums throughout the country so we can provide businesses with the resources they need to expand globally and reach the President’s goal of doubling U.S. exports by 2015.”

“The Export-Import Bank is a vital tool to help the Long Island business community export more of its goods, which will strengthen those businesses, grow our economy and create jobs,” said Kevin Law, president & CEO of the Long Island Association. “The LIA is proud to host this forum, and I applaud Congressman Israel and Chairman Hochberg for their leadership on economic development issues.”

Chairman Hochberg gave an overview of Export-Import Bank's Global Access for Small-Business initiative, aimed at increasing the number of small businesses across the United States that export goods and services produced by U.S. workers. This is an integral part of the President’s National Export Initiative (NEI), led by the Commerce Department, to double U.S. exports by 2015.

Since 2009, Ex-Im Bank has authorized $80 million for Long Island businesses and supported approximately $515 million in export sales.

Small-business owners who missed the Global Access forum can still learn how Ex-Im Bank can enable them to generate new export sales by contacting the Bank's Regional Export Finance Center at (212) 809-2650, or by calling toll-free to 1-800-565-EXIM (3946). Ex-Im Bank offers information specifically designed to assist small-business exporters secure export financing on its website at http://www.exim.gov/smallbusiness/.

Global Access is supported by a wide variety of business, financial and government partners, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and the Bank’s 60-plus city/state partners located throughout the U.S. This year, Export-Import Bank plans to hold more than 40 Global Access forums around the country.

About Ex-Im Bank:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

IT'S HURRICANE SEASON, BE PREPARED.

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
110828-N-ZZ999-001 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 28, 2011) A GOES-13 infrared satellite image provided by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, Calif., showing the status of Hurricane Irene at approximately 6 a.m. EST Sunday, Aug. 28. Hurricane Irene made landfall near Cape Lookout, N.C. as a Category 1 hurricane and spun north along the Eastern seaboard. The storm made a second landfall near Coney Island, N.Y., and is expected to affect the New England region later today. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) 

Prepare Now For Hurricane Season 
By April Phillips, Naval Safety Center Public Affairs
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- June marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and the time to prepare is now, before the season heats up, according to the commander of the Naval Safety Center.

Rear Adm. Brian C. Prindle, commander, Naval Safety Center, says preparations should include the whole family during the hurricane season, which continues through the end of November.

"While the forecast calls for a relatively light hurricane season, it only takes one storm making landfall on our coast to wreak havoc," Prindle said. "The time to prepare for a hurricane is now, not the day before a storm hits when store shelves are bare and checkout lines are long."

The National Hurricane Center advises there are two stages to hurricane safety. Prepare for a storm well ahead of time and then act on those preparations when alerted by emergency officials. The preparedness stage starts now with having a basic disaster kit on hand, including items such as: water, non-perishable food, flashlight and batteries, manual can opener and solar cell phone charger

Once it appears likely that a hurricane landfall is imminent, add items such as prescription medications, glasses, pet food and extra water, cash or traveler's checks, and important family documents.

"Involve the entire family in disaster plans as well, and know where you will all evacuate to should it become necessary. A little planning now will ensure the safety of your family with fewer headaches later," Prindle said.

                    Photo:  Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Credit:  Federal Emergency Management Agency 

The dangers posed by a hurricane are not just high winds, but also heavy rains and flooding and tornados. Tropical storm Beryl, which recently made landfall in Jacksonville, Fla., proved that even smaller storms can cause problems. It weakened to a slow-moving tropical depression soon after making landfall, but heavy rainfall caused flash flooding up the eastern seaboard. The storm is blamed for four fatalities, with one person still missing.

U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR JUNE 5, 2012 ELECTIONS IN CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, SOUTH DAKOTA AND WISCONSIN

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, June 4, 2012
Justice Department to Monitor Elections in California, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wisconsin

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on June 5, 2012, in the following jurisdictions to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights statutes: Alameda, Fresno and Riverside Counties, Calif.; Cibola and Sandoval Counties, N.M.; Shannon County, S.D.; and the city of Milwaukee.

The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group.  In addition, the act requires certain covered jurisdictions to provide language assistance during the election process.  Fresno County, Riverside County and the city of Milwaukee are required to provide assistance in Spanish.  Cibola, Sandoval and Shannon Counties are required to provide language assistance to Native American voters.  Alameda County is required to provide language assistance to Hispanic, Chinese, Vietnamese and Filipino voters.

Under the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department is authorized to ask the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to send federal observers to jurisdictions that are certified by the attorney general or by a federal court order.  Federal observers will be assigned to monitor polling place activities in Shannon County based on the attorney general’s certification and in Alameda, Riverside and Sandoval Counties based on court orders.  The observers will watch and record activities during voting hours at polling locations in these jurisdictions, and Civil Rights Division attorneys will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

In addition, Justice Department personnel will monitor polling place activities in Fresno County, Cibola County and the city of Milwaukee.  Civil Rights Division attorneys will coordinate federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from OPM, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country.  To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

ARIZONA POLITICIAN SENTENCED FOR FRAUD, TAX EVASION RELATED TO DEFRAUDING A CHARITY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, June 4, 2012
Former Arizona State Representative Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion Related to the Misuse of More Than $140,000 in Charity Funds
WASHINGTON – Former Arizona State Representative Richard David Miranda was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for defrauding a charity of more than $140,000 and evading income tax related to those unlawfully obtained funds, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James L. Turgal of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Dawn Mertz of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix office.

Miranda, 55, of Tolleson, Ariz., served as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives for the 13th District from 2011 until his resignation, effective Feb. 20, 2012.  Miranda previously served as a member of the Arizona State Senate from 2002 until 2011, and the Arizona House of Representatives from 1999 until 2002.  Since July 2002, Miranda also served as executive director of Centro Adelante Campesino Inc., a non-profit charitable organization that provided food, clothing and educational assistance to persons in need, including migrant farm workers, in and around Maricopa County, Ariz.

On March 14, 2012, Miranda pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with defrauding Centro of more than $140,000 and evading income tax related to those unlawfully obtained funds.  As part of his plea agreement, Miranda agreed to resign from office.  Miranda was also ordered to pay a total of $230,342 in restitution ($212,220 for funds he unlawfully obtained from Centro, along with an additional $18,122 he unlawfully obtained from the Arizona Latino Caucus Foundation).

During his plea, Miranda admitted that, in May 2005, he initiated a scheme to wind down Centro, sell Centro’s sole remaining asset (a building), and use the proceeds of the sale for personal expenses.  To do so, Miranda removed the charity’s longstanding volunteer accountant as an authorized signer on the charity’s bank and credit union accounts, and assumed sole control of the charity’s accounts and financial records.  He also told the volunteer accountant that the proceeds of the sale would be used to fund scholarships.  In March 2007, the building was sold for $250,000, and on March 7, 2007, a significant portion of the profits of that sale, $144,576, were wired across state lines into Centro’s credit union account.

 Miranda also admitted that within one week of the wire transfer, he began to withdraw the proceeds from Centro’s credit union account without the authorization or knowledge of Centro’s board of directors.  For example, Miranda obtained two checks payable to himself totaling $37,000 and paid off personal credit card debts totaling more than $60,000.   By Dec. 31, 2007, Miranda had withdrawn the remaining proceeds (approximately $46,836) using checks, withdrawals and electronic funds transfers, and used the funds to pay off additional personal debts and make numerous purchases for personal travel, services, clothing, food and household items.  Miranda also failed to report the proceeds of the sale as income on his IRS Form 1040 for calendar year 2007.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Monique T. Abrishami and Brian A. Lichter of the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick A. Battista of the District of Arizona.  The case is being investigated by agents from the FBI Phoenix Field Office and IRS-CI Phoenix Office.

MAN CHARGED BY SEC WITH ILLEGALLY SELLING STOCK

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
June 1, 2012
SEC Charges Controlling Person of Transfer Agent for Misappropriating Share Certificates and Illegally Selling Stock
On May 31, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a settled civil action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, against Steven H. Bethke. In its complaint, the Commission alleges that, from January 2009 through May 2010, Bethke misappropriated share certificates from Bederra Corporation (now known as Zicix Corporation) while he controlled Bederra’s stock transfer agent, First National Trust Company. Bethke used the stolen certificates, which had been pre-printed with the signatures of Bederra officers and directors, to secretly issue over a billion Bederra shares, which he then sold in exchange for payments into his personal bank account of over $350,000. Among other things, Bethke signed purchase agreements falsely warranting that he had good title to the shares and that they were “freely tradable” when, in fact, he had orchestrated the misappropriation of the shares, and the sales were not eligible for any exemption from registration under the securities laws. To carry out his scheme, Bethke forged the signature of Bederra’s chief executive officer on certifications claiming that Bederra was aware of the sales when the company knew nothing about the transactions. Bethke also prepared letters falsely stating that he had obtained the shares from the company more than a year before, and that the sales were therefore exempt from registration under the securities laws.

Without admitting or denying the allegations in the Commission’s complaint, Bethke consented to a final judgment enjoining him from violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; barring him from serving as an officer or director of a public company; barring him from participating in the offering or sale of a penny stock; and ordering disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, but waiving payment and not imposing a civil penalty based on Bethke’s financial condition. The judgment is subject to court approval. Bethke also consented, with respect to a related SEC administrative proceeding, to the entry of an SEC order barring him from association with any investment adviser, broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent, or nationally recognized statistical organization.

ESA Portal - United Kingdom - ESA missions gear up for transit of Venus

ESA Portal - United Kingdom - ESA missions gear up for transit of Venus

Space presents new frontiers to Irish industry – Minister Sherlock

Space presents new frontiers to Irish industry – Minister Sherlock

MARINE RECYCLES TO CUT COSTS

FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE
Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Matthew S. Belk, a motor vehicle mechanic with Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), attaches leads to a dead battery at the CLB-4 compound on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, May 20, 2012. The battery, which had been drained of power during tactical logistics support operations, was recharged as part of the battalion's battery recycling program. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Mark Stroud  

Face of Defense: Marine Embraces Recycling to Cut Costs
By Marine Corps Cpl. Mark Stroud
III Marine Expeditionary Force
OKINAWA, Japan, June 1, 2012 - Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Matthew S. Belk, a motor vehicle mechanic with Support Company, Combat Logistics Battalion 4, 1st Marine Logistics Group (Forward), came up with a plan to help his battalion save money in a combat zone through recycling on Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan.

Belk's idea was to implement a system that function-tests depleted tactical vehicle batteries. Under the new system, each spent battery that passes the function test is then recharged and redistributed throughout the battalion for use in its vehicle fleet.

"This is [Belk's] brainstorm. He came up with the idea and [gathered all of the necessary equipment]," said Marine Corps Cpl. Edgar E. Aguilar, noncommissioned officer-in-charge at the battalion's hazardous waste accumulation point.

"The program has saved over $120,000 so far on purchasing new batteries," Aguilar said.
Prior to implementation of the recycling program, all dead batteries were delivered to Camp Leatherneck's hazardous waste accumulation point for proper disposal, Aguilar said.

"The value of the program is that it saves money for the battalion," said Marine Corps Chief Warrant Officer Troy C. Havard, maintenance officer, Support Company, CLB-4. "It is also friendly to the environment since it keeps us from having to dispose of the batteries."

The battalion's maintenance Marines used battery chargers to test batteries on tactical vehicles when they came in for maintenance work, Belk said.

"I used to work in the maintenance bay," he said. "I knew they had chargers, and I knew we could use them [at the CLB-4 hazardous waste accumulation point] for a recycling program."

The Marines ensure re-energized batteries maintain their charge by testing them for proper function before distributing them for use in the battalion's fleet of vehicles.

"We measure the voltage of the batteries after they have been charged ... if they meet a certain requirement, we separate them and leave them for a day," Belk said. "I measure them again and, if they are still holding the charge, they are good to go."

Batteries that do not properly maintain a charge are delivered to the Camp Leatherneck hazardous waste accumulation point for disposal, Belk said.

The battery recycling program saves the battalion money and helps the environment, Belk said, and also provides a good example for other Marines to follow in the areas of fiscal responsibility and protecting the environment.

U.S. NAVY AND DEFENDING AMERICAN INTERESTS IN ASIA-PACIFIC REGION

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
An F/A-18E assigned to the Eagles of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 115 lights its afterburners before launching from the aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). George Washington departed Fleet Activities Yokosuka on May 26 to begin its 2012 patrol. George Washington and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5, provide a combat-ready force that protects and defends the collective maritime interest of the U.S. and its allies and partners in the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Paul Kelly (Released) 120603-N-TX154-132

U.S. SECRETARY OF DEFENSE PANETTA AND VIETNAMESE DEFENSE MINISTER GEN. THANH HAVE HISTORICAL MEETING

FROM AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE

Past, Present, Future Come Together in Hanoi Meeting

By Jim Garamone

HANOI, Vietnam, June 4, 2012 - The past, present and future came together here today during a meeting between Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta and Vietnamese Defense Minister Gen. Phuong Quang Thanh.

The two men used the shared history of the United States and Vietnam to assess the status of military-to-military relations between the nations and chart the future of the partnership.

The past was represented by the two men exchanging artifacts of the Vietnam War -- the diary of a Vietnamese soldier and letters written by American service members.

The present was represented by Panetta's historic visit yesterday to an American ship being repaired by Vietnamese workers in Cam Ranh Bay.

The future was represented by plans the men made to broaden and deepen defense cooperation between the two nations.

The meeting, held at the Vietnamese Ministry of Defense, was a chance for both sides to assess the progress made in the 17 years since the United States and Vietnam normalized diplomatic relations. Panetta said the relationship between the two nations is based on mutual trust and understanding.

The two men discussed the memorandum of understanding on defense cooperation signed last year. The memo looks at areas where the two countries can work together, and has been successful over the past year, the Vietnamese defense minister said.

The two men agreed to expand cooperation in five key areas. These are high-level dialogues between the two countries, maritime security, search and rescue operations, peacekeeping operations and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

"I also noted in our discussion the importance of our establishing an Office of Defense Cooperation to enhance our cooperation in these areas and as a signal of the United States' enduring commitment to this important defense relationship of the future," Panetta said.

The men shared views on how the United States could work with the defense ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to try to improve the maritime rights of all nations, the defense secretary said. "We also discussed our shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific region," Panetta said.

The secretary expressed his deep thanks for Vietnam's long-standing efforts to help the United States resolve the fate of those missing in action from the Vietnam War. "In particular I want to thank him for his offer to open up three new areas for remains recovery," he said.

"Our continued progress in this area -- as well as other legacies of war -- reflects ... the growing maturity of the relationship between the United States and Vietnam," Panetta said. "I want the general to know and the people of Vietnam to know that we will ... do everything possible to continue to work together to achieve our shared objectives and our common goals. I believe that the United States and Vietnam can build a better future not only for our people, but for the entire Asia-Pacific region."

U.S. AND NIGERIAN PARTNERSHIP

Map:  Nigeria.  Credit:  U.S.  CIA 1979 . 
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at U.S.-Nigeria Binational Commission "A Rising Partnership"
Remarks William J. Burns
Deputy Secretary Washington, DC
June 4, 2012
Thank you, George, for that kind introduction. We appreciate USIP co-hosting this event with us in your beautiful building. I want to extend a warm welcome to Foreign Minister Ashiru, to the Nigerian state governors, Cabinet officials, and National Assembly members who have made the long journey to join us today.

As Ambassador Moose has already mentioned, we meet today against a sad and tragic backdrop. Let me extend once again our deepest and sincerest sympathies to the families and friends of those who lost their lives in the terrible plane crash in Lagos yesterday.

Today’s gathering is both unique and historic, and I am honored to be a part of it. Never before have we brought such a diverse and senior group of Nigerian and U.S. officials together under the auspices of the Binational Commission. It is also a sign of our wide-ranging ambitions that we welcome such a diverse and distinguished group from the U.S. government, including representatives from the Department of Defense, USAID, Department of Energy and elsewhere.

The United States approaches this partnership from the fundamental premise that Nigeria is one of the most strategically important nations in sub-Saharan Africa. One out of every four Africans is Nigerian. Nigeria is Africa’s largest oil producer, home to its largest Muslim population, and its largest contributor of peacekeepers. Nigeria is also our largest trading partner in sub-Saharan Africa, with $35 billion in annual trade between our countries. A leader in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Nigeria has led peacemaking efforts from Liberia to Cote d’Ivoire to Guinea-Bissau. On the UN Security Council, Nigeria has lent its voice to causes of conscience in Libya, Syria, and around the world.

We are invested in your success because we recognize Nigeria as a strategic center of gravity in its own right. But we also recognize a broader truth: across the continent, communities are struggling to find productive paths for growing youth populations; to defeat corruption; to turn a corner in improving governance, infrastructure and public health; to hold together different faiths and regions and to take on the drivers of extremism. In other words, Nigeria’s challenges are Africa’s challenges. And if we can help Nigeria chart a secure, prosperous and democratic course, then Nigeria’s successes can be Africa’s as well -- successes we can measure in improved lives, livelihoods, and leadership in the region.

That is what Secretary Clinton envisioned when she and then-Secretary to the Government of the Federation Mahmud Yayale Ahmed signed the framework for the Bi-National Commission in 2010. Two years later, we can proudly say that the BNC has grown into a forum for frank conversations to keep our bilateral relations on track; into a convening point for the many committed actors in both our governments; and into an expansive dialogue to turn common cause into creative thinking and coordinated action. And, as the four working groups that will meet over these two days reflect, our partnership is increasingly rooted in shared values, delivering results, and ready to take on the challenges ahead.

First, our working group on Good Governance, Transparency and Integrity (GTI) can already point to important successes. Last April’s elections were Nigeria’s most successful and credible since its return to democracy in 1999. This is due in no small part to our sustained engagement through the GTI working group and our shared commitment to a transparent and consultative preparation for the elections. The United States is proud to have supported the efforts of the Nigerian government and the Independent National Electoral Commission through a $31.3 million election assistance program in collaboration with the UK.

Today, we broaden our focus from elections to what comes after: in particular, transparent, effective governance. An old American newspaperman one said that “there is not a crime, there is not a dodge, there is not a trick, there is not a swindle, there is not a vice which does not live by secrecy.” Today we will discuss how freedom of information, accountability, and transparency can empower citizens to take on the difficult and deep-rooted challenge of corruption.We look forward to hearing your views on a challenge that is not unique to Nigeria and is a huge impediment to development and prosperity across the world.

Energy and investment -- the subject of our second working group -- is also critical to Nigeria’s economic present and future. Our economic ties are strong: the United States accounts for some $5.4 billion in foreign direct investment in Nigeria annually, and Nigeria is the fifth largest foreign supplier of oil to the United States. Nigeria has taken significant steps on its “roadmap” to rehabilitate its energy infrastructure. Now we must work together to sustain progress and match it with increased international investment in Nigeria’s energy sector. In February, we sent a high-level U.S. energy trade mission, and several of the American participants have already made follow-up business trips to Nigeria -- laying the groundwork for future partnerships and growth. Today, we will discuss how we can advance these reform efforts that will increase private investment in power sector infrastructure, promote the use of clean energy sources and help Nigeria translate its tremendous natural riches into lasting and widespread prosperity for all of its people.

While oil currently provides more revenues, nearly seventy percent of Nigeria’s population is engaged in agriculture, which why the third working group, focused on Food Security and Agriculture, is so important. The United States is working to strengthen Nigeria’s agricultural sector through encouraging policy reforms, technology transfer, and strong private sector involvement. We are committed to help Nigeria meet its ambitious plans to invest in and improve its ability to feed its people and become a major agricultural exporter. We have done this through the integration of technical assistance programs like USAID’s “MARKETS” program which aims to add over $100 million in support through a twelve-year value chain-focused program to increase farmer yields through improved technology. We are also encouraging private investment, to help seal the promise of growth and opportunity for all Nigerians. For example, a recent agreement between Taraba State and Dominion Rice Integrated Farms will reduce Nigeria’s rice imports by 15% and create daily work for 15,000 Nigerians.

As we all know, economic prosperity alone does not create successful societies. Security is a prerequisite for successful development, for a successful Nigeria. We are all disturbed by the repeated scenes of violence in various parts of Nigeria that threaten to undercut the gains Nigeria has made. This is why discussions in the fourth working group -- on Regional Security Cooperation – are so critically important. Violent, extremist militants like those associated with Boko Haram offer no practical program to improve the lives of Nigerians. They depend on resentment and neglect. It is incumbent on the government of Nigeria – both at the Federal and state level – to provide not only basic services but a compelling narrative of constructive civic engagement that points Nigeria toward a better future.

To that end, we are ready to explore a potential partnership with the Nigerian army to build its civil affairs capacity which, in turn, will help Nigeria build trust between citizens and the security services charged with protecting them. In addition, building on our fruitful discussions last June, we are committed to helping Nigeria develop a comprehensive counterterrorism strategy -- one that includes citizen engagement and dialogue -- alongside more traditional security measures. The United States is determined to help Nigeria translate its comprehensive strategy into concrete action. We are also committed to help Nigeria coordinate its security responses through an intelligence fusion center.

As we address the complex issues that the BNC covers, we should expect no “silver bullet”, and no quick fixes. Meaningful reform is a difficult task for any government at any level. But you are not starting from scratch. A strong team of reformers and highly qualified ministers, many of whom are with us today, have already undertaken substantial reforms and mutually reinforcing initiatives.

To highlight just a few of your many success stories: Finance Minister Ngozi has pushed a strong reformist agenda, with support from Central Bank Governor Sanusi, Trade and Investment Minister Aganga, and Minister of Power Nnaji – all of whom have taken steps to promote sustained economic development, job creation, increased agricultural productivity and more foreign investment. Governors from states such as Kano, Rivers, Borno, and Taraba, who are with us today, have demonstrated that accountable and responsible leadership can achieve meaningful results.

When government commits itself to progress and meaningful reforms, the Nigerian people have shown time and time again that they are willing to rise to the occasion. When they see that the work of government at the national, state, and local levels is positively impacting their lives, I believe they will stand with those who have stood with them. And Nigeria will move forward.

In every region of the world, from Southeast Asia to South America, nations are solving the challenges of economic development and clean, accountable governance. They are spreading prosperity to once neglected regions and groups. They are bridging old divides between religions, ethnicities and tribes within their borders. These new nations are stepping forward, propelled by a rising middle class, to claim their place as economic powers and regional leaders in the century ahead.

Nigeria can and should be among them. When Secretary Clinton visited Nigeria in 2009, she said: “The capacity for good governance exists in Africa and it exists in Nigeria. We have seen it in many places, and we have seen it in Nigeria.”

The challenges before us are great, but so too is the promise of the Nigerian people. So let us make the most of this moment and build on the strong foundations of our partnership to secure a better future -- for Nigeria, for America, for Africa and for the world.

Thank you.

L.A. PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT FOUND GUILTY FOR ROLE IN $18.9 MILLION MEDICARE FRAUD

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE  
Monday, June 4, 2012
Los Angeles Physician Assistant Found Guilty for Role in $18.9 Million Medicare Fraud Scheme
WASHINGTON – A Los Angeles physician assistant who worked at fraudulent medical clinics where he used the stolen identities of doctors to write prescriptions for medically-unnecessary durable medical equipment (DME) and diagnostic tests has been convicted of conspiracy, health care fraud and aggravated identity theft charges in connection with a $18.9 million Medicare fraud scheme, announced the Department of Justice, FBI and U.S. Department Health and Human Services (HHS).

On June 1, 2012, after a two-week trial in federal court in Los Angeles, a jury found David James Garrison, 50, guilty of one count of conspiracy to commit health care fraud, six counts of health care fraud and one count of aggravated identity theft.  The trial evidence showed that Garrison worked at fraudulent medical clinics that operated as prescriptions mills and trafficked in fraudulent prescriptions and orders for medically-unnecessary power wheelchairs, DME and diagnostic tests that were used by fraudulent DME supply companies and medical testing facilities to defraud Medicare.  Garrison wrote the prescriptions and ordered the tests on behalf of doctors whom he never met and who did not authorize him to write prescriptions and order tests on their behalf.

The trial evidence showed that between March 2007 and September 2008, Garrison’s co-conspirator, Edward Aslanyan, and others owned and operated several Los Angeles medical clinics established for the sole purpose of defrauding Medicare.  Aslanyan and others hired street-level patient recruiters to find Medicare beneficiaries willing to provide the recruiters with their Medicare billing information in exchange for expensive, high-end power wheelchairs and other DME, which the patient recruiters told the beneficiaries they would receive for free.  Often, the solicited Medicare beneficiaries did not have a legitimate medical need for the power wheelchairs and equipment.  The patient recruiters then provided the beneficiaries’ Medicare billing information to Aslanyan and others or brought the beneficiaries to the fraudulent medical clinics.  In exchange for recruiting the Medicare beneficiaries, Aslanyan and others paid the recruiters a cash kickback for every beneficiary they recruited.

Many of the beneficiaries whose Medicare billing information was used at the medical clinics lived hundreds of miles from the clinics, including some beneficiaries who lived over 300 miles from the clinics.  One witness testified that the clinics used beneficiaries who lived such long distances from the clinics because the Medicare billing numbers of Medicare beneficiaries who lived in and around Los Angeles had been used in other Medicare fraud schemes and, therefore, could no longer be used to bill Medicare.

The evidence presented at trial showed that Garrison wrote prescriptions for power wheelchairs, which the beneficiaries did not need and did not use.  In some cases, Garrison wrote power wheelchair prescriptions for beneficiaries he never examined and who never visited the clinics and, in one instance, prescribed a power wheelchair to a beneficiary who the evidence showed suffered from a mental defect and did not have the mental capacity to operate a power wheelchair.  Several Medicare beneficiaries testified that they were approached by patient recruiters who convinced them to accept free power wheelchairs, but that they never went to the medical clinics and were never examined by Garrison.

Once Garrison wrote the power wheelchair prescriptions, Aslanyan and others sold them from $1,000 to $1,500 to the owners and operators of approximately 50 different fraudulent DME supply companies, which used the prescriptions to submit fraudulent power wheelchair claims to Medicare.  The DME supply companies purchased the power wheelchairs wholesale for approximately $900 per wheelchair but billed the wheelchairs to Medicare at a rate of approximately $5,000 per wheelchair.  Aslanyan also used the prescriptions Garrison wrote at Vila Medical and Blanc Medical Supply, another fraudulent DME supply company that Aslanyan owned and operated.  When the owners and operators of the DME supply companies complained to Aslanyan and others about Garrison’s prescriptions looking the same, witness testimony established that Garrison changed the signature he used on the prescriptions.

In addition, the trial evidence showed that Garrison ordered the same medically-unnecessary diagnostic tests for every Medicare beneficiary, including tests for sleep studies, ultrasounds and nerve conduction.  These tests were then billed to Medicare by fraudulent diagnostic testing companies that paid Aslanyan kickbacks to operate from the medical clinics.

Throughout the trial, evidence was introduced that showed that Garrison had admitted to writing prescriptions for power wheelchairs and ordered diagnostic tests on behalf of approximately six different doctors, and that he did not have a Delegation of Services Agreement with at least two of these doctors, as required by law.
As a result of this fraud scheme, Garrison, Aslanyan, and their co-conspirators submitted and caused the submission of over $18 million in false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, and received $10.7 million on those claims.

At sentencing, scheduled for Sept. 17, 2012, Garrison faces a maximum penalty of 72 years in prison and a $2 million fine.  The aggravated identity theft conviction carries a mandatory two year prison sentence.  In 2009 and 2010, Garrison was convicted on state charges of tax evasion and felonious possession of a firearm.  Currently, Garrison is facing federal drug charges as a result of his alleged involvement with another medical clinic where medically-unnecessary prescriptions for Oxycontin were distributed.  Garrison is scheduled for trial on the federal drug charges on Nov. 6, 2012.  He is presumed innocent of the charges against him.

The jury’s verdict was announced by Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Criminal Division; U.S. Attorney André Birotte Jr. for the Central District of California; Tony Sidley, Assistant Chief of the California Department of Justice, Bureau of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse; Glenn R. Ferry, Special Agent-in-Charge for the Los Angeles Region of the HHS Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG); and Steven Martinez, Assistant Director in Charge of the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office.

The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Jonathan T. Baum of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney David Kirman of the Central District of California.  The case is being investigated by the FBI.

The case was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, supervised by the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California.  The Medicare Fraud Strike Force operations are part of the Health Care Fraud Prevention & Enforcement Action Team (HEAT), a joint initiative announced in May 2009 between the Department of Justice and HHS to focus their efforts to prevent and deter fraud and enforce current anti-fraud laws around the country.

DEMONSTRATION OF AN A-10C THUNDERBOLT II

FROM:   U.S. AIR FORCE
An A-10C Thunderbolt II from Air Force Reserve Command's 442nd Fighter Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., fires its 30mm cannon during a straffing run over the Sayler Creek Bombing Range near Boise, Idaho, Oct. 14 during Hawgsmoke 2010. An active associate unit will form at Whiteman AFB in which Regular Air Force Airmen will train with reservists on the close-air support aircraft, according to an announcement Nov. 3, 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Lt. Col. David Kurle)

U.S. NAVY CHAPLIN KEEPING SOME READY FOR THEIR JOB

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Navy Chaplain (Cmdr.) Francis Foley rides in the back of a truck as he leaves Combat Outpost Now Zad, Afghanistan, May 27, 2012. Foley delivered care packages and attended to the spiritual needs of Marines and sailors at the outpost. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Isaac Lamberth  

Face of Defense: Chaplain Provides Spiritual Aid on the Fly
By Marine Corps Cpl. Isaac Lamberth
3rd Marine Aircraft Wing
COMBAT OUTPOST NOW ZAD, Afghanistan, May 31, 2012 - Marines and sailors have fought alongside each other for more than 230 years, with Navy corpsmen, doctors and nurses continuously keeping Marines fit for battle. But for many, spiritual needs are another important element of readiness.

Navy Chaplain (Cmdr.) Francis Foley, command chaplain for 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, visited Marines and sailors here May 27.

"It is such a great feeling when the chaplain comes out here to visit us," said Marine Corps 1st Lt. Rick Chapman, police advisory team executive officer for 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment. Chapman said the visits not only increase morale, but also allow service members to seek spiritual guidance.

"The Chaplain Corps provides Marines the opportunity to look into the spiritual side of life," Chapman said. "When the chaplain visits and the Marines attend the services, it gives them a taste of home and allows them to forget about the worries they have around here."
Chapman said Marines go to the services to partake in religious activities and to be around others who share their beliefs with a leader of their faith. But the chaplain's presence also gives them a chance express their anxieties and day-to-day frustrations, he added.
"Father Foley's visit gives the Marines here the ability to vent to someone else," Chapman said. "It's very helpful for them to talk to an outsider about certain subjects."
Foley is one of four Catholic chaplains in Regional Command Southwest. With so few chaplains in the area, Foley said, he tries to get out to various outposts to speak with Marines and let them know their sacrifices are appreciated and that their hard work does not go unnoticed.

"I always thank the troops for what they do," said Foley, who hails from Philadelphia. "To hear that from a stranger means a lot to these guys."

Many Marines at remote outposts, such as this one in Afghanistan's Helmand province, do get many chaplain visits as they'd like. Foley said he tries to get out to these troops as much as he can, often delivering care packages to help in raising their spirits.
"Bringing the care packages is a really big deal to these guys," Chapman said. "Little things like peanut butter, snacks and socks mean so much to them. It gives them insight from home and what they're fighting for."

The visits also give him first-hand perspective into how the Marines and sailors live, the chaplain said, and give him a great appreciation for the amenities he has at Camp Leatherneck. Marines in remote outposts sometimes go days without electricity, rarely receive hot meals and sleep on cots nightly.

Foley said he has visited about 18 forward operating bases and combat outposts and plans to visit many more Marines and sailors while he is out here.

"I try to get out as much as I can and see the Marines out there," he said. "If I can get them to smile and laugh, I've done my job and made it easier for the next chaplain who comes to visit them."

SEC. OF STATE CLINTON SPEAKS IN SWEDEN ON CLIMATE AND CLEAN AIR

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Climate and Clean Air Coalition Event
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateSwedish Climate Ambassador Anna Lindstedt, Swedish Minister for the Environment Lena Ek
Stockholm, Sweden
June 3, 2012
AMBASSADOR LINDSTEDT: Thank you. Your Royal Highness, Madam Secretary, Madam Minister, ladies and gentlemen, a warm welcome to you all, and thank you for being with us on this special occasion. We are honored by the presence of Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden. Your Royal Highness, thank you so much for showing interest in this initiative.

With us today, we have the Secretary of State of the United States of America Hillary Rodham Clinton. Madam Secretary, we highly value your presence. Allow me to express my admiration for your hard work and dedication. To me, as a diplomat, you’re a role model. And it’s encouraging that you have taken such interest in the Climate and Clean Air Coalition on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants. We see the coalition as a means to strengthen ties between our two countries and as an important tool to promote health and clean air as well as to combat climate change.

I will now hand over to Lena Ek, Sweden’s minister for the environment. But first, let me convey how privileged I feel to work with you, Madam Minister. You show such determination in advancing a whole range of environmental policies, including this initiative.

Madam Minister, the floor is yours.

MINISTER EK: Thank you. Your Royal Highness, Secretary Clinton, Excellency, ladies and gentlemen, I’m extremely happy and honored to have this opportunity once again to address the issue of short-lived climate pollutants or SLCPs together with Secretary Clinton.

Much as happened in the short time since we met in Washington in February to launch the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to reduce SLCPs. We were proud to host the first formal meeting of the coalition here in Stockholm in April, where we were joined by new members, and the coalition has now grown from six to 16 countries, plus the European Commission, UNEP, and the World Bank. And we especially, of course, welcome the decision of all G-8 members to join at the recent summit in Camp David.

Short-lived climate pollutants is a strange and maybe unfamiliar set of words to most, but SLCPs such as black carbon, soot, tropospheric ozone, methane, and short-lived HFCs all have some characteristics in common. They significantly contribute to global and regional warming. They also impact crop yields, deteriorate air quality, and affect human health across the globe. And they are short-lived. And just because of this, they represent a golden opportunity to slow down climate warming in the near term, even more so because they represent as much as a third of increases in average global temperature.

I believe this coalition owes to rapid success to two things. Firstly, it delivers a simple but powerful message based on science. By preventing SLCPs emissions, we can significantly reduce near-term climate change and at the same time save 2.5 million lives per year, increase crop yields and food security, and promote gender equality and women’s rights across the globe.

Secondly, this is a coalition of action. All partners bring something to the table, and in joining have agreed to take action also at home. The coalition is structured around the basic idea that we need to act now, and countries are demonstrating their will and ability to reduce domestic emissions by agreeing to implement national reduction actions on SLCPS.

It’s only through effective action on greenhouse gases that we can stop climate change. Researchers are telling us that without drastic CO2 emission reductions we are facing temperature increases that will be substantially higher than the two-degree target. Therefore, we are wholly committed to the UNFCCC negotiations and to making the necessary mitigation efforts at home. Measures to reduce CO2, such as the Sweden carbon tax of 150 U.S. dollars per ton CO2, are not only necessary but contribute to green growth and enable lower taxes in other areas and job creation in the economy as a whole.
The key to success in the climate negotiations is trust building. Trust comes from commitment to action and through collaboration. And this is how I see the coalition, as a valuable complement to the UNFCCC. The coalition on SCLPs has decided on the first five focal area actions for emission reductions and be ready to kick off projects in all partner countries. Two areas of particular importance at this early stage – one is how to engage the private sector. Reducing SCLP emissions from diesel trucks, landfills, and recovery and user buy guides are examples of actions with huge potential that I’m looking at. To successfully realize that potential, we need the active engagement of businesses, and we need to build partnerships and exchange best practices on a global scale.

The other area is awareness raising. How do we communicate short-lived climate pollutants in a way that will catch people’s imagination and that is easy to understand? Today, Secretary Clinton and I have had a stimulating discussion with students and business leaders, and we will follow up on this thoroughly. Encouraged by this exchange and by the many invaluable suggestions, we have decided to extend the debate beyond this room. We intend to invite people, especially young persons all over the world, to participate in a contest of how to best communicate actions on short-lived climate pollutants. The benefits of actions are tremendous. Help us make them known.
Thank you. (Applause.)

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, Minister, and thank you for your leadership on behalf of the coalition. And it’s a great pleasure for me to be here in Sweden. It’s my first visit as Secretary of State, but it’s a chance for me to express publicly what I have told my friend and colleague, Foreign Minister Carl Bildt – how grateful the United States is for the close collaboration and cooperation we have in so many areas. This coalition is another example of that.

I also want to thank Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria for joining us, and more importantly, for your personal commitment and activities on behalf of the issue of climate change.

Now, Sweden and the United States have a long tradition of working closely together on issues that shape our security, our prosperity, and our people’s future. And on some of the most difficult challenges of our time, Sweden and the United States are stalwart partners. Now when it comes to the climate crisis, Sweden is a global leader, both in finding solutions and encouraging other countries to put them to use. We do need more action in the fight against climate change. We need real-world solutions and we need results.
The Climate and Clean Air Coalition is designed to get results for what are called – as the minister just said – short-lived climate pollutants, including methane, black carbon, and the hydrofluorocarbons. These pollutants are responsible for more than 30 percent of current global warming. And because they are also very harmful to human health and to agriculture, we can save millions of lives and tons of crops as well by acting now. This is what we call a win-win for sure.

In February, Sweden, the United States, four other nations, and the UN Environmental Program launched the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, and since then, as the minister said, we’ve been growing, bringing on all G-8 countries, as well as Norway, Nigeria, Denmark, and Colombia. And we were pleased when the World Bank and the European Commission signed up as well. We’ve also increased our funding thanks in part to contributions from Sweden and Norway. We are setting up a science advisory panel. And just in April, Sweden hosted the coalition’s first ministerial meeting, when we decided on a set of global action-oriented initiatives to implement immediately.

So we have built some strong initial momentum, but we need your help. Today, Sweden and the United States are beginning a global campaign to close the information gap about short-lived climate pollutants. Few people actually know about the impact we could have on global warming if we aggressively target them. And fewer still know that many cost-effective solutions already exist and are just waiting to be broadly implemented.
We, in fact, are going to be holding a global contest to find the best, most creative ideas for raising awareness about short-lived pollutants and the work that must be done to stop them. So I invite everyone to visit the coalition’s new website for further information. The address is www.UNEP.org/CCAC. And you can see it on your wall somewhere. It’s supposed to be. I don’t know where it is, but we were hoping – is it over there? Oh, over there. Okay.

Now, what we’re really looking for is how to translate the great ideas that came out of the group that Minister Ek was referring to this afternoon, that included some very dynamic Swedish university students who brainstormed about ways that could raise awareness, how we put all of that into motion. And so we’re looking for cartoon ideas, slogan ideas, app ideas. Whatever you come up with, we are going to be receptive.

Now, included in the group that Minister Ek and I met with were leading Swedish companies also supporting this effort, because we know we cannot solve this crisis without the active cooperation and, indeed, the leadership of the private sector, particularly oil and gas companies, makers of diesel trucks, green tech companies that can help turn methane from landfills into clean energy. Today, for example, representatives from Volvo, Mack Trucks talked about how to cut down black carbon worldwide, 20 percent of which is emitted by the transportation sector.

Major reductions of short-lived pollutants can be done inexpensively and with existing technologies. Experts tell us, for example, that one third of all methane leaked and vented by oil and gas companies can be avoided at a net cost of zero dollars or zero kroner. So we need to convince decision makers everywhere, political leaders, CEOs, civil society leaders, investors, and students that this is one of those areas where we can show tangible progress almost immediately and that we can do it in a cost-effective way.
Here are just a few concrete examples. We’re launching an initiative focused on hydrofluorocarbons. By 2050 – 2050 – at the current rate, these greenhouse gases could grow to nearly 20 percent of carbon dioxide emissions. So we will start by holding a technology conference in Bangkok in July to showcase new technologies that can eliminate the need for these potent greenhouse gases in refrigeration and air conditioning. At the upcoming sustainability conference in Rio, we’ll launch an initiative working with cities to reduce methane and other pollutants from their waste systems, and we will be working with oil and gas companies to take advantage of all the currently available zero-cost options.

Now, we’re aware that reducing these short-lived pollutants by themselves will not solve the collective crisis facing the world. We must also aggressively reduce carbon dioxide emissions, which we know remain the principal contributor to climate change and last in the atmosphere for generations. And countries and people around the world, like Sweden and Norway and Denmark, where I just visited, are taking bold actions.

The United States is also moving forward. The Obama Administration has adopted fuel efficiency standards that will be among the most aggressive in the world, effectively doubling the miles we will get per gallon of gas. We’ve made historic investments, more than $90 billion, in clean energy and are committed to being a world leader in this vital sector. And since just 2008, we’ve nearly doubled how much electricity we generate from renewable sources. And we’re making a big push to improve energy efficiency in commercial buildings and home appliances. We’re focused on pursuing President Obama’s call for a clean energy standard to cut carbon dioxide emissions while building domestic and export markets for clean energy technology.

And while we continue to work on bringing down carbon dioxide emissions and finalizing an international agreement, let’s also deliver a blow to methane, black carbon, and HFCs. We are poised to do both, and we should.

Now, I began my day yesterday in the high north, in Tromso, Norway, where we saw some breathtaking views and where we toured the waters on a research vessel, listening to marine biologists and sea ice experts and others explain the changes that have come to the Arctic. The waters don’t freeze, even in the dead of winter. The ice shelves that have crumbled no longer protect coastlines from erosion. Species are at risk. And it’s such a reminder to be in a beautiful place like Stockholm, or yesterday in Tromso, that we inherited a fragile, marvelous planet, and it’s our duty to protect it.

So we’re very grateful, once again, to be working hand in hand with Sweden. We’ve already made progress on the Climate and Clean Air Coalition in less than four months. And we’re going to continue working closely with Sweden and our other partners. And we are determined to take aggressive action in the months ahead. We can do no less.

Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

SEC. OF LABOR ON INTERNATIONAL FORCED LABOR

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR
Statement by Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis on statistics updated by International Labor Organization regarding forced labor
WASHINGTON — Secretary of Labor Hilda L. Solis today issued the following statement on data regarding forced labor that have been issued by the International Labor Organization:

"When Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation nearly 150 years ago, he underscored the commitment of the United States to the enduring cause of freedom. President Obama has called upon everyone to 'educate themselves about all forms of modern slavery and the signs and consequences of human trafficking,' pledging to combat this crime within our borders and join 'with our partners around the world... to end this injustice.' One such important partner is the International Labor Organization, which today released a new global estimate on forced labor that indicates approximately 21 million individuals, including 15 million adults and 6 million children around the world, continue to be, in the words of the report, 'trapped in jobs... which they cannot leave.' These numbers provide more precise estimates and focus our attention on the magnitude of this global crime and on the plight of those who continue to be coerced or deceived into forced labor or sexual exploitation, and are a welcome addition to the research in this important area.

"The Department of Labor commends the ILO for the transparency of its research process and for its commitment to improving survey methodologies to estimate hidden and vulnerable populations. The department funded the ILO's efforts to develop survey guidelines to estimate forced labor of adults and children, and worked with four governments to conduct national forced labor surveys. When the tools of research are used to inform policies and programs, the effectiveness of our efforts to eradicate modern slavery will be long-lasting. The department commends those governments that contributed to the global estimate by opening their doors to data collection in order to better understand the complexities regarding modern slavery, and we encourage other governments to do so as well.

"The United States will continue to bring resources to bear on the scourge of modern slavery through the President's Interagency Task Force to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons, in partnership with civil society and the private sector. Today we reaffirm our commitment to eradicating this affront to human dignity and justice."