DOD SAYS MORE U.S. "ASSESSMENT TEAMS" ARRIVE IN IRAQ

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

More U.S. Assessment Teams Arrive in Baghdad

By Jim Garamone

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 26, 2014 – U.S. forces in Baghdad have opened a joint operations center in the city to assess the security situation in the wake of the rapid territorial gains made by Sunni militants, bringing the number of American service members there to about 500, Defense Department officials said today.

An additional four teams of U.S. advisors arrived in the Iraqi capital last night, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said, bringing the number of teams to six.

Warren described the deployments as enhanced teams commanded by lieutenant colonels that are fanning out across Baghdad and assessing the Iraqi military. President Barack Obama ordered the teams to Iraq following gains made by Syrian-based Sunni militants of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant who have overrun towns and cities across Iraq’s northern and western provinces as they move closer to Baghdad, facing little or no resistance from Iraqi security forces.
The four teams bring 50 people with them, which puts the number of American assessors on the ground to 90. Warren said an additional 90 personnel have set up the joint operations center in Baghdad, meaning 180 of the possible 300 U.S. service members Obama said he is prepared to send to Iraq have arrived.
Overall, there are approximately 500 American military personnel in Iraq. “Some of them are conducting an advise and assist mission, some are manning the joint operations center, some of them are part of the [Office of Security Cooperation] and yet others are Marines that are part of a [fleet anti-terrorism security team] platoon,” Warren said.

The assessment teams are mostly made up of Army Special Forces personnel. They will advise and assist the Iraqi military at various levels of command.
The teams will take two to three weeks to assess the Iraqi military and make their reports, officials said.

Warren would not comment on reports that Iran is operating drones over Iraq and supplying the Baghdad government with arms. He did however, call on all regional countries to “participate constructively in the situation” in Iraq. The United States does not want ethnic or religious tensions increased.
Warren said the United States will establish another joint operations center in northern Iraq in the coming days or weeks. The commander of the U.S. forces in Iraq is Army Maj. Gen. Dana Pittard.

NSA RICE'S REMARKS AT DINNER HONORING ISRAELI PRESIDENT PERES

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by National Security Advisor Susan E. Rice at a Dinner Honoring Israeli President Shimon Peres

Washington, DC
Wednesday, June 25, 2014
As Delivered 

Good evening everyone—erev tov.  And, thank you so much, Ron, Rhoda, for this lovely evening.  It’s a true honor, Ron, to be asked to celebrate one of Israel’s greatest sons and a walking global treasure, my friend President Shimon Peres. 

Over the years, Mr. President, you have been many things—a dreamer, a state-builder, a founding father, a prime minister, a peacemaker.  Your life has been the life of the state of Israel. You all sometimes hear him called an “elder statesman,” but I know every one of us in this room would kill to have the energy that you have (Laughter),  You’ve won the world’s admiration and most of its medals, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and, tomorrow, the Congressional Gold Medal—together, America’s highest civilian honors.  And you didn’t just win the Nobel Peace Prize, you earned it, and you earn it every single day.  So thank you, Mr. President, for your tireless efforts to make this world a better place—for your tireless commitment to the state of Israel and tikkun olam. 

President Peres and I became friends after we met in 2009 in New York, and he invited me to Israel later that year to speak at the incredible conference that he convenes.  And since then, I’ve been extremely privileged to meet with him many times and to benefit not only from his extraordinary wisdom but also from his unbelievable kindness.  On more than one occasion, when from very far away, he sensed that perhaps I was having a bit of a rough patch, he would call or write or find some other special way of letting me know that he was there, and that I was in his thoughts.  What a wonderful man.  Thank you.

Someone once asked Meir Dizengoff, the first mayor of Tel Aviv, how it is that you become mayor of a city in Israel—and he said, first, you build the city (Laughter).  So, if someone asks President Peres how he came to lead the state of Israel, well—first, you build the state of Israel.  And that is just what you have done, more than any other man alive.  And, that makes him a great gift to all of us—the last of Israel’s founding lions.

From the moment that President Truman made the United States the very first country to recognize the Jewish state, 11 minutes after Shimon’s great mentor David Ben-Gurion declared Israel’s independence in Tel Aviv, the relationship between our two proud democracies has grown like a mighty oak.  As President Obama reaffirmed when he met with President Peres today, the United States’ commitment to the peace and security of Israel is unbreakable and unshakable.  Our peoples share a friendship that’s rooted in our common values:  liberty, democracy, human rights, and human dignity. You can see it in this room tonight, where we’ve all gathered—leaders and citizens from across America’s political spectrum, united in our love and support for Israel.  And so much of that, too, is because of the personal efforts—over a lifetime—of Shimon Peres. 

Now, everyone here knows that he’s eminently quotable.  He’s the inventor of the “Peres-ism” (Laughter).   I’m sure all of you have your favorites. There’s the one that every campaign manager should know, and I quote, he actually said it today, “Polls are like perfume—nice to smell, dangerous to swallow” (Laughter). Especially apt in this room.  But the one that most stays with me is pretty simple.  He said, “There are no hopeless situations, only hopeless people.”

Shimon Peres is someone who believes that despair is a sin and service is a duty.  And, serve is what you have done your entire life—from your early days on the kibbutz, making the desert bloom, and throughout your decades of dedication to Israel.  That’s the spirit in which Shimon Peres has worked with every American president since John F. Kennedy.  That’s how he’s earned admirers the world over.  And that’s why he remains so committed to advancing the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians, including through his meeting with President Abbas and Pope Francis at the Vatican this month. 

Mr. President, you set an example for us all.  And so, we too will stay true to the cause of peace between Israelis and Palestinians.  Because ultimately, the only path out of this tragic conflict is a secure, democratic, Jewish state living side-by-side in peace and security with a viable, independent Palestinian state (Applause).

Tonight as well, all of our hearts are hurting for the three Israeli students who were kidnapped in the West Bank, one of whom, as you all know, is also an American.  President Obama and all of us in the U.S. government are deeply concerned.  We have offered every assistance, and, as parents—in my case of a sixteen year old boy—we all feel this very personally.  So, we pray for their safe return and for the strength for their families through this agonizing vigil.  And, continued cooperation between Israel and the Palestinians is also critical—both to ensure that the search succeeds and to prevent the situation in the West Bank from further destabilizing.

One might argue that these are difficult days.  But there are no hopeless situations, only hopeless people—and President Peres reminds us never to count ourselves among them.  What counts is working to bend history in the direction of hope. 

So, in the book that I know as Psalms, and that many of you know as Tehillim, Moses beseeches the Lord, quote, “establish thou the works of our hands upon us.”  Many of us were raised on that prayer, though some of you learned it in the original.  And I hear in it not only a cry to heaven, but a call to action here on earth.  That’s a call you have answered, Mr. President, every day of your life.  And, we are all inspired by the work to which you have put your able hands.  This room is full of people deeply moved by your service, your courage, and your determination to pursue progress, security, and peace.  

So, tonight, we celebrate the next chapter in the life of Shimon Peres.  We join you in recommitting ourselves to the cause of peace.  And, together, we ask for that ancient blessing:  Establish thou the works of our hands, oh Lord.  On behalf of President Obama and all of your friends here in the United States, we wish you, like Moses, “Ad meyah v’essreem!”  May you live to 120! (Laughter) Thank you. 

READOUT PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALL WITH ITALY'S PRIME MINISTER RENZI

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

June 25, 2014

Readout of the President’s Call with Prime Minister Renzi of Italy

The President spoke today with Prime Minister Renzi of Italy about the latest developments in Ukraine.  They agreed on the importance of the Government of Ukraine and the separatists continuing discussions to implement the peace plan put forward by President Poroshenko.  They also stressed the need for Russia to use its influence over separatist groups to persuade them to abide by the cease-fire and for Russia to take immediate concrete steps to stop the flow of weapons and militants across the border.  The leaders agreed we will continue to coordinate measures to impose additional costs on Russia if it fails to take rapid action to deescalate the situation in eastern Ukraine.

READOUT VP BIDEN'S MEETING WITH PRIME MINISTER LEE LOONG OF SINGAPORE

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

June 25, 2014

Readout of the Vice President’s Meeting with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore

The Vice President met today with Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong of Singapore at the White House, their third meeting since April 2013. The Vice President and the Prime Minister affirmed the importance of the strategic and economic partnership between the United States and Singapore, and consulted on a range of bilateral, regional, and global issues. The Vice President thanked the Prime Minister for Singapore’s leadership in shaping a more peaceful and prosperous Southeast Asia. The two leaders discussed mutual concerns over a pattern of destabilizing behavior in the South China Sea and reiterated their mutual interest in international law, freedom of navigation, and the peaceful resolution of maritime and territorial disputes. The Vice President reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to the rebalance to Asia and highlighted U.S. efforts to deepen its engagement with the region on the political, security, and economic fronts. Noting the advanced state of Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the two leaders agreed on the importance of working together to finalize an ambitious, high-standard agreement as soon as possible. The Vice President underscored the importance of working to establish new rules of the road to meet the world’s economic needs in the 21st century.

AG HOLDER CRITICIZES WISCONSIN VOTER ID STATUTE

A.G. HOLDER U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT PHOTO

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Criticizing Wisconsin’s Voter Id Statute, Attorney General Holder Pledges Aggressive Enforcement of Remaining Parts of Voting Rights Act
WASHINGTON—On the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court decision that struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act, Attorney General Eric Holder pledged Wednesday that the Justice Department would remain aggressive in using Section 2 of the law—which was left intact by the Court’s decision—to guard against unjust voting restrictions.

Section 2, which prohibits barriers to voting that disadvantage minority groups, provided the basis for the department’s lawsuits last year against voting laws in North Carolina and Texas. It also formed the basis for a recent challenge to a voter ID statue in Wisconsin. In April, a federal district court sided with the plaintiffs in that case, declaring that the Wisconsin law violated both the equal protection clause of the Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

Holder joined in criticizing the Wisconsin law in his message Wednesday.

“The Wisconsin law erected significant barriers to equal access without serving any legitimate government interest,” Holder said.

“It’s clear that discriminatory voting laws, rules, and regulations are not confined to any particular region. And thanks to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, neither are our enforcement efforts,” he added.

A full copy of the Attorney General’s video message appears below.

“One year ago today, in the case of Shelby County, a narrowly split but deeply divided U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key part of the historic Voting Rights Act of 1965.

“This was a deeply flawed decision – and it effectively invalidated a cornerstone of American civil rights law.

“In the nearly five decades leading up to that ruling, a critical provision of the Voting Rights Act known as Section 5 – which enjoyed consistent support from Members of Congress and presidents of both parties – provided the Justice Department with a rigorous tool to fight unjust attempts to abridge voting rights.

“It required certain jurisdictions with histories of discrimination to seek “preclearance,” from the Department or a federal court, before new voting changes could take effect – so these proposals could be subjected to fair and thorough review.

“This empowered the Justice Department to protect the right of every American to cast a ballot – unencumbered by discriminatory rules, regulations, and procedures that, intentionally or not, discourage and disenfranchise.

“Indeed, not long before the Shelby County decision, a federal judge considering the Department’s objection to South Carolina’s voter ID law noted the ‘continuing utility’ of preclearance ‘in deterring problematic, and hence encouraging non-discriminatory, changes in state and local voting laws.’

“When the Shelby decision effectively denied us this tool, the Department’s Civil Rights Division shifted resources to the enforcement of other protections that remain on the books – including Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which prohibits barriers to voting that disadvantage minority groups.

“During the past year, we filed Section 2 challenges to specific laws in North Carolina and Texas that could disproportionately restrict access to the ballot box for minority citizens.
“Section 2 also provides a valuable tool to individual voters who seek to protect their voting rights.

“In April, a federal district court in Wisconsin ruled that Wisconsin’s unnecessarily restrictive voter-ID law, which disproportionately impacted the state’s African-American and Latino voters, violated both the equal protection clause of the Constitution and Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act.

“The Wisconsin law erected significant barriers to equal access without serving any legitimate government interest – because, as the judge found, and I quote, “The defendants could not point to a single instance of known voter impersonation occurring in Wisconsin at any time in the recent past.”

“By restricting access and decreasing voter participation, laws such as those in Wisconsin would shrink – rather than expand – access to the franchise.

“This is inconsistent not only with our history, but with our ideals as a nation – a nation founded on the principle that all citizens are entitled to equal opportunity, equal representation, and equal rights.

“And that’s why, across this country, the Department of Justice will continue to take aggressive steps to stand against disenfranchisement wherever it exists – and in whatever form.

“It’s clear that discriminatory voting laws, rules, and regulations are not confined to any particular region. And thanks to Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, neither are our enforcement efforts.

“We will not simply stand by as the voices of many citizens are shut out of the process of self-governance.

“And in the days ahead, we will continue to work with Congressional leaders to fill the void left by the Supreme Court’s ruling – and use every available tool to safeguard the most basic right of American citizenship.”

SECRETARY KERRY, FRENCH FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS MAKE REMARKS AFTER MEETING

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius After Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Paris, France

June 26, 2014

---

SECRETARY KERRY: I want to thank Foreign Minister Fabius for France’s extraordinary hospitality and helping to provide the venue for a number of meetings today. And Foreign Minister Fabius and I discussed each of the individual many hotspots that we are challenged by today. We particularly agree on Iraq that we want a government formation as rapidly as possible that represents unity for the country. We are also deeply concerned about the challenge of Syria. We talked about that as well as the Iran nuclear talks, which we are deeply involved in and partnering in very significantly.

Ukraine, we are in full agreement that it is critical for Russia to show in the next hours, literally, that they are moving to help disarm the separatists, to encourage them to disarm, to call on them to lay down their weapons and begin to become part of a legitimate political process. And the European Community will be meeting on their component of the sanctions. We all agree that they need to be ready. But our preference is not to have to be into a sanctions mode. We would like to see a cooperative effort between the United States, Europe, and Russia and the Ukrainians. And we are going to try to encourage that as much as we can.

FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS: (In French.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Do you want to say anything in English for the American audience?

FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS: Pidgin English. (Laughter.) And afterwards you say something in French.

We have discussed with Secretary John Kerry, as we are doing very frequently, nearly every day, at least every week, and particularly about Iraq and about Ukraine and Iran as well, and have insisted – we have insisted on the very, very difficult situation in Iraq where the ISIL group has shown terrible ferocity and brutality, and we are expecting from the Iraqi that it could get united. And it’s a necessity not only for Iraq but for the whole region, because it’s a menace for Iraq, for the region, for Europe, and for U.S. as well.

And we have discussed about Ukraine. There is some sort – but we will be very careful – of a de-escalation. There has been yesterday a long conversation between French president, German chancellor, Russian president, and Ukrainian president as well. There are commitments which have been taken, and we hope that it will be implemented today and in the coming days.

And we have discussed particularly about Iran and nuclear talks, because we are 5+1 and Iran on the other hand, and we want – we accept perfectly that Iran could have nuclear civil energy, but as sometime I am summarizing very briefly, atomic bomb, no.
Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Merci. Thank you.

STELLAR SCENE FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION

FROM:  NASA 

On June 23, 2014, Expedition 40 Flight Engineer Reid Wiseman captured this image which connects Earth to the International Space Station and to the stars. Among the "stellar" scene is part of the constellation Orion, near the center of the frame. The U.S. laboratory or Destiny is seen in the upper right.  Image Credit: NASA

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK TELLS CONGRESS AGGRESSIVE FOREIGN COMPETITION COSTS U.S. JOBS

FROM:  U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK 

Export-Import Bank Report to Congress: Aggressive, Unregulated Financing from Foreign Competitors is Costing U.S. Jobs 

Report Also Highlights the Importance of the U.S. Export-Import Bank To Ensure Competitiveness for American Businesses and Workers

Washington, D.C. – Today, Export-Import Bank (Ex-Im Bank) Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg unveiled the Bank’s Annual Competiveness Report to Congress, which underscores the need for continued Ex-Im support for American exporters to help level the playing field in an increasingly competitive global marketplace.

“There is no stronger brand in the world than ‘Made in America,’ but the increasingly aggressive approach by some foreign competitors in the export financing marketplace presents an ever-growing threat to U.S. jobs,” said Export-Import Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Our job at the Export-Import Bank is to back American workers and ensure that U.S. exporters, especially small businesses, remain competitive and have the support they need to export their products and create jobs here at home.”

The Bank’s competitiveness report for 2013 shows that while for decades, global export competition was governed by international standards put in place to ensure that companies could compete on free-market factors like price and quality rather than on aggressive government financing, today the global marketplace is changing. While 100 percent of official support for trade operated under these international rules 15 years ago, today that number has plummeted to 34 percent. Currently Russia, China and other countries offer subsidies and financing terms – including support of their state-sponsored companies – that threaten American jobs and export opportunities.

The report also highlights the rapid growth of export financing from three Asian competitors: Korea, Japan and China. These countries provided significantly more export-credit support to their respective domestic companies and industries than did the United States in 2013.

In addition, the report underscores two trends: unregulated competition is expanding and commercial banks have largely withdrawn from pockets of the export-finance arena, including providing support for small businesses. The United States faces more robust competition from export-credit agencies offering terms that are not regulated by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), which encourages global export competition based on free-market principles and mutually agreed-upon standards. For example, Ex-Im Bank support for all of its $15 billion in medium- and long-term financing was regulated by the OECD Arrangement, but other OECD member countries offered more than $60 billion alone of unregulated export financing support (on top of $83 billion in export financing governed by the OECD Arrangement).

Nations that are not subject to the OECD framework, including Brazil, Russia, India and China, provided $115 billion in trade-related financing. Unregulated support totaled substantially more than all OECD-regulated support, a trend the report expects to continue and one which is poised to place U.S. exporters at a competitive disadvantage absent the tools made available by Ex-Im Bank.

Moreover, the report found that the appetite of commercial banks for long-term projects continued to diminish since the implementation of Basel III and other banking reforms. As liquidity sources for certain projects remain scarce, export-credit agency support has become more necessary to fill gaps in the trade finance marketplace and ensure that American exporters remain competitive. Consequently, U.S. exporters will continue to rely upon Ex-Im Bank support as they seek to take advantage of emerging economies and the 95 percent of consumers that live abroad.

CAPE RAY LEAVES SPAIN TO RECEIVE SYRIAN MATERIALS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Cape Ray Leaves Spain to Receive Syrian Materials

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2014 – The U.S. motor vessel Cape Ray departed Rota, Spain, this morning en route to the port of Gioia Tauro, Italy, where the ship will receive declared Syrian chemical materials transferred from the Danish vessel Ark Futura.

In a statement announcing the departure, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said the transit to Italy is expected to take several days.
After the transfer is complete, the Cape Ray will depart Gioia Tauro for international waters to begin neutralization of the chemical agents using the embarked field deployable hydrolysis system, Kirby said. “Neutralization will be conducted in a safe and environmentally sound manner,” he added. “Nothing from this operation will be released into the environment.”

The Cape Ray and the field-deployable hydrolysis system are part of the U.S. contribution to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons -- U.N. Joint Mission to eliminate Syria's declared chemical materials stockpile. The vessel is part of the Transportation Department Maritime Administration's Ready Reserve Force program.

“As [Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel] has made clear, we will work hard to destroy these materials so they never again pose a threat to the Syrian people or America's allies in the region,” Kirby said.

WHITE HOUSE PROGRESS REPORT ON PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CLIMATE CHANGE PLAN

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

PROGRESS REPORT: President Obama’s Climate Action Plan

Today – one year after the President laid out his comprehensive Climate Action Plan – the White House released a new report detailing progress towards cutting carbon pollution and protecting our communities and public health.

In the year since the President’s speech at Georgetown University, the Administration has announced new efficiency standards, permitted renewable energy projects on public lands, and proposed carbon pollution standards for new and existing power plants. Alongside state, tribal, local, and private sector partners, the Administration is taking steps to make our communities more resilient to the effects of severe weather and is working with other countries to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases internationally. In fact, when fully implemented, the policies put forward just in the past year since the President’s Plan was released will:

• Cut nearly 3 billion tons of carbon pollution between 2020 and 2025, an amount equivalent to taking more than 600 million cars off the road for a year;
• Enable the development of 8,100 megawatts of wind, solar, and geothermal energy, enough to power nearly 2 million homes;
• Train more than 50,000 workers to enter the solar industry;
• Save consumers more than $60 billion on their energy bills through 2030;
• Improve the energy efficiency of more than 1 billion square feet of city buildings, schools, multifamily housing complexes, and business across the country, an area the size of 17,000 football fields; and
• Protect the health of vulnerable Americans, including children and the elderly, by preventing 150,000 asthma attacks and up to 3,300 heart attacks. 

AG HOLDER SUPPORTS JUDICIAL REDRESS FOR E.U. VICTIMS OF WRONGFUL DISCLOSURE OF PERSONAL DATA

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Attorney General Holder Pledges Support for Legislation to Provide E.u. Citizens with Judicial Redress in Cases of Wrongful Disclosure of Their Personal Data Transferred to the U.S. for Law Enforcement Purposes

Attorney General Eric Holder announced today that the Obama administration, as part of successfully concluding negotiations on the E.U.-U.S. Data Protection and Privacy Agreement (DPPA), would seek to work with Congress to enact legislation that would provide E.U. citizens with the right to seek redress in U.S. courts if personal data shared with U.S. authorities by their home countries for law enforcement purposes under the proposed agreement is subsequently intentionally or willfully disclosed, to the same extent that U.S. citizens could seek judicial redress in U.S. courts for such disclosures of their own law enforcement information under the Privacy Act.

The Attorney General has been co-chairing the E.U./U.S. Justice and Home Affairs Ministerial in Athens, Greece.   The agenda of the Ministerial is to advance E.U.-U.S cooperation against transnational crime and terrorism, with particular emphasis on foreign fighters traveling to and from Syria.

As part of that law enforcement cooperation, the Ministerial also discussed the ongoing negotiation of an "umbrella" DPAA, which would cover the exchange of law enforcement information between the E.U. and the U.S.   The DPPA is an outgrowth of an initiative begun during the Bush Administration, and carried forward during the Obama Administration, to establish an enhanced commitment to share information transatlantically to fight crime and terrorism, while also protecting privacy.

In order to advance the DPPA negotiations, Attorney General Holder stated at the Ministerial that the Obama Administration is committed to seeking legislation that would ensure that, with regard to personal information transferred within the scope of the proposed DPPA, E.U. citizens would have the same right to seek judicial redress for intentional or willful disclosures of protected information, and for refusal to grant access or to rectify any errors in that information, as would a U.S. citizen under the Privacy Act.

“In a world of globalized crime and terrorism, we can protect our citizens only if we work together internationally, including through sharing law enforcement information with and by E.U. Member States and other close allies,” Attorney General Holder said. “At the same time, we must ensure that we continue our long tradition of protecting privacy in the law enforcement context.  The step we are announcing today will help advance both goals.”

A copy of Holder’s full statement, as delivered in Athens, appears below:

“At the outset, I would like to thank our Greek hosts -- Minister Athanassiou and Minister Kikilias -- for their superb hospitality.   And I would like to congratulate them on the highly successful Greek Presidency of the EU.

            “Today, we have had the opportunity to discuss the wide range of justice and home affairs issues that bind together the EU, its Member States and the United States, in a common effort to protect all of our citizens.   We have talked today about how we can increase our cooperation on countering violent extremism, and on responding to the critical issue of "Foreign Fighters" -- citizens from our countries, and other countries around the world, who are traveling to Syria to join terrorist groups, and who may return as trained and hardened terrorists.   We discussed joint strategies for countering transnational crime, including trafficking in firearms and wildlife; and we talked about protecting victims of crime, as well as persons with disabilities.    We dealt with the ever-increasing threat of cybercrime -- and announced that the United States would carry forward the important initiative begun by Commissioner Malmstrom, the Global Alliance Against Child Sexual Abuse Online.

           “One consistent theme ran through all our discussions:  in a world of globalized crime and terrorism, we can protect our citizens only if we work together, including through sharing law enforcement information.   At the same time, we must ensure that we continue our long tradition of protecting privacy in the law enforcement context.   We already have many mechanisms in place to do this, and we have -- on both sides of the Atlantic – an outstanding record of protecting the privacy of law enforcement information.   But we can always do more, and for that reason, the EU and the United States have undertaken to negotiate an "umbrella" Data Protection and Privacy Agreement Regarding Police and Judicial Cooperation -- the DPPA.

            “Vice President Reding and her Directorate have been our key partners in this endeavor.  While I am sorry that other commitments made it impossible for Vice President Reding to be present today, I did want to state publicly my agreement with her view that we are close to concluding the Data Protection and Privacy Agreement.

“Indeed, I believe we should be able to finish this negotiation soon, since the remaining issues -- those  regarding the legal framework for the transfer and use of information -- have already been addressed in our existing agreements, including our EU/U.S. Mutual Legal Assistance agreement and our bilateral treaties with all of the Member States thereunder.  These prior agreements have been proven, through actual experience, to provide a high level of protection both for the safety of all our citizens and for their privacy, and we should incorporate their principles into the DPPA.

“Moreover, we should move forward quickly here to conclude our negotiations, since our DPPA negotiators have already reached agreement on additional, and comprehensive, administrative privacy protections that will come into effect when the DPPA enters into force.  And today, I am happy to announce that, in support of our desire to bring the DPPA negotiations  to conclusion, the Obama Administration is committed to seeking legislation that would ensure that, with regard to personal information transferred within the scope of our proposed DPPA Regarding Police and Judicial Cooperation, EU citizens would have the same right to seek judicial redress for intentional or willful disclosures of protected information, and for refusal to grant access or to rectify any errors in that information, as would a U.S. citizen under the Privacy Act.

“This commitment -- which has long been sought by the EU -- reflects our resolve to move forward not only on the DPPA itself, but on strengthening transatlantic ties.

“The work we do together is vital.  Thank you again to our Greek hosts, to the Commission, and to the incoming Italian Presidency.”

RESEARCHERS SAY NEW DEVICE WILL SAVE LIVES OF THOSE AFFLICTED WITH HEART FAILURE

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

A new tool for the early detection of heart failure

Researchers believe it will save lives and result in big savings to health care costs
Until recently, a reliable, low-cost, non-invasive method to measure changes that occur in the water content of the lungs did not exist. Yet, having such a device could be an important tool for the early detection of heart failure, which afflicts an estimated 5.1 million Americans and is a leading cause of hospitalization and death.

"There is a significant need," says Magdy Iskander, a professor of electrical engineering at the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and director of the Hawaii Center for Advanced Communications of the university's college of engineering, citing additional conditions that potentially could benefit from the new technology, including edema, emphysema, dehydration, blood infection, acute lung injury and the effects of critical burns.

"The impact could be tremendous, particularly for predicting heart failure," he says.

Heart failure costs the nation an estimated $32 billion annually, which includes the cost of health care services, medications to treat heart failure, and missed days of work, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Furthermore, heart failure is a frequent reason patients are readmitted to hospitals within 30 days of their initial discharge.

"Annually more than one million patients are hospitalized due to heart failuree, which accounts for a total Medicare expenditure exceeding $17 billion," Iskander says.

The National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded scientist has invented a new type of stethoscope he believes will prompt significant and positive changes for patients suffering from heart failure and other related conditions. It attaches to the body surface much like an EKG sensor--there is no need to implant it--and uses a novel radio frequency (RF) sensor to detect small changes in lung water, and monitor vital signs including heart and respiration rate, and stroke volume. The device uses low level RF signals, two-thirds lower than the average cell phone signal, he says.

Since the lungs normally do contain some water, the idea is to first use the device to obtain a baseline in order to identify future changes, "before there are problems," he says. In hospitals, the stethoscope could be an important component of so-called "bridge clinics" that monitor patients after discharge to prevent readmission.

Under the Affordable Care Act, Medicare can reduce hospital payments for excessive readmissions. "Thus hospitals are motivated because now they are penalized when patients come back with heart failure within 30 days," he says.

He also envisions its use in "telemedicine," where an internet hookup will connect to a patient wearing the device, and will be able to measure important vital signs remotely, and transmit data on a regular basis, without having to go to the doctor or hospital in person, unless it is necessary.

"The most important thing is that we believe it will help save lives," Iskander adds. "But it also will almost certainly result in big savings in health care costs."

The cardio-pulmonary stethoscope evolved from research Iskander conducted years ago for the Air Force, when he was studying the effects of electromagnetic radiation on humans and developing safety standards for microwave exposure.

"We were trying to evaluate safe levels, and the biological effects of working with microwaves, and we were exploring the use of microwaves in medical applications," he says.

In doing so, he discovered that microwave signals reflect changes in lung water, forming the basis for his invention.

"If the lungs have too much water, the magnitude of the microwave signal is reduced because water absorbs microwaves," he says. "The more water, the weaker the signal."

NSF supported Iskander with a $50,000 Innovation Corps (I-Corps) grant, awarded in 2013, which supports a set of activities and programs that prepare scientists and engineers to extend their focus beyond the laboratory into the commercial world.

The goal of the I-Corps program is to help researchers translate their discoveries into technologies with near-term benefits for the economy and society. It is a public-private partnership program that teaches grantees to identify valuable product opportunities that can emerge from academic research, and offers entrepreneurship training to student participants.

Iskander recently formed a company, MiWa Technologies, which ultimately will manufacture and market the stethoscope. He has applied for patents, and is seeking additional funding for continuing research and to conduct clinical trials. A recent National Institutes of Health scientific review panel called the clinical significance of his work "very high," adding that the tool could "significantly impact the assessment and management of subjects with HF (Heart Failure) and respiratory failure."

Years ago, when he designed his first cardio-pulmonary stethoscope, he estimates that the components would have cost about $150,000 to build one instrument. Today, thanks to wireless technology and digital processing, the same components that go into manufacturing cell phones, his costs are but a fraction of that amount. Moreover, "the stethoscope actually is more accurate," he says.

-- Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation
Investigators
Magdy Iskander
Nuri Celik
Zhengqing Yun
Marcelo Kobayashi

U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR JUNE 25, 2014

FROM:   U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

CONTRACTS

NAVY

Raytheon Co., Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $223,081,894 fixed-price-incentive-firm contract for the procurement of 485 AIM-9X Block II All Up Round Tactical Low Rate Initial Production Lot 14 Missiles for the U.S. Navy (161), U.S. Air Force (158), and the governments of Singapore (20), the Netherlands (28), Kuwait (1), and Turkey (117). In addition, this contract provides for the procurement of 132 Block II Captive Air Training Missiles for the U.S. Navy (47), U.S. Air Force (55), and the governments of the Netherlands (20), Singapore (8), and Morocco (2); 27 Special Air Training Missiles for the U.S. Navy (13), U.S. Air Force (12), and the government of the Netherlands (2); 180 All Up Round Containers for the U.S. Navy (59), U.S. Air Force (60), and the governments of the Netherlands (18), Morocco (1), Singapore (8), and Turkey (34); two Spare Advanced Optical Target Detectors for the governments of Singapore (1), and Morocco (1); 10 Spare Tactical Guidance Units for the governments of the Netherlands (2), Singapore (2), and Turkey (6); and seven Spare Captive Air Training Missile Guidance Units for the governments of the Netherlands (2), and Singapore (5). Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (43.74 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (10.08 percent); Valencia, California (6.10 percent); Midland, Ontario, Canada (5.54 percent); Rocket Center, West Virginia (5.49 percent); Vancouver, Washington (5.07 percent); Goleta, California (2.86 percent); Cheshire, Connecticut (2.05 percent); Heilbronn, DE, Germany (1.88 percent); Simsbury, Connecticut (1.61 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (1.22 percent); San Jose, California (1.48 percent); Anniston, Alabama (1.31 percent); Maniago, Italy (1.21 percent); Chatsworth, California (1.11 percent); San Diego, California (1.04 percent); Montgomery, Alabama (.60 percent); Orlando, Florida (.55 percent); Valencia, California (.53 percent); Newbury Park, California (.50 percent); El Segundo, California (.50 percent); Claremont, California (.43 percent); Joplin, Missouri (.39 percent); Lombard, Illinois (.28 percent); El Cajon, California (.15 percent); and various locations inside and outside the continental United States (3.98 and .30 percent, respectively). Work is expected to be completed in December 2016. Fiscal 2014 weapons procurement (Navy) and missile procurement (Air Force), as well as foreign military funds in the amount of $223,081,894 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($74,071,450; 33.20 percent); U.S. Air Force ($74,148,758; 33.24 percent); and the governments of Turkey ($46,902,085; 21.03 percent); the Netherlands ($16,471,972: 7.38 percent); Singapore ($10,574,904: 4.74 percent); Morocco ($522,442; .23 percent); and Kuwait ($390,283; .18 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to FAR 6.302-1. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N00019-14-C-0053).

Raytheon Missile Systems, Tucson, Arizona, is being awarded a $28,186,692 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-11-C-0001) for the procurement of 774 AIM-9X Production Inertial Measurement Units retrofits and upgrades, and an engineering investigation for the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Air Force. In addition, this modification provides for the procurement of 30 AIM-9X Block II All Up Round Tactical Low Rate Initial Production Lot 14 Missiles, 30 Block II Captive Air Training Missiles, 18 All Up Round Containers, one Spare Advanced Optical Target Detector, two Spare Tactical Guidance Units, eight Spare Captive Air Training Missile Guidance Units, and one lot of tooling for the government of Belgium. Work will be performed in Tucson, Arizona (43.74 percent); Andover, Massachusetts (10.08 percent); Valencia, California (6.10 percent); Midland, Ontario, Canada (5.54 percent); Rocket Center, West Virginia (5.49 percent); Vancouver, Washington (5.07 percent); Goleta, California (2.86 percent); Cheshire, Connecticut (2.05 percent); Heilbronn, DE, Germany (1.88 percent); Simsbury, Connecticut (1.61 percent); Cincinnati, Ohio (1.22 percent); San Jose, California (1.48 percent); Anniston, Alabama (1.31 percent); Maniago, Italy (1.21 percent); Chatsworth, California (1.11 percent); San Diego, California (1.04 percent); Montgomery, Alabama (.60 percent); Orlando, Florida (.55 percent); Valencia, California (.53 percent); Newbury Park, California (.50 percent); El Segundo, California (.50 percent); Claremont, California (.43 percent); Joplin, Missouri (.39 percent); Lombard, Illinois (.28 percent); El Cajon, California (.15 percent); and various locations inside and outside the continental United States (3.98 and .30 percent, respectively). Work is expected to be completed in December 2016. Fiscal 2013 weapons procurement (Navy) and fiscal 2012 missile procurement (Air Force), as well as FMS funds in the amount of $28,186,692 are being obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($2,877,451; 10.2 percent); U.S. Air Force ($3,410,626; 12.1 percent), and the government of Belgium ($21,898,615; 77.7 percent) under the FMS Program. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

American Systems Corp., Chantilly, Virginia (N62583-12-D-0780), and Advanced Technology International, Anderson, South Carolina (N62583-12-D-0781), are each being awarded option year two under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price multiple award contract for field test and evaluation support services in support of the Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme. The work to be performed provides for technology research and development support, field test and evaluation support, program/project planning, project management, equipment/components development and fabrications, administrative support, and assessment, analytical, and documentation throughout the world. The combined total value for both contractors is $15,000,000. No task orders are being issued at this time. All work on this contract will be performed at various installations world-wide, and work for this option period is expected to be completed June 2015. No funds will be obligated at time of award; fiscal 2014 and 2015 operation and maintenance (Navy), and fiscal 2014 and 2015 other procurement (Navy) funds, will be obligated on individual task orders as they are issued. The Naval Facilities Engineering and Expeditionary Warfare Center, Port Hueneme, California, is the contracting activity.

The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is being awarded $14,863,552 for delivery order 3051 against a previously issued Basic Ordering Agreement (N00019-11-G-0001) for the P-8A Poseidon Increment 3 Interface Development. This order includes two Mission Systems Emulation Environment (MSEE) units with all required hardware, Tactical Open Mission software with P-8 baseline architecture interface data exposure modifications, interface adapter computer software configuration items, and P-8A real-time simulator and interactive warfare simulator. In addition, this order includes the development,
documentation, and delivery of hardware and software updates for four MSEE units. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed in September 2016. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $3,343,506 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems San Diego Ship Repair, San Diego, California, is being awarded a $14,772,006 modification to a previously awarded cost-plus-award-fee contract (N00024-12-C-4403) for USS Harpers Ferry (LSD 49) fiscal 2014 phased maintenance availability. A phased maintenance availability includes the planning and execution of depot-level maintenance, alterations and modifications that will update and improve the ship's military and technical capabilities. Work will be performed in San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by November 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Navy) and fiscal 2014 other procurement (Navy) funding in the amount of $14,772,006 will be obligated at the time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, California, is the contracting activity.

Raytheon Integrated Defense Systems, Portsmouth, Rhode Island, is being awarded a $14,078,807 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for NATO SEASPARROW Surface Missile System (NSSMS) design agent and special engineering tasks, land-based test site support, software maintenance support, and logistics management support services. This contract will provide the engineering and technical services necessary to support the ongoing development and life cycle support of the NSSMS. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, and is expected to be completed by June 2016. Fiscal 2014 other procurement (Navy), fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion (Navy), fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation, fiscal 2014 international funding and FMS funding in the amount of $7,896,498 will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington, District of Columbia, is the contracting activity (N00024-14-C-5400).

ARMY

Voith Hydro, Inc., York, Pennsylvania, was awarded a $47,257,431 firm-fixed-price contract with options for rehabilitation of three turbine generator units. Work will be performed at Center Hill Dam, Lancaster, Tennessee, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 28, 2018. Bids were solicited via the Internet with three received. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds are being obligated at the time of the award. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – Nashville District, Nashville, Tennessee, is the contracting activity (W912P5-14-C-0002).

RDR, Inc., Centreville, Virginia, was awarded a $7,492,815 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract with options for specialized professional services and training support for the Program Manager Special Programs program office. Work will be performed in Centreville, Virginia, with an estimated completion date of June 30, 2015. Five bids were solicited via the Internet with one received. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $1,786,551 are being obligated in this increment. Army Contracting Command – Natick Division, Natick, Massachusetts is the contracting activity (W911QY-14-C-0058).

ICx Technologies, Inc., doing business as Agentase, Inc., Elkridge, Maryland, was awarded a $6,574,220 modification (P00091) to contract (W911SR-08-C-0075) in support of the joint program manager, “Nuclear Biological Chemical Contamination Avoidance,” to procure spare parts for the low rate initial production, dismounted reconnaissance, sets, kits, and outfits configuration systems for the Army, Marine Corps, Air Force, Navy and civil support team. Fiscal 2014other procurement (Army) funds in the amount of $6,574,220 are being obligated at award. Work will be performed at Elkridge, Maryland, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2014. Army Contracting Command – Edgewood Division, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity.

AIR FORCE

Northrop Grumman, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $24,000,000 modification (P00005) for FA8650-10-D-1784 for Navigation Warfare Technology Research Modeling, Simulation, Wargaming and Analyses. The total cumulative face value of the indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity cost-plus-fixed-fee contract is now $48,000,000, with the modification providing for a ceiling increase from $24,000,000 to $48,000,000 under the basic contract. This modification will provide a bridge for the time necessary to prepare for re-competition of a follow-on contract. Work will be performed at San Diego, California, and is expected to be completed by April 26, 2017. New task orders will be awarded and funded by Air Force research and development, operations and maintenance, and aircraft and missile procurement funds. Air Force Research Laboratory/RQKS, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.

Exelis Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado, has been awarded an estimated $6,536,121 requirements-type contract with firm-fixed unit prices and cost reimbursable contract line numbers for material, appliances and above and beyond services for Family Housing maintenance services. The required maintenance services apply to all facilities, housing units and appurtenant housing support systems, such as garages, storage sheds, fences, grounds, landscaping, maintenance support buildings, utility lines, outdoor recreation areas and playgrounds. The contract supports military members and their families residing in government family housing facilities. The objective is to maintain housing facilities (1,903+ units) properly for facility life cycle sustainment and provide the expected quality and safe living conditions in compliance with U.S. Air Force family housing standards. Work will be performed at the Kaiserslautern Military Community in Germany comprising Landstuhl, Ramstein Air Base and Vogelweh Air Base, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 30, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition; the solicitation was posted electronically on the Federal Business Opportunities website and three offers were received. Military Family Housing appropriation for fiscal 2015, through the execution of individual task orders, will be used for the period Oct. 1, 2014 through Sept. 30, 2015. This is not a multi-year contract. The 700th Contracting Squadron, Kapaun Air Station, Kaiserslautern, Germany is the contracting activity (FA5613-14-D-0008).

NSA DIRECTOR & CYBERCOM COMMANDER WANTS BUSINESS-GOVERNMENT-ACADEMIA PARTNERSHIP

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Cybercom Chief: Partners Vital to Defending Infrastructure

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 25, 2014 – Building partnerships among the federal government, the private sector and academia is vital to bringing together capabilities in the defense of critical infrastructure, the commander of U.S. Cyber Command said yesterday.

Navy Adm. Michael S. Rogers, also director of the National Security Agency, shared his thoughts nearly 90 days after assuming command of Cybercom as he delivered the keynote address at the Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association cyber symposium in Baltimore.

“One of my first takeaways is cyber is the ultimate team sport,” he said. “There is no one single organization that has all the answers. There is no one single technology that will solve all of our problems [and] meet all of our challenges. This is a mission set that does not know clearly defined lines.”

The Defense Department, traditionally likes to use geography as one way to align its responsibilities to define its problem sets, the admiral said.

“Our networks just flat-out don’t recognize geography, which is one reason why U.S. Cyber Command is a little different,” Rogers said. “It is organized as a global command focused on a particular mission set.”

Rogers noted that DOD provides capabilities to support civil authorities in a wide range of scenarios almost every day all over the country.
“So cyber is no different in that regard,” he said. “But it’s different in the sense that it’s just something new.”

Rogers cited a recent meeting with the secretary of homeland security and the FBI director as one of the things he finds himself spending “a lot of time” doing: creating partnerships and relationships that help the U.S. government apply its capabilities to support the broader civil sector.

Cyber legislation “remains a very important part of this journey,” Rogers said, because while voluntary information-sharing has shown some progress, “it just has not gotten us where we need to be.”

“And I believe we have to come up with some vehicle to help the private sector deal with its very valid concerns about liability,” he added. “If we can’t bring this all together on a real-time basis, it’s like we’re fighting with one hand tied behind our backs. And it’s a losing defensive proposition to me.”

Rogers said being in a defensive mode means an organization is always responding and is “always behind the power curve in general.”

“My argument would be it’s the offensive piece that tends to have the easier job,” he said. “The defensive piece is really the hard work where partnerships, in particular, become so critical for us.”

Rogers also said he thinks Cybercom should assist its civilian counterparts in understanding how the federal government is organized to provide them cyber support.

“We are working our way through those steps right now,” he said, “but our ability to create those partnerships is critical to the future.”

The admiral also said he believes at some point in his time as commander of Cybercom, the nation will see efforts from another nation-state, group or set of individuals designed to cause destructive cyber impacts against critical U.S. infrastructure.

“I believe that will happen in my service lifetime,” he added. “So one of my primary focuses is how do you generate the capacity to stop that?”
DOD is going to be only one part of the effort, the admiral said.

“In the end, it’s about that broader set of partnerships,” Rogers told the audience. “They're going to be the key to our success.”

U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF MADAGASCAR ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Madagascar National Day

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 25, 2014

On behalf of President Obama and the American people I offer my heartfelt congratulations to the government and people of Madagascar as you celebrate your independence on June 26.

This year’s anniversary carries special significance as the first since Madagascar’s return to democratic rule.

We encourage the newly elected government to show its commitment to the Malagasy people by governing with transparency and respect for human rights and the rule of law. In times of crisis, we worked with you to advance the health and well-being of all your citizens. Now, in times of hope and opportunity, we look forward to deepening our partnership for peace and shared prosperity.

The United States recognizes that Madagascar’s strength and resilience lie in its people. We hope that this day will mark the start of a new and productive chapter in your history.

U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF MOZAMBIQUE ON THEIR NATIONAL DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Mozambican National Day

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 25, 2014

On behalf of President Obama and the American people, I am delighted to congratulate the people of Mozambique as you celebrate your national day on June 25.

My family has a special bond with the people of Mozambique. My wife, Teresa, was born and raised in Maputo. Her parents fell in love with your country and decided to raise their children there. Teresa’s father was a doctor who would make her rise at dawn to help treat sick children from poor families. To this day, she still speaks their language every day at home and she carries the extraordinary spirit of your people with her wherever she goes.

Mozambique is a longstanding partner of the United States. Together, our countries are working to ensure peace, progress, and shared prosperity for all. We are especially proud of our joint efforts to strengthen democracy, promote economic growth, and combat the scourge of wildlife trafficking and other transnational crimes.

I wish all Mozambicans a joyous 39th anniversary celebration and a bright and prosperous future.

REMARKS BY SECRETARY KERRY, TURKISH FOREIGN MINISTER BEFORE THEIR MEETING

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With Turkish Foreign Minister Davutoglu Before Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Brussels, Belgium

June 25, 2014

---

SECRETARY KERRY: Turkey is such a key partner in so many ways, but particularly given what is happening in Syria and now in Iraq with ISIL and the participation that we’ve had. We have obviously some major issues to confront. And also, we’ve been talking about Cyprus quietly and thoughtfully over a period of time. We’ll continue that discussion. I will be visiting there at some point in the next months; we’ve been talking about that. And so there’s a lot to discuss today, but we’re grateful for your friendship, Mr. Foreign Minister.

FOREIGN MINISTER DAVUTOGLU: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.

SECRETARY KERRY: (Inaudible.)

FOREIGN MINISTER DAVUTOGLU: Oh, it’s – no, no, it’s okay. (Laughter.) Of course, Turkey and the U.S. are two allies, and we are going through a very difficult process in neighboring regions of Turkey and the Mediterranean and the Middle East, and the Balkans and Black Sea. Now it is time to consult more frequently, act together as two strategic allies, and that cooperation will continue in all things and all challenges. Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER DAVUTOGLU: Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you for talking.

AG HOLDERS SAYS JUSTICE STILL LOOKING AT BANKS THAT AID CRIMINALS IN CONSUMER SCAMS,

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Monday, June 23, 2014

Attorney General Holder Vows Justice Department Will Continue to Look at Banks That Help Payment Processors Carry out Consumer Scams, Says More Cases to Be Resolved Soon

Attorney General Eric Holder on Monday said that the Justice Department will continue to investigate financial institutions that knowingly facilitate consumer scams, or that willfully look the other way in processing such fraudulent transactions. He acknowledged that multiple investigations were ongoing in this area, and said he expected several of those cases to be resolved in the coming months.

The department resolved the first such case in April, when Four Oaks of Bank of North Carolina agreed to pay penalties and a forfeiture for knowingly processing fraudulent transactions on behalf of a pyramid scheme. The Attorney General said the department is conducting a series of similar investigations involving allegations of banks enabling third-party payment processors to “siphon billions of dollars from consumers’ bank accounts in exchange for significant fees.”

“In the months ahead, we expect to resolve other investigations involving financial institutions that chose to process transactions even though they knew the transactions were fraudulent, or willfully ignored clear evidence of fraud,” Holder added.

A transcript of the Attorney General’s video message appears below:

“The Justice Department has made it a priority to fight consumer fraud of all kinds, from lottery scams to fake business opportunities to telemarketing fraud targeting Spanish-speaking customers.  All too often, scammers and fraudulent vendors attempt to prey on vulnerable consumers by using sophisticated systems to commit crimes.  But these fraudsters often can’t act alone.  In many cases, they need access to the banking system to pilfer money from their victims.  They frequently use third-party payment processers as intermediaries to route payments through financial institutions.  And in some cases, these financial institutions – rather than working diligently to protect customers’ hard-earned savings – have knowingly facilitated fraud against their customers or consciously chosen to look the other way.

“We at the Justice Department are determined to stop these illegal and unacceptable practices. While we will not target businesses operating within the bounds of the law, and we have no interest in pursuing or discouraging lawful conduct, our Consumer Protection Branch in the Civil Division is leading a range of investigations into banks that illegally enable businesses to siphon billions of dollars from consumers’ bank accounts in exchange for significant fees.

“In April, for example, the Department of Justice reached a settlement with Four Oaks Bank of North Carolina.  This institution permitted a third-party payment processor, which the bank knew was processing transactions reported as fraudulent, to originate $2.4 billion in debit transactions in exchange for over $850,000 in fees paid to the bank.  As a result of our investigation, a federal court has entered an order requiring Four Oaks to pay penalties and forfeiture totaling more than a million dollars and to implement reforms that will prevent this kind of rampant fraud in the future.

“In North Carolina and elsewhere, the Justice Department’s efforts are sending a clear message that such activities are irresponsible.  And they will not be tolerated.  In the months ahead, we expect to resolve other investigations involving financial institutions that chose to process transactions even though they knew the transactions were fraudulent, or willfully ignored clear evidence of fraud.

“The goal of these investigations is quite simple: to protect consumers from scam artists and collaborating institutions – in every circumstance and industry.  In the days ahead, the Justice Department will keep moving forward – guided by the facts and the law – to eliminate fraud targeting consumers while mitigating any impact on institutions not under investigation.  We must enforce the law against both the fraudsters who prey on consumers and the financial institutions who choose to allow these crimes to occur.  When we uncover evidence that financial institutions are knowingly assisting fraudsters, deliberately ignoring evidence of fraud, or intentionally disregarding obligations under federal law – we will not hesitate to act.  We will hold them accountable.  And we will never waver in our determination to protect honest, hardworking Americans from those who put their financial security in peril.”

FORMER EXEC. GOVERNMENT SUBCONTRACTOR SENTENCED FOR CONSPIRACY TO COMMIT BRIBERY

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Tuesday, June 24, 2014

Former Chesapeake, Virginia Subcontractor Sentenced for Conspiracy to Commit Bribery

Roderic J. Smith, 50, the co-founder and former president of a government contracting company, was sentenced yesterday to 48 months in prison, followed by one year of supervised release, for conspiracy to bribe public officials.   Smith was ordered to forfeit $175,000.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, United States Attorney Dana J. Boente, for the Eastern District of Virginia, Special Agent in Charge Robert Craig of the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS) Mid-Atlantic Field Office, Acting Executive Assistant Director Charles T. May, Jr., of the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) Atlantic Operations, and Special Agent in Charge Royce E. Curtin of the FBI’s Norfolk Field Office made the announcement today after sentencing by United States District Judge Henry Coke Morgan, Jr. of the Eastern District of Virginia.

On March 5, 2014, Smith pleaded guilty to a criminal information.   According to court documents, Smith was the co-founder and president of a contracting company located in Chesapeake, Virginia, that sought contracting business from the United States Navy Military Sealift Command.   In approximately November 2004, Smith joined an extensive bribery conspiracy that spanned four years, involved multiple co-conspirators, including two different companies, and resulted in the payment of more than $265,000 in cash bribes, among other things of value, to two public officials performing work for the Military Sealift Command, Kenny E. Toy and Scott B. Miserendino, Sr.   In exchange for the bribe payments, Smith’s business, referred to as Company A in court documents, received lucrative business from the Military Sealift Command that amounted to approximately $3 million in task orders during the time period of the conspiracy.

As part of his guilty plea, Smith also admitted to engaging in a scheme to conceal his criminal activity.   According to the plea agreement, Smith admitted to paying more than $85,000 to his business partner, Dwayne A. Hardman, in an attempt to prevent Hardman from reporting the bribery scheme to law enforcement authorities.

Earlier this year, four other individuals pleaded guilty in connection with the bribery scheme.   On Feb. 12, 2014, Kenny Toy, the former Afloat Programs Manager for the Military Sealift Command’s N6 Command, Control, Communication, and Computer Systems Directorate, pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from Smith and others.   On Feb. 18, 2014, Smith’s business partner, Dwayne A. Hardman, pleaded guilty to bribery.   On Feb. 19, 2014 and April 4, 2014, respectively, Smith’s associate, Michael P. McPhail, and another Smith associate, Adam C. White, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit bribery.

On May 23, 2014, a grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted two individuals in connection with the bribery scheme, Scott B. Miserendino, Sr., a former government contractor who performed work for the Military Sealift Command, and Timothy S. Miller, a businessman whose company sought contracting business from the Military Sealift Command.   The indictment charges Miserendino with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery, one count of bribery, one count of conspiracy to obstruct a criminal investigation and to tamper with a witness, and one count of obstruction of a criminal investigation.   The indictment charges Miller with one count of conspiracy to commit bribery and two counts of bribery.   The trial on these charges is scheduled to begin on Sept. 30, 2014, before Chief Judge Rebecca Beach Smith.   The charges in the indictment are merely accusations, and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case was investigated by the FBI, NCIS and DCIS.   The case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney Emily Rae Woods of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephen W. Haynie of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Virginia.

News Briefing Previews Test of Saucer Shaped Vehicle

SECRETARY TAKES PRESS QUESTIONS IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Press Availability at NATO Headquarters

Press Availability

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Brussels, Belgium

June 25, 2014

---

SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, everybody. Excuse me. As you know, this is the last foreign ministers gathering before NATO’s next Heads of State Summit in September. Excuse me, let me just get a little water here. (Laughter.) I’ve got the travel whatever. So today, we had a chance to take stock of the strong measures that have been taken in order to provide reassurance to our eastern allies on the land, on sea, and air, and we’ve taken measures that demonstrate that our Article 5 commitment is absolutely rock solid. We also affirmed NATO’s open door policy as well as the vital importance of having strong, capable partners.
Today we spent a significant amount of time in our discussions focused on Ukraine and our allies’ sustained support for Ukraine’s sovereignty and the right of its people to determine their own future. The Ukrainian Government has recently taken a series of important steps to forge a more inclusive society for all Ukrainians, no matter what language they speak or what region the country they live in or what their ethnic background may be. And after a free and fair election, the Ukrainian people celebrated a peaceful transfer of power earlier this month and are now implementing a ceasefire and a peace plan which offers constitutional reform, broad decentralization of power, and local autonomy to Ukraine’s regions and communities.
The United States commends the Ukrainian Government for reaching out to separatists and to the Russian Government. And now we believe it is critical for President Putin to prove by his actions, not just his words, that he is indeed fully committed to peace. It is critical for him to stop the flow of weapons and fighters across the border, to call publicly for the separatists to lay down their arms, to pull Russian forces and equipment back, and to help get OSCE hostages released.

Until Russia fully makes that kind of commitment to the peace process and to the stability of Ukraine, the United States and Europe are compelled to continue to prepare greater costs, including tough economic sanctions, with the hopes that they will not have to be used. But that is dependent on the choices that Russia and its president make in the next days and weeks.
As Secretary General Rasmussen has said, Russia’s recent moves in Ukraine served as a wakeup call. As our economies begin to grow again, a strong NATO requires defense spending by all, and President Obama is committed that the United States will do its part, and he has asked Congress for an additional $1 billion for defense spending in Europe.
As we head to the Wales summit, every ally spending less than 2 percent of their GDP needs to dig deeper and make a concrete commitment to do more. And all you have to do is look at a map in order to understand why – Ukraine, Iraq, Syria – all threats to peace and to security, and they surround the region.

On the minds of all of us today also is the situation in Iraq. Earlier this week, I traveled to Baghdad and Erbil at the request of President Obama, and while here I briefed my fellow foreign ministers on the conversations that I had with Iraq leaders. Iraq is obviously facing an extraordinary security challenge and a set of political challenges and choices. The United States is also working to support Iraq in its fight against ISIL. We need to remember that ISIL is a terrorist army that threatens not only Iraq, but threatens every country in the region which is opposed to it, and Europe and the United States.

Succeeding in this fight is going to require Iraqis to come together, finally, in order to form an inclusive government. And in every meeting with leaders of each of Iraq’s main communities, I stressed the importance, the urgency of them coming together to do just that.

President Obama has also asked me to travel to Saudi Arabia on Friday in order to meet with His Majesty King Abdullah and to discuss regional issues, including the situation in Iraq and how we can counter the shared threat that is posed by ISIL, as well to discuss our support for the moderate opposition in Syria. None of us need to be reminded that a faraway threat can have tragic consequences at home in the most unexpected way at the most unexpected moment.

Just a few months ago right here in Brussels, a man who had recently returned from fighting in Syria shot three people at a local museum. NATO allies in the entire international community must remain focused on combatting the growth of extremism. With the Wales summit in September, our alliance has the chance to become far more adaptable in how we meet emerging threats and far more capable in how we build the capacity of our countries to be able to not only respond to them but, more importantly, to preempt them.

One of the first tests of NATO’s ability to forge stronger, more capable partners will be resolute support – NATO’s post-2014 train, advise, and assist mission with the people of Afghanistan. And today we discussed our coordinated efforts to wind down our combat presence in Afghanistan while continuing our commitment to combatting terrorism and preserving the gains made by the people of Afghanistan. NATO, significantly, has succeeded as an alliance for more than six decades now because it has always recognized that security threats of the future will not always look like the security threats that you face today, and certainly not like those of the past.

Remarkably, this gathering that is now discussing Afghanistan – 50 nations – has come together and stayed together for 12 years. At a time when people doubt the ability of multilateral efforts to make a difference, the meeting here today stands in stark testimony to the contrary. It does make a difference. It has made a difference. And at the Wales conference – summit, I am confident that NATO will demonstrate strength at home in its unity and in meeting, in new ways, many of the 21st century challenges that we face today.

So I’d be happy to take some questions.

MS. PSAKI: The first question will be from Anne Gearan of The Washington Post.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, you said a moment ago that Russian President Putin will be judged by his actions, not his words, on Ukraine. He did call this week for the rescinding of the invasion powers for Ukraine, and that was acted on today. Is that enough, in your view, to at least start the conversation about what the West might do in response – specifically, not taking the sectoral sanctions step? Is there anything really practical that you want to see Putin do in the next couple of days before the EU meets on Friday to continue that conversation? The things you outlined are much more long term. What do you want to see him do in the next like 36 hours that would change that conversation on Friday?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, first of all, we are not announcing a new round of sanctions today, but we are going to continue to take steps to prepare in the event that the circumstances on the ground warrant those sanctions. And so we’re coordinating with our European partners in order to prepare for that.

Now, we are delighted that President Putin put to the Duma the retraction of that law which empowered Russia to take action in Ukraine. That’s important. It’s a great step. But it could be reversed in 10 minutes, and everyone knows that. The greatest difference will be made by the president publicly calling for the separatists to lay down their arms, by President Putin engaging his diplomatic service actively in the effort to help empty buildings, helping to get people to disarm, helping to convene the meetings that need to take place in order to negotiate and to move forward.

There are concrete actions – moving forces out, not allowing tanks and rocket launchers to actually cross the border. There are many concrete things that would make a difference, and we intend to work as cooperatively as possible. These aren’t – what we’re trying to do is make a set of concrete suggestions that really make the difference to what is happening on the ground. Yesterday, a helicopter – a Ukrainian helicopter was shot down and nine Ukrainian soldiers were killed. And it was shot down with a Russian weapon, with a MANPAD RPG capacity that took that helicopter out. And so it is – there are concrete steps, and we are prepared to work very, very closely with Russia in an effort to implement those steps.

And likewise, Ukraine also can take steps in a mutual way, and they’re prepared to do that. President Poroshenko obviously has done so by unilaterally putting in place a ceasefire and by taking great political heat himself in doing so. Now’s the time for this moment to really come together, and that is why the allies are talking about preparing sanctions – not implementing them today, but preparing them in the event that this effort were to fail.

MS. PSAKI: The next question is from Erik Eenlo from Baltic News Service.

QUESTION: Yes. This readiness action plan that NATO is preparing – is that something that addresses the Russian arms buildup and increasing number of military provocations in the Baltic Sea region?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, it certainly – that is part of it. But it’s also much broader than that. It’s an effort to recognize that we’re living in a different world. The type of threats that existed in the past are not what played out in Crimea, where you had soldiers who were hiding behind masks and without any identification on them, and a massive public relations campaign simultaneously denying the reality of what everybody was seeing on the ground; where you had this incredible capacity for deception, for denial, which was both a surrogate effort of a government and a linkage to activists, terrorists, and others.

That’s a new animal in a sense, and I think we’re seeing with ISIL crossing from Syria and moving rapidly into Iraq a similar kind of hybrid new form of effort, which is going to require people to think through strategically intelligence gathering, preparations, response, response times, nature of response. And that’s what the NATO alliance has always done effectively, and that’s what the – a lot of today’s discussion focused on, is how do you have not just permanent basing in certain places, but permanent vigilance and permanent capacity to be ahead of the curve. And that’s really the – that’s what readiness really means, and that will be a lot of the focus of the Wales summit.

MS. PSAKI: The final question is from James Rosen of Fox News.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. I wanted to ask about two different facets of the Iraq crisis, if I may. First, I presume you saw the comments that Prime Minister al-Maliki made in his weekly address, in which he spoke of a “national salvation government,” quote unquote, as a coup against constitutional processes in Iraq and one in which he declared his refusal to participate. I wonder what you make of those comments, whether you regard them as helpful or not to the task of government formation in Iraq, and whether it is still the professed position of the United States Government that the Obama Administration is utterly disinterested in the question of whether al-Maliki stays or goes.

And the second facet of the crisis I’d like to ask you about is this: I wonder if the disclosure that Iran has been secretly flying drones over Iraq – from an airfield in Baghdad, no less – and has been secretly shipping literally tons of military equipment to the central government in Baghdad serves effectively to complicate the United States’ own evolving military operations and diplomatic mission in Iraq, and whether in fact it represents a widening of the war there.

SECRETARY KERRY: So let me take each question. With respect to the prime minister’s remarks about a so-called salvation government, that is not something that I discussed with him. That is not something that was on the table in the context of our meetings while we were there. In fact, there was no discussion that I had with any of the leaders there regarding a so-called salvation government. And I’ve heard reports about it, but I’m not sure exactly what it is that he rejected or spoke to.

What I do know is that in the prime minister’s remarks today he did follow through on the commitments that he made in our discussions. He clearly committed to completing the electoral process, he committed to meeting on the 1st of July and having the Council of Representatives come together, and he committed to moving forward with the constitutional processes of government formation. And that is precisely what the United States was encouraging. He also called on all Iraqis to put aside their differences to unite in their efforts against terrorism. That is also what we had discussions about.

So what he said today with respect to the things we talked about was entirely in line with the conversations that I had with him when I was there. And the constitutional process that we’ve urged all Iraqis to commit to at this time, we believe is critical to the ability to form a government.

Now, Iraqis will decide that. And the United States is not disinterested in what happens in a future leadership, but the United States is not going to engage in the process of suggesting to Iraqis who that ought to be. It’s up to Iraqis to make those decisions. And we have stated clearly that we have an interest in a government that can unite Iraqis that, like Grand Ayatollah Sistani said, will not repeat the mistakes of the past and go backwards but can actually bring people together. It’s up to Iraqis to decide who has the ability to do that and who represents that future.
With respect to Iran and its intentions and role in Iraq, frankly, you should best direct that question to Iran and to the Government of Iraq. But from our point of view, we’ve made it clear to everyone in the region that we don’t need anything to take place that might exacerbate the sectarian divisions that are already at a heightened level of tension. And so it’s very important that nothing take place that contributes to the extremism or could act as a flash point with respect to the sectarian divide. And --

QUESTION: Has the war been widened?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, widened from what? Widened from five minutes ago, an hour ago, yesterday? It’s been widened, obviously, in the last days with the reports of IRGC personnel, of some people from Iran being engaged in Iraq, with perhaps even some Syrian activities therein. And that’s one of the reasons why government formation is so urgent so that the leaders of Iraq can begin to make decisions necessary to protect Iraq without outside forces moving to fill a vacuum.

And again, President Obama is very, very clear that our priority is that government formation, and we’re going to take every step we can over the next days. We had conversations about it here. There are people here who will be encouraging that to take place. I know William Hague, the foreign secretary of Great Britain, will be traveling there. He will be having conversations. This is a multiple allied interest in having a unity government that can move Iraq to the future and pull it back from this precipice. And all of us remain hopeful that in the next days that can happen.

Thank you all.