FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks Before His Meeting With Moldovan President Nicolae Timofti
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Presidential Residence
Chisinau, Moldova
December 4, 2013
Well, thank you very much, Mr. President. And Mr. Prime Minister, leaders of the parliament, and Madam Foreign Minister, it’s a great, great privilege for me to be here in Moldova. This is my first visit here, as you know well. Vice President Biden came here in 2011. I think I’m the first Secretary of State to come here since Jim Baker in the 1990s. That’s too long, too much of a gap. So it’s a real privilege for me to be able to be here.
Let me congratulate you and your government on the very important steps that you have taken and are taking. The reforms that you are putting in place, the courage that you are showing and your people are showing to express their determination to align themselves with Europe and with opportunity, to be free to choose where and how you will engage in your economic activity is fundamental. And we applaud you for it.
I know this is a short visit, and I apologize upfront for its brevity. But I would rather come here for part of the day today than miss it altogether. And I think it’s a very important moment for me to be able to come here. I have just come from the meetings of NATO in Brussels. There was a great deal of discussion about the Vilnius meeting and about your signature, your initials on both the Association Agreement as well as on the deep and concentrated free trade agreement. We are convinced that any country ought to be able to make a choice of where it wants to affiliate, where it wants to conduct its economic activities, and in what way at which it conducts its affairs without external interference, and certainly without external pressures that have a profound impact on your people.
So I am here to affirm to you that the United States will stand with you. We are strongly supportive of what you are trying to achieve. We’ve provided some assistance and we will provide more. And we will continue to work with you on this road to your return, if you will, to this affiliation with Europe. And we look forward to it. And I’m very grateful to you for your very generous welcome here today.
Thursday, December 5, 2013
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK REPORTS "U.S. EXPORTS REACH RECORD 192.7 BILLION IN OCTOBER"
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
U.S. Exports Reach a Record $192.7 Billion in October
Washington, D.C. – The United States exported a record $192.7 billion in goods and services in October 2013, according to data released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Commerce Department.
“With exports rising and the trade deficit falling, it is clear that President Obama’s National Export Initiative is getting results,” said Export-Import Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Today’s numbers are a welcome reminder of the importance of exports to the U.S. economy. Ex-Im plays a critical role in insuring that financing will not stand in the way of American businesses closing a sale overseas and creating jobs. And as another record month for American exporters and American jobs shows—the ‘Made in America’ brand remains a top seller.”
October’s figure is slightly larger than the previous high recorded in June, which was revised upward this month to $190.9 billion.
Exports of goods and services over the last twelve months totaled $2.3 trillion, which is 43.1 percent above the level of exports in 2009. Over the last twelve months, exports have been growing at an annualized rate of 9.8 percent when compared to 2009.
Over the last twelve months, among the major export markets (i.e., markets with at least $6 billion in annual imports of U.S. goods), the countries with the largest annualized increase in U.S. goods purchases, when compared to 2009, were Panama (27.6 percent), Russia (22.3 percent), United Arab Emirates (20.9 percent), Hong Kong (20.7 percent), Peru (20.2 percent), Chile (19.3 percent), Colombia (18.7 percent), Argentina (17.2 percent), Ecuador (16.9 percent), and Saudi Arabia (16.0 percent).
ABOUT EX-IM BANK:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that creates and maintains U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years (from Fiscal Year 2008), Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.6 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.
Ex-Im Bank approved $35.8 billion in total authorizations in FY 2012 – an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6.1 billion directly supporting small-business export sales – also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
U.S. Exports Reach a Record $192.7 Billion in October
Washington, D.C. – The United States exported a record $192.7 billion in goods and services in October 2013, according to data released today by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) of the U.S. Commerce Department.
“With exports rising and the trade deficit falling, it is clear that President Obama’s National Export Initiative is getting results,” said Export-Import Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Today’s numbers are a welcome reminder of the importance of exports to the U.S. economy. Ex-Im plays a critical role in insuring that financing will not stand in the way of American businesses closing a sale overseas and creating jobs. And as another record month for American exporters and American jobs shows—the ‘Made in America’ brand remains a top seller.”
October’s figure is slightly larger than the previous high recorded in June, which was revised upward this month to $190.9 billion.
Exports of goods and services over the last twelve months totaled $2.3 trillion, which is 43.1 percent above the level of exports in 2009. Over the last twelve months, exports have been growing at an annualized rate of 9.8 percent when compared to 2009.
Over the last twelve months, among the major export markets (i.e., markets with at least $6 billion in annual imports of U.S. goods), the countries with the largest annualized increase in U.S. goods purchases, when compared to 2009, were Panama (27.6 percent), Russia (22.3 percent), United Arab Emirates (20.9 percent), Hong Kong (20.7 percent), Peru (20.2 percent), Chile (19.3 percent), Colombia (18.7 percent), Argentina (17.2 percent), Ecuador (16.9 percent), and Saudi Arabia (16.0 percent).
ABOUT EX-IM BANK:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that creates and maintains U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years (from Fiscal Year 2008), Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers nearly $1.6 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.
Ex-Im Bank approved $35.8 billion in total authorizations in FY 2012 – an all-time Ex-Im record. This total includes more than $6.1 billion directly supporting small-business export sales – also an Ex-Im record. Ex-Im Bank's total authorizations are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and approximately 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
SEC CHARGES TRADER WITH INSIDER TRADING OF STOCK IN A CHINESE COMPANY
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a Miami-based trader with insider trading in the stock of a Chinese company and conducting illegal short sales in the securities of three other companies.
The SEC alleges that Charles Raymond Langston III learned confidential information in advance of a public announcement that significantly decreased the value of AutoChina International’s stock. Langston was solicited by placement agents to invest in a secondary offering of AutoChina stock. Despite agreeing to keep information confidential and not trade on it, he promptly sold short 29,000 shares of AutoChina stock in advance of the company’s public announcement that it had completed the secondary offering. To avoid detection, Langston made the trades through an entity he owned using a different broker and different account than he used to purchase shares in AutoChina’s initial offering. Langston made $193,108 in illegal profits by trading on the inside information.
“Langston agreed to keep confidential the information he learned from AutoChina’s placement agent and abstain from trading on it. Yet he chose to place personal greed ahead of the integrity of the securities markets,” said Eric I. Bustillo, director of the SEC’s Miami Regional Office.
The SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in Miami further alleges that Langston and two of his companies, Guarantee Reinsurance and CRL Management, violated Rule 105 of Regulation M, which prohibits the short sale of an equity security during a restricted period – generally five business days before a public offering – and the purchase of that same security through the offering. The rule addresses illegal short selling that can reduce offering proceeds received by companies by artificially depressing the market price shortly before the company prices its public offering. The SEC alleges that Langston through Guarantee Reinsurance and CRL Management made short sales in advance of separate secondary offerings by Wells Fargo, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Alcoa. He purchased shares in the same offerings. Langston and his companies’ violations of Rule 105 resulted in unlawful gains of more than $1.3 million.
“During restricted periods, Langston and his companies executed short sales that gamed the system and resulted in illegal profits,” said Glenn S. Gordon, associate director for enforcement in the SEC’s Miami Regional Office. “The SEC is resolutely committed to pursuing those who violate Rule 105.”
Langston has agreed to settle the insider trading charges by paying disgorgement of $193,108, prejudgment interest of $22,204, and a penalty of $193,108. Langston and the two companies also agreed to be enjoined for the short selling violations with monetary sanctions to be determined by the court at a later date. Langston neither admits nor denies the allegations that he violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 as well as Rule 105 of Regulation M of the Exchange Act.
The SEC’s case against Langston and his companies was investigated by Andre J. Zamorano and Kathleen Strandell in the Miami office, and supervised by Thierry Olivier Desmet. The SEC’s litigation is being led by Christopher E. Martin. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a Miami-based trader with insider trading in the stock of a Chinese company and conducting illegal short sales in the securities of three other companies.
The SEC alleges that Charles Raymond Langston III learned confidential information in advance of a public announcement that significantly decreased the value of AutoChina International’s stock. Langston was solicited by placement agents to invest in a secondary offering of AutoChina stock. Despite agreeing to keep information confidential and not trade on it, he promptly sold short 29,000 shares of AutoChina stock in advance of the company’s public announcement that it had completed the secondary offering. To avoid detection, Langston made the trades through an entity he owned using a different broker and different account than he used to purchase shares in AutoChina’s initial offering. Langston made $193,108 in illegal profits by trading on the inside information.
“Langston agreed to keep confidential the information he learned from AutoChina’s placement agent and abstain from trading on it. Yet he chose to place personal greed ahead of the integrity of the securities markets,” said Eric I. Bustillo, director of the SEC’s Miami Regional Office.
The SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in Miami further alleges that Langston and two of his companies, Guarantee Reinsurance and CRL Management, violated Rule 105 of Regulation M, which prohibits the short sale of an equity security during a restricted period – generally five business days before a public offering – and the purchase of that same security through the offering. The rule addresses illegal short selling that can reduce offering proceeds received by companies by artificially depressing the market price shortly before the company prices its public offering. The SEC alleges that Langston through Guarantee Reinsurance and CRL Management made short sales in advance of separate secondary offerings by Wells Fargo, Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, and Alcoa. He purchased shares in the same offerings. Langston and his companies’ violations of Rule 105 resulted in unlawful gains of more than $1.3 million.
“During restricted periods, Langston and his companies executed short sales that gamed the system and resulted in illegal profits,” said Glenn S. Gordon, associate director for enforcement in the SEC’s Miami Regional Office. “The SEC is resolutely committed to pursuing those who violate Rule 105.”
Langston has agreed to settle the insider trading charges by paying disgorgement of $193,108, prejudgment interest of $22,204, and a penalty of $193,108. Langston and the two companies also agreed to be enjoined for the short selling violations with monetary sanctions to be determined by the court at a later date. Langston neither admits nor denies the allegations that he violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 as well as Rule 105 of Regulation M of the Exchange Act.
The SEC’s case against Langston and his companies was investigated by Andre J. Zamorano and Kathleen Strandell in the Miami office, and supervised by Thierry Olivier Desmet. The SEC’s litigation is being led by Christopher E. Martin. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.
IRS REPORTS MORE THAN 122 MILLION TAX RETURNS e-FILED IN 2013
FROM: U.S. INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE
More than 122 million Returns e-Filed in 2013
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced a milestone for IRS e-file – more than 122 million returns were e-filed during 2013. The statistics provided today contain complete e-file totals for 2013.
This year, the IRS received more than 45.2 million returns from those who prepared and e-filed their own returns on home computers, up from 43.2 million a year earlier, an increase of 4.6 percent. E-filed returns from tax professionals increased slightly, totaling more than 77 million returns. Whether they are self prepared or prepared by a tax return preparer, 91 percent of all tax returns filed by individuals are prepared on computers using tax preparation software, which improves the accuracy of those returns.
Other highlights from the new filing season statistics show:
During 2013, the IRS issued more than 109 million refunds worth almost $300 billion.
Almost 77 percent of refund recipients chose to receive their refunds through direct deposit.
More people are using IRS.gov to get answers, file their returns and resolve issues. So far in 2013, the IRS web site has been accessed more than 430 million times, up almost 24 percent compared to the same time last year.
More than 122 million Returns e-Filed in 2013
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced a milestone for IRS e-file – more than 122 million returns were e-filed during 2013. The statistics provided today contain complete e-file totals for 2013.
This year, the IRS received more than 45.2 million returns from those who prepared and e-filed their own returns on home computers, up from 43.2 million a year earlier, an increase of 4.6 percent. E-filed returns from tax professionals increased slightly, totaling more than 77 million returns. Whether they are self prepared or prepared by a tax return preparer, 91 percent of all tax returns filed by individuals are prepared on computers using tax preparation software, which improves the accuracy of those returns.
Other highlights from the new filing season statistics show:
During 2013, the IRS issued more than 109 million refunds worth almost $300 billion.
Almost 77 percent of refund recipients chose to receive their refunds through direct deposit.
More people are using IRS.gov to get answers, file their returns and resolve issues. So far in 2013, the IRS web site has been accessed more than 430 million times, up almost 24 percent compared to the same time last year.
U.S. DEFENSE CONTRACTS FOR NOVEMBER 4, 2013
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS
ARMY
Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0001) (P00010); Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, (W91CRB-11-D-0002) (P00005); Booz Allen Hamilton, Mc Lean, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0003) (P00007); Exelis Inc., Alexandria, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0004) (P00010); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0005) (P00007); Wintec Arrowmaker, Inc.*, Fort Washington, Md., (W91CRB-11-D-0006) (P00006); Technical and Project Engineering LLC.*, Alexandria, Va. (W91CRB-11-D-0007) (P00005) were awarded an $80,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract modification. The modification increases the award ceiling from $400,000,000 to $480,000,000 in order to support the Army Research Laboratory’s increased unique mission cell requirements. Funding and location will be determined with each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with seven received. Army Contracting Command, Research Triangle Park, N.C., is the contracting activity.
Choctaw Transportation Company Inc., Dyersburg, Tenn., (W912EQ-14-D-0001); Luhr Bros., Inc., Columbia, Ill., (W912EQ-14-D-0002); Patton-Tully Marine LLC.*, Memphis, Tenn., (W912EQ-14-D-0003); Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Co., White Hall, Ark., (W912EQ-14-D-0004), were awarded a $48,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of various types of stone navigation structures to include all types of dikes, chevrons, bend-way weirs, hardpoints, and other river training structures in the Mississippi River between river miles 954.0 to 320. Funds and location will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is Dec. 3, 2016. Bids were solicited via the Internet with four received. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis, Tenn., is the contracting activity.
Northrop-Grumman, Huntsville, Ala. was awarded a $19,800,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for research and development of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Battle Command System. Work will be performed in Huntsville, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2015. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of a $19,800,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Two bids were solicited, with two received. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-0418). (Awarded Dec 3, 2013)
Oshkosh Corp, Oshkosh, Wisc., was awarded a $9,500,000 contract modification (P00029) to contract W56HZV-09-D-0159 to extend the vehicle ordering year for the family of medium tactical vehicles to cover Jan. 1 to May 15, 2014. This extension is based on lost ordering time due to a protest that occurred within ten days of this contract's award, Aug. 26, 2009, that lasted 131 days. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds will be determined by each order. Work will be performed in Oshkosh. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with three received. Army Contracting Command, Tank and Automotive, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 3, 2013)
NAVY
Maersk Line Ltd., Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $14,223,440 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00033-11-C-5400) to exercise option period two for the worldwide charter of one U.S.-flagged, Ice-class certified, double-hulled product tanker. The vessel provides worldwide bulk fuel support to the Department of Defense, including a delivery each year to Antarctica for the National Science Foundation and a delivery each year to Greenland for the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency-Energy. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed December 2014. If all option periods are exercised, work will continue through November 2016. Fiscal 2014 working capital contract funds in the amount of $11,495,657 are obligated on this award, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
CDM Federal Programs Corp., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded $10,730,846 for firm-fixed-price task order 0012 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62470-09-D-9037) for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command utility inventory and risk assessment pilot. The work to be performed is to migrate existing AutoCAD (computer aided design) data and/or version 2.6 geographic information system data for the water, wastewater, thermal, gas, compressed air, saltwater and electrical commodities into the latest respective version of the utilities geographic information systems models. The work to be performed is to also combine geographic information systems data with existing MAXIMO data, asset data in spreadsheets and other databases. Work will be performed at several Naval Facility Engineering Commands located at Jacksonville, Fla., San Diego, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Work is expected to be completed by September 2015. Fiscal 2014 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $10,730,846 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded $8,481,104 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 2035 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-11-G-0001) for follow-on integrated logistics support/engineering services for Harpoon/SLAM-ER Missile System and Harpoon Launch Systems for the U.S. Navy and various foreign military sales customers. Work will be performed in St. Charles, Mo. (91.17 percent); St. Louis, Mo. (5.43 percent); Yorktown, Va. (2.64 percent); Pt. Mugu, Calif. (.71 percent); and Oklahoma City, Okla. (.05 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2014. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($3,122,737; 36.82 percent); the governments of Korea ($759,253; 8.95 percent); Taiwan ($715,517; 8.43 percent); Turkey ($632,914; 7.46 percent); Egypt ($421,912; 4.97 percent); United Kingdom ($317,393; 3.74 percent); Japan ($302,563; 3.57 percent); Pakistan ($283,035; 3.34 percent); Australia ($260,331; 3.07 percent); Chile ($223,047; 2.63 percent); Saudi Arabia ($223,212; 2.63 percent); Canada ($204,204; 2.41 percent); Israel ($165,053; 1.95 percent); Bahrain ($109,006; 1.29 percent); United Arab Emirates ($106,102; 1.25 percent); the Netherlands ($83,584; .99 percent); Germany ($83,582; .99 percent); Kuwait ($77,246; .91 percent); Singapore ($75,386; .89 percent); Oman ($71,439; .84 percent); India ($64,462; .76 percent); Portugal ($62,687; .74 percent); Thailand ($45,825; .54 percent); Denmark ($41,791; .49 percent); and Malaysia ($28,823; .34 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy and FMS contract funds in the amount $8,481,104 will be obligated at time of award; $3,122,737 of which expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
Pfizer, Inc., has been awarded a $7,670,632 technology investment agreement. Pfizer shall perform a research and development program designed to develop a technology platform to identify and subsequently induce the production of protective antibodies to an emerging pathogen directly in an infected or exposed individual. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Mass. The estimated completion date is Dec. 8, 2016. Fiscal 2013 research and development funds are being obligated at time of award. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-14-3-0001).
*Small Business
CONTRACTS
ARMY
Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0001) (P00010); Battelle Memorial Institute, Columbus, Ohio, (W91CRB-11-D-0002) (P00005); Booz Allen Hamilton, Mc Lean, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0003) (P00007); Exelis Inc., Alexandria, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0004) (P00010); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Va., (W91CRB-11-D-0005) (P00007); Wintec Arrowmaker, Inc.*, Fort Washington, Md., (W91CRB-11-D-0006) (P00006); Technical and Project Engineering LLC.*, Alexandria, Va. (W91CRB-11-D-0007) (P00005) were awarded an $80,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract modification. The modification increases the award ceiling from $400,000,000 to $480,000,000 in order to support the Army Research Laboratory’s increased unique mission cell requirements. Funding and location will be determined with each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with seven received. Army Contracting Command, Research Triangle Park, N.C., is the contracting activity.
Choctaw Transportation Company Inc., Dyersburg, Tenn., (W912EQ-14-D-0001); Luhr Bros., Inc., Columbia, Ill., (W912EQ-14-D-0002); Patton-Tully Marine LLC.*, Memphis, Tenn., (W912EQ-14-D-0003); Pine Bluff Sand and Gravel Co., White Hall, Ark., (W912EQ-14-D-0004), were awarded a $48,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for the construction of various types of stone navigation structures to include all types of dikes, chevrons, bend-way weirs, hardpoints, and other river training structures in the Mississippi River between river miles 954.0 to 320. Funds and location will be determined with each order. Estimated completion date is Dec. 3, 2016. Bids were solicited via the Internet with four received. Army Corps of Engineers, Memphis, Tenn., is the contracting activity.
Northrop-Grumman, Huntsville, Ala. was awarded a $19,800,000 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for research and development of the Integrated Air and Missile Defense and Battle Command System. Work will be performed in Huntsville, with an estimated completion date of Sept. 30, 2015. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of a $19,800,000 were obligated at the time of the award. Two bids were solicited, with two received. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala., is the contracting activity (W31P4Q-08-C-0418). (Awarded Dec 3, 2013)
Oshkosh Corp, Oshkosh, Wisc., was awarded a $9,500,000 contract modification (P00029) to contract W56HZV-09-D-0159 to extend the vehicle ordering year for the family of medium tactical vehicles to cover Jan. 1 to May 15, 2014. This extension is based on lost ordering time due to a protest that occurred within ten days of this contract's award, Aug. 26, 2009, that lasted 131 days. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds will be determined by each order. Work will be performed in Oshkosh. Bids were solicited via the Internet, with three received. Army Contracting Command, Tank and Automotive, Warren, Mich., is the contracting activity. (Awarded Dec. 3, 2013)
NAVY
Maersk Line Ltd., Norfolk, Va., is being awarded a $14,223,440 modification under a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00033-11-C-5400) to exercise option period two for the worldwide charter of one U.S.-flagged, Ice-class certified, double-hulled product tanker. The vessel provides worldwide bulk fuel support to the Department of Defense, including a delivery each year to Antarctica for the National Science Foundation and a delivery each year to Greenland for the Department of Defense, Defense Logistics Agency-Energy. Work will be performed worldwide, and is expected to be completed December 2014. If all option periods are exercised, work will continue through November 2016. Fiscal 2014 working capital contract funds in the amount of $11,495,657 are obligated on this award, and will not expire at the end of the fiscal year. Military Sealift Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting activity.
CDM Federal Programs Corp., Fairfax, Va., is being awarded $10,730,846 for firm-fixed-price task order 0012 under a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N62470-09-D-9037) for the Naval Facilities Engineering Command utility inventory and risk assessment pilot. The work to be performed is to migrate existing AutoCAD (computer aided design) data and/or version 2.6 geographic information system data for the water, wastewater, thermal, gas, compressed air, saltwater and electrical commodities into the latest respective version of the utilities geographic information systems models. The work to be performed is to also combine geographic information systems data with existing MAXIMO data, asset data in spreadsheets and other databases. Work will be performed at several Naval Facility Engineering Commands located at Jacksonville, Fla., San Diego, Calif., and Washington, D.C. Work is expected to be completed by September 2015. Fiscal 2014 Navy working capital funds in the amount of $10,730,846 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. One proposal was received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity.
The Boeing Co., St. Louis, Mo., is being awarded $8,481,104 for firm-fixed-price delivery order 2035 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-11-G-0001) for follow-on integrated logistics support/engineering services for Harpoon/SLAM-ER Missile System and Harpoon Launch Systems for the U.S. Navy and various foreign military sales customers. Work will be performed in St. Charles, Mo. (91.17 percent); St. Louis, Mo. (5.43 percent); Yorktown, Va. (2.64 percent); Pt. Mugu, Calif. (.71 percent); and Oklahoma City, Okla. (.05 percent), and is expected to be completed in July 2014. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($3,122,737; 36.82 percent); the governments of Korea ($759,253; 8.95 percent); Taiwan ($715,517; 8.43 percent); Turkey ($632,914; 7.46 percent); Egypt ($421,912; 4.97 percent); United Kingdom ($317,393; 3.74 percent); Japan ($302,563; 3.57 percent); Pakistan ($283,035; 3.34 percent); Australia ($260,331; 3.07 percent); Chile ($223,047; 2.63 percent); Saudi Arabia ($223,212; 2.63 percent); Canada ($204,204; 2.41 percent); Israel ($165,053; 1.95 percent); Bahrain ($109,006; 1.29 percent); United Arab Emirates ($106,102; 1.25 percent); the Netherlands ($83,584; .99 percent); Germany ($83,582; .99 percent); Kuwait ($77,246; .91 percent); Singapore ($75,386; .89 percent); Oman ($71,439; .84 percent); India ($64,462; .76 percent); Portugal ($62,687; .74 percent); Thailand ($45,825; .54 percent); Denmark ($41,791; .49 percent); and Malaysia ($28,823; .34 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy and FMS contract funds in the amount $8,481,104 will be obligated at time of award; $3,122,737 of which expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY
Pfizer, Inc., has been awarded a $7,670,632 technology investment agreement. Pfizer shall perform a research and development program designed to develop a technology platform to identify and subsequently induce the production of protective antibodies to an emerging pathogen directly in an infected or exposed individual. Work will be performed in Cambridge, Mass. The estimated completion date is Dec. 8, 2016. Fiscal 2013 research and development funds are being obligated at time of award. The contracting activity is the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, Arlington, Va., (HR0011-14-3-0001).
*Small Business
HHS ARTICLE ON HOT-AIR BALLOON SAFETY
 |
| Credit: Wikimedia. |
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.
Riding in a hot-air balloon can give you beautiful views – but just like riding in a car, while mostly things go right, sometimes they can go seriously wrong. Researcher Sarah-Blythe Ballard of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health found this in a look at 12 years of federal transportation data on hot-air balloon tours:
“Of the 78 crashes that occurred during the study period, 83 percent resulted in serious injury or death.”
Ballard says most crashes occurred on landing. She advises passengers to listen carefully and follow their pilot’s instructions – including not standing up, or leaping out of the gondola, as the balloon lands.
The study in the journal Aviation, Space and Environmental Medicine was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Learn more at healthfinder.gov.
HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.
Last revised: December 3, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS ON INTERNATIONAL DAY OF PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 3, 2013
It is my great pleasure to join the world’s one billion persons with disabilities in recognizing the 21st International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Here in the United States, we’ve been witness to enormous progress in empowering people with disabilities to participate fully in activities that most of us take for granted. I remember the early days of the fight to make our country more accessible, from my work as a Lieutenant Governor and Senator to help open the path for the Wheelchair Division of the Boston Marathon and to open up Little League opportunities to kids with disabilities. It continued through my early Senate partnership with a Republican Senator, Lowell Weicker, to help unleash technology that has produced assistive devices for disabled people.
But my years in the Senate also taught me how much work remains to export the American gold standard – the Americans with Disabilities Act – to the rest of the world. During my final weeks as a Senator, I worked alongside Republican Senators from John McCain to John Barrasso, to try and ratify the Disabilities Treaty, an international agreement that can help protect the rights of Americans with disabilities when they live, work, travel, or study overseas. The goal is simple: to help lift other countries up to meet the standard the United States set more than 20 years ago. We fell just six votes short last year of exporting our American ideal, and now is the time to finish the job.
The need is enormous, and the imperative is urgent. What we did here at home with the ADA hasn’t even been remotely realized in many places overseas. At least 80 percent of the world’s persons with disabilities live in the developing world, too often in deplorable conditions of neglect and second class citizenship. Too many people, in too many places around the globe are subjected to unacceptable horrors simply because they have a disability. Moreover, for the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities who want to travel, study, work, and serve abroad, including our 5.5 million veterans with disabilities, the protections that they have grown accustomed to under the ADA and other ground-breaking U.S. legislation simply do not exist in many countries. We can change that. We can help expand opportunities abroad for Americans with disabilities, create new markets for American companies, and be in the strongest possible position to push for critically needed improvements around the world.
On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we reaffirm our determination to ensure that our disabled brothers and sisters can travel abroad with the same dignity and respect that they enjoy here at home, and that disabled people around the world can at last share in the promises that Americans believe are a right, not a privilege.
International Day of Persons with Disabilities
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 3, 2013
It is my great pleasure to join the world’s one billion persons with disabilities in recognizing the 21st International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
Here in the United States, we’ve been witness to enormous progress in empowering people with disabilities to participate fully in activities that most of us take for granted. I remember the early days of the fight to make our country more accessible, from my work as a Lieutenant Governor and Senator to help open the path for the Wheelchair Division of the Boston Marathon and to open up Little League opportunities to kids with disabilities. It continued through my early Senate partnership with a Republican Senator, Lowell Weicker, to help unleash technology that has produced assistive devices for disabled people.
But my years in the Senate also taught me how much work remains to export the American gold standard – the Americans with Disabilities Act – to the rest of the world. During my final weeks as a Senator, I worked alongside Republican Senators from John McCain to John Barrasso, to try and ratify the Disabilities Treaty, an international agreement that can help protect the rights of Americans with disabilities when they live, work, travel, or study overseas. The goal is simple: to help lift other countries up to meet the standard the United States set more than 20 years ago. We fell just six votes short last year of exporting our American ideal, and now is the time to finish the job.
The need is enormous, and the imperative is urgent. What we did here at home with the ADA hasn’t even been remotely realized in many places overseas. At least 80 percent of the world’s persons with disabilities live in the developing world, too often in deplorable conditions of neglect and second class citizenship. Too many people, in too many places around the globe are subjected to unacceptable horrors simply because they have a disability. Moreover, for the more than 50 million Americans with disabilities who want to travel, study, work, and serve abroad, including our 5.5 million veterans with disabilities, the protections that they have grown accustomed to under the ADA and other ground-breaking U.S. legislation simply do not exist in many countries. We can change that. We can help expand opportunities abroad for Americans with disabilities, create new markets for American companies, and be in the strongest possible position to push for critically needed improvements around the world.
On this International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we reaffirm our determination to ensure that our disabled brothers and sisters can travel abroad with the same dignity and respect that they enjoy here at home, and that disabled people around the world can at last share in the promises that Americans believe are a right, not a privilege.
SECRETARY GENERAL RASMUSSEN IS URGING AFGHAN GOVERNMENT TO SIGN SECURITY ACCORD
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Rasmussen Urges Afghanistan to Sign Security Agreement
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2013 – NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen opened the NATO Foreign Ministerial in Brussels today welcoming the Loya Jirga’s endorsement of the U.S.-Afghan security accord and urging the Afghan government give it a “timely signature.”
“The recent Loya Jirga showed very clearly the progress Afghanistan is making,” he said. “The Afghan forces did a remarkable job in ensuring that a gathering of such scale took place in a peaceful manner. And the participants delivered a clear message for continued partnership and cooperation.”
Speaking to reporters at the two-day ministerial, Rasmussen called the bilateral agreement important to the legal framework for the NATO-led mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces post-2014.
“We will be working closely with the Afghan government in the weeks ahead on this issue,” he said.
Afghan security forces “are already quite capable. But we do believe that they need our continued assistance, and that’s why we are prepared to deploy the so-called Resolute Support mission to Afghanistan,” Rasmussen said.
“My concern is that if we are not able to deploy a training mission to Afghanistan, it may have a negative impact on the security situation … [and] on the provision of financial aid to Afghanistan,” he said. It could also jeopardize pledges to finance the Afghan security forces and provide development assistance to the country, he noted.
Everything, he emphasized, hinges on a signed security agreement.
“It is clear that if there is no signature on the legal agreement, there can be no deployment and the planned assistance will be put at risk,” Rasmussen said. “It is my firm hope and intention, therefore, to continue our efforts to support Afghanistan once these agreements are concluded.”
Attendees at the foreign ministers’ sessions in Brussels are meeting with International Security Assistance Force partners and the Afghan foreign and interior ministers to discuss current operations and get updated on preparations for next year’s elections, he reported.
They kicked off meetings today with discussing about NATO’s summit next year in the United Kingdom. The summit is expected to focus on ensuring the alliance remains “fit, outward-looking and ready to respond to the challenges the future will bring,” Rasmussen said.
“There, we will chart the future of this alliance,” he said.
Rasmussen Urges Afghanistan to Sign Security Agreement
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Dec. 3, 2013 – NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen opened the NATO Foreign Ministerial in Brussels today welcoming the Loya Jirga’s endorsement of the U.S.-Afghan security accord and urging the Afghan government give it a “timely signature.”
“The recent Loya Jirga showed very clearly the progress Afghanistan is making,” he said. “The Afghan forces did a remarkable job in ensuring that a gathering of such scale took place in a peaceful manner. And the participants delivered a clear message for continued partnership and cooperation.”
Speaking to reporters at the two-day ministerial, Rasmussen called the bilateral agreement important to the legal framework for the NATO-led mission to train, advise and assist the Afghan security forces post-2014.
“We will be working closely with the Afghan government in the weeks ahead on this issue,” he said.
Afghan security forces “are already quite capable. But we do believe that they need our continued assistance, and that’s why we are prepared to deploy the so-called Resolute Support mission to Afghanistan,” Rasmussen said.
“My concern is that if we are not able to deploy a training mission to Afghanistan, it may have a negative impact on the security situation … [and] on the provision of financial aid to Afghanistan,” he said. It could also jeopardize pledges to finance the Afghan security forces and provide development assistance to the country, he noted.
Everything, he emphasized, hinges on a signed security agreement.
“It is clear that if there is no signature on the legal agreement, there can be no deployment and the planned assistance will be put at risk,” Rasmussen said. “It is my firm hope and intention, therefore, to continue our efforts to support Afghanistan once these agreements are concluded.”
Attendees at the foreign ministers’ sessions in Brussels are meeting with International Security Assistance Force partners and the Afghan foreign and interior ministers to discuss current operations and get updated on preparations for next year’s elections, he reported.
They kicked off meetings today with discussing about NATO’s summit next year in the United Kingdom. The summit is expected to focus on ensuring the alliance remains “fit, outward-looking and ready to respond to the challenges the future will bring,” Rasmussen said.
“There, we will chart the future of this alliance,” he said.
FORMER HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL EMPLOYEE DEBARRED FOR VIOLATIONS OF EXPORT LAWS
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
State Department Debars Former Honeywell International Employee for Export Violations
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
November 27, 2013
The State Department issued an order administratively debarring LeAnne Lesmeister, former compliance officer at Honeywell International, Inc. (Honeywell), from participating in any activities that are subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)(22 C.F.R. parts 120-130) for violations of the Arms Export Controls Act (AECA)(22 U.S.C. § 2778) and the ITAR.
Honeywell voluntarily disclosed to the Department numerous ITAR violations carried out by Ms. Lesmeister, its senior export compliance officer in Clearwater, Florida, between 2008 and 2012. Ms. Lesmeister, who had worked in export compliance at Honeywell for twenty-seven years, used her position to circumvent Honeywell’s export compliance program in the fabrication of various export control documents that Ms. Lesmeister presented as Department of State authorizations. Relying on these falsified authorizations, Honeywell exported defense articles, including technical data, and provided defense services to various foreign persons without Department approval in violation of the AECA and ITAR.
The State Department’s Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs performed an extensive compliance review of the disclosed violations. The results of that review indicated no direct harm to U.S. foreign policy or national security. The nature of the violations, however, prompted the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense Trade Controls in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to formally charge Ms. Lesmeister with twenty-one violations of the AECA and ITAR in connection with her creation and use of Department authorizations, containing false statements or omitting and misrepresenting material facts for the purpose of exporting, retransferring, or furnishing defense articles, technical data, or defense services, and causing the unauthorized export of technical data and provision of defense services.
This administrative debarment is the result of the Department’s first institution of an administrative proceeding by referral of a charging letter before an Administrative Law Judge for consideration pursuant to ITAR § 128.4. The referral and debarment followed Ms. Lesmeister's failure to answer the formal charges.
Acknowledging the serious nature of the violations, Honeywell cooperated fully with the Department’s review and implemented remedial measures to resolve the conditions that allowed the misconduct of one employee, in a position of authority, to bring about significant export compliance violations.
This administrative proceeding highlights the range of potential penalties that may be imposed by the Department on entities or individuals for ITAR violations. Individuals, if found culpable, may not be shielded by their employers for their independent violations. Those persons tasked with an entity’s export responsibilities, should be vigilant in their compliance with all export control regulations.
Under the terms of the administrative debarment, Ms. Lesmeister will be prevented from participating directly or indirectly in any activities that are subject to ITAR for a period of three years and until an application for reinstatement is submitted and approved by the Department. The Department determined that civil penalties were not appropriate at this time.
State Department Debars Former Honeywell International Employee for Export Violations
Bureau of Political-Military Affairs
November 27, 2013
The State Department issued an order administratively debarring LeAnne Lesmeister, former compliance officer at Honeywell International, Inc. (Honeywell), from participating in any activities that are subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR)(22 C.F.R. parts 120-130) for violations of the Arms Export Controls Act (AECA)(22 U.S.C. § 2778) and the ITAR.
Honeywell voluntarily disclosed to the Department numerous ITAR violations carried out by Ms. Lesmeister, its senior export compliance officer in Clearwater, Florida, between 2008 and 2012. Ms. Lesmeister, who had worked in export compliance at Honeywell for twenty-seven years, used her position to circumvent Honeywell’s export compliance program in the fabrication of various export control documents that Ms. Lesmeister presented as Department of State authorizations. Relying on these falsified authorizations, Honeywell exported defense articles, including technical data, and provided defense services to various foreign persons without Department approval in violation of the AECA and ITAR.
The State Department’s Office of Defense Trade Controls Compliance in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs performed an extensive compliance review of the disclosed violations. The results of that review indicated no direct harm to U.S. foreign policy or national security. The nature of the violations, however, prompted the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Defense Trade Controls in the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to formally charge Ms. Lesmeister with twenty-one violations of the AECA and ITAR in connection with her creation and use of Department authorizations, containing false statements or omitting and misrepresenting material facts for the purpose of exporting, retransferring, or furnishing defense articles, technical data, or defense services, and causing the unauthorized export of technical data and provision of defense services.
This administrative debarment is the result of the Department’s first institution of an administrative proceeding by referral of a charging letter before an Administrative Law Judge for consideration pursuant to ITAR § 128.4. The referral and debarment followed Ms. Lesmeister's failure to answer the formal charges.
Acknowledging the serious nature of the violations, Honeywell cooperated fully with the Department’s review and implemented remedial measures to resolve the conditions that allowed the misconduct of one employee, in a position of authority, to bring about significant export compliance violations.
This administrative proceeding highlights the range of potential penalties that may be imposed by the Department on entities or individuals for ITAR violations. Individuals, if found culpable, may not be shielded by their employers for their independent violations. Those persons tasked with an entity’s export responsibilities, should be vigilant in their compliance with all export control regulations.
Under the terms of the administrative debarment, Ms. Lesmeister will be prevented from participating directly or indirectly in any activities that are subject to ITAR for a period of three years and until an application for reinstatement is submitted and approved by the Department. The Department determined that civil penalties were not appropriate at this time.
SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Solo Press Availability at NATO
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
NATO Headquarters
Brussels, Belgium
December 3, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Good evening, everybody. Before we get to a discussion of the NATO business, I’d like to just spend a brief moment, if I can, saying something about events that the whole world is watching, and that is the situation in Ukraine. The powerful expressions of support for Europe in cities all across the Ukraine have really been quite extraordinary. People of all different backgrounds are giving voice to their very real and very deep aspirations, and we urge the Ukrainian Government to listen to the voices of its people who want to live in freedom and in opportunity and prosperity. And we urge all sides to conduct themselves peacefully. Violence has no place in a modern European state. And to work together, we think that is really the goal that everybody in the Ukraine should be pursuing, work together to get the Ukraine back on the road to European integration and to economic health. And we hope that that can happen as rapidly as possible.
Let me say that I’m very pleased to be back in Brussels and to be here working alongside my 27 fellow allied foreign ministers to prepare for the NATO summit in Wales that will take place in September of next year. 2014 is really going to be a pivotal time for NATO and for a transformation that is taking place with respect to NATO engagement and responsibilities. It will be a pivotal time for our alliance and for the transatlantic relationship.
We will mark a number of very important anniversaries in the U.S.-European relationship next year: 100 years since Sarajevo and the outbreak of World War I; 70 years since Normandy; 25 years since the Berlin Wall fell; and 15, 10, and 5 years since NATO’s post-Cold War enlargements. As our nation honors those anniversaries and comes together for both the EU and the NATO summits, we have to take every single opportunity in order to renew our commitment to the transatlantic relationship and to cement NATO’s role as the transatlantic core of a global security community.
The Secretary General has outlined three key areas for the South Wales summit: first, the way forward in Afghanistan; second, the capabilities that NATO will need to continue as the most successful political and security alliance that the world has ever seen; and third, NATO’s critical partnerships with countries from outside of the alliance.
Today, we discussed and we will discuss at much greater length tomorrow the tremendous progress that has been made in transitioning to full Afghan leadership in providing for that country’s security. We will also address the importance of maintaining a strong commitment to Afghanistan even after we end the NATO combat mission next year. The United States is committed to do its part in contributing to the new mission to train, advise, and assist Afghan security forces after 2014.
As that combat mission comes to a close, we must keep or make certain that we keep NATO finely tuned to be able to invest in the capabilities, the exercises, and the training that will enable all of our nations to be able to address the challenges of the future.
One lesson that we can certainly draw from NATO’s history, and that is the value of helping to support local security forces, particularly as a means of stabilizing post-conflict situations. We now need to institutionalize this ability to be able to train, and we need to do what we can to help countries that need and want our support in that training exercise.
Today, we also spoke about how we can energize existing partnership frameworks like the ones that exist in the countries of the Mediterranean and the Gulf, and how we can deepen cooperation with our key operational partners, those most capable are willing to deploy with us when and if needed. Both of these objectives will be critical parts of protecting our ability to deploy whenever and wherever needed.
We also recognized that the security threats of the future are not going to look like the security threats that we face today in many respects. I joined Minister Paet in signing a U.S.-Estonian Cyber Partnership Statement earlier today, and that commits both of us to do even more together in order to combat this real and growing security concern within the cyber sphere.
When NATO was established more than 60 years ago, President Truman remarked, “If there is anything inevitable, if there is anything unconquerable in the world today, it is the will of the people of all nations for freedom and peace.” Since then, NATO has played an absolutely essential role in supporting that will around the globe. As we build on today’s discussions and focus on our partnerships, our capabilities, and our enduring commitment to Afghanistan, I personally have every confidence that NATO will continue to protect freedom, continue to try to push for and bring about peace, and it will do so for decades to come.
So I thank you very much for being here and I’d be delighted to answer any questions.
MS. PSAKI: The first question will be from Michael Gordon of the New York Times.
QUESTION: Sir, the former commander of NATO and American forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, a man whom you’ve asked to help with the Middle East peace process, wrote last week in an op-ed article that it was a mistake to insist that President Karzai sign a BSA this year. And his basic argument was that the United States should not let one man – a departing president, no less – stand in the way of an agreement. As he wrote, “The United States should stay patient. It can say to Mr. Karzai if you want to reinforce Afghan democracy by letting your successor sign this security deal, we can live with that.”
Given all the sacrifices and the stakes involved, why is it – why shouldn’t the United States wait till after the next election, which is in April, for the agreement to be signed? What is the real deadline? And the NATO Secretary General just told us that he himself is not setting an exact date.
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, I’m not going to get into – I don’t think I’ve ever spoken with respect to a hard, fixed specific date except that the President of the United States has urged him to sign it by a period of time – urged him. I don’t think he set an ultimatum.
But the reason, Michael, is very clear. I mean, we’re not – this is not fooling around. This is serious business. There are over 50 nations who are engaged here through NATO in trying to help Afghanistan. And those nations have budget cycles. Those nations have planning requirements. Those nations have equipment requirements. They have deployment requirements. And all of those things are best managed with planning.
So what we are asking for is the optimum, which is to try to manage this transition in Afghanistan. And it is interesting that the vast majority of people in Afghanistan – the Loya Jirga, which President Karzai himself made the decision to go to – came out with a judgment that this ought to be signed so that it would optimize the opportunities for this transition in Afghanistan.
Now, can you maybe muddle through? Can you do other things? That’s not the issue here. The issue is: How do you get the best transition possible? How do you do the best planning possible? How do you lay the best groundwork possible? How do you give confidence to people in Afghanistan? How do you give confidence to the military that is in the midst of training? How do you give confidence to all those people running for office next year who are looking for some certainty as to what the basis and foundation of that election might be about?
And I think that it is important for the agreement to try to move forward. Now, it doesn’t have to be – his minister of defense can sign it, the government can sign it, somebody can accept responsibility for this. But I think it is important for planning purposes, for people who have been extraordinarily patient, who are trying to allocate major amounts of money to sustaining this effort in Afghanistan, to have knowledge of where they’re going.
We negotiated this agreement. I personally negotiated it with him and we came to a conclusion, and the President agreed and stood up and said this is what we’re going to do, we’re going to send it to the Loya Jirga, and if they approve, then we’ll send it to parliament and go forward. Now, I don’t believe in renegotiating unilaterally, and I don’t believe in and I don’t think President Obama appreciates, the amount of sacrifice that has been made by our troops, by the American people to contribute to the future of Afghanistan, that this somehow is being left in doubt at this critical moment. And I think all of our colleagues here today voiced a desire for their planning purposes and for the confidence that comes with the knowledge that we are moving in the same direction, that they all voiced hope that this can be done sooner, not later. And I think that’s what we need to aim for is sooner, not later, because that is what is best for Afghanistan.
MS. PSAKI: The next question will be from Ana Pisonero from Europa Press.
QUESTION: Secretary General, what more – what can NATO do to influence events on the ground in Ukraine? I mean, would the U.S. support maybe a more radical change of doing EU sanctions or something against Ukraine, or is this not something that we should think about at this time and just give space to both parties?
SECRETARY KERRY: I think NATO has done what it has done today, which is make a statement about it, but I don’t think NATO has a role. NATO is a defense alliance. It’s a national – it’s a security alliance. And NATO has spoken out, out of its concern, but it does not have a role, does not play a role, and is not contemplating a role. This is really something that the people of the Ukraine need to work out with their leadership, and the leadership needs to listen to the people and work out with the people.
Clearly, there is a very powerful evidence of people who would like to be associated with Europe and who had high hopes for their aspirations to be fulfilled through that association. And we stand with the vast majority of the Ukrainians who want to see this future for their country, and we commend the EU for keeping the door open to that. But that is not a NATO piece of business, beyond the statement that it has issued today.
MS. PSAKI: The final question is from Elise Labott of CNN.
QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, if I could just follow up on that, I mean, NATO is a defense alliance, but the U.S. gives a lot of money to Ukraine; it does have a lot of influence. So what can the U.S. do in particular? And to add to that, Russia has been taking a lot of heavy-handed tactics to stop this – people who have greater desires for economic integration with Europe. For months, they’ve taken a number of punitive measures to discourage East European nations from forming trade agreements with the EU, such as in Moldova where you’re visiting. So why aren’t you speaking out more forceful on this?
And while I have you, on the issue of detained Americans, we have several serious cases pending right now. The case of Merrill Newman – can you discuss what’s being done to bring him home? Today is also the fourth anniversary of Alan Gross’s detainment in Cuba. He says his nation has abandoned him. What do you say to that?
Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, let me speak first of all to Ukraine. Europe and Europe’s friends all decline to engage in a rather overt, and we think, inappropriate bidding war with respect to the choice that might or might not be made. And that choice, obviously, is distinguishable between a choice made by the leadership versus the choice that is being made by the people. And that’s why people in unbelievable numbers are demonstrating across the Ukraine, because Mr. Yanukovych has obviously made a personal decision, and the people don’t agree with that decision.
We, like our European friends, believe that the people of Ukraine ought to have the right to be able to express themselves freely, without violence, and that the leadership in the Ukraine ought to listen to them. And there’s some evidence that in the last 24 hours that leadership has responded by saying that the door may, in fact, remain open and that they may relook at this issue. I don’t know.
I do know that we feel very strongly that they ought to make their own choice. They ought to be able to decide who they want to affiliate with, without a bidding war either in personal terms or in national terms, but rather based on the benefits that are available to them and the life that comes with it and the rights and benefits that they would like to be able to reach out to.
And I think that we’ve spoken out very, very clearly that we’re closely monitoring the situation on the ground. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland will be going there tomorrow and she will be joining other ministers who will be there for meetings. I personally will be going to Moldova in order to support that country’s European choice. And I look forward to visiting Ukraine when it, too, gets back on the path of European integration and economic responsibility. And we’ve spoken out very clearly about our desire to see the people of Ukraine be able to have their aspirations met by their own leadership in peaceful ways, without violence, which has no place in a modern European state.
That said, with respect to the number of American citizens who are being held in different places, we have been deeply involved in discussions on every one of those citizens. And we have been engaged behind the scenes – which is often the way these issues are best managed – in every single case in order to try to secure the safety of those people, and in order ultimately to be able to secure their release. And that is true of each of the individuals that you have listed.
In the case of Mr. Gross, we’ve had any number of initiatives and outreaches over the last several years and engagement with a number of different individuals who have traveled to Cuba, met with people individually there and elsewhere. And we are currently engaged in some discussions regarding that, which I’m not at liberty to go into in any kind of detail.
But the bottom line is that we have raised these issues not just in Korea – North Korea, not just in Cuba, but also with respect to a number of Americans who are held in Iran. And I have personally raised those names and those individuals with my counterpart as well as in other ways. And we are hopeful that in each case, at some point we will be able to win their freedom and have them rejoined with their families.
One day is too long to be in captivity, and one day for any American citizen is more than any American wants to see somebody endure. This has been too long in every case, and we will do everything we can and continue to. But these things are often best resolved in quiet diplomacy, under the radar screen, behind the scenes, and that is exactly what we have been pursuing. And when, in fact, we secure their release, the track record of those outreaches and those initiatives will speak for themselves as to how much effort and energy has been put into trying to secure their release. And God willing, we will get that done sooner rather than later, we hope.
MS. PSAKI: Thanks, everyone.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.
Solo Press Availability at NATO
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
NATO Headquarters
Brussels, Belgium
December 3, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Good evening, everybody. Before we get to a discussion of the NATO business, I’d like to just spend a brief moment, if I can, saying something about events that the whole world is watching, and that is the situation in Ukraine. The powerful expressions of support for Europe in cities all across the Ukraine have really been quite extraordinary. People of all different backgrounds are giving voice to their very real and very deep aspirations, and we urge the Ukrainian Government to listen to the voices of its people who want to live in freedom and in opportunity and prosperity. And we urge all sides to conduct themselves peacefully. Violence has no place in a modern European state. And to work together, we think that is really the goal that everybody in the Ukraine should be pursuing, work together to get the Ukraine back on the road to European integration and to economic health. And we hope that that can happen as rapidly as possible.
Let me say that I’m very pleased to be back in Brussels and to be here working alongside my 27 fellow allied foreign ministers to prepare for the NATO summit in Wales that will take place in September of next year. 2014 is really going to be a pivotal time for NATO and for a transformation that is taking place with respect to NATO engagement and responsibilities. It will be a pivotal time for our alliance and for the transatlantic relationship.
We will mark a number of very important anniversaries in the U.S.-European relationship next year: 100 years since Sarajevo and the outbreak of World War I; 70 years since Normandy; 25 years since the Berlin Wall fell; and 15, 10, and 5 years since NATO’s post-Cold War enlargements. As our nation honors those anniversaries and comes together for both the EU and the NATO summits, we have to take every single opportunity in order to renew our commitment to the transatlantic relationship and to cement NATO’s role as the transatlantic core of a global security community.
The Secretary General has outlined three key areas for the South Wales summit: first, the way forward in Afghanistan; second, the capabilities that NATO will need to continue as the most successful political and security alliance that the world has ever seen; and third, NATO’s critical partnerships with countries from outside of the alliance.
Today, we discussed and we will discuss at much greater length tomorrow the tremendous progress that has been made in transitioning to full Afghan leadership in providing for that country’s security. We will also address the importance of maintaining a strong commitment to Afghanistan even after we end the NATO combat mission next year. The United States is committed to do its part in contributing to the new mission to train, advise, and assist Afghan security forces after 2014.
As that combat mission comes to a close, we must keep or make certain that we keep NATO finely tuned to be able to invest in the capabilities, the exercises, and the training that will enable all of our nations to be able to address the challenges of the future.
One lesson that we can certainly draw from NATO’s history, and that is the value of helping to support local security forces, particularly as a means of stabilizing post-conflict situations. We now need to institutionalize this ability to be able to train, and we need to do what we can to help countries that need and want our support in that training exercise.
Today, we also spoke about how we can energize existing partnership frameworks like the ones that exist in the countries of the Mediterranean and the Gulf, and how we can deepen cooperation with our key operational partners, those most capable are willing to deploy with us when and if needed. Both of these objectives will be critical parts of protecting our ability to deploy whenever and wherever needed.
We also recognized that the security threats of the future are not going to look like the security threats that we face today in many respects. I joined Minister Paet in signing a U.S.-Estonian Cyber Partnership Statement earlier today, and that commits both of us to do even more together in order to combat this real and growing security concern within the cyber sphere.
When NATO was established more than 60 years ago, President Truman remarked, “If there is anything inevitable, if there is anything unconquerable in the world today, it is the will of the people of all nations for freedom and peace.” Since then, NATO has played an absolutely essential role in supporting that will around the globe. As we build on today’s discussions and focus on our partnerships, our capabilities, and our enduring commitment to Afghanistan, I personally have every confidence that NATO will continue to protect freedom, continue to try to push for and bring about peace, and it will do so for decades to come.
So I thank you very much for being here and I’d be delighted to answer any questions.
MS. PSAKI: The first question will be from Michael Gordon of the New York Times.
QUESTION: Sir, the former commander of NATO and American forces in Afghanistan, General John Allen, a man whom you’ve asked to help with the Middle East peace process, wrote last week in an op-ed article that it was a mistake to insist that President Karzai sign a BSA this year. And his basic argument was that the United States should not let one man – a departing president, no less – stand in the way of an agreement. As he wrote, “The United States should stay patient. It can say to Mr. Karzai if you want to reinforce Afghan democracy by letting your successor sign this security deal, we can live with that.”
Given all the sacrifices and the stakes involved, why is it – why shouldn’t the United States wait till after the next election, which is in April, for the agreement to be signed? What is the real deadline? And the NATO Secretary General just told us that he himself is not setting an exact date.
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, I’m not going to get into – I don’t think I’ve ever spoken with respect to a hard, fixed specific date except that the President of the United States has urged him to sign it by a period of time – urged him. I don’t think he set an ultimatum.
But the reason, Michael, is very clear. I mean, we’re not – this is not fooling around. This is serious business. There are over 50 nations who are engaged here through NATO in trying to help Afghanistan. And those nations have budget cycles. Those nations have planning requirements. Those nations have equipment requirements. They have deployment requirements. And all of those things are best managed with planning.
So what we are asking for is the optimum, which is to try to manage this transition in Afghanistan. And it is interesting that the vast majority of people in Afghanistan – the Loya Jirga, which President Karzai himself made the decision to go to – came out with a judgment that this ought to be signed so that it would optimize the opportunities for this transition in Afghanistan.
Now, can you maybe muddle through? Can you do other things? That’s not the issue here. The issue is: How do you get the best transition possible? How do you do the best planning possible? How do you lay the best groundwork possible? How do you give confidence to people in Afghanistan? How do you give confidence to the military that is in the midst of training? How do you give confidence to all those people running for office next year who are looking for some certainty as to what the basis and foundation of that election might be about?
And I think that it is important for the agreement to try to move forward. Now, it doesn’t have to be – his minister of defense can sign it, the government can sign it, somebody can accept responsibility for this. But I think it is important for planning purposes, for people who have been extraordinarily patient, who are trying to allocate major amounts of money to sustaining this effort in Afghanistan, to have knowledge of where they’re going.
We negotiated this agreement. I personally negotiated it with him and we came to a conclusion, and the President agreed and stood up and said this is what we’re going to do, we’re going to send it to the Loya Jirga, and if they approve, then we’ll send it to parliament and go forward. Now, I don’t believe in renegotiating unilaterally, and I don’t believe in and I don’t think President Obama appreciates, the amount of sacrifice that has been made by our troops, by the American people to contribute to the future of Afghanistan, that this somehow is being left in doubt at this critical moment. And I think all of our colleagues here today voiced a desire for their planning purposes and for the confidence that comes with the knowledge that we are moving in the same direction, that they all voiced hope that this can be done sooner, not later. And I think that’s what we need to aim for is sooner, not later, because that is what is best for Afghanistan.
MS. PSAKI: The next question will be from Ana Pisonero from Europa Press.
QUESTION: Secretary General, what more – what can NATO do to influence events on the ground in Ukraine? I mean, would the U.S. support maybe a more radical change of doing EU sanctions or something against Ukraine, or is this not something that we should think about at this time and just give space to both parties?
SECRETARY KERRY: I think NATO has done what it has done today, which is make a statement about it, but I don’t think NATO has a role. NATO is a defense alliance. It’s a national – it’s a security alliance. And NATO has spoken out, out of its concern, but it does not have a role, does not play a role, and is not contemplating a role. This is really something that the people of the Ukraine need to work out with their leadership, and the leadership needs to listen to the people and work out with the people.
Clearly, there is a very powerful evidence of people who would like to be associated with Europe and who had high hopes for their aspirations to be fulfilled through that association. And we stand with the vast majority of the Ukrainians who want to see this future for their country, and we commend the EU for keeping the door open to that. But that is not a NATO piece of business, beyond the statement that it has issued today.
MS. PSAKI: The final question is from Elise Labott of CNN.
QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, if I could just follow up on that, I mean, NATO is a defense alliance, but the U.S. gives a lot of money to Ukraine; it does have a lot of influence. So what can the U.S. do in particular? And to add to that, Russia has been taking a lot of heavy-handed tactics to stop this – people who have greater desires for economic integration with Europe. For months, they’ve taken a number of punitive measures to discourage East European nations from forming trade agreements with the EU, such as in Moldova where you’re visiting. So why aren’t you speaking out more forceful on this?
And while I have you, on the issue of detained Americans, we have several serious cases pending right now. The case of Merrill Newman – can you discuss what’s being done to bring him home? Today is also the fourth anniversary of Alan Gross’s detainment in Cuba. He says his nation has abandoned him. What do you say to that?
Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, let me speak first of all to Ukraine. Europe and Europe’s friends all decline to engage in a rather overt, and we think, inappropriate bidding war with respect to the choice that might or might not be made. And that choice, obviously, is distinguishable between a choice made by the leadership versus the choice that is being made by the people. And that’s why people in unbelievable numbers are demonstrating across the Ukraine, because Mr. Yanukovych has obviously made a personal decision, and the people don’t agree with that decision.
We, like our European friends, believe that the people of Ukraine ought to have the right to be able to express themselves freely, without violence, and that the leadership in the Ukraine ought to listen to them. And there’s some evidence that in the last 24 hours that leadership has responded by saying that the door may, in fact, remain open and that they may relook at this issue. I don’t know.
I do know that we feel very strongly that they ought to make their own choice. They ought to be able to decide who they want to affiliate with, without a bidding war either in personal terms or in national terms, but rather based on the benefits that are available to them and the life that comes with it and the rights and benefits that they would like to be able to reach out to.
And I think that we’ve spoken out very, very clearly that we’re closely monitoring the situation on the ground. Assistant Secretary of State Victoria Nuland will be going there tomorrow and she will be joining other ministers who will be there for meetings. I personally will be going to Moldova in order to support that country’s European choice. And I look forward to visiting Ukraine when it, too, gets back on the path of European integration and economic responsibility. And we’ve spoken out very clearly about our desire to see the people of Ukraine be able to have their aspirations met by their own leadership in peaceful ways, without violence, which has no place in a modern European state.
That said, with respect to the number of American citizens who are being held in different places, we have been deeply involved in discussions on every one of those citizens. And we have been engaged behind the scenes – which is often the way these issues are best managed – in every single case in order to try to secure the safety of those people, and in order ultimately to be able to secure their release. And that is true of each of the individuals that you have listed.
In the case of Mr. Gross, we’ve had any number of initiatives and outreaches over the last several years and engagement with a number of different individuals who have traveled to Cuba, met with people individually there and elsewhere. And we are currently engaged in some discussions regarding that, which I’m not at liberty to go into in any kind of detail.
But the bottom line is that we have raised these issues not just in Korea – North Korea, not just in Cuba, but also with respect to a number of Americans who are held in Iran. And I have personally raised those names and those individuals with my counterpart as well as in other ways. And we are hopeful that in each case, at some point we will be able to win their freedom and have them rejoined with their families.
One day is too long to be in captivity, and one day for any American citizen is more than any American wants to see somebody endure. This has been too long in every case, and we will do everything we can and continue to. But these things are often best resolved in quiet diplomacy, under the radar screen, behind the scenes, and that is exactly what we have been pursuing. And when, in fact, we secure their release, the track record of those outreaches and those initiatives will speak for themselves as to how much effort and energy has been put into trying to secure their release. And God willing, we will get that done sooner rather than later, we hope.
MS. PSAKI: Thanks, everyone.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.
COURT ORDERS TELEMARKETER AND OWNED COMPANIES TO PAY OVER $5 MILLION DUPED CONSUMERS
FROM: U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has ordered a Canadian telemarketer and four companies he owns to pay more than $5.1 million to American and Canadian consumers who were duped into paying hundreds of dollars based on false claims that the defendants had buyers lined up for their cars, and that refunds would be provided if the cars weren’t sold. The court also permanently banned the defendants from telemarketing and payment processing.
According to the FTC’s complaint against Matthew J. Loewen and his companies, the defendants called consumers who listed vehicles for sale on websites such as craigslist.org or ebay.com. The defendants falsely claimed that, in exchange for a fee, typically $399, they would put the consumer in touch with a buyer, often telling consumers they had undervalued the vehicle and that the price the buyer was willing to pay would cover the defendants’ fee. The defendants also offered $99 “refund insurance,” falsely promising consumers who purchased it a risk-free refund of their initial fee if the vehicle was not sold in 90 days.
On October 29, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington found the FTC’s allegations to be true and ruled that the defendants’ telemarketing operation violated the FTC Act and the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. According to the Court, the defendants’ promises to match consumers with car buyers was “simply false,” and the impression they conveyed of easily obtainable refunds was “decidedly deceptive.”
The Court also noted that, in order to evade detection, the defendants operated under a series of ever-changing corporate names (including Auto Marketing Group, Secure Auto Sales, and Vehicle Stars). It also cited the defendants’ high rate of credit card chargebacks – in which consumers dispute charges and get them reversed -- as further proof of the fraudulent nature of the defendants’ operation.
In addition to the Order requiring Loewen and his co-defendants to pay $5.1 million, the Court permanently banned Loewen and his companies from telemarketing and payment processing. The court order announced today also permanently prohibits the defendants from misrepresenting any material fact in selling used cars, including that they have identified potential buyers for a consumer’s vehicle and that, for a fee, they will put them in touch with the buyers. The defendants are also barred from misrepresenting that those who buy their services are highly likely to sell their vehicle, and that some or all of the initial fee will be refunded if the consumer buys a refund insurance policy and the vehicle is not sold within some period of time.
The order also bars the defendants from misrepresenting material facts about any goods or services, selling or otherwise benefitting from consumers’ personal information, failing to properly dispose of customer information, and violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
The FTC acknowledges the assistance of Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority, British Columbia, Canada.
To learn more about telemarketing scams, read Telemarketing Scams.
The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 5-0. The complaint against Defendants Matthew J. Loewen and his companies 0803065 B.C. Ltd., 0881046 B.C. Ltd., ReadyPay Services, Inc., and Xavier Processing Services, LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. The court entered summary judgment against the defendants on October 29, 2013.
At the Federal Trade Commission’s request, a federal court has ordered a Canadian telemarketer and four companies he owns to pay more than $5.1 million to American and Canadian consumers who were duped into paying hundreds of dollars based on false claims that the defendants had buyers lined up for their cars, and that refunds would be provided if the cars weren’t sold. The court also permanently banned the defendants from telemarketing and payment processing.
According to the FTC’s complaint against Matthew J. Loewen and his companies, the defendants called consumers who listed vehicles for sale on websites such as craigslist.org or ebay.com. The defendants falsely claimed that, in exchange for a fee, typically $399, they would put the consumer in touch with a buyer, often telling consumers they had undervalued the vehicle and that the price the buyer was willing to pay would cover the defendants’ fee. The defendants also offered $99 “refund insurance,” falsely promising consumers who purchased it a risk-free refund of their initial fee if the vehicle was not sold in 90 days.
On October 29, 2013, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington found the FTC’s allegations to be true and ruled that the defendants’ telemarketing operation violated the FTC Act and the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule. According to the Court, the defendants’ promises to match consumers with car buyers was “simply false,” and the impression they conveyed of easily obtainable refunds was “decidedly deceptive.”
The Court also noted that, in order to evade detection, the defendants operated under a series of ever-changing corporate names (including Auto Marketing Group, Secure Auto Sales, and Vehicle Stars). It also cited the defendants’ high rate of credit card chargebacks – in which consumers dispute charges and get them reversed -- as further proof of the fraudulent nature of the defendants’ operation.
In addition to the Order requiring Loewen and his co-defendants to pay $5.1 million, the Court permanently banned Loewen and his companies from telemarketing and payment processing. The court order announced today also permanently prohibits the defendants from misrepresenting any material fact in selling used cars, including that they have identified potential buyers for a consumer’s vehicle and that, for a fee, they will put them in touch with the buyers. The defendants are also barred from misrepresenting that those who buy their services are highly likely to sell their vehicle, and that some or all of the initial fee will be refunded if the consumer buys a refund insurance policy and the vehicle is not sold within some period of time.
The order also bars the defendants from misrepresenting material facts about any goods or services, selling or otherwise benefitting from consumers’ personal information, failing to properly dispose of customer information, and violating the Telemarketing Sales Rule.
The FTC acknowledges the assistance of Business Practices and Consumer Protection Authority, British Columbia, Canada.
To learn more about telemarketing scams, read Telemarketing Scams.
The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint was 5-0. The complaint against Defendants Matthew J. Loewen and his companies 0803065 B.C. Ltd., 0881046 B.C. Ltd., ReadyPay Services, Inc., and Xavier Processing Services, LLC, was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington in Seattle. The court entered summary judgment against the defendants on October 29, 2013.
NSF ON HOW CELLS FORM INTO INDIVIDUALS
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Researcher seeks to identify the pathway that leads to cells forming into an individual body
By studying how genes influence cells to migrate and mutate, scientist hopes findings will lead to improved cancer treatments
All organisms begin life as a microscopic cluster of cells. What happens next, as they develop, is a source of endless fascination for scientists.
"How do you go from just a ball of cells into an organism that has a shape, and fingers, toes and brain?" says Traci Stevens, associate professor of biology at Randolph-Macon College. "Cells have to move during development. How do they do it? What is involved? How does that ball of cells become an organized individual?"
Stevens, a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded scientist is trying to find out, specifically by learning more about the work of Abl, a gene responsible for regulating how cells migrate from that initial tiny collection of cells to form a shape and body parts. "It is a gene we all have, and it seems to work similarly in all organisms," she says.
Specifically, she is focusing on how Abl functions in Drosophila--the fruit fly--which has one Abl gene (humans--in fact, all vertebrates--have two related Abl genes, Abl 1 and Abl 2, whereas invertebrates have only one), making it easier to study. Moreover, "fruit flies have stages in development where we know exactly how the cells move and migrate in normal development," she says.
In her experiments, she activates a mutant form of Abl in the flies to see what happens as the altered gene disrupts the migration pattern. If she can see what goes wrong, she will understand what's supposed to go right. "When I can see what happens with a mutant form, it tells us what is supposed to happen normally," she says. "It seems like reverse logic, but that's how geneticists work."
Her research also involves using a genetic screen to search for other genes that interact with Abl. "We don't know all the details as to how Abl regulates cell migration, but we know Abl doesn't do it by itself, that it works with other proteins," she says.
Her work has potential applications in medicine, specifically for cancer treatment, since Abl "is misregulated in a lot of cancers," she says, adding that its dysfunction has an impact both on cell growth and how cancer cells metastasize. The gene is known to have a role in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), one of several types of leukemia, as well as in breast cancer, non small lung cancer and melanoma, she says.
To be sure, "we are many steps away, but by identifying not just Abl, but the things it interacts with, by understanding that pathway, it could help us control that pathway," she says. Ultimately, this could lead to the design of new drugs "that could inhibit or regulate this pathway in cases of cancer," she says.
She is conducting her research under an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, which she received in 2009 as part of NSF's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The award supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organization. NSF is funding her work with $883,365 over four years.
As part of the grant's educational component, Stevens hosts two high school students and their biology teacher in her lab during the summer. They attend Cosby High School, a science-based high school in Chesterfield, Va. "They come into the lab for five weeks and work on a project or two," she says. "Then at the end of the summer, they present a poster at a college-wide conference."
Stevens is especially proud that one of the participating teachers had an opportunity to present her work at a national Drosophila meeting. "That was a great experience for her," Stevens says.
Stevens is studying Abl's role in two specific stages of fruit fly development. The first, the formation of the epithelium, or skin of the embryo, a process known as dorsal closure, where "there is a big opening on the skin and the cells migrate to close all the way around the embryo," she says. The second, head involution, is when "the inside of the head is on the outside, and those cells migrate inward to form the head," she explains.
"Those are the two stages we study," she adds. "They are both happening at nearly the same time, but at different places. They occur the first day you have a fertilized egg, before it hatches into a larva. So we are looking at the very beginning. We analyze their phenotypes, that is, we look at what developmental processes did not occur properly. For example, are there holes in the head indicating that head involution did not occur properly? Or are there holes in the dorsal surface indicating that there were cell migration problems during dorsal closure?"
In fruit flies, the Abl protein, which is made from the Abl gene, is found in the cytoplasm of the cell just under the cell membrane, where it can control cell migration, rather than in the nucleus, where it could regulate cell division.
In humans, and other vertebrates, Abl 2 is in the cytoplasm, as it is with fruit flies, but Abl 1 "shuttles back and forth between the nucleus and the cytoplasm," she says. "So Abl 1 binds to DNA in the nucleus and controls cell division, which Abl in Drosophila and Abl 2 in humans don't seem to do."
Scientists don't yet understand how the duties are divided between the two Abls in vertebrates and/or whether the two vertebrate genes might play unique roles, that is, roles that Drosophila Abl does not, according to Stevens.
Thus, "the fruit fly can't tell us everything," she says. "But it can tell us how the gene influences how cells move, and that can tell us something about what happens in humans since that is a function conserved in both fruit flies and humans."
-- Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation
Investigators
Traci Stevens
Related Institutions/Organizations
Randolph-Macon College
Researcher seeks to identify the pathway that leads to cells forming into an individual body
By studying how genes influence cells to migrate and mutate, scientist hopes findings will lead to improved cancer treatments
All organisms begin life as a microscopic cluster of cells. What happens next, as they develop, is a source of endless fascination for scientists.
"How do you go from just a ball of cells into an organism that has a shape, and fingers, toes and brain?" says Traci Stevens, associate professor of biology at Randolph-Macon College. "Cells have to move during development. How do they do it? What is involved? How does that ball of cells become an organized individual?"
Stevens, a National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded scientist is trying to find out, specifically by learning more about the work of Abl, a gene responsible for regulating how cells migrate from that initial tiny collection of cells to form a shape and body parts. "It is a gene we all have, and it seems to work similarly in all organisms," she says.
Specifically, she is focusing on how Abl functions in Drosophila--the fruit fly--which has one Abl gene (humans--in fact, all vertebrates--have two related Abl genes, Abl 1 and Abl 2, whereas invertebrates have only one), making it easier to study. Moreover, "fruit flies have stages in development where we know exactly how the cells move and migrate in normal development," she says.
In her experiments, she activates a mutant form of Abl in the flies to see what happens as the altered gene disrupts the migration pattern. If she can see what goes wrong, she will understand what's supposed to go right. "When I can see what happens with a mutant form, it tells us what is supposed to happen normally," she says. "It seems like reverse logic, but that's how geneticists work."
Her research also involves using a genetic screen to search for other genes that interact with Abl. "We don't know all the details as to how Abl regulates cell migration, but we know Abl doesn't do it by itself, that it works with other proteins," she says.
Her work has potential applications in medicine, specifically for cancer treatment, since Abl "is misregulated in a lot of cancers," she says, adding that its dysfunction has an impact both on cell growth and how cancer cells metastasize. The gene is known to have a role in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia (CML), one of several types of leukemia, as well as in breast cancer, non small lung cancer and melanoma, she says.
To be sure, "we are many steps away, but by identifying not just Abl, but the things it interacts with, by understanding that pathway, it could help us control that pathway," she says. Ultimately, this could lead to the design of new drugs "that could inhibit or regulate this pathway in cases of cancer," she says.
She is conducting her research under an NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award, which she received in 2009 as part of NSF's American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The award supports junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organization. NSF is funding her work with $883,365 over four years.
As part of the grant's educational component, Stevens hosts two high school students and their biology teacher in her lab during the summer. They attend Cosby High School, a science-based high school in Chesterfield, Va. "They come into the lab for five weeks and work on a project or two," she says. "Then at the end of the summer, they present a poster at a college-wide conference."
Stevens is especially proud that one of the participating teachers had an opportunity to present her work at a national Drosophila meeting. "That was a great experience for her," Stevens says.
Stevens is studying Abl's role in two specific stages of fruit fly development. The first, the formation of the epithelium, or skin of the embryo, a process known as dorsal closure, where "there is a big opening on the skin and the cells migrate to close all the way around the embryo," she says. The second, head involution, is when "the inside of the head is on the outside, and those cells migrate inward to form the head," she explains.
"Those are the two stages we study," she adds. "They are both happening at nearly the same time, but at different places. They occur the first day you have a fertilized egg, before it hatches into a larva. So we are looking at the very beginning. We analyze their phenotypes, that is, we look at what developmental processes did not occur properly. For example, are there holes in the head indicating that head involution did not occur properly? Or are there holes in the dorsal surface indicating that there were cell migration problems during dorsal closure?"
In fruit flies, the Abl protein, which is made from the Abl gene, is found in the cytoplasm of the cell just under the cell membrane, where it can control cell migration, rather than in the nucleus, where it could regulate cell division.
In humans, and other vertebrates, Abl 2 is in the cytoplasm, as it is with fruit flies, but Abl 1 "shuttles back and forth between the nucleus and the cytoplasm," she says. "So Abl 1 binds to DNA in the nucleus and controls cell division, which Abl in Drosophila and Abl 2 in humans don't seem to do."
Scientists don't yet understand how the duties are divided between the two Abls in vertebrates and/or whether the two vertebrate genes might play unique roles, that is, roles that Drosophila Abl does not, according to Stevens.
Thus, "the fruit fly can't tell us everything," she says. "But it can tell us how the gene influences how cells move, and that can tell us something about what happens in humans since that is a function conserved in both fruit flies and humans."
-- Marlene Cimons, National Science Foundation
Investigators
Traci Stevens
Related Institutions/Organizations
Randolph-Macon College
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS AT CYBER PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT SIGNING IN BRUSSELS, BELGIUM
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at a Cyber Partnership Agreement Signing With Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
NATO
Brussels, Belgium
December 3, 2013
MODERATOR: Good afternoon, and thank you all for being here today. It is my pleasure to welcome Secretary of State Kerry and Estonian Foreign Minister Paet who will sign a U.S.-Estonia Cyber Partnership Statement. Estonia is a key ally of the United States and a recognized leader on issues of cyber security and internet freedom. This statement formalizes the commitment of the United States and Estonia to continue working together in key areas to enhance an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable information and communications infrastructure, and to prioritize openness and innovation on the internet.
We now turn to Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Paet for the signing of the statement.
(The statement was signed.)
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. Well, I’m very happy to join my counterpart, Foreign Minister Paet, in signing this internet statement, which pledges to increase the cooperation and continue the cooperation between the United States and Estonia with respect to cyber freedom, cyber security, internet freedom. And this is an effort that guarantees that a country like Estonia, which has been a great partner in fighting for internet freedom, is going to help us to build our law enforcement capacity, education capacity, civil society, and provide unfettered access to people for the social media and the internet, even as we manage complex problems in the internet. So we’re delighted and I thank you very, very much for joining with us on this.
FOREIGN MINISTER PAET: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. Do you want to say anything, too?
FOREIGN MINISTER PAET: Yeah, sure. I also thank – just to add that United States, of course, is for Estonia very important partner in cyber security issues, also internet freedom issues, and all different, so-called, “E” issues like e-government, e-administration, and so on. And I’m glad that we are not just doing our bilateral cooperation, but we already have done jointly some project in third countries. And I’m really glad that Estonia is experience in IT and e-developments has been really interesting also for more and more countries all around the world. Thank you for this great opportunity.
SECRETARY KERRY: Very much so. Thank you, Urmas. Thank you very much. Thank you very, very much.
FOREIGN MINISTER PAET: Thank you.
Remarks at a Cyber Partnership Agreement Signing With Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
NATO
Brussels, Belgium
December 3, 2013
MODERATOR: Good afternoon, and thank you all for being here today. It is my pleasure to welcome Secretary of State Kerry and Estonian Foreign Minister Paet who will sign a U.S.-Estonia Cyber Partnership Statement. Estonia is a key ally of the United States and a recognized leader on issues of cyber security and internet freedom. This statement formalizes the commitment of the United States and Estonia to continue working together in key areas to enhance an open, interoperable, secure, and reliable information and communications infrastructure, and to prioritize openness and innovation on the internet.
We now turn to Secretary Kerry and Foreign Minister Paet for the signing of the statement.
(The statement was signed.)
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. Well, I’m very happy to join my counterpart, Foreign Minister Paet, in signing this internet statement, which pledges to increase the cooperation and continue the cooperation between the United States and Estonia with respect to cyber freedom, cyber security, internet freedom. And this is an effort that guarantees that a country like Estonia, which has been a great partner in fighting for internet freedom, is going to help us to build our law enforcement capacity, education capacity, civil society, and provide unfettered access to people for the social media and the internet, even as we manage complex problems in the internet. So we’re delighted and I thank you very, very much for joining with us on this.
FOREIGN MINISTER PAET: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. Do you want to say anything, too?
FOREIGN MINISTER PAET: Yeah, sure. I also thank – just to add that United States, of course, is for Estonia very important partner in cyber security issues, also internet freedom issues, and all different, so-called, “E” issues like e-government, e-administration, and so on. And I’m glad that we are not just doing our bilateral cooperation, but we already have done jointly some project in third countries. And I’m really glad that Estonia is experience in IT and e-developments has been really interesting also for more and more countries all around the world. Thank you for this great opportunity.
SECRETARY KERRY: Very much so. Thank you, Urmas. Thank you very much. Thank you very, very much.
FOREIGN MINISTER PAET: Thank you.
U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR DECEMBER 3, 2013
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS
DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
Alion Science and Technology Corp., Burr Ridge, Ill., (HDTRA1-14-D-0002); Applied Research Associates, Albuquerque, N.M., (HDTRA1-14-D-0003); Engility Corp., Chantilly, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0004); Exelis Inc., Herndon, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0005); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0006); Raytheon Co., Dulles, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0007); and Leidos, Inc., McLean Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0008), were awarded a maximum $4,000,000,000 multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract titled Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Research and Technology Development IDIQ. This IDIQ provides for delivery/task orders to procure research and development, providing scientific and technological solutions to meet the DoD’s non-proliferation, counterproliferation, and consequence management objectives. Work will be performed at contractor facilities as well as at Fort Belvoir, Va., with an expected completion date of Dec. 3, 2018 (base period) followed by a five-year option period that, if exercised, will extend the end date to Dec. 3, 2023, but would not increase the ceiling value. The contract has a $100,000 minimum guarantee to each awardee. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and eight offers were received. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Research and Development Contracting Office DTRA/J4CRB, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Solution Dynamics Inc.*, Brookfield, Wis. (SPE8EC-14-D-0003) and Atlantic Diving Supply*, Virginia Beach, Va. (SPE8EC-14-D-0005), have been awarded a maximum $633,000,000 multiple-award, fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. These are two of up to 22 total five-year contracts being issued against solicitation number SPM8EC-11-R-0001, and are for the procurement of commercial type material handling equipment. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and thirty-one offers were received. Locations of performance are Wisconsin, Virginia, and England with a Dec. 2, 2018 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
MWI Veterinary Supply, Boise, Idaho, has been awarded a maximum $43,422,331 modification (P00102) exercising the second one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-11-D-0011) with four one-year option periods for veterinary pharmaceutical products. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Idaho, with a Dec. 5, 2014 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
Dixon Shane, doing business as R&S Northeast LLC*, Philadelphia, Pa., has been awarded a maximum $18,360,764 modification (P00157) exercising the fifth one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-08-D-0252) with nine one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical products. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a Dec. 11, 2014 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $81,183,198 modification (P00231) to an existing contract (FA8625-11-C-6597 ) to fund one C-130J (aircraft #4), advance (long-lead) procurement of aircrafts five and six, and external fuel tank modification kits for Israel. Work will be performed at Marietta, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2016. This contract is 100 percent foreign military sales for Israel. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WLNNC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., has been awarded a $48,500,000 modification (P00230) to previously awarded FA8625-11-C-6597 for advance procurement funding of long lead efforts associated with five additional C-130J aircraft. Work will be performed at Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2016. Fiscal 2012 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $48,500,000 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
NAVY
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is being awarded $73,913,646 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-12-C-4311) for DDG 51 and FFG 7 class integrated planning yard services. This effort will provide expert design, planning, and material support services for both maintenance and modernization. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to complete by December 2016. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $1,000 will be obligated at time of contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity.
L-3 Communications, Communication Systems--West, Salt Lake City, Utah, is being awarded a $22,921,771 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-2024) to exercise an option for the manufacture, test, delivery and support of four AN/SRQ-4 and 31 AN/ARQ-59 Common Data Link Hawklink radio terminal sets in support of the MH-60R aircraft. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (60 percent); Atlanta, Ga. (14 percent); Mountain View, Calif. (6 percent); Exeter, N.H. (2 percent); and Phoenix, Ariz.; El Cajon, Calif.; Oxnard, Calif.; Salinas, Calif.; Sunnyvale, Calif.; Boise, Idaho; Derby, Kan.; Littleton, Mass.; Stow, Mass.; Minnetonka, Minn.; Skokie, Ill.; Dover, N.H.; Bohemia, N.Y.; York Haven, Pa.; Providence, R.I.; Cedar Park, Texas; Fort Worth, Texas; and Toronto, Canada (1 percent each), and is expected to be completed in September 2017. Fiscal 2014 other procurement, Navy and fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement, Navy contract funds in the amount of $22,921,771 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
CONTRACTS
DEFENSE THREAT REDUCTION AGENCY
Alion Science and Technology Corp., Burr Ridge, Ill., (HDTRA1-14-D-0002); Applied Research Associates, Albuquerque, N.M., (HDTRA1-14-D-0003); Engility Corp., Chantilly, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0004); Exelis Inc., Herndon, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0005); Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Herndon, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0006); Raytheon Co., Dulles, Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0007); and Leidos, Inc., McLean Va., (HDTRA1-14-D-0008), were awarded a maximum $4,000,000,000 multiple-award, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract titled Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction Research and Technology Development IDIQ. This IDIQ provides for delivery/task orders to procure research and development, providing scientific and technological solutions to meet the DoD’s non-proliferation, counterproliferation, and consequence management objectives. Work will be performed at contractor facilities as well as at Fort Belvoir, Va., with an expected completion date of Dec. 3, 2018 (base period) followed by a five-year option period that, if exercised, will extend the end date to Dec. 3, 2023, but would not increase the ceiling value. The contract has a $100,000 minimum guarantee to each awardee. This contract was a competitive acquisition, and eight offers were received. The Defense Threat Reduction Agency, Research and Development Contracting Office DTRA/J4CRB, Fort Belvoir, Va., is the contracting activity.
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Solution Dynamics Inc.*, Brookfield, Wis. (SPE8EC-14-D-0003) and Atlantic Diving Supply*, Virginia Beach, Va. (SPE8EC-14-D-0005), have been awarded a maximum $633,000,000 multiple-award, fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract. These are two of up to 22 total five-year contracts being issued against solicitation number SPM8EC-11-R-0001, and are for the procurement of commercial type material handling equipment. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and thirty-one offers were received. Locations of performance are Wisconsin, Virginia, and England with a Dec. 2, 2018 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 through fiscal 2019 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
MWI Veterinary Supply, Boise, Idaho, has been awarded a maximum $43,422,331 modification (P00102) exercising the second one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-11-D-0011) with four one-year option periods for veterinary pharmaceutical products. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Idaho, with a Dec. 5, 2014 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2013 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
Dixon Shane, doing business as R&S Northeast LLC*, Philadelphia, Pa., has been awarded a maximum $18,360,764 modification (P00157) exercising the fifth one-year option period on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-08-D-0252) with nine one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical products. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a Dec. 11, 2014 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 warstopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
AIR FORCE
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., has been awarded a not-to-exceed $81,183,198 modification (P00231) to an existing contract (FA8625-11-C-6597 ) to fund one C-130J (aircraft #4), advance (long-lead) procurement of aircrafts five and six, and external fuel tank modification kits for Israel. Work will be performed at Marietta, Ga., and is expected to be completed by Jun. 30, 2016. This contract is 100 percent foreign military sales for Israel. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WLNNC, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., has been awarded a $48,500,000 modification (P00230) to previously awarded FA8625-11-C-6597 for advance procurement funding of long lead efforts associated with five additional C-130J aircraft. Work will be performed at Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., with an expected completion date of Dec. 31, 2016. Fiscal 2012 aircraft procurement funds in the amount of $48,500,000 are being obligated at time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
NAVY
General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, Maine, is being awarded $73,913,646 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-12-C-4311) for DDG 51 and FFG 7 class integrated planning yard services. This effort will provide expert design, planning, and material support services for both maintenance and modernization. Work will be performed in Bath, Maine, and is expected to complete by December 2016. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $1,000 will be obligated at time of contract award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington D.C., is the contracting activity.
L-3 Communications, Communication Systems--West, Salt Lake City, Utah, is being awarded a $22,921,771 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-2024) to exercise an option for the manufacture, test, delivery and support of four AN/SRQ-4 and 31 AN/ARQ-59 Common Data Link Hawklink radio terminal sets in support of the MH-60R aircraft. Work will be performed in Salt Lake City, Utah (60 percent); Atlanta, Ga. (14 percent); Mountain View, Calif. (6 percent); Exeter, N.H. (2 percent); and Phoenix, Ariz.; El Cajon, Calif.; Oxnard, Calif.; Salinas, Calif.; Sunnyvale, Calif.; Boise, Idaho; Derby, Kan.; Littleton, Mass.; Stow, Mass.; Minnetonka, Minn.; Skokie, Ill.; Dover, N.H.; Bohemia, N.Y.; York Haven, Pa.; Providence, R.I.; Cedar Park, Texas; Fort Worth, Texas; and Toronto, Canada (1 percent each), and is expected to be completed in September 2017. Fiscal 2014 other procurement, Navy and fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement, Navy contract funds in the amount of $22,921,771 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
FTC ASKS INTERNET SELLERS TO MAKE SURE CONSUMERS CAN EASILY VIEW WARRANTY INFORMATION
FROM: U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
As Holiday Shopping Season Gets Underway, FTC Reminds Internet Retailers to Ensure Consumers Have Access to Warranty Information
Federal Trade Commission staff is asking top Internet retailers to review their websites to ensure that they provide complete and accurate information about product warranties before consumers make their online purchases, as required by the FTC’s Pre-Sale Availability Rule.
The Rule requires retailers to make warranties available at the time of purchase for all warranted consumer products that cost more than $15. However, a recent staff survey found several instances of Internet sellers offering warranted consumer electronics and appliances for sale without disclosing complete warranty information.
“During the busy holiday shopping season, it’s especially important that consumers get the information they need to make informed buying decisions,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Internet sellers can help by making sure their websites are providing complete and accurate warranty information.”
The letters also inform the Internet sellers that they can comply with these obligations easily online by, for example, using a clearly-labeled hyperlink, in close proximity to the description of the warranted product, such as ‘get warranty information here’ to lead to the full text of the warranty.”
The letters note that FTC staff plan to revisit the websites after 90 days to ensure compliance with the regulations. The FTC cannot disclose the names of the warning letter recipients, as that is nonpublic information.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.
As Holiday Shopping Season Gets Underway, FTC Reminds Internet Retailers to Ensure Consumers Have Access to Warranty Information
Federal Trade Commission staff is asking top Internet retailers to review their websites to ensure that they provide complete and accurate information about product warranties before consumers make their online purchases, as required by the FTC’s Pre-Sale Availability Rule.
The Rule requires retailers to make warranties available at the time of purchase for all warranted consumer products that cost more than $15. However, a recent staff survey found several instances of Internet sellers offering warranted consumer electronics and appliances for sale without disclosing complete warranty information.
“During the busy holiday shopping season, it’s especially important that consumers get the information they need to make informed buying decisions,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Internet sellers can help by making sure their websites are providing complete and accurate warranty information.”
The letters also inform the Internet sellers that they can comply with these obligations easily online by, for example, using a clearly-labeled hyperlink, in close proximity to the description of the warranted product, such as ‘get warranty information here’ to lead to the full text of the warranty.”
The letters note that FTC staff plan to revisit the websites after 90 days to ensure compliance with the regulations. The FTC cannot disclose the names of the warning letter recipients, as that is nonpublic information.
The Federal Trade Commission works for consumers to prevent fraudulent, deceptive, and unfair business practices and to provide information to help spot, stop, and avoid them.
RECENT U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT PHOTOS FROM AFGHANISTAN
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
An illumination flare lights up a mountain near Observation Post Athens in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Nov. 27, 2013. A squad of Marines assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment provided security from the outpost, where they had an unobstructed view of their surroundings. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul Peterson.
The bridge and bazaar in the village of Kajaki sit beneath a mountaintop guard post on Observation Post Athens in Afghanistan's Helmand province, Nov. 28, 2013. The outpost gives Marines, assigned to 3rd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, a 365-degree view of the area around Kajaki. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Paul Peterson.
SECREATARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS AT PARTNERSHIP SYMPOSIUM OF THE GLOBAL FUND'S FORTH REPLENISHMENT
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at the Partnership Symposium of The Global Fund's Fourth Replenishment Conference
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Willard Hotel
Washington, DC
December 2, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you. Dr. Mboi, thank you very, very much for a very generous introduction. Thank you for your leadership, and thank you for traveling from so far to be here. And I know you haven’t adjusted yet. I asked her if she’d adjusted to the time difference, and she didn’t even answer, she was so stunned. (Laughter.)
It’s a pleasure to be here with so many leaders and activists from around the world, literally, and to share the stage with such a distinguished panel. It’s an honor for me to be here. When the folks at the Fund were looking for somebody to come and keynote this, they said they wanted somebody who would dazzle you with their speech and overcome all obstacles with their charm. And unfortunately, Elton John was not available – (laughter) – so here I am.
I want to thank Dr. Mark Dybul for bringing us all together. I have known Mark for a number of years now, and I think from the introduction you just heard from Minister Mboi, you understand that I am not – while I’m new as Secretary, I am not new to this issue or new to this effort because of my privilege of being on the Foreign Relations Committee and leading the charge on this back in the early 1990s. I’ve worked with Mark on the reauthorization of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2008, and Mark was a voice of clarity and conviction at a time when we really needed it and during that debate, and he’s brought those same qualities to the stewardship of the Fund, and I think all of you know that.
I also want to recognize Deb von Zinkernagel, as well as our – she’s our Acting Global AIDS Coordinator at the State Department, and John Monahan, who is our Special Representative to the Global Fund Replenishment and has done just a superb job of corralling and working. And I am very privileged to have such a competent team and so many people dedicated to this. I thank them for their work, as I thank all of you for your work.
Without any question, this decade really marks an amazing period of progress. I don’t think any of us would’ve quite foreseen it when we started tackling this back in the early 1990s and even in the late ’80s. I personally will never forget a few years ago, traveling with my wife Teresa to Umgeni Primary School in Durban, South Africa. And I really was moved. I was stunned, really, by the forced adulthood that so many young kids have assumed and lost their childhood in an effort to care for younger siblings. It’s quite remarkable. Our hearts really broke as we saw these orphans and watched these kids who had taken over, even taking care of their grandparents. We saw firsthand the courage of many single mothers who were scratching out an existence – subsistence, literally – in mud huts, their husbands lost to horrific disease and themselves infected and coughing and weak and struggling to be able to worry about their kids.
The fight against HIV/AIDS is the challenge of our generation in many ways, one of the principal challenges of our generation, certainly. And it is an enduring challenge, but thanks to landmark scientific advances and the grit and determination of many of you here in this room, we actually have put an AIDS-free generation within sight. That is a remarkable accomplishment, and everybody should feel good about their efforts. (Applause.)
It’s really a stunning story that speaks to the extraordinary progress that we’ve been able to make together in our global health efforts. It’s also a story about how the world came together to support a 40-fold increase in people receiving lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment during the past decade alone. It’s a story about how the global target of a 50 percent reduction in TB-related deaths by 2015 is now actually within reach. It’s a story about cutting malaria so dramatically in some regions that infant mortality has dropped by a third.
Since its inception, the Global Fund has been a vital partner in the fight against these three diseases. And I’m not chauvinistic when I say to you that we feel a certain pride, as I think all of you do. The United States is proud to be the Global Fund’s largest donor. And that’s why Republicans and Democrats alike, in one of those rare moments around here, have come together across two administrations and continued their broad bipartisan support for this Fund. That in itself is pretty improbable when I think back to the attitudes that we faced in the late ’80s and early 1990s. And that is precisely why we are challenging others to step up their commitments and make this replenishment cycle a huge success.
We’re very, very grateful for the major increases from our partners in the United Kingdom, the European Commission, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Japan, and the Netherlands, and we recognize the very strong support from France and Germany, among others. As the President said earlier today, the Administration will commit to seeking appropriations from Congress matching $1 for every $2 contributed by other countries over the next three years. And the Global Fund has obviously made unbelievable strides over the course of these past years because of this kind of support that is being given. No other international organization has undergone such profound changes in its business model, its management team, and the financial systems that have swept through the Global Fund over the course of this last decade.
Now, it’s important to underscore the reforms are not cosmetic. They are real. They’re tangible. And they are going to help save more lives, there’s no question. But we have to ask ourselves as we gather at this replenishment conference, where do we go from here? Where should we go from here? How can we build on the success and marshal the global effort that we need to defeat – not just stop or stem the tide of, but defeat – these devastating epidemics once and for all?
So let me start with HIV/AIDS. As I mentioned to you earlier, this is a fight that I have been privileged to be part of from the earliest days when Bill Frist and I were asked by CSIS to become the co-chairs of a task force which was then trying to learn more about it, literally examining what are the possibilities, what should we do about this in Congress, what can we do in the context of a legislative initiative. And so we ultimately came back and Senator Frist and I worked together on this comprehensive HIV/AIDS bill, which ultimately, believe it or not – and we were even surprised a little bit – we managed to get Jesse Helms to support, then the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. We passed it unanimously in the United States Senate. And I’m proud to say that that became the foundation of the PEPFAR program within a short period of time.
In September of this year, I hosted a session with top African leaders and stakeholders in order to launch the innovative concept of PEPFAR Country Health Partnerships, which try to bring this down to a grassroots-managed sustainable concept. Now more than a decade after PEPFAR was launched, Congress happily has reaffirmed the United States commitment to this historic health program and to fight against global AIDS by passing the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act. And just this afternoon, the President reminded us of his readiness to sign that bill into law.
Today, thanks to our collective investments, it is not an exaggeration to say that we are on the cusp of a really remarkable victory, the possibility of an AIDS-free generation. Now as President Obama announced earlier today, the United States is now supporting 6.7 million people on anti-retroviral treatment through PEPFAR. That is a four-fold increase since the beginning of this Administration. We’ve also reached 1.6 million HIV-positive pregnant women in order to prevent transmission to their babies. That’s also an accomplishment that we could’ve only dreamed of 10 years ago. If somebody had suggested that we were going to do that 10 years ago, they’d have thought you really didn’t understand the nature of this challenge and the crisis that we were up against.
With all of the work that has been done, with all of the hope that I think brings you all here today and tomorrow, now would be exactly the wrong time to pull back from what we have achieved. We need to move forward together, and we need to make sure that there are several principles that should guide us as we do so.
First, we need to continue to make strategic investments that are based on the latest science and the best practices. In tight budget environments in almost every one of our capitals, every dollar, every yen, pound, euro, all of them, are going to be competed for in a zero-sum game, and it’s going to be imperative that we come in and show people how we are producing and what we are getting for the value of that currency. That’s why we need to continue setting benchmarks for outcomes and put our weight behind HIV prevention. It doesn’t do you any good to simply be treating and treating and treating if all you’re doing is feeding an endless cycle and an endless supply of people to be treated. We have to begin to put in practices that stem that tide. And treatment and care interventions that work can make an enormous difference in creating the culture that can begin to do that.
Second, we need to focus on the impact of HIV/AIDS, the singular impact, on women and girls. We know that HIV remains the leading cause of disease and death for women of reproductive age in low and middle-income countries. We also know that women and girls represent nearly 60 percent of people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. That has to change.
And finally, the United States and Global Fund have to work with partners across the board – public and private – in order to improve the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs and pool the procurement of those drugs in order to drive down the costs.
Now, we also have to answer another crucial question: Are investments in global health something that we can actually afford? Well, I’d reverse that question. I’ve heard that, frankly, from some members of Congress and others as we get involved in this zero-sum competition that is driving so many governments in the world today. But the truth is, in an interconnected world, where drug-resistant tuberculosis could be on the next plane landing at Dulles, or Johannesburg, or London, the answer – emphatically – is we can’t afford not to invest in these programs that stem the spread of this kind of infectious disease. (Applause.)
TB is curable, and make no mistake: With the right effort and the right focus, the right energy, we can eliminate it. But for that to happen, we need an innovative plan, a plan of attack for addressing the alarming increase in multidrug-resistant TB. We also need to develop new and more effective drugs and diagnostics. And we need to work together in order to prevent tuberculosis-related deaths by focusing on HIV/TB co-infections. Happily, the Global Fund is the largest funder of TB programs in developing countries, and it is an absolutely vital pillar in the global plan to be able to stop TB in its tracks.
So clearly, our fight against TB and HIV/AIDS as I’ve just described to you is far from over. The fact is the same is true for malaria, and in malaria we actually face many new challenges. This is an improbable place to come and give a climate speech, but climate is having a profound impact on the movement of malaria. As our climate warms and as mosquitoes extend their range, which is what is happening, we see malaria surging in areas that have hardly ever seen it before, like the Kenyan Highlands.
Now, we’ve started to make some important progress in some areas. The President’s Malaria Initiative has expanded prevention and treatment for those most vulnerable to the disease, especially children under the age of five and pregnant women. And our financial and technical contributions are major drivers to reducing the burden of malaria on child mortality in many, many countries. The Global Fund is already playing a vital role in this effort.
So together, my friends, we are contributing and distributing tons – I mean literally. Actually, that’s a bad way to describe it. It’s tens of millions, tens of millions of mosquito nets and millions of doses of anti-malarial drugs in order to get them to those who need them the most. If we double down on our global efforts now, believe me, we have the ability to beat this disease, too.
So those are the stakes. This is our world. And the true measure of our success is not going to be what happens here in Washington. It’s going to be what happens in capitals from Maputo to Monrovia, from Kigali to Kabul. That’s where the difference will be made, and that’s why our partnership matters.
The partnership really comes directly from the board of the Fund to the hard work of governments represented here, civil society, faith leaders, and communities who are touching and healing the people who need our help. And that’s why the Global Fund and this year’s replenishment cycle are so absolutely vital.
I really do have faith that we can get this right. But faith alone is not going to get us there. It’s not enough to simply hope or believe that we can defeat these three epidemics. We have to go out and do it. We – all of us – have to take actions in order to make it happen, knowing that we have the power to make it happen. And let me tell you, no one country, no one program, is going to stop AIDS or TB or malaria on its own, and I think every one of you knows it. That’s why the Fund is so critical. That’s why the partnership is so critical. That’s why coming together for a conference like this to dedicate ourselves and to focus our energies is so critical.
Our mission is clear and the need is great, and the time for action is now. And we’ve proven what we’re able to achieve over these last years. It would be almost criminally negligent to turn our backs on the knowledge we have gained, the capacity we have built, and not go out and try to complete the task. That’s the challenge for every partner in this room. And our success demands that we work together in order to try to achieve it.
Thank you all for being here. God bless everybody for their efforts in this. Let’s get the job done. Thank you. (Applause.)
Remarks at the Partnership Symposium of The Global Fund's Fourth Replenishment Conference
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Willard Hotel
Washington, DC
December 2, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you. Dr. Mboi, thank you very, very much for a very generous introduction. Thank you for your leadership, and thank you for traveling from so far to be here. And I know you haven’t adjusted yet. I asked her if she’d adjusted to the time difference, and she didn’t even answer, she was so stunned. (Laughter.)
It’s a pleasure to be here with so many leaders and activists from around the world, literally, and to share the stage with such a distinguished panel. It’s an honor for me to be here. When the folks at the Fund were looking for somebody to come and keynote this, they said they wanted somebody who would dazzle you with their speech and overcome all obstacles with their charm. And unfortunately, Elton John was not available – (laughter) – so here I am.
I want to thank Dr. Mark Dybul for bringing us all together. I have known Mark for a number of years now, and I think from the introduction you just heard from Minister Mboi, you understand that I am not – while I’m new as Secretary, I am not new to this issue or new to this effort because of my privilege of being on the Foreign Relations Committee and leading the charge on this back in the early 1990s. I’ve worked with Mark on the reauthorization of the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief in 2008, and Mark was a voice of clarity and conviction at a time when we really needed it and during that debate, and he’s brought those same qualities to the stewardship of the Fund, and I think all of you know that.
I also want to recognize Deb von Zinkernagel, as well as our – she’s our Acting Global AIDS Coordinator at the State Department, and John Monahan, who is our Special Representative to the Global Fund Replenishment and has done just a superb job of corralling and working. And I am very privileged to have such a competent team and so many people dedicated to this. I thank them for their work, as I thank all of you for your work.
Without any question, this decade really marks an amazing period of progress. I don’t think any of us would’ve quite foreseen it when we started tackling this back in the early 1990s and even in the late ’80s. I personally will never forget a few years ago, traveling with my wife Teresa to Umgeni Primary School in Durban, South Africa. And I really was moved. I was stunned, really, by the forced adulthood that so many young kids have assumed and lost their childhood in an effort to care for younger siblings. It’s quite remarkable. Our hearts really broke as we saw these orphans and watched these kids who had taken over, even taking care of their grandparents. We saw firsthand the courage of many single mothers who were scratching out an existence – subsistence, literally – in mud huts, their husbands lost to horrific disease and themselves infected and coughing and weak and struggling to be able to worry about their kids.
The fight against HIV/AIDS is the challenge of our generation in many ways, one of the principal challenges of our generation, certainly. And it is an enduring challenge, but thanks to landmark scientific advances and the grit and determination of many of you here in this room, we actually have put an AIDS-free generation within sight. That is a remarkable accomplishment, and everybody should feel good about their efforts. (Applause.)
It’s really a stunning story that speaks to the extraordinary progress that we’ve been able to make together in our global health efforts. It’s also a story about how the world came together to support a 40-fold increase in people receiving lifesaving anti-retroviral treatment during the past decade alone. It’s a story about how the global target of a 50 percent reduction in TB-related deaths by 2015 is now actually within reach. It’s a story about cutting malaria so dramatically in some regions that infant mortality has dropped by a third.
Since its inception, the Global Fund has been a vital partner in the fight against these three diseases. And I’m not chauvinistic when I say to you that we feel a certain pride, as I think all of you do. The United States is proud to be the Global Fund’s largest donor. And that’s why Republicans and Democrats alike, in one of those rare moments around here, have come together across two administrations and continued their broad bipartisan support for this Fund. That in itself is pretty improbable when I think back to the attitudes that we faced in the late ’80s and early 1990s. And that is precisely why we are challenging others to step up their commitments and make this replenishment cycle a huge success.
We’re very, very grateful for the major increases from our partners in the United Kingdom, the European Commission, Canada, Sweden, Norway, Japan, and the Netherlands, and we recognize the very strong support from France and Germany, among others. As the President said earlier today, the Administration will commit to seeking appropriations from Congress matching $1 for every $2 contributed by other countries over the next three years. And the Global Fund has obviously made unbelievable strides over the course of these past years because of this kind of support that is being given. No other international organization has undergone such profound changes in its business model, its management team, and the financial systems that have swept through the Global Fund over the course of this last decade.
Now, it’s important to underscore the reforms are not cosmetic. They are real. They’re tangible. And they are going to help save more lives, there’s no question. But we have to ask ourselves as we gather at this replenishment conference, where do we go from here? Where should we go from here? How can we build on the success and marshal the global effort that we need to defeat – not just stop or stem the tide of, but defeat – these devastating epidemics once and for all?
So let me start with HIV/AIDS. As I mentioned to you earlier, this is a fight that I have been privileged to be part of from the earliest days when Bill Frist and I were asked by CSIS to become the co-chairs of a task force which was then trying to learn more about it, literally examining what are the possibilities, what should we do about this in Congress, what can we do in the context of a legislative initiative. And so we ultimately came back and Senator Frist and I worked together on this comprehensive HIV/AIDS bill, which ultimately, believe it or not – and we were even surprised a little bit – we managed to get Jesse Helms to support, then the Chair of the Foreign Relations Committee. We passed it unanimously in the United States Senate. And I’m proud to say that that became the foundation of the PEPFAR program within a short period of time.
In September of this year, I hosted a session with top African leaders and stakeholders in order to launch the innovative concept of PEPFAR Country Health Partnerships, which try to bring this down to a grassroots-managed sustainable concept. Now more than a decade after PEPFAR was launched, Congress happily has reaffirmed the United States commitment to this historic health program and to fight against global AIDS by passing the PEPFAR Stewardship and Oversight Act. And just this afternoon, the President reminded us of his readiness to sign that bill into law.
Today, thanks to our collective investments, it is not an exaggeration to say that we are on the cusp of a really remarkable victory, the possibility of an AIDS-free generation. Now as President Obama announced earlier today, the United States is now supporting 6.7 million people on anti-retroviral treatment through PEPFAR. That is a four-fold increase since the beginning of this Administration. We’ve also reached 1.6 million HIV-positive pregnant women in order to prevent transmission to their babies. That’s also an accomplishment that we could’ve only dreamed of 10 years ago. If somebody had suggested that we were going to do that 10 years ago, they’d have thought you really didn’t understand the nature of this challenge and the crisis that we were up against.
With all of the work that has been done, with all of the hope that I think brings you all here today and tomorrow, now would be exactly the wrong time to pull back from what we have achieved. We need to move forward together, and we need to make sure that there are several principles that should guide us as we do so.
First, we need to continue to make strategic investments that are based on the latest science and the best practices. In tight budget environments in almost every one of our capitals, every dollar, every yen, pound, euro, all of them, are going to be competed for in a zero-sum game, and it’s going to be imperative that we come in and show people how we are producing and what we are getting for the value of that currency. That’s why we need to continue setting benchmarks for outcomes and put our weight behind HIV prevention. It doesn’t do you any good to simply be treating and treating and treating if all you’re doing is feeding an endless cycle and an endless supply of people to be treated. We have to begin to put in practices that stem that tide. And treatment and care interventions that work can make an enormous difference in creating the culture that can begin to do that.
Second, we need to focus on the impact of HIV/AIDS, the singular impact, on women and girls. We know that HIV remains the leading cause of disease and death for women of reproductive age in low and middle-income countries. We also know that women and girls represent nearly 60 percent of people living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa. That has to change.
And finally, the United States and Global Fund have to work with partners across the board – public and private – in order to improve the effectiveness of antiretroviral drugs and pool the procurement of those drugs in order to drive down the costs.
Now, we also have to answer another crucial question: Are investments in global health something that we can actually afford? Well, I’d reverse that question. I’ve heard that, frankly, from some members of Congress and others as we get involved in this zero-sum competition that is driving so many governments in the world today. But the truth is, in an interconnected world, where drug-resistant tuberculosis could be on the next plane landing at Dulles, or Johannesburg, or London, the answer – emphatically – is we can’t afford not to invest in these programs that stem the spread of this kind of infectious disease. (Applause.)
TB is curable, and make no mistake: With the right effort and the right focus, the right energy, we can eliminate it. But for that to happen, we need an innovative plan, a plan of attack for addressing the alarming increase in multidrug-resistant TB. We also need to develop new and more effective drugs and diagnostics. And we need to work together in order to prevent tuberculosis-related deaths by focusing on HIV/TB co-infections. Happily, the Global Fund is the largest funder of TB programs in developing countries, and it is an absolutely vital pillar in the global plan to be able to stop TB in its tracks.
So clearly, our fight against TB and HIV/AIDS as I’ve just described to you is far from over. The fact is the same is true for malaria, and in malaria we actually face many new challenges. This is an improbable place to come and give a climate speech, but climate is having a profound impact on the movement of malaria. As our climate warms and as mosquitoes extend their range, which is what is happening, we see malaria surging in areas that have hardly ever seen it before, like the Kenyan Highlands.
Now, we’ve started to make some important progress in some areas. The President’s Malaria Initiative has expanded prevention and treatment for those most vulnerable to the disease, especially children under the age of five and pregnant women. And our financial and technical contributions are major drivers to reducing the burden of malaria on child mortality in many, many countries. The Global Fund is already playing a vital role in this effort.
So together, my friends, we are contributing and distributing tons – I mean literally. Actually, that’s a bad way to describe it. It’s tens of millions, tens of millions of mosquito nets and millions of doses of anti-malarial drugs in order to get them to those who need them the most. If we double down on our global efforts now, believe me, we have the ability to beat this disease, too.
So those are the stakes. This is our world. And the true measure of our success is not going to be what happens here in Washington. It’s going to be what happens in capitals from Maputo to Monrovia, from Kigali to Kabul. That’s where the difference will be made, and that’s why our partnership matters.
The partnership really comes directly from the board of the Fund to the hard work of governments represented here, civil society, faith leaders, and communities who are touching and healing the people who need our help. And that’s why the Global Fund and this year’s replenishment cycle are so absolutely vital.
I really do have faith that we can get this right. But faith alone is not going to get us there. It’s not enough to simply hope or believe that we can defeat these three epidemics. We have to go out and do it. We – all of us – have to take actions in order to make it happen, knowing that we have the power to make it happen. And let me tell you, no one country, no one program, is going to stop AIDS or TB or malaria on its own, and I think every one of you knows it. That’s why the Fund is so critical. That’s why the partnership is so critical. That’s why coming together for a conference like this to dedicate ourselves and to focus our energies is so critical.
Our mission is clear and the need is great, and the time for action is now. And we’ve proven what we’re able to achieve over these last years. It would be almost criminally negligent to turn our backs on the knowledge we have gained, the capacity we have built, and not go out and try to complete the task. That’s the challenge for every partner in this room. And our success demands that we work together in order to try to achieve it.
Thank you all for being here. God bless everybody for their efforts in this. Let’s get the job done. Thank you. (Applause.)
SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY SEEKS TO USE REWARD PROGRAM TO DISMANTLE XAYSAVANG NETWORK
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
First Reward Announced for Information on Transnational Organized Criminals
On November 13, Secretary Kerry offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the dismantling of the Xaysavang Network, a transnational wildlife trafficking syndicate based in Laos. The reward, the first under INL’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), is meant to disrupt the illicit trade of wildlife, estimated at $8-10 billion per year.
Profits from wildlife trafficking fund other illicit activities such as narcotics, arms, and human trafficking, and the Xaysavang Network is among the most prolific illicit traders of wildlife.
The Xaysavang Network has affiliates in South Africa, Mozambique, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China. Its activities facilitate the killing of elephants, rhinos, and other species for products such as ivory.
Sophisticated transnational criminal organizations like the Xaysavang Network perpetuate corruption, threaten the rule of law and border security in fragile regions, and destabilize communities that depend on wildlife for biodiversity and eco-tourism.
On January 15, 2013 President Obama signed the TOCRP into law as a means of countering the increased global reach and sophistication of today's criminals. Identifying and dismantling organized criminal groups that operate across borders is very difficult. Obviously, critical information on the transnational criminals, such as financial data, will help law enforcement uncover this criminal activity.
U.S. missions, especially those located in Asia and Africa, are encouraged to disseminate this reward offer to applicable contacts. Information on the Xaysavang Network, including its members or its illegal activities, may contact the rewards hotline in Laos at +856 21 219565 or by email at TOCRP-Xaysavang@state.gov.
The United States will ensure confidentiality to individuals who provide information on transnational criminals, and, if appropriate, will relocate these individuals and their families. Rewards and amounts will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
First Reward Announced for Information on Transnational Organized Criminals
On November 13, Secretary Kerry offered a reward of up to $1 million for information leading to the dismantling of the Xaysavang Network, a transnational wildlife trafficking syndicate based in Laos. The reward, the first under INL’s Transnational Organized Crime Rewards Program (TOCRP), is meant to disrupt the illicit trade of wildlife, estimated at $8-10 billion per year.
Profits from wildlife trafficking fund other illicit activities such as narcotics, arms, and human trafficking, and the Xaysavang Network is among the most prolific illicit traders of wildlife.
The Xaysavang Network has affiliates in South Africa, Mozambique, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, and China. Its activities facilitate the killing of elephants, rhinos, and other species for products such as ivory.
Sophisticated transnational criminal organizations like the Xaysavang Network perpetuate corruption, threaten the rule of law and border security in fragile regions, and destabilize communities that depend on wildlife for biodiversity and eco-tourism.
On January 15, 2013 President Obama signed the TOCRP into law as a means of countering the increased global reach and sophistication of today's criminals. Identifying and dismantling organized criminal groups that operate across borders is very difficult. Obviously, critical information on the transnational criminals, such as financial data, will help law enforcement uncover this criminal activity.
U.S. missions, especially those located in Asia and Africa, are encouraged to disseminate this reward offer to applicable contacts. Information on the Xaysavang Network, including its members or its illegal activities, may contact the rewards hotline in Laos at +856 21 219565 or by email at TOCRP-Xaysavang@state.gov.
The United States will ensure confidentiality to individuals who provide information on transnational criminals, and, if appropriate, will relocate these individuals and their families. Rewards and amounts will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
U.S. STATEMENT ON ISRAELI MEMBERSHIP IN THE WESTERN EUROPEAN AND OTHERS GROUP (WEOG)
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Israel Invited To Join the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) in Geneva
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 2, 2013
Israeli membership in the WEOG in Geneva is overdue, and we welcome the decision to invite Israel to join beginning January 1, 2014.
It goes without saying that at a time when the scourge of global anti-semitism is on the rise, it is more important than ever for Israel to have a strong voice that can be heard everywhere. This is a particularly welcome development as we work to end anti-Israel bias in the UN system. We will continue to speak out for our close ally, Israel, and we will continue to support efforts to normalize Israel’s treatment across the UN system as a full and equal member of the community of nations.
Israel Invited To Join the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) in Geneva
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
December 2, 2013
Israeli membership in the WEOG in Geneva is overdue, and we welcome the decision to invite Israel to join beginning January 1, 2014.
It goes without saying that at a time when the scourge of global anti-semitism is on the rise, it is more important than ever for Israel to have a strong voice that can be heard everywhere. This is a particularly welcome development as we work to end anti-Israel bias in the UN system. We will continue to speak out for our close ally, Israel, and we will continue to support efforts to normalize Israel’s treatment across the UN system as a full and equal member of the community of nations.
OWNERS OF HEALTH CARE CLINIC SENTENCED FOR ROLES IN HEALTH CARE FRAUD
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, December 2, 2013
Health Care Clinic Owners Sentenced for Role in $8 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Two health care clinic owners were sentenced today in connection with an $8 million health care fraud scheme involving the now-defunct home health care company Flores Home Health Care Inc.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement.
Miguel Jimenez, 43, and Marina Sanchez Pajon, 29, both of Miami, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro in the Southern District of Florida. Jimenez was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison and Pajon was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison. Jimenez and Pajon pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Jimenez and Pajon, who are married, were owners and operators of Flores Home Health, a Miami home health care agency that purported to provide home health and physical therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries.
According to court documents, Jimenez and Pajon operated Flores Home Health for the purpose of billing Medicare for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided. Jimenez’s primary role at Flores Home Health involved controlling the company and running and overseeing the schemes conducted through Flores Home Health. Both Jimenez and Pajon were responsible for negotiating and paying kickbacks and bribes, interacting with patient recruiters, and coordinating and overseeing the submission of fraudulent claims to the Medicare program.
Jimenez, Pajon, and their co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in return for the recruiters providing patients to Flores Home Health for home health and therapy services that were medically unnecessary and/or not provided. They also paid kickbacks and bribes to co-conspirators in doctors’ offices and clinics in exchange for home health and therapy prescriptions, medical certifications, and other documentation. Jimenez, Pajon, and their co-conspirators used the prescriptions, medical certifications, and other documentation to fraudulently bill Medicare for home health care services, which Jimenez and Pajon knew was in violation of federal criminal laws.
From approximately October 2009 through approximately June 2012, Flores Home Health was paid approximately $8 million by Medicare for fraudulent claims for home health services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Health Care Clinic Owners Sentenced for Role in $8 Million Health Care Fraud Scheme
Two health care clinic owners were sentenced today in connection with an $8 million health care fraud scheme involving the now-defunct home health care company Flores Home Health Care Inc.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Wifredo A. Ferrer of the Southern District of Florida, Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Steinbach of the FBI’s Miami Field Office, and Special Agent in Charge Christopher B. Dennis of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Office of Investigations Miami Office made the announcement.
Miguel Jimenez, 43, and Marina Sanchez Pajon, 29, both of Miami, were sentenced by U.S. District Judge Ursula Ungaro in the Southern District of Florida. Jimenez was sentenced to serve 87 months in prison and Pajon was sentenced to serve 57 months in prison. Jimenez and Pajon pleaded guilty in August to conspiracy to commit health care fraud.
Jimenez and Pajon, who are married, were owners and operators of Flores Home Health, a Miami home health care agency that purported to provide home health and physical therapy services to Medicare beneficiaries.
According to court documents, Jimenez and Pajon operated Flores Home Health for the purpose of billing Medicare for, among other things, expensive physical therapy and home health care services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided. Jimenez’s primary role at Flores Home Health involved controlling the company and running and overseeing the schemes conducted through Flores Home Health. Both Jimenez and Pajon were responsible for negotiating and paying kickbacks and bribes, interacting with patient recruiters, and coordinating and overseeing the submission of fraudulent claims to the Medicare program.
Jimenez, Pajon, and their co-conspirators paid kickbacks and bribes to patient recruiters in return for the recruiters providing patients to Flores Home Health for home health and therapy services that were medically unnecessary and/or not provided. They also paid kickbacks and bribes to co-conspirators in doctors’ offices and clinics in exchange for home health and therapy prescriptions, medical certifications, and other documentation. Jimenez, Pajon, and their co-conspirators used the prescriptions, medical certifications, and other documentation to fraudulently bill Medicare for home health care services, which Jimenez and Pajon knew was in violation of federal criminal laws.
From approximately October 2009 through approximately June 2012, Flores Home Health was paid approximately $8 million by Medicare for fraudulent claims for home health services that were not medically necessary and/or not provided.
The case was investigated by the FBI and HHS-OIG and was brought as part of the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, under the supervision of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida. This case was prosecuted by Trial Attorney A. Brendan Stewart of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section.
Since its inception in March 2007, the Medicare Fraud Strike Force, now operating in nine cities across the country, has charged more than 1,700 defendants who have collectively billed the Medicare program for more than $5.5 billion. In addition, HHS’s Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, working in conjunction with HHS-OIG, are taking steps to increase accountability and decrease the presence of fraudulent providers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)