Sunday, October 19, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH CHINESE STATE COUNCILOR JIECHI
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi Before Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Taj Hotel
Boston, Massachusetts
October 18, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. I just want to say a couple things. First, my great pleasure to welcome the State Councilor of China Yang Jiechi to Boston. We have a great deal that we will be talking about and already began last night with a very informal and pleasant dinner. But there are many issues that China and the United States are cooperating on, even as we have some differences that we try to manage effectively. But right now, particularly on Ebola, on Afghanistan, on the Democratic Republic of North – of Korea, the North Korea nuclear situation, on Iran particularly, and on ISIL and counterterrorism, and on climate change. There are many areas where we are working hard.
So we look forward to some good discussions today. And on another note, I might just report we had a very positive step forward in Iraq today with the selection of a minister of the interior and a minister of defense. These were critical positions to be filled in order to assist with the organizing effort with respect to ISIL. So we’re very pleased. We congratulate Prime Minister Abadi and we look forward to working with them as we continue to grow the coalition and move forward.
So thank you for being here, State Councilor.
STATE COUNCILOR YANG: Well, friends from (inaudible), it’s a great pleasure to see you here today. (Inaudible) invitation of Secretary John Kerry, I have the great pleasure to visit this beautiful city of Boston. And the purpose of my visit to Boston and then to Washington is really to pave the ground for President Obama’s visit to China in November and also for participation of the President in the APEC informal leadership meeting to be hosted by China.
I think the Sunnylands meeting between President Xi Jinping and President Obama was very successful. Two countries have decided to work to build this new model of major country relationship between China and the United States. Since then, much progress has been made in our relationship. Lately, the Secretary himself went to China to participate in the S&ED discussion with the Chinese side. We believe that we should continue to work together to deepen our mutual trust and to put our efforts to the major areas of cooperation while on the basis of mutual respect we can properly handle any kind of difference between us.
I think the Asia Pacific region is a very important region. We need to work together to build up even more cooperation between China and the United States in the area because this is the area which has experienced robust economic development, and I’m sure that the APEC meeting will go further to bring about more connectivity, innovative development, and to shape a greater future for the region.
There are also quite a few issues in the world, as the Secretary State has mentioned. I believe that in terms of climate change, Ebola, and we have to address the (inaudible) issues and so on, so forth, China and the United States have a lot to discuss today and beyond.
I would like to thank the Secretary for his warm hospitality. I’m sure that our discussion will be both constructive and productive. I’m sure that China-U.S. relationship will be on the way up.
Thank you very much.
AG HOLDER ANNOUNCES RECOGNITION OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES IN SEVEN STATES
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, October 17, 2014
After Supreme Court Declines to Hear Same-Sex Marriage Cases, Attorney General Holder Announces Federal Government to Recognize Couples in Seven New States
“We will not delay in fulfilling our responsibility to afford every eligible couple, whether same-sex or opposite-sex, the full rights and responsibilities to which they are entitled. With their long-awaited unions, we are slowly drawing closer to full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans nationwide,” Attorney General Holder said.
The complete text of the Attorney General’s video message is below:
“Last week, the Supreme Court declined to review rulings from three federal appeals courts that had struck down bans on same-sex marriage in five states across the country. Going forward, marriage equality will be the law in those states.
“The practical consequences of the Court’s decision are profound for families throughout the nation. Within hours of the decision, same-sex couples in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin were able to have their unions recognized in the states where they live—to stand with their partners, and with their children, as loving and committed families with the full protection of the law.
“I am pleased to announce that the federal government will recognize the same-sex marriages now taking place in the affected states, and I have directed lawyers here at the Department of Justice to work with our colleagues at agencies across the Administration to ensure that all applicable federal benefits are extended to those couples as soon as possible. We will not delay in fulfilling our responsibility to afford every eligible couple, whether same-sex or opposite-sex, the full rights and responsibilities to which they are entitled.
“With their long-awaited unions, we are slowly drawing closer to full equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans nationwide. By letting the lower-court decisions stand, the Supreme Court expanded the number of states allowing same-sex marriage from 19 to 24, along with the District of Columbia. Just one day after the Supreme Court’s action, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit joined the other courts that have invalidated bans, extending marriage rights even further. In the past eight days, at least half a dozen additional states have recognized marriage equality. And even more states covered by the lower-court rulings will almost certainly be joining them in short order.
“The steady progress toward LGBT equality we’ve seen – and celebrated – is important and historic. But there remain too many places in this country where men and women cannot visit their partners in the hospital, or be recognized as the rightful parents of their own adopted children; where people can be discriminated against just because they are gay. Challenges to marriage restrictions are still being actively litigated in courts across the country. And while federal appeals courts have so far been unanimous in finding that bans on same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, if a disagreement does arise, the Supreme Court may address the question head-on. If that happens, the Justice Department is prepared to file a brief consistent with its past support for marriage equality.
“In the meantime, we will continue to extend federal benefits to same-sex couples to the fullest extent allowed by federal law. And we will continue to work—to the very best of our ability—to bring about a more equal future for all Americans nationwide.”
DOJ SUES MOBILE HOME PARK FOR DISCRIMINATION AGAINST FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, October 17, 2014
Justice Department Sues Wisconsin Mobile Home Park for Discriminating Against Families with Children
The Justice Department announced today that it has filed a lawsuit against the owners and operators of the Twin Oaks Mobile Home Park, a 230-lot mobile home park, in Whitewater, Wisconsin, for refusing to allow families with children to live in certain areas of the park, in violation of the Fair Housing Act.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Madison, Wisconsin, alleges that the owner of Twin Oaks, Twin Oaks Mobile Home Park, Inc. and its managers—Merrill Eugene Gutzmer and Dennis Hansen—violated the Fair Housing Act by maintaining and enforcing a policy of not allowing families with children to reside in an area that includes approximately 60 of the 230 lots within the park. The park does not limit residency to older persons. The complaint further alleges that, under the policy described above, the defendants refused to approve the application for residency of a single woman who planned to purchase the home of a former resident and live there with her then two-year-old child. The single woman and the mobile home owner who was trying to sell her mobile home subsequently filed a complaint with the Department of Housing and Urban Development (“HUD”). After conducting an investigation, HUD found that the defendants had violated the Fair Housing Act, and referred the matter to the Department of Justice.
“For over twenty-five years, the Fair Housing Act has prohibited housing providers from refusing to rent or sell housing to families with children,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Molly Moran for the Civil Rights Division. “Many parents are already struggling to find affordable housing for their families, and they should not also have to face discrimination because they have children.”
“This office is committed to ensuring that all residents in this district, including families with children, are afforded equal opportunity to rent and live where they choose under the Fair Housing Act,” said U.S. Attorney John W. Vaudreuil for the Western District of Wisconsin. “Discrimination based on familial status will not be tolerated in this district.”
“HUD and the Department of Justice will continue to enforce the Fair Housing Act to ensure that the housing options of families are not illegally limited because they have children,” said HUD Assistant Secretary Gustavo Velasquez for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.
The suit seeks a court order requiring the defendants to bring their policies and practices into compliance with the Fair Housing Act, as well as monetary damages for persons harmed and civil penalties to the United States.
The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination in housing based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, familial status, and disability. Among other things, the Fair Housing Act makes it illegal to refuse to rent housing and to discriminate in the terms or conditions of housing rentals because of familial status, except in specified categories of housing that are reserved for older persons.
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS TO PLENIPOTENTIARY CONFERENCE
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Delegation to the International Telecommunication Union Plenipotentiary Conference in Busan, Republic of Korea
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 16, 2014
In today’s world everyone is connected. With the touch of a button – or the swipe of a finger – we can talk to anyone, anywhere, anytime, about anything. And we can do it instantly. The communications revolution has radically changed how we live our lives, do business, choose our leaders, provide health care, and interact with other cultures.
Almost 150 years after its creation, the International Telecommunication Union remains critical to overseeing and advancing the extent and the efficiency of international communications. The Republic of Korea will host the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference 2014 in Busan from October 20 to November 7. This international gathering is an important opportunity for ITU Member States to review the work of the Union and prioritize programs, improve working methods, and increase collaboration with other institutions.
The U.S. delegation to Busan will be led by Ambassador Daniel Sepulveda and consist of nearly 130 government, private sector, and civil society representatives. They will work with our partners to ensure that the ITU is transparent and accountable, while remaining responsive to the evolution of technology. As the fast paced march of innovation continues, it is essential we meet the needs of all telecommunications users, especially those from underserved communities.
Telecommunications connect our societies, create shared prosperity, and facilitate the exchange of goods and services, as well as thoughts and ideas. We look forward to working with our friends and allies to ensure that the ITU continues to be a hub for open and broad-based global communications.
Saturday, October 18, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS ON EBOLA AND THE DIPLOMATIC CORPS
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks on the U.S. Response to Ebola for Members of the Diplomatic Corps
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Benjamin Franklin Room
Washington, DC
October 17, 2014
I know that there’s no shortage of demands on all of your time, so we really do appreciate and I know President Obama appreciates your coming in here this morning for this very important briefing. And I’m particularly grateful to Nancy Powell, who’s leading our efforts against Ebola at the State Department, and you’ll hear from her and from others who are on the front lines of our efforts to respond to this challenge. We thought it was critically important to bring everybody here together so you could hear from the experts and really get a chance to understand and report back to your governments about our efforts and where we’re heading.
We are very privileged in Washington, in the United States, to have here one of the most distinguished diplomatic corps that is posted anywhere in the world. Few cities are home to so many ambassadors with so much experience, which is why you come here, and so much global expertise and influence, frankly. So that’s why coming together here this morning really does represent a special opportunity to deal with this moment. Meeting this crisis is going to require that we draw on each other’s collective experience and our collective capacities. No one country, no individual group of nations is going to resolve this problem by themselves. This is going to take a collective, global response – all hands on deck. That’s the only way to get it done. And we believe that coming together here this morning can be an important beginning in really creating the kind of global response necessary.
Now I know you don’t need me to tell you what we’re up against, and I’m sure you’ve heard it from your own capitals, and every time you turn on the television or the radio, you hear or see gripping scenes that tell us in real terms about this challenge. There’s no way to describe the scenes from West Africa other than just heart-wrenching, gut-wrenching. And the images of a pregnant woman being turned away from a hospital on the – and she’s on the verge of collapse, or of men and women dying on the streets, their children orphaned, and a lot of hopeful nations working to plant the seeds of prosperity and open societies now suddenly battling a brutal epidemic.
So it’s not just the suffering that we see or the potential risks that we face that make this a different kind of crisis for us as diplomats. We live in a world of a lot of close calls, tough decisions on a daily basis, difficult and contentious issues where you can have an honest disagreement about what the best course of action is or about what the facts are or the results of your decision may be.
Ebola is not one of them. It should not be contentious with respect to the facts or what is needed or how we proceed. We know the risks. We know the science. We know the medical certainties. We know what is required to beat back this epidemic. And right now, we know that this is a time for nothing less than brutal honesty with each other about what we need, in both the capabilities that we need in order to meet this crisis and the real ways on the ground and the kinds of cash contributions – yes, cash contributions – that we need to fund these efforts for the months to come. And the fact is we haven’t begun yet to fully meet the challenge at hand.
So there are specific needs that we can meet right now. We need 200 flatbed trucks and 350 of so-called soft-skinned vehicles for transport of aid and resources. We need more helicopters and capable crews who can get to work right away. We need more mobile laboratories, treatment centers and beds. We need more incinerators and more generators. Most of all, we need more of the courageous healthcare workers that we see making an incredible contribution right now on the ground, and we need to do everything that we can to provide these men and women the protective equipment and the treatment that they need.
Now, we know this – the things that we can do and that we need to do. We know even in the cases of Texas, for instance, know that protocols are perhaps not followed in some instance or another. So there are ways, because we have plenty of people working who are treating people who are not getting it, and plenty of people who have been surrounding and around it who don’t get it. So the fact is that you have to come in contact. And as long as you can make certain that that is not happening during those critical periods of incubation, there are ways to contain this.
As President Obama has said repeatedly, we approach this with humility and we approach this with a huge sense of purpose, but we know that no matter what we do, we’re not going to be able to do it alone. We’re proud of the fact that we’ve contributed $258 million most recently and we’re also delivering support in some very unique ways that only the U.S. military can provide, and that’s why we’re sending as many as 4,000 troops to the region. And that’s why we’re allocating up to one billion more for our armed forces for this purpose. And that’s why we’re creating 17 Ebola treatment units and providing support right now for the mobile laboratories and the communications infrastructure.
We are using every instrument of American power in order to try to get this job done, and as many of you know, I’ve been making a number of phone calls each day to my counterparts from your countries in order to encourage concrete steps. And we’ve been raising this issue in every single bilateral meeting that I have, but we know that nothing that one, two, three countries do together is going to solve it. We have to all be engaged in this. There is no country that is exempt from being able to do something to be able to contribute to this effort and help make a difference. And everything we do depends on how we coordinate our efforts as partners in how we contribute together.
Now already we are seeing nations large and small stepping up in impressive ways to make a contribution on the frontlines. Timor-Leste has donated $2 million. Cuba, a country of just 11 million people has sent 165 health professionals, and it plans to send nearly 300 more. We want to thank France for committing 70 million euro and for those response in Guinea, where they’ve taken on special responsibilities. And we want to thank the United Kingdom for the Ebola treatment units that they are building in Sierra Leone, and Germany has significantly stepped up its efforts, including offering their facilities to treat healthcare workers. The European Union is organizing medevac capacity and contributing 140 million euro, and the World Bank and IMF have committed more than $678 million. The African Union is moving to send trained emergency responders to West Africa.
But no matter what we have already committed, it is clear, every one of us, that we have to do more, and we have to do it quickly. So of the one billion in needs that are estimated by the UN, I regret to say we are barely a third of the way there. If we don’t adequately address this current outbreak now, then Ebola has the potential to become a scourge like HIV or polio, that we will end up fighting, all of us, for decades. And we shouldn’t kid ourselves. Winning this fight is going to be costly, it is going to take all of our efforts, and it is not risk-free. Nobody knows that better than the healthcare workers on the front lines right now. And whatever the differences there are between us in this room on one issue or another, on one attitude or another, the fact is everyone I know respects and admires the courage of any healthcare worker who is undertaking this challenge.
So let’s make sure that those healthcare workers aren’t hanging out there by themselves. Let’s make sure that we’re pulling together the resources, the equipment, the commitment, the cash to support their efforts. And let’s make sure that their courage is motivating us every step of the way. For these men and women to succeed, they need nothing less than our full commitment, which is why we’ve asked you to come forward here today. This is a matter of real people, real lives, in countries that were beginning to take off, countries that were beginning to see the future and feel it, and suddenly they’ve been hit by this. This engages all of us, and it is a real test of global citizenship. So today in this room, we have a unique opportunity to try to come together to make important contributions. I’ve touched on some of the urgent needs. There is nobody, frankly, who can more competently explain where we stand, who knows what is at stake better than Ambassador Nancy Powell.
A lot of you know her very, very well because she has served alongside you. She’s one of the very few five-time ambassadors at the State Department. And partly because of what she has already done once before to spread – to help prevent the spread of a pandemic, which she did – she’s already one of the most accomplished people to have to deal with this challenge and one of the best diplomats we could think of in order to help us all do what we need to do. So ladies and gentlemen, Nancy Powell. (Applause.)
TWO PLEAD GUILTY FOR ROLES IN BRIBERY SCHEME INVOLVING AN FBI SPECIAL AGENT WHO WORKED IN COUNTERINTELLIGENCE
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Friday, October 17, 2014
Two Connecticut Men Plead Guilty to Bribery Scheme Involving FBI Agent in New York
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara of the Southern District of New York, and Justice Department Inspector General Michael D. Horowitz made the announcement.
Johannes Thaler, 51, of Fairfield County, Connecticut, and Rizve Ahmed, aka “Caesar,” 35, of Danbury, Connecticut, pleaded guilty today in White Plains, New York, federal court to bribery and conspiracy to commit honest services and wire fraud before U.S. District Judge Vincent L. Briccetti of the Southern District of New York. Both Thaler and Ahmed admitted to participating in a bribery scheme with Robert Lustyik, a former FBI Special Agent in White Plains who worked on the counterintelligence squad.
In pleading guilty, Thaler and Ahmed admitted that between September 2011 and March 2012, Thaler and Lustyik solicited bribes from Ahmed, in exchange for Lustyik’s agreement to provide internal, confidential documents and other confidential information to which Lustyik had access by virtue of his position as an FBI Special Agent. Thaler was Lustyik’s friend, and Ahmed, a native of Bangladesh, was an acquaintance of Thaler. Ahmed sought confidential law enforcement information, including a Suspicious Activity Report, pertaining to a Bangladeshi political figure who was affiliated with a political party opposing Ahmed’s views. Thaler and Ahmed admitted that Ahmed requested the confidential information to help Ahmed locate and harm his intended victim and others associated with the victim. Ahmed also sought assistance in having criminal charges against a different Bangladeshi political figure dismissed.
Thaler and Ahmed admitted that they exchanged various text messages in furtherance of the scheme, including text messages about a “contract” that would require Ahmed to pay a $40,000 “retainer” and $30,000 “monthly.” In return, Lustyik and Thaler agreed to “give [Ahmed] everything [they] ha[d] plus set up [the victim] and get the inside from the party.”
Thaler and Lustyik also exchanged text messages about how to pressure Ahmed to pay them additional money in exchange for confidential information. For example, in text messages, Lustyik told Thaler, “we need to push [Ahmed] for this meeting and get that 40 gs quick . . . . I will talk us into getting the cash . . . . I will work my magic . . . . We r sooooooo close.” Thaler responded, “I know. It’s all right there in front of us. Pretty soon we’ll be having lunch in our oceanfront restaurant . . . .”
Additionally, in late January 2012, Lustyik learned that Ahmed was considering using a different source to obtain confidential information. As a result, Lustyik sent a text message to Thaler stating, “I want to kill [Ahmed] . . . . I hung my ass out the window n we got nothing? . . . . Tell [Ahmed], I’ve got [the victim’s] number and I’m pissed. . . . I will put a wire on n get [Ahmed and his associates] to admit they want [a Bangladeshi political figure] offed n we sell it to the victim].” Lustyik further stated, “So bottom line. I need ten gs asap. We gotta squeeze C.”
Sentencing hearings for Thaler and Ahmed are scheduled for Jan. 23, 2015.
Lustyik is scheduled for trial on Nov. 17, 2014. The charges contained in an indictment are merely accusations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
This case was investigated by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Emily Rae Woods of the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Benjamin Allee of the White Plains Division of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York.
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK AGREES T FINANCE EXPORT OF LOCOMOTIVES TO INDONESIA
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Signs Credit Agreement to Finance Export of American-made Locomotives to Indonesia
Deal Supports 700 U.S. Jobs
Washington, D.C. – Today Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg, GE Transportation President and CEO Russell Stokes, and Indonesia’s PT Kereta Api (PTKAI) of Jakarta President and CEO Ignasius Jonan signed a credit agreement totaling $94.3 million to finance the export of 50 General Electric Company locomotives to Indonesia.
Ex-Im Bank’s credit will support approximately 700 U.S. jobs up and down the supply chain, primarily in Erie, Pa. These estimates are derived from Department of Commerce and Department of Labor data and methodology.
“This is a perfect example of the sort of win-win situation that happens when countries buy American,” said Hochberg. “Ex-Im is proud to facilitate transactions like this one, which will support 700 quality jobs here in America even as it empowers Indonesia to build an enduring, reliable transportation infrastructure on the foundation of quality U.S. products.”
PTKAI is the national railway of Indonesia and operates a fleet of more than 300 locomotives that provide both freight and passenger services on the islands of Java and Sumatra. The company plans to upgrade and modernize the nation’s rail infrastructure to better serve Indonesia’s growing economy.
“Ex-Im Bank's financing of this transaction demonstrates the importance of public and private sector leadership,” said Stokes. “The Bank's financial support is a critical part of GE's ability to win foreign sales and deliver for our global customers like PTKAI. With $94.3 million in financing to PTKAI now secured, GE will build 50 locomotives in Pennsylvania and deliver them next year to Indonesia, sustaining good jobs in the U.S. and abroad.”
Industrial Sales and Manufacturing Inc. (ISM), a small business headquartered in Erie, will supply numerous machined, fabricated and assembled components for the GE locomotives. ISM fabricates, assembles, tests, and finishes products found around the world in applications ranging from transportation, mining, agriculture, and recreation to medical devices and renewable energy.
“As a contract manufacturer supplying original equipment manufacturers, Ex-Im Bank's support of global customers of companies like GE is vital to our own company, our community, and the stability and growth of the broader economy in the United States,” said Jim Rutkowski, Jr. of Industrial Sales & Manufacturing, Inc. of ISM. “Industrial Sales & Manufacturing, Inc. sees Ex-Im Bank's financial support for international sales as a vital component in our continued success in getting long-term American-made assets in place around the world."
ABOUT EX-IM BANK:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that supports and maintains U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees and export credit insurance, to promote the sale of U.S. goods and services abroad. Ninety percent of its transactions directly serve American small businesses.
In fiscal year 2013, Ex-Im Bank generated more than $1 billion for U.S. taxpayers while approving more than $27 billion in total authorizations. These authorizations supported an estimated $37.4 billion in U.S. export sales, as well as approximately 205,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
WHITE HOUSE READOUT OF PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALL WITH YEMEN PRESIDENT HADI
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
October 17, 2014
Readout of the President’s Call with President Hadi of Yemen
President Obama called President Abdo Rabu Mansour Hadi of Yemen today to reaffirm the United States’ strong support for his government and for the people of Yemen as they work to achieve meaningful change through the country’s political transition and economic reform process. They discussed the efforts of the Yemeni Government and people to move forward from the recent violence across Yemen that is jeopardizing a peaceful transition. President Obama recognized the importance of President Hadi continuing his leadership in pursuit of Yemen’s political and economic reform process, including drafting a new constitution, launching the voter registration effort, and holding elections. The President congratulated President Hadi on the nomination of a new Prime Minister, in line with the September 21 Peace and National Partnership Agreement, and expressed support for President Hadi’s efforts to lead implementation of the agreement, the recommendations of the National Dialogue, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Initiative. The Presidents agreed all parties should come together to deescalate the conflict, form a government that represents Yemen’s diverse communities, and implement the transition. The Presidents also reiterated their commitment to the bilateral partnership to counter the shared threat posed by al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP).
Friday, October 17, 2014
SECRETARY KERRY'S STATEMENT ON WORLD FOOD DAY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
World Food Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 16, 2014
On World Food Day, the United States reaffirms our commitment to the fight against poverty, hunger, and under-nutrition – and to addressing one of the greatest threats to food security: climate change.
Today more than 800 million people around the world are chronically undernourished. By 2050, the global population is expected to increase by 2 to 3 billion people. That means agricultural production will need to increase by sixty percent if there’s any hope of meeting the increased demand.
And at the same time, the impacts of climate change to both land and ocean resources could slow global food production for the rest of the century.
The nexus between climate change and food security is undeniable. And it’s nothing new. I remember discussing this intersection more than two decades ago, when I attended the Earth Summit in Rio as a U.S. Senator. So today, as the threat of climate change continues to grow – and as more and more regions around the world are experiencing historic droughts, extreme weather, and, consequently, serious food shortages – addressing this nexus, staving off the worst impacts of climate change, and improving food security around the world must be a global priority.
As Secretary of State, I want these issues front and center in our foreign policy. That’s why I brought my longtime colleague, Dr. Nancy Stetson, to the State Department – to make sure we’re doing everything we can to combat hunger and advance global food security. I’ve seen firsthand her ability to break down global challenges like malaria and AIDS that are very complex and multi-layered, and find new ways to tackle them. With her on board, and with the help of her terrific team at State and throughout the U.S. government, I’m confident we’ll be able to improve food security in every corner of the globe.
We’re already making progress. Last year, our Feed the Future initiative helped nourish more than 12.5 million children and brought improved technologies to nearly seven million food producers. In June, I hosted the Our Ocean conference to prompt urgent actions to confront the threats to global ocean resources. Last month, we also helped launch the Global Alliance for Climate-Smart Agriculture to bring governments, businesses, civil society, and others together to empower farmers and fishers to adapt to climate change and mitigate greenhouse gases – all while sustainably increasing agricultural production.
There’s no question that the challenges to global food security are significant, but so is our capacity to meet them. The United States will continue to advance creative solutions to food insecurity, under-nutrition, and climate change, so that people everywhere can develop to their fullest potential and live the strong, healthy lives they deserve – and so their countries can be prosperous and peaceful.
NSF ON NEXTGEN AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL SYSTEM
FROM: NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Designing tomorrow's air traffic control systems
On a good day, flying can be a comfortable and efficient way to travel. But all too often, weather or overcbooking can cause delays that ripple through the system, inducing missed flights, anxiety, discomfort and lots of lost time and money.
Things had gotten so out of whack that in 2003, Congress enacted a law designed to bring online a Next Generation--or NextGen--air traffic control system by January 2020. The Department of Transportation would require the majority of aircraft operating within U.S. airspace to be equipped with new technology to track and coordinate aircraft and would institute many other programs to improve air travel.
"It's hard to argue that delays don't occur in the system," said Hamsa Balakrishnan, an associate professor of Aeronautics and Astronautics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). "The delays have not just economic costs--which are significant--they have environmental costs as well."
Balakrishnan began her career as an aerospace engineer. Over time, her research migrated from the nuts-and-bolts of how aircraft fly, to the details of how air traffic systems operate overall. Today, she studies air traffic control and management and works to come up with the analytic tools and algorithms required to keep flights safe and runways moving efficiently.
"We know that demand is projected to increase," she said. "How do you build algorithms that don't let your delays explode, while at the same time meeting the increased demand?"
According to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) estimates, increasing congestion in the air transportation system of the United States, if unaddressed, will cost the American economy $22 billion annually in lost economic activity by 2022. Balakrishnan and her colleagues believe they can address major inefficiencies in the system through a combination of better models of air traffic control systems and new embedded technologies.
Even small changes in air traffic management can have a large impact on the overall air travel system. For instance: pushback, the rate at which aircraft should be leaving their gate.
"Aircraft are allowed to push back whenever they're ready to, and the problem with this is, the runway capacity is constrained," Balakrishnan explained. "Planes can only take off one at a time from a single runway, so it doesn't make sense for fifteen or twenty aircraft to be waiting there at the same time."
Aircraft taxiing on the surface contributes significantly to emissions at airports. The quantities of fuel burned, as well as different pollutants, are proportional to the taxi times of aircraft (as well as airline decisions on whether engines shut down during delays). As planes idle, unsure when they'll be called to release and unwilling to lose their departure slot due to delay, they use fuel and emit exhaust into the atmosphere.
Balakrishnan imagined a better way.
"If we can use data to predict the rate at which aircraft are going to be taking off from the airport," she continued, "then we can figure out the rate at which aircraft should be leaving their gates and starting their engines."
Over the course of years, she developed computer models that used reams of historical data to analyze and create realistic models of how airports (and the people who run them) operate under a wide range of conditions. She used these models to test ways of more efficiently releasing airplanes from airports.
When Balakrishnan had run enough virtual experiments to trust her models and the improved pushback algorithms they'd helped shape, she took her results to the FAA and to all of the major air carriers and asked for a chance to test her methods under real airport conditions. Amazingly, they said yes.
After developing algorithms that recommend the rate at which aircraft should leave their gate, Balakrishnan and her team--including Ioannis Simaiakis, Harshad Khadilkar, T.G. Reynolds and R.J. Hansman, from MIT--went in and figured out the best form of the solution that controllers could actually implement.
"The controllers told us they'd like to be told the rate that aircraft needed to be released from their gates in 15-minute increments," she recalled. "We just used color coded cards to tell them what the suggested rate was, and we found that they went along with the suggestions and implemented them and that there was a lot of benefit to be had."
But that wasn't the end of the experiment. In 2011, Balakrishnan and her team had a much better handle on the model of the system. So they ran the experiment again using even more advanced algorithms to predict the optimal pushback rates. They also developed an interface with an Android tablet computer that would communicate the pushback rate to the controllers and that the controller could use that to implement the rate for aircraft preparing to take off.
The researchers showed that, without adding any delays to the system, they were able to limit idling times and save fuel.
"In Boston, we did about 15 days of metering and anecdotally, the traffic managers believed that the surface flows during certain times were smoother when we were implementing our solution," Balakrishnan said. "We also showed that, just holding aircraft back for about 4.4 minutes, we saved between 50-60 kilograms [100 pounds] of fuel for each aircraft. Those are significant savings."
The results of the work were reported in several journal papers, most recently Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice in August 2014. The work also won the inaugural CNA (formerly the Center for Naval Analysis) Award for Operational Analysis in 2012, which "recognizes work that is judged as having provided the most creative, empirically based support for a real-world decision or solution to a real-world problem."
Balakrishnan and her collaborators are now planning to "pilot" a new study at LaGuardia Airport in New York City, testing their algorithms and implementation strategy at another airport, under different conditions.
Balakrishnan research is unique in the degree to which it takes into account conditions in the field. For instance: How do air traffic controllers react in the face of crowded conditions or inclement weather? How often do pilots diverge from the instructions given by controllers? And to what degree are air carriers willing to change their practices for the good of the system?
"There's this chance to actually use algorithms--the kind of control algorithms that I like developing--in a practical setting," she said. "How do you design algorithms that are practical and that can account for the fact that different people have different agendas? Just in terms of understanding the system, it's important, because it's a system that influences a couple billion people a year."
In 2007, Balakrishnan was awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) award from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to begin studying these questions. Her research continued as part of the NSF-funded ActionWeb project (2009-2015), whose goal is to develop networked, embedded, sensor-rich systems that can coordinate among multiple decision-makers. Her work is part of a growing effort to design better Cyber-Physical Systems--systems where humans and computers work together to accomplish a task: in this case the efficient landing and take-off of aircraft.
"Air traffic management marries the physical world, including the airplanes and the environment in which they reside, with the control algorithms and the pilots and traffic control managers," said David Corman, a program director in the Computer and Information Science and Engineering directorate at NSF. "The algorithms that Dr. Balakrishnan and her team are developing can have huge societal impact through intelligent reduction of traffic delays and fuel consumption. We look forward to working with Dr. Balakrishnan and team to rapidly mature and transition these exciting capabilities into practice."
Not only are Balakrishnan's algorithms useful, the fundamental research that underlies them extends beyond air traffic control to many areas of research.
One of Balakrishnan's colleagues, Claire Tomlin of the University of California, Berkeley, is using related algorithms to study energy usage in a home, while another collaborator is working with Uber, the popular ridesharing service, to improve their queuing system.
Because of its fundamental nature, the work will have far reaching benefits.
"There are many cases where we can improve the performance of systems that billions of people interact with," Balakrishnan said. "And it all begins with fundamental research to develop better algorithms that incorporate data from the real world."
-- Aaron Dubrow, NSF
Investigators
Edward Lee
David Culler
Saurabh Amin
Claire Tomlin
Asuman Ozdaglar
S. Shankar Sastry
Hamsa Balakrishnan
Related Institutions/Organizations
University of California-Berkeley
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
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