FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT, SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY
Opening Remarks at U.S.-ASEAN Summit
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
October 9, 2013
Well, thank you very much, Your Majesty. Thank you for a wonderful welcome here and for your generous hospitality. And to all of the leaders here, we’re very grateful for the opportunity to be able to meet. We thank the Government of Brunei. Your Majesty, for the first time, I noticed up on the sign there, it emphasizes the first ASEAN-U.S. Summit. And while we’ve had meetings before the leaders, we’ve never had the opportunity to raise the level of the meeting and the level of the discussion to a summit. And we’re very grateful to you for doing so.
A moment where our nations can come together in order to discuss our partnership, the important issues that you just laid out, and the challenges that we know we face. And I know I speak for President Obama when I say we are exceedingly grateful for your hospitality and grateful for this particular opportunity.
I also want to especially thank the Government of Myanmar and President Thein Sein for their hard work as the U.S. Country Coordinator at ASEAN, and I thank them in advance for what we know will be a very productive year for U.S.-ASEAN relations when Myanmar takes the association’s chairmanship in 2014.
I bring you both President Obama’s sincerest greetings and his apologies for not being able to be here. You all understand why, and you just mentioned it, Your Majesty, in your comments, but I assure you that these events in Washington are a moment in politics and not more than that. The partnership that we share with ASEAN remains a top priority for the Obama Administration, and the ties among our nations – I think all of you know this from the engagement that we have on individual basis with you, as well as collectively through ASEAN – that those ties have been strong for decades now. And we know that strengthening those ties on security issues, on economic issues, and more on our people-to-people relationships, are a critical part of President Obama’s rebalance to Asia. That rebalance is a commitment, it is there to stay, and will continue into the future.
I’m also delighted, personally, to be here today, and I look forward to the discussion of the East Asia Summit tomorrow, and to continuing to strengthen our partnership in many, many ways, Your Majesty. I’ll have more to say after the press has departed, but I really want to express President Obama’s commitment to this relationship, to ASEAN, to the value of our meeting here, and we’re very grateful for your hospitality. Thank you.
Friday, October 11, 2013
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE HAGEL MEETS WITH ISRAELI DEFENSE MINISTER MOSHE YAALON
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| Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel greets Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon at the Pentagon, Oct. 8, 2013. The two leaders met to discuss issues of mutual importance. DOD photo by Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Daniel Hinton |
Hagel, Israeli Defense Minister Meet at Pentagon
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2013 - Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon met yesterday at the Pentagon to share views on the range of regional security challenges the United States and Israel are facing together, Defense Department officials said.
In a statement summarizing the meeting, officials noted it was the third face-to-face meeting between the two defense leaders in the past six months.
Hagel told Yaalon that while U.S. officials intend to test the prospect for a diplomatic solution with Iran, they remain clear-eyed about the challenges ahead and will not waver from a firm policy of preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons, officials said.
The defense secretary applauded the announcement by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons that the destruction of chemical weapons in Syria has started, the Pentagon statement said, adding that while much work remains to be done, this is a step in the right direction to eliminating that threat.
The leaders also discussed progress on the United States effort to increase Israel's qualitative military edge with advanced capabilities that Hagel announced on his visit to Israel earlier this year, the statement said.
Thursday, October 10, 2013
U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER'S MESSAGE TO EMPLOYEES REGARDING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN
FROM: JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Message from the Attorney General to Employees
~ Thursday, October 10, 2013
Dear Colleagues,
This ongoing shutdown continues to be a very frustrating time for all of us who work for the Department of Justice and those who provide services on contract. I remain particularly concerned about the impact the shutdown continues to have on all of you and your families. Unfortunately, because we are unable to predict when it will be resolved, we are not able to allay all of your justifiable concerns.
In an effort to answer as many questions as possible, we have updated material under the "Information for Employees" section of the Department's homepage: http://www.justice.gov. There you will find information about pay, ethics issues, employee assistance programs, unemployment compensation, and the Department's contingency plans.
I also want to reiterate how important each and every one of you is to the Department of Justice's mission. To those of you who are excepted from furlough, thank you for continuing to work through this difficult period, even though most of you are doing so on an "IOU" basis. To those of you who are furloughed, I wish you were on the job furthering the mission of this great institution, instead of wondering when you will be able to return to work and if and when you will be paid. Please understand that I believe every Department employee, whether excepted or furloughed, is essential to ensure that justice is served on behalf of the American people.
As we await a resolution of this shutdown, we will continue to provide information to you as quickly as possible. Please continue to check the Department homepage www.justice.gov to receive the most up-to-date information for employees.
Thank you for your service to the American people. I look forward to see you all back on the job again soon.
Sincerely,
Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General
Message from the Attorney General to Employees
~ Thursday, October 10, 2013
Dear Colleagues,
This ongoing shutdown continues to be a very frustrating time for all of us who work for the Department of Justice and those who provide services on contract. I remain particularly concerned about the impact the shutdown continues to have on all of you and your families. Unfortunately, because we are unable to predict when it will be resolved, we are not able to allay all of your justifiable concerns.
In an effort to answer as many questions as possible, we have updated material under the "Information for Employees" section of the Department's homepage: http://www.justice.gov. There you will find information about pay, ethics issues, employee assistance programs, unemployment compensation, and the Department's contingency plans.
I also want to reiterate how important each and every one of you is to the Department of Justice's mission. To those of you who are excepted from furlough, thank you for continuing to work through this difficult period, even though most of you are doing so on an "IOU" basis. To those of you who are furloughed, I wish you were on the job furthering the mission of this great institution, instead of wondering when you will be able to return to work and if and when you will be paid. Please understand that I believe every Department employee, whether excepted or furloughed, is essential to ensure that justice is served on behalf of the American people.
As we await a resolution of this shutdown, we will continue to provide information to you as quickly as possible. Please continue to check the Department homepage www.justice.gov to receive the most up-to-date information for employees.
Thank you for your service to the American people. I look forward to see you all back on the job again soon.
Sincerely,
Eric H. Holder, Jr.
Attorney General
SECRETARY KERRY'S STATEMENT ON LIBYAN PRIME MINISTER SITUATION
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Situation Involving the Libyan Prime Minister
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 10, 2013
While we were pleased to hear of Prime Minister Zeidan’s release, the United States condemns the events of the last twenty four hours that captured the attention of the world. Libyans did not risk their lives in their 2011 revolution to tolerate a return to thuggery. If a free people are going to succeed in forging a democratic, secure, and prosperous country with a government based on the rule of law and respect for human rights, then there can be no place for this kind of violence in the new Libya. The United States will continue to work with the Libyan government to build its capacity to deliver security and good governance to its people. In fact, today’s events only underscore the need to work with Prime Minister Zeidan and with all of Libya’s friends and allies to help bolster its capacity with greater speed and greater success.
Situation Involving the Libyan Prime Minister
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
October 10, 2013
While we were pleased to hear of Prime Minister Zeidan’s release, the United States condemns the events of the last twenty four hours that captured the attention of the world. Libyans did not risk their lives in their 2011 revolution to tolerate a return to thuggery. If a free people are going to succeed in forging a democratic, secure, and prosperous country with a government based on the rule of law and respect for human rights, then there can be no place for this kind of violence in the new Libya. The United States will continue to work with the Libyan government to build its capacity to deliver security and good governance to its people. In fact, today’s events only underscore the need to work with Prime Minister Zeidan and with all of Libya’s friends and allies to help bolster its capacity with greater speed and greater success.
SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH PHILIPPINE FOREIGN MINISTER ROSARIO
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Philippines Foreign Minister Albert del Rosario at Their Meeting
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Secretary of State
Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
October 10, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Well, I’m delighted to be here with my friend Albert del Rosario, the Foreign Minister of the Philippines. And I’ve just had a communication with President Aquino and the Foreign Minister. And we have agreed for a decision that we have made, because of the judgment of our pilots and the airlines, that with the approaching typhoon we are going to postpone the trip that I was going to make to the Philippines.
I want to emphasize the strength of our relationship, the bilateral ties that we have that are literally unbreakable, and my own personal connections to the Philippines. I was enormously looking forward to going back, because I was deeply involved in events historically with the change of government from President Marcos to President Aquino and other ties going back to my days in the Navy even. So I’m sorry not to be there in the next day or so.
But the good news is I am absolutely committed to returning within a month or so. I’m coming back to the region, and I look forward to visiting with our friends in the Philippines. And I’m very grateful to President Aquino and to the Foreign Minister for their understanding of this situation. This is a big storm. Obviously storms can change paths at the last minute. We wish the people in the Philippines safety, and their wellbeing is our concern over the course of the next days. And I’m very appreciative to the Foreign Minister for his understanding. Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER DEL ROSARIO: We regret the postponement of Secretary Kerry’s visit to Manila. And this is due to the possibility, increasing possibility now, that there is a major typhoon that could be entering Philippine responsibility.
We, of course, we’re eager to welcome Secretary Kerry. He is an old and dear friend to the Philippines. And in addition to seeing him, we had planned to meet and discuss the many bilateral issues that – well, these are not issues actually, but we have – we wanted to use this as an opportunity to be able to further advance our alliance and our strategic partnership.
We are – nonetheless, we are looking forward to the visit of Secretary Kerry. He has promised the President that he would be coming before the end of the year. So we’ll see him then.
SECRETARY KERRY: I will absolutely. I have a trip coming out here to the region. I think originally we’re going to Vietnam. We’ll be coming to the Philippines, if it works for you.
FOREIGN MINISTER DEL ROSARIO: It works for us.
SECRETARY KERRY: And I really look forward to it. So thank you so much for understanding.
FOREIGN MINISTER DEL ROSARIO: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, my friend. All right. I will miss this visit, but I’ll be there in a few weeks. Thank you. All right. Thank you all very much.
I want to emphasize the strength of our relationship, the bilateral ties that we have that are literally unbreakable, and my own personal connections to the Philippines. I was enormously looking forward to going back, because I was deeply involved in events historically with the change of government from President Marcos to President Aquino and other ties going back to my days in the Navy even. So I’m sorry not to be there in the next day or so.
But the good news is I am absolutely committed to returning within a month or so. I’m coming back to the region, and I look forward to visiting with our friends in the Philippines. And I’m very grateful to President Aquino and to the Foreign Minister for their understanding of this situation. This is a big storm. Obviously storms can change paths at the last minute. We wish the people in the Philippines safety, and their wellbeing is our concern over the course of the next days. And I’m very appreciative to the Foreign Minister for his understanding. Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER DEL ROSARIO: We regret the postponement of Secretary Kerry’s visit to Manila. And this is due to the possibility, increasing possibility now, that there is a major typhoon that could be entering Philippine responsibility.
We, of course, we’re eager to welcome Secretary Kerry. He is an old and dear friend to the Philippines. And in addition to seeing him, we had planned to meet and discuss the many bilateral issues that – well, these are not issues actually, but we have – we wanted to use this as an opportunity to be able to further advance our alliance and our strategic partnership.
We are – nonetheless, we are looking forward to the visit of Secretary Kerry. He has promised the President that he would be coming before the end of the year. So we’ll see him then.
SECRETARY KERRY: I will absolutely. I have a trip coming out here to the region. I think originally we’re going to Vietnam. We’ll be coming to the Philippines, if it works for you.
FOREIGN MINISTER DEL ROSARIO: It works for us.
SECRETARY KERRY: And I really look forward to it. So thank you so much for understanding.
FOREIGN MINISTER DEL ROSARIO: Thank you.
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, my friend. All right. I will miss this visit, but I’ll be there in a few weeks. Thank you. All right. Thank you all very much.
VA SECRETARY WARNS OF GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IMPACT
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
VA Secretary Warns of Shutdown Impact on Veterans, Families
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2013 - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki painted a dire picture today of the impact of the government shutdown on benefits and services to veterans -- from a slowdown in claims reviews to the threat of cancelled compensation checks to more than 5 million beneficiaries if funding isn't restored soon.
"All the effects ... are negative," Shinseki reported during testimony before the House Veterans Affairs Committee. "It is an impediment to VA's ability to deliver services and benefits that veterans have earned through their service."
VA's health care system continues to function under advance appropriations provided through fiscal 2014. This means all VA medical centers, clinics and other health services remain open for business as usual.
But cancellation of overtime payments when appropriations lapsed at midnight Sept. 30 has had an immediate impact on benefit claims reviews, Shinseki told the panel. This not only has stalled progress made in recent months toward eliminating the claims backlog, but actually increased it by about 2,000 claims, he reported.
"The shutdown directly threatens VA's ability to eliminate the backlog," he lamented. "We have lost ground we fought hard to take. Roughly 1,400 veterans a day are not receiving decisions on their disability claims due to the end of overtime."
If the impasse continues through late October, Shinseki said, claims processing for compensation, pension, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits will be suspended. "Once mandatory funds are depleted at the end of this month, nearly 5,600 veterans a day will not receive a decision on their disability claims," he said.
Meanwhile, Shinseki warned of more severe consequences in terms programmed compensation benefits, pension payments and educational benefits if funding isn't approved soon.
"VA will not be able to assure delivery of [Nov. 1] checks to more than 5.18 million beneficiaries," who collectively are scheduled to receive $6.25 billion in benefits, Shinseki said. This includes payments to more than 3.8 million veterans -- some suffering the most severe disabilities -- as well as more than 364,000 survivors and more than 1,200 children with birth defects and other conditions related to a parent's military service.
Pension payments, too, will stop for almost 315,000 veterans and more than 202,000 surviving spouses and dependents if the shutdown continues into late October, he said.
A prolonged shutdown also will stop education benefits and living stipends under GI Bill programs for more than a half-million veterans and service members, he reported.
Shinseki said employee furloughs at VA already are affecting operations that directly support services and benefits for veterans.
Exhausting carryover funds that had sustained the Veterans Benefits Administration through yesterday, VA furloughed more than 7,800 VBA employees, he said. That's on top of almost 2,800 employees from VA's Office of Information and Technology who were furloughed Oct. 1, Shinseki reported. In both cases, more than half of the furloughed VA employees are veterans themselves, he noted.
Shinseki told Congress that a piecemeal approach to restoring funding isn't the answer, because VA partners with so many other federal agencies to deliver veterans services.
He noted, for example, his department's work with the Labor Department to promote veterans jobs programs and with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to end veteran homelessness.
VA has weathered government shutdowns in the past. But during the last one, in 1996, the United States was enjoying a sustained period of relative peace, Shinseki said.
"Today we are in the 13th year of war in Afghanistan, providing care and benefits to veterans of that war and the war in Iraq as well," he told the committee. "Members of this latest generation of veterans are enrolling in VA at a higher rate than ever before. They, along with the veterans of every preceding generation, will be harmed if the shutdown continues."
Shinseki urged Congress to resolve the fiscal impasse now, "so that VA and our federal partners on whom we have to rely to do our work can get back to work full-time, fulfilling President Lincoln's call to care for those who have borne the battle."
VA Secretary Warns of Shutdown Impact on Veterans, Families
By Donna Miles
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Oct. 9, 2013 - Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric K. Shinseki painted a dire picture today of the impact of the government shutdown on benefits and services to veterans -- from a slowdown in claims reviews to the threat of cancelled compensation checks to more than 5 million beneficiaries if funding isn't restored soon.
"All the effects ... are negative," Shinseki reported during testimony before the House Veterans Affairs Committee. "It is an impediment to VA's ability to deliver services and benefits that veterans have earned through their service."
VA's health care system continues to function under advance appropriations provided through fiscal 2014. This means all VA medical centers, clinics and other health services remain open for business as usual.
But cancellation of overtime payments when appropriations lapsed at midnight Sept. 30 has had an immediate impact on benefit claims reviews, Shinseki told the panel. This not only has stalled progress made in recent months toward eliminating the claims backlog, but actually increased it by about 2,000 claims, he reported.
"The shutdown directly threatens VA's ability to eliminate the backlog," he lamented. "We have lost ground we fought hard to take. Roughly 1,400 veterans a day are not receiving decisions on their disability claims due to the end of overtime."
If the impasse continues through late October, Shinseki said, claims processing for compensation, pension, education, vocational rehabilitation and employment benefits will be suspended. "Once mandatory funds are depleted at the end of this month, nearly 5,600 veterans a day will not receive a decision on their disability claims," he said.
Meanwhile, Shinseki warned of more severe consequences in terms programmed compensation benefits, pension payments and educational benefits if funding isn't approved soon.
"VA will not be able to assure delivery of [Nov. 1] checks to more than 5.18 million beneficiaries," who collectively are scheduled to receive $6.25 billion in benefits, Shinseki said. This includes payments to more than 3.8 million veterans -- some suffering the most severe disabilities -- as well as more than 364,000 survivors and more than 1,200 children with birth defects and other conditions related to a parent's military service.
Pension payments, too, will stop for almost 315,000 veterans and more than 202,000 surviving spouses and dependents if the shutdown continues into late October, he said.
A prolonged shutdown also will stop education benefits and living stipends under GI Bill programs for more than a half-million veterans and service members, he reported.
Shinseki said employee furloughs at VA already are affecting operations that directly support services and benefits for veterans.
Exhausting carryover funds that had sustained the Veterans Benefits Administration through yesterday, VA furloughed more than 7,800 VBA employees, he said. That's on top of almost 2,800 employees from VA's Office of Information and Technology who were furloughed Oct. 1, Shinseki reported. In both cases, more than half of the furloughed VA employees are veterans themselves, he noted.
Shinseki told Congress that a piecemeal approach to restoring funding isn't the answer, because VA partners with so many other federal agencies to deliver veterans services.
He noted, for example, his department's work with the Labor Department to promote veterans jobs programs and with the Department of Housing and Urban Development to end veteran homelessness.
VA has weathered government shutdowns in the past. But during the last one, in 1996, the United States was enjoying a sustained period of relative peace, Shinseki said.
"Today we are in the 13th year of war in Afghanistan, providing care and benefits to veterans of that war and the war in Iraq as well," he told the committee. "Members of this latest generation of veterans are enrolling in VA at a higher rate than ever before. They, along with the veterans of every preceding generation, will be harmed if the shutdown continues."
Shinseki urged Congress to resolve the fiscal impasse now, "so that VA and our federal partners on whom we have to rely to do our work can get back to work full-time, fulfilling President Lincoln's call to care for those who have borne the battle."
FORMER EMPLOYEE OF PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR WIRE FRAUD
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Scheme Affected U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Mortgage Guarantee Program
WASHINGTON — A former residential sales manager of a Florida property management company was sentenced to serve 24 months in prison today in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida, in Orlando, for his participation in a wire fraud scheme involving housing repair contracts for the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Department of Justice announced.
Ryan J. Piana pleaded guilty on July 16, 2013, to two wire fraud counts of a 10-count indictment. In addition to his prison sentence, U.S. District Court Judge Roy B. Dalton Jr. also sentenced Piana to pay $147,285 in restitution to the VA.
The indictment, originally filed in January 2012, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, in Rockford, charged Piana, Ronald B. Hurst and Bryant A. Carbonell with conspiring to commit bribery and wire fraud from beginning at least as early as January 2006 continuing until as late as September 2007. Piana, Hurst and Carbonell were also charged with bribery and wire fraud. As part of the plea agreement, the United States agreed to dismiss the remaining counts against Piana at the time of his sentencing.
“Steering contracts to a company in return for kickbacks distorts the competitive process and harms consumers,” said Bill Baer, Assistant Attorney General in charge of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “The Antitrust Division will not tolerate anticompetitive activity that defrauds the Department of Veterans Affairs.”
Piana is a former residential sales manager at West Palm Beach, Fla.-based Ocwen Loan Servicing LLC, and Hurst and Carbonell are former contractors for Ocwen. According to court documents, Ocwen managed foreclosed properties under contract with the VA, which guaranteed qualifying residential mortgages for veterans. Under the contract between the VA and Ocwen, if a veteran defaulted, Ocwen completed necessary repairs and re-sold the property. Proceeds from the re-sale of VA-acquired properties directly benefit the VA by reducing the cost of guaranteeing residential mortgages to veterans.
According to the charges, Hurst and Carbonell paid Piana to steer housing repair work to companies affiliated with Hurst and Carbonell. Piana recruited other Ocwen employees into the scheme and paid them on behalf of himself and the other conspirators. The department said in order to execute the scheme, the conspirators sent, or caused to be sent, various transmissions via wire communication.
Carbonell pleaded guilty to the wire fraud counts on Sept. 21, 2012. Hurst pleaded guilty to the same counts on Feb. 15, 2013. Both Hurst and Carbonell entered their guilty pleas in the U.S. District Court in Rockford. Their sentencing dates are scheduled for Dec. 5 and 6, 2013, respectively.
This is the third case involving properties managed by Ocwen under contract with the VA. On Dec. 3, 2010, Benjamin K. Graves, also a former Ocwen employee, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Orlando to wire fraud in connection with the VA contract. On Jan. 25, 2012, Joshua R. Nusbaum, another a former Ocwen employee, and Andrew J. Nusbaum, a former Ocwen contractor, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Orlando to wire fraud in connection with the same VA contract.
The sentence announced today resulted from an ongoing federal investigation of housing repair contracts performed under contract with the VA. The investigation is being conducted by the Antitrust Division’s Chicago Office and the Central Field Office of the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Office of Inspector General, Criminal Investigations Division, located in Hines, Ill.
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