FROM: U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
SEASONALLY ADJUSTED DATA
In the week ending November 9, the advance figure for seasonally adjusted initial claims was 339,000, a decrease of 2,000 from the previous week's revised figure of 341,000. The 4-week moving average was 344,000, a decrease of 5,750 from the previous week's revised average of 349,750.
The advance seasonally adjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.2 percent for the week ending November 2, unchanged from the prior week's unrevised rate. The advance number for seasonally adjusted insured unemployment during the week ending November 2 was 2,874,000, unchanged from the preceding week's revised level of 2,874,000. The 4-week moving average was 2,866,250, a decrease of 2,000 from the preceding week's revised average of 2,868,250.
UNADJUSTED DATA
The advance number of actual initial claims under state programs, unadjusted, totaled 357,836 in the week ending November 9, an increase of 26,485 from the previous week. There were 478,543 initial claims in the comparable week in 2012.
The advance unadjusted insured unemployment rate was 2.0 percent during the week ending November 2, an increase of 0.1 percentage point from the prior week. The advance unadjusted number for persons claiming UI benefits in state programs totaled 2,560,359, an increase of 59,748 from the preceding week. A year earlier, the rate was 2.3 percent and the volume was 2,963,198.
The total number of people claiming benefits in all programs for the week ending October 26 was 3,907,671, a decrease of 53,536 from the previous week. There were 4,997,171 persons claiming benefits in all programs in the comparable week in 2012.
No state was triggered "on" the Extended Benefits program during the week ending October 26.
Initial claims for UI benefits filed by former Federal civilian employees totaled 1,893 in the week ending November 2, a decrease of 2,122 from the prior week. There were 2,287 initial claims filed by newly discharged veterans, a decrease of 146 from the preceding week.
There were 21,843 former Federal civilian employees claiming UI benefits for the week ending October 26, a decrease of 6,031 from the previous week. Newly discharged veterans claiming benefits totaled 32,243, an increase of 346 from the prior week.
States reported 1,333,709 persons claiming Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC) benefits for the week ending October 26, a decrease of 37,065 from the prior week. There were 2,095,605 persons claiming EUC in the comparable week in 2012. EUC weekly claims include first, second, third, and fourth tier activity.
The highest insured unemployment rates in the week ending November 2 were in Alaska (4.3), Puerto Rico (4.0), Virgin Islands (3.5), New Jersey (3.0), California (2.9), Connecticut (2.7), Pennsylvania (2.6), District of Columbia (2.4), Illinois (2.4), and Oregon (2.4).
The largest increases in initial claims for the week ending November 2 were in Michigan (+2,720), Ohio (+2,289), New Jersey (+1,371), Massachusetts (+1,051), and Kansas (+919), while the largest decreases were in Oregon (-3,011), California (-2,468), Tennessee (-989), Puerto Rico (-859), and South Carolina (-718).
Friday, November 15, 2013
U.S. DEFENSE CONTRACTS FOR NOVEMBER 15, 2013
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS
ARMY
Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Va., (W15P7T-14-D-A210); CACI Technologies Inc., Chantilly, Va., (W15P7T-14-D-A211); Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., (W15P7T-14-D-A212); D & S Consultants Inc, Eatontown, N.J., (W15P7T-14-D-A213); Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga., (W15P7T-14-D-A214); Dynamics Research Corp., Andover, Mass., (W15P7T-14-D-A215); BAE Systems Information And Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Wayne, N.J., (W15P7T-14-D-A216); Systems Technologies Inc. West Long Branch, N.J., (W15P7T-14-D-A217), were awarded a $497,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical, administrative, and operation support services. Estimated completion date is Nov. 15, 2018. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with eight received. Army Contracting Command, Division B, Aberdeen, Md., is the contracting agency.
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Md., ( W9113M-14-D-0001); Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, Ala., (W9113M-14-D-0002); ITT Exelis Inc., Herndon, Va., (W9113M-14-D-0003); Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., (W9113M-14-D-0004); Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Huntsville, Ala., (W9113M-14-D-0005), were awarded a $220,000,000 multi-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for test execution services and launch augmentation. Estimated completion date is Nov. 14, 2016. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 10 received. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting agency.
Conti Enterprises Inc., Lincoln Highway, Edison, N.J., was awarded a $44,828,475 firm-fixed-price contract for a resilient features, west bank and vicinity, hurricane and storm damage risk reduction system for Mississippi River levee, English Turn Bend to Belle Chasse, WBV-MRL 4.2, Plaquemines Parish, La. Estimated completion date is Dec. 2, 2015. Work location is Belle Chasse, La. Fiscal 2014 procurement funds were obligated at the time of the award. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting agency (W912P8-14-C-0006).
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded $17,658,738 firm-fixed-price contract for life cycle launcher support for Multiple Launch Rocket System High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Launcher Module and HIMARS/m270a1 launcher fire control systems. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2014. There are 35 work locations throughout the United States and funding will be determined by location. One bid was solicited and one received. Fiscal 2014 procurement funds in the amount of $852,600 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal (Missile) Ala., is the contracting agency (W31P4Q-14-C-0057).
Mahaffey Tent & Awning Co., Inc., Memphis, Tenn., was awarded a $17,198,048 firm-fixed-price contract to provides life support services and equipment (generators, tentage, light sets, handwash stations, shower trailers, etc.), to support rotation training units in meeting their training requirements at the Joint Readiness Training Center and tenant unit training events. Estimated completion date is Dec. 14, 2014. Work location is Fort Polk, La. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 10 received. Funding will be determined by each order. Army Contracting Command Fort Polk, La., is the contracting agency (W9124J-11-D-0006).
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Md., was awarded a $6,505,355 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide services, equipment, and facilities for traumatic brain injury patients with pre-deployment training, post deployment testing, tele-medicine services, care coordination, clinical investigations, care, education, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, and surveillance to military, reserve, veterans, and their beneficiaries. Estimated completion date is May 16, 2014. Work location is Silver Spring, Md. One bid was solicited and one received. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Army funds were obligated at the time of the award. Army Medical Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting agency (W91YTZ-14-C-M111).
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Ala., is being awarded a maximum $325,000,000 sole-source, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to perform diverse and highly complex systems engineering and integration requirements related to the Ballistic Missile Defense System, primarily on a cost-plus-award-fee basis. The ordering period for this contract is from Nov. 15, 2013 through Nov. 14, 2018. The work will be performed in Huntsville Ala. Two initial task orders will be issued and will obligate $8,536,469 of fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation incremental funding. Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville Ala., is the contracting activity (HQ0147-14-D-0001).
NAVY
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Waco, Texas, is being awarded a $96,370,902 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-11-D-0017) to exercise an option for services in support of the P-3, EP-3 and NP-3 Sustainment Modification and Installation program. This effort includes planned maintenance interval, structural replacement and fabrication efforts pertaining to special structural inspection kits, center wing assemblies, zone five kits, and outer wing installations and refurbishments. Work will be performed in Waco, Texas, and is expected to be completed in September 2014. No contract funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $28,894,385 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-2128) for procurement of missile tube integrated tube and hull weldment fabrication, missile tube assembly fixture design and manufacture, and missile tube material procurement. This contract combines purchases for the United States (71 percent) and the United Kingdom (29 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is scheduled to be completed by November 2016. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation and FMS contract funds in the amount of $28,894,385 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Conn., is the contracting activity.
General Dynamics NASSCO-Earl Industries, Portsmouth, Va., is being awarded an $11,398,788 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the USS San Antonio (LPD 17) phased maintenance availability. This contract will support miscellaneous structural and mechanical repairs. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by May 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $11,398,788 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three offers received. The Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N50054-14-C-1401).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Hamilton Medical Inc.*, Reno, Nev., has been awarded a maximum $37,463,325 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract being made under the medical electronic catalogue program and includes a catalogue of 118 ventilation systems and related accessories. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and 33 offers were received. Location of performance is Nevada with a Nov. 14, 2018, performance completion date. This contract is a five-year base with no option year periods. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM2D1-14-D-8201).
ExxonMobile Fuels Marketing Co., Fairfax, Va., has been awarded a maximum $29,276,108 modification (P00003) adding line items to contract (SP0600-13-D-0451) for Navy distillate fuel. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Virginia with a Dec. 31, 2013, performance completion date. Using service is DLA Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va.
AIR FORCE
Phacil Inc., Arlington, Va., has been awarded a $28,827,647 order (FA8806-13-F-0001) under GSA’s Alliant Small Business Government-wide Acquisition Contract (GS-06F-0651Z) for the Modernization Eastern Range Network program. This primarily fixed-price-incentive (firm target) effort upgrades the mission communications core at the Eastern Range from asynchronous transfer mode to internet protocol v4 (IPv4) (IPv6 capable). Work will be performed at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Melbourne Beach Optical Tracking Annex, Fla., Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex, Fla., Wallops Flight Facility, Va., New Boston Tracking Station, N.H., and British territories Antigua Air Station and Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and 69 offers were solicited, and five offers were received. Fiscal 2012 procurement funds in the amount of $28,827,647 are being obligated at time of award. The Range and Network Division, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Company Missile Systems Division, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded an $18,795,695 firm-fixed-price modification (P00008) on an existing contract (FA8675-12-C-0001) for High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Targeting System (HTS) contractor logistics support services. The contract modification provides for the final HTS CLS option to repair HTS pods beginning Dec. 1, 2013. Work will be performed at Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,699,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/EBAS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
*Small Business
CONTRACTS
ARMY
Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Va., (W15P7T-14-D-A210); CACI Technologies Inc., Chantilly, Va., (W15P7T-14-D-A211); Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., (W15P7T-14-D-A212); D & S Consultants Inc, Eatontown, N.J., (W15P7T-14-D-A213); Scientific Research Corp., Atlanta, Ga., (W15P7T-14-D-A214); Dynamics Research Corp., Andover, Mass., (W15P7T-14-D-A215); BAE Systems Information And Electronic Systems Integration Inc., Wayne, N.J., (W15P7T-14-D-A216); Systems Technologies Inc. West Long Branch, N.J., (W15P7T-14-D-A217), were awarded a $497,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for technical, administrative, and operation support services. Estimated completion date is Nov. 15, 2018. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with eight received. Army Contracting Command, Division B, Aberdeen, Md., is the contracting agency.
BAE Systems Technology Solutions & Services Inc., Rockville, Md., ( W9113M-14-D-0001); Dynetics Inc., Huntsville, Ala., (W9113M-14-D-0002); ITT Exelis Inc., Herndon, Va., (W9113M-14-D-0003); Science Applications International Corp., McLean, Va., (W9113M-14-D-0004); Teledyne Brown Engineering Inc., Huntsville, Ala., (W9113M-14-D-0005), were awarded a $220,000,000 multi-year, cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for test execution services and launch augmentation. Estimated completion date is Nov. 14, 2016. Work location and funding will be determined by each order. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 10 received. Army Space and Missile Defense Command, Huntsville, Ala., is the contracting agency.
Conti Enterprises Inc., Lincoln Highway, Edison, N.J., was awarded a $44,828,475 firm-fixed-price contract for a resilient features, west bank and vicinity, hurricane and storm damage risk reduction system for Mississippi River levee, English Turn Bend to Belle Chasse, WBV-MRL 4.2, Plaquemines Parish, La. Estimated completion date is Dec. 2, 2015. Work location is Belle Chasse, La. Fiscal 2014 procurement funds were obligated at the time of the award. Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans, La., is the contracting agency (W912P8-14-C-0006).
Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control, Grand Prairie, Texas, was awarded $17,658,738 firm-fixed-price contract for life cycle launcher support for Multiple Launch Rocket System High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS) Launcher Module and HIMARS/m270a1 launcher fire control systems. Estimated completion date is June 30, 2014. There are 35 work locations throughout the United States and funding will be determined by location. One bid was solicited and one received. Fiscal 2014 procurement funds in the amount of $852,600 were obligated at the time of the award. Army Contracting Command-Redstone Arsenal (Missile) Ala., is the contracting agency (W31P4Q-14-C-0057).
Mahaffey Tent & Awning Co., Inc., Memphis, Tenn., was awarded a $17,198,048 firm-fixed-price contract to provides life support services and equipment (generators, tentage, light sets, handwash stations, shower trailers, etc.), to support rotation training units in meeting their training requirements at the Joint Readiness Training Center and tenant unit training events. Estimated completion date is Dec. 14, 2014. Work location is Fort Polk, La. Bids were solicited via the Internet with 10 received. Funding will be determined by each order. Army Contracting Command Fort Polk, La., is the contracting agency (W9124J-11-D-0006).
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine, Bethesda, Md., was awarded a $6,505,355 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract to provide services, equipment, and facilities for traumatic brain injury patients with pre-deployment training, post deployment testing, tele-medicine services, care coordination, clinical investigations, care, education, inpatient/outpatient rehabilitation, and surveillance to military, reserve, veterans, and their beneficiaries. Estimated completion date is May 16, 2014. Work location is Silver Spring, Md. One bid was solicited and one received. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Army funds were obligated at the time of the award. Army Medical Command, Washington, D.C., is the contracting agency (W91YTZ-14-C-M111).
MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
The Boeing Co., Huntsville, Ala., is being awarded a maximum $325,000,000 sole-source, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract to perform diverse and highly complex systems engineering and integration requirements related to the Ballistic Missile Defense System, primarily on a cost-plus-award-fee basis. The ordering period for this contract is from Nov. 15, 2013 through Nov. 14, 2018. The work will be performed in Huntsville Ala. Two initial task orders will be issued and will obligate $8,536,469 of fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation incremental funding. Missile Defense Agency, Huntsville Ala., is the contracting activity (HQ0147-14-D-0001).
NAVY
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, Waco, Texas, is being awarded a $96,370,902 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-11-D-0017) to exercise an option for services in support of the P-3, EP-3 and NP-3 Sustainment Modification and Installation program. This effort includes planned maintenance interval, structural replacement and fabrication efforts pertaining to special structural inspection kits, center wing assemblies, zone five kits, and outer wing installations and refurbishments. Work will be performed in Waco, Texas, and is expected to be completed in September 2014. No contract funds will be obligated at time of award. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Md., is the contracting activity.
Electric Boat Corp., Groton, Conn., is being awarded a $28,894,385 cost-plus-fixed-fee modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-13-C-2128) for procurement of missile tube integrated tube and hull weldment fabrication, missile tube assembly fixture design and manufacture, and missile tube material procurement. This contract combines purchases for the United States (71 percent) and the United Kingdom (29 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales program. Work will be performed in Groton, Conn., and is scheduled to be completed by November 2016. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation and FMS contract funds in the amount of $28,894,385 will be obligated at the time of award, and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Supervisor of Shipbuilding Conversion and Repair, Groton, Conn., is the contracting activity.
General Dynamics NASSCO-Earl Industries, Portsmouth, Va., is being awarded an $11,398,788 cost-plus-incentive-fee contract for the USS San Antonio (LPD 17) phased maintenance availability. This contract will support miscellaneous structural and mechanical repairs. Work will be performed in Norfolk, Va., and is expected to be completed by May 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $11,398,788 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with three offers received. The Norfolk Ship Support Activity, Norfolk, Va., is the contracting activity (N50054-14-C-1401).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
Hamilton Medical Inc.*, Reno, Nev., has been awarded a maximum $37,463,325 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract being made under the medical electronic catalogue program and includes a catalogue of 118 ventilation systems and related accessories. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and 33 offers were received. Location of performance is Nevada with a Nov. 14, 2018, performance completion date. This contract is a five-year base with no option year periods. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM2D1-14-D-8201).
ExxonMobile Fuels Marketing Co., Fairfax, Va., has been awarded a maximum $29,276,108 modification (P00003) adding line items to contract (SP0600-13-D-0451) for Navy distillate fuel. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is Virginia with a Dec. 31, 2013, performance completion date. Using service is DLA Energy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Energy, Fort Belvoir, Va.
AIR FORCE
Phacil Inc., Arlington, Va., has been awarded a $28,827,647 order (FA8806-13-F-0001) under GSA’s Alliant Small Business Government-wide Acquisition Contract (GS-06F-0651Z) for the Modernization Eastern Range Network program. This primarily fixed-price-incentive (firm target) effort upgrades the mission communications core at the Eastern Range from asynchronous transfer mode to internet protocol v4 (IPv4) (IPv6 capable). Work will be performed at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla., Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., Kennedy Space Center, Fla., Melbourne Beach Optical Tracking Annex, Fla., Jonathan Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex, Fla., Wallops Flight Facility, Va., New Boston Tracking Station, N.H., and British territories Antigua Air Station and Ascension Auxiliary Airfield, and is expected to be complete by Jan. 31, 2019. This award is the result of a competitive acquisition, and 69 offers were solicited, and five offers were received. Fiscal 2012 procurement funds in the amount of $28,827,647 are being obligated at time of award. The Range and Network Division, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif., is the contracting activity.
Raytheon Company Missile Systems Division, Tucson, Ariz., has been awarded an $18,795,695 firm-fixed-price modification (P00008) on an existing contract (FA8675-12-C-0001) for High-speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) Targeting System (HTS) contractor logistics support services. The contract modification provides for the final HTS CLS option to repair HTS pods beginning Dec. 1, 2013. Work will be performed at Tucson, Ariz., and is expected to be completed by Nov. 30, 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance funds in the amount of $4,699,000 are being obligated at the time of award. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/EBAS, Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., is the contracting activity.
*Small Business
HHS SECRETARY SEBELIUS MAKES STATEMENT ON DIABETES DAN AND MONTH RECOGNITION
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
2013 World Diabetes Day and National Diabetes Month
A statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
On November 14, World Diabetes Day—and during National Diabetes Month-- we join with individuals living with diabetes, their families, advocates, and health care professionals to raise awareness of this devastating disease around the world.
Combating diabetes is a serious public health issue. More than 340 million people worldwide have diabetes. Recognizing the urgency of this public health problem globally, this May the World Health Assembly adopted a global target to stop the rise in diabetes by 2025.
As the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans of all ages. Another 79 million adults are estimated to have prediabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
While we have made progress in research leading to improved treatment of diabetes, the burden of this complex disease continues to rise. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations not caused by injury, and new cases of blindness among adults in the United States. Diabetes also is a major cause of heart disease and stroke.
Preventing type 2 diabetes and its complications can improve the quality of life for millions of people and save billions of dollars. The direct and indirect costs of diabetes in 2007 were as much as $174 billion.
Yet, while type 2 diabetes is often preventable, more and more people – including young people -- are at risk for type 2 diabetes due partly to the obesity epidemic and aging of the U.S. population.
Currently there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes, which is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults. However, researchers continue their work to identify risk factors and explore preventive measures.
It is important to keep in mind the theme of HHS’s National Diabetes Education Program for National Diabetes Month this year: Diabetes is a family affair. Diabetes strikes not only individuals, but families, communities, and our Nation.
Encouraging research shows that taking small steps, such as adding vegetables and fruits to your diet and getting 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week, can help manage type 2 diabetes and improve health. These lifestyle changes can support weight loss, which can go a long way in helping a person at high risk for type 2 diabetes delay or prevent its onset.
Involve your entire family. Cook a balanced meal. Share a brisk walk, talk with your family about your health and your family’s diabetes risk. Schools, work sites, and places of worship can also be part of the diabetes prevention and management solution.
Preventive care is critical to improving health and identifying early signs of disease or risk-factors. That is why the Affordable Care Act ensures that, in non-grandfathered health plans, Americans at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes can receive diabetes screening, diet counseling and obesity screening with no out-of-pocket cost. Additionally, screening for gestational diabetes is available at no additional charge for pregnant women. In 2014, Americans cannot be denied health coverage because they have diabetes or any other pre-existing condition.
Initiatives such as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Diabetes Prevention Program and the National Diabetes Education Program (a partnership of the National Institutes of Health and CDC) are helping Americans of all ages take action to improve their health and that of the nation.
2013 World Diabetes Day and National Diabetes Month
A statement by HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius
On November 14, World Diabetes Day—and during National Diabetes Month-- we join with individuals living with diabetes, their families, advocates, and health care professionals to raise awareness of this devastating disease around the world.
Combating diabetes is a serious public health issue. More than 340 million people worldwide have diabetes. Recognizing the urgency of this public health problem globally, this May the World Health Assembly adopted a global target to stop the rise in diabetes by 2025.
As the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, diabetes affects nearly 26 million Americans of all ages. Another 79 million adults are estimated to have prediabetes, a condition that places them at increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes, heart disease and stroke.
While we have made progress in research leading to improved treatment of diabetes, the burden of this complex disease continues to rise. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, lower-limb amputations not caused by injury, and new cases of blindness among adults in the United States. Diabetes also is a major cause of heart disease and stroke.
Preventing type 2 diabetes and its complications can improve the quality of life for millions of people and save billions of dollars. The direct and indirect costs of diabetes in 2007 were as much as $174 billion.
Yet, while type 2 diabetes is often preventable, more and more people – including young people -- are at risk for type 2 diabetes due partly to the obesity epidemic and aging of the U.S. population.
Currently there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes, which is most commonly diagnosed in children and young adults. However, researchers continue their work to identify risk factors and explore preventive measures.
It is important to keep in mind the theme of HHS’s National Diabetes Education Program for National Diabetes Month this year: Diabetes is a family affair. Diabetes strikes not only individuals, but families, communities, and our Nation.
Encouraging research shows that taking small steps, such as adding vegetables and fruits to your diet and getting 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week, can help manage type 2 diabetes and improve health. These lifestyle changes can support weight loss, which can go a long way in helping a person at high risk for type 2 diabetes delay or prevent its onset.
Involve your entire family. Cook a balanced meal. Share a brisk walk, talk with your family about your health and your family’s diabetes risk. Schools, work sites, and places of worship can also be part of the diabetes prevention and management solution.
Preventive care is critical to improving health and identifying early signs of disease or risk-factors. That is why the Affordable Care Act ensures that, in non-grandfathered health plans, Americans at higher risk for developing type 2 diabetes can receive diabetes screening, diet counseling and obesity screening with no out-of-pocket cost. Additionally, screening for gestational diabetes is available at no additional charge for pregnant women. In 2014, Americans cannot be denied health coverage because they have diabetes or any other pre-existing condition.
Initiatives such as First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move program, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s National Diabetes Prevention Program and the National Diabetes Education Program (a partnership of the National Institutes of Health and CDC) are helping Americans of all ages take action to improve their health and that of the nation.
CHIEF OF SECURITY FOR DRUG TRAFFICKER TARGETED AS SPECIALLY DESIGNATED NARCOTICS TRAFFICKER
FROM: U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Action Targets Cartel Enforcer and Security Firm Linked to the Beltran Leyva Organization
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Arnoldo Villa Sanchez as a specially designated narcotics trafficker (SDNT) pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Arnoldo Villa Sanchez, a.k.a. Erick Rene Calderon Sanchez, is the chief of security for Hector Beltran Leyva, the leader of the Beltran Leyva drug trafficking organization. Villa Sanchez has carried out numerous acts of violence on behalf of his cartel bosses. In addition to the action against Villa Sanchez, the Treasury Department also designated Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V., a private security firm, for being owned and controlled by Arnoldo Villa Sanchez. Treasury also designated Miguel Loza Hernandez for his links to Arnoldo Villa Sanchez and Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V. Today's action, pursuant to the Kingpin Act, generally prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these designees, and also freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.
"We have been closely monitoring the resurgence of the Beltran Leyva Organization as it battles for a larger share of the narcotics trade in Mexico. We are determined to target all sides in this cartel war and will continue to use our authorities to disrupt these violent organizations,” said Treasury’s Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Adam J. Szubin.
Arnoldo Villa Sanchez is a top associate of Hector Beltran Leyva and serves as his security chief. OFAC designated Hector Beltran Leyva as a SDNT in December 2009. Arnoldo Villa Sanchez is the largest shareholder of Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V., a Guadalajara, Mexico based security services firm with more than 150 employees. Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V. specializes in personnel protection and alarm services. Miguel Loza Hernandez manages, and is a shareholder of, Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V. Since 2008, Beltran Leyva Organization has waged a bloody war against rival organizations led by Joaquín "Chapo” Guzman Loera and the Sinaloa Cartel. In the last two years, the Beltran Leyva Organization has re-established itself and begun to expand its influence in parts of Sinaloa.
The President identified the Beltran Leyva Organization and Marcos Arturo Beltran Leyva as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act in May 2008. Hector Beltran Leyva has been indicted on drug trafficking charges by federal grand juries in the District of Columbia (2004) and the Eastern District of New York (2009). The U.S. Department of State is offering up to a five million dollar reward for any information that leads to the capture of Hector Beltran Leyva. In addition, Mexican authorities are offering up to 30,000,000 Mexican Pesos (two million dollars) for information leading to his arrest. On January 20, 2008, Mexican authorities arrested Alfredo Beltran Leyva, the former leader of the Beltran Leyva Organization, on organized crime, drug trafficking, and unauthorized use of military grade weapons charges. In December 2009, the Mexican military killed Marcus Arturo Beltran Leyva. Subsequently, Hector Beltran Leyva assumed the role as leader of the Beltran Leyva organization.
Since June 2000, the President has identified 103 drug kingpins, and OFAC has designated more than 1,300 businesses and individuals, pursuant to the Kingpin Act. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation, to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals could face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.
Action Targets Cartel Enforcer and Security Firm Linked to the Beltran Leyva Organization
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury today designated Arnoldo Villa Sanchez as a specially designated narcotics trafficker (SDNT) pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act (Kingpin Act). Arnoldo Villa Sanchez, a.k.a. Erick Rene Calderon Sanchez, is the chief of security for Hector Beltran Leyva, the leader of the Beltran Leyva drug trafficking organization. Villa Sanchez has carried out numerous acts of violence on behalf of his cartel bosses. In addition to the action against Villa Sanchez, the Treasury Department also designated Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V., a private security firm, for being owned and controlled by Arnoldo Villa Sanchez. Treasury also designated Miguel Loza Hernandez for his links to Arnoldo Villa Sanchez and Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V. Today's action, pursuant to the Kingpin Act, generally prohibits U.S. persons from conducting financial or commercial transactions with these designees, and also freezes any assets they may have under U.S. jurisdiction.
"We have been closely monitoring the resurgence of the Beltran Leyva Organization as it battles for a larger share of the narcotics trade in Mexico. We are determined to target all sides in this cartel war and will continue to use our authorities to disrupt these violent organizations,” said Treasury’s Director of the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Adam J. Szubin.
Arnoldo Villa Sanchez is a top associate of Hector Beltran Leyva and serves as his security chief. OFAC designated Hector Beltran Leyva as a SDNT in December 2009. Arnoldo Villa Sanchez is the largest shareholder of Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V., a Guadalajara, Mexico based security services firm with more than 150 employees. Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V. specializes in personnel protection and alarm services. Miguel Loza Hernandez manages, and is a shareholder of, Sistemas Elite De Seguridad Privada, S.A. de C.V. Since 2008, Beltran Leyva Organization has waged a bloody war against rival organizations led by Joaquín "Chapo” Guzman Loera and the Sinaloa Cartel. In the last two years, the Beltran Leyva Organization has re-established itself and begun to expand its influence in parts of Sinaloa.
The President identified the Beltran Leyva Organization and Marcos Arturo Beltran Leyva as significant foreign narcotics traffickers pursuant to the Kingpin Act in May 2008. Hector Beltran Leyva has been indicted on drug trafficking charges by federal grand juries in the District of Columbia (2004) and the Eastern District of New York (2009). The U.S. Department of State is offering up to a five million dollar reward for any information that leads to the capture of Hector Beltran Leyva. In addition, Mexican authorities are offering up to 30,000,000 Mexican Pesos (two million dollars) for information leading to his arrest. On January 20, 2008, Mexican authorities arrested Alfredo Beltran Leyva, the former leader of the Beltran Leyva Organization, on organized crime, drug trafficking, and unauthorized use of military grade weapons charges. In December 2009, the Mexican military killed Marcus Arturo Beltran Leyva. Subsequently, Hector Beltran Leyva assumed the role as leader of the Beltran Leyva organization.
Since June 2000, the President has identified 103 drug kingpins, and OFAC has designated more than 1,300 businesses and individuals, pursuant to the Kingpin Act. Penalties for violations of the Kingpin Act range from civil penalties of up to $1.075 million per violation, to more severe criminal penalties. Criminal penalties for corporate officers may include up to 30 years in prison and fines up to $5 million. Criminal fines for corporations may reach $10 million. Other individuals could face up to 10 years in prison and fines pursuant to Title 18 of the United States Code for criminal violations of the Kingpin Act.
USNS MERCY PREPARES FOR POSSIBLE DEPLOYMENT TO PHILIPPINES
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Hospital Ship Activates to Support Typhoon Relief Mission
From a U. S. Pacific Fleet News Release
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, Nov. 14, 2013 – The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet yesterday directed the activation of USNS Mercy to prepare the hospital ship for possible deployment to the Philippines.
Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. directed the activation to accelerate Mercy's ability to attain full operating status in case it’s needed to support the ongoing Operation Damayan relief effort in the typhoon-ravaged island nation, officials said.
The activation order includes moving necessary personnel and equipment to the ship, which is berthed in San Diego. Mercy has been in a reduced operating status, which officials said is normal for a hospital ship.
If ordered to deploy, Mercy would get underway in the next several days, and would arrive in the Philippines in December, joining other U.S. Pacific Fleet units already supporting Operation Damayan.
On Nov. 11, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its escort ships to depart early from a liberty port in Hong Kong and make best possible speed for the Philippines. George Washington, USS Antietam, USS Cowpens and USNS Yukon were expected to arrive off the Philippine coast this evening local time.
U.S. Pacific Fleet ships already operating in the Western Pacific also were immediately diverted. USS Mustin, USS Lassen, USS Emory S. Land, and USNS Bowditch are now on station and coordinating with the Philippine government. The U.S. Navy also has P-3 maritime aircraft supporting the disaster relief effort led by the Philippine government.
The amphibious ships USS Ashland and USS Germantown are leaving Sasebo, Japan, today. After picking up Marines, equipment and relief supplies in Okinawa, the two ships will arrive at the Philippines in about a week. USS McCampbell and USNS Charles Drew also are heading to the Philippines.
The ships and their complement of aircraft, including helicopters, will provide food and water, the capability to move relief supplies to isolated areas, and to help move the badly injured for medical care, officials said.
The U.S. Navy routinely trains with numerous Pacific nations and military units, including the Philippine armed forces, to prepare for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, officials said. In 2012, Mercy participated in the annual Pacific Partnership mission, which included working with Philippine authorities near Tacloban, the area hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan.
Because of the long-standing partnership between the two nations, Pacific Fleet officials said, the United States, working through the Philippine government, is able to rapidly respond with critically needed capabilities and supplies in times of crisis.
The role of U.S. military forces during any foreign humanitarian assistance event, officials explained, is to respond rapidly to host-nation requests for support in mitigating suffering and property damage and in preventing further loss of life. Operation Damayan is part of the broader U.S. government effort to support the Philippine government's request for humanitarian assistance, they added. The effort includes coordination by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, in constant consultation with Philippine authorities.
As of yesterday, Philippine and U.S. personnel have transported more than 107,000 pounds of relief supplies, officials said.
Hospital Ship Activates to Support Typhoon Relief Mission
From a U. S. Pacific Fleet News Release
PEARL HARBOR, Hawaii, Nov. 14, 2013 – The commander of the U.S. Pacific Fleet yesterday directed the activation of USNS Mercy to prepare the hospital ship for possible deployment to the Philippines.
Navy Adm. Harry B. Harris Jr. directed the activation to accelerate Mercy's ability to attain full operating status in case it’s needed to support the ongoing Operation Damayan relief effort in the typhoon-ravaged island nation, officials said.
The activation order includes moving necessary personnel and equipment to the ship, which is berthed in San Diego. Mercy has been in a reduced operating status, which officials said is normal for a hospital ship.
If ordered to deploy, Mercy would get underway in the next several days, and would arrive in the Philippines in December, joining other U.S. Pacific Fleet units already supporting Operation Damayan.
On Nov. 11, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel ordered the aircraft carrier USS George Washington and its escort ships to depart early from a liberty port in Hong Kong and make best possible speed for the Philippines. George Washington, USS Antietam, USS Cowpens and USNS Yukon were expected to arrive off the Philippine coast this evening local time.
U.S. Pacific Fleet ships already operating in the Western Pacific also were immediately diverted. USS Mustin, USS Lassen, USS Emory S. Land, and USNS Bowditch are now on station and coordinating with the Philippine government. The U.S. Navy also has P-3 maritime aircraft supporting the disaster relief effort led by the Philippine government.
The amphibious ships USS Ashland and USS Germantown are leaving Sasebo, Japan, today. After picking up Marines, equipment and relief supplies in Okinawa, the two ships will arrive at the Philippines in about a week. USS McCampbell and USNS Charles Drew also are heading to the Philippines.
The ships and their complement of aircraft, including helicopters, will provide food and water, the capability to move relief supplies to isolated areas, and to help move the badly injured for medical care, officials said.
The U.S. Navy routinely trains with numerous Pacific nations and military units, including the Philippine armed forces, to prepare for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief missions, officials said. In 2012, Mercy participated in the annual Pacific Partnership mission, which included working with Philippine authorities near Tacloban, the area hardest hit by Typhoon Haiyan.
Because of the long-standing partnership between the two nations, Pacific Fleet officials said, the United States, working through the Philippine government, is able to rapidly respond with critically needed capabilities and supplies in times of crisis.
The role of U.S. military forces during any foreign humanitarian assistance event, officials explained, is to respond rapidly to host-nation requests for support in mitigating suffering and property damage and in preventing further loss of life. Operation Damayan is part of the broader U.S. government effort to support the Philippine government's request for humanitarian assistance, they added. The effort includes coordination by the State Department and the U.S. Agency for International Development, in constant consultation with Philippine authorities.
As of yesterday, Philippine and U.S. personnel have transported more than 107,000 pounds of relief supplies, officials said.
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK ANNOUNCES AUTHORIZATION OF EXPORT OF NITROGEN PUMPS TO SINGAPORE
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Authorizes Wells Fargo to Lend
for U.S. Small Business Exports to Singapore
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) today announced that two small businesses employing 165 workers in Wyoming and Texas are enabled to export about $7 million worth of nitrogen pumps to an energy-industry company in Singapore. Payment was secured for the exporters by medium-term export financing extended by Wells Fargo and guaranteed by Ex-Im Bank. The transaction counts as a first use by Wells Fargo in its capacity as a Medium Term Delegated Authority lender under the MTDA program underwritten by Ex-Im Bank. The MTDA program offers exporters quick access to buyer financing from a network of lenders who have authority to write loans that will be guaranteed by the Bank.
“We’re pleased that a partnership between the Bank and Wells Fargo is supporting this sale of U.S.-made specialty items to Singapore, a gateway to Asia,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “By our delegating lending authority to Wells Fargo, we shorten the process for obtaining guaranteed loans for exports that sustain U.S. jobs. That way, Ex-Im keeps its pledge to provide government services at the speed of business.”
The transaction supports U.S. jobs in four western states. The suppliers to the contract are Compression Leasing Services, Inc., located in Casper, Wyoming, and Generon IGS Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas. Petroleum and geothermal drilling projects require pipe pressure boosters and an on-site source of nearly pure nitrogen. Generon IGS Inc. plants in Houston and in California manufacture patented modules using fiber membranes for separating nitrogen from air, and for dehydration. The Singapore buyer’s American affiliate, Air Drilling Associates Inc. of Denver, Colorado, employs additional Americans whose jobs are supported by the export sale.
Employees of Wells Fargo likewise benefited when the exporters generated this sale and applied for buyer financing to fulfill the order. Jeramie Maxwell, Wells Fargo’s vice-president for structured trade finance, commented: “This Medium Term Delegated Authority transaction is a first for Wells Fargo, and we look forward to expanding our participation. This Ex-Im Bank program is a great solution to help U.S. businesses compete in the global marketplace and provides another opportunity for Wells Fargo to support our customer’s international sales growth. Ex-Im Bank is an important relationship for Wells Fargo and we will continue to partner with them as we strive to support the global needs of our customers.”
Ex-Im Bank’s exposure to Singapore as of the end of fiscal year 2012 amounted to $1.8 billion.
ABOUT EX-IM BANK:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps to create and maintain 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 a total of $35.8 billion in 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. The Bank's authorizations in FY 2012 are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and about 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
Ex-Im Bank Authorizes Wells Fargo to Lend
for U.S. Small Business Exports to Singapore
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) today announced that two small businesses employing 165 workers in Wyoming and Texas are enabled to export about $7 million worth of nitrogen pumps to an energy-industry company in Singapore. Payment was secured for the exporters by medium-term export financing extended by Wells Fargo and guaranteed by Ex-Im Bank. The transaction counts as a first use by Wells Fargo in its capacity as a Medium Term Delegated Authority lender under the MTDA program underwritten by Ex-Im Bank. The MTDA program offers exporters quick access to buyer financing from a network of lenders who have authority to write loans that will be guaranteed by the Bank.
“We’re pleased that a partnership between the Bank and Wells Fargo is supporting this sale of U.S.-made specialty items to Singapore, a gateway to Asia,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “By our delegating lending authority to Wells Fargo, we shorten the process for obtaining guaranteed loans for exports that sustain U.S. jobs. That way, Ex-Im keeps its pledge to provide government services at the speed of business.”
The transaction supports U.S. jobs in four western states. The suppliers to the contract are Compression Leasing Services, Inc., located in Casper, Wyoming, and Generon IGS Inc., headquartered in Houston, Texas. Petroleum and geothermal drilling projects require pipe pressure boosters and an on-site source of nearly pure nitrogen. Generon IGS Inc. plants in Houston and in California manufacture patented modules using fiber membranes for separating nitrogen from air, and for dehydration. The Singapore buyer’s American affiliate, Air Drilling Associates Inc. of Denver, Colorado, employs additional Americans whose jobs are supported by the export sale.
Employees of Wells Fargo likewise benefited when the exporters generated this sale and applied for buyer financing to fulfill the order. Jeramie Maxwell, Wells Fargo’s vice-president for structured trade finance, commented: “This Medium Term Delegated Authority transaction is a first for Wells Fargo, and we look forward to expanding our participation. This Ex-Im Bank program is a great solution to help U.S. businesses compete in the global marketplace and provides another opportunity for Wells Fargo to support our customer’s international sales growth. Ex-Im Bank is an important relationship for Wells Fargo and we will continue to partner with them as we strive to support the global needs of our customers.”
Ex-Im Bank’s exposure to Singapore as of the end of fiscal year 2012 amounted to $1.8 billion.
ABOUT EX-IM BANK:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps to create and maintain 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 a total of $35.8 billion in 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. The Bank's authorizations in FY 2012 are supporting an estimated $50 billion in U.S. export sales and about 255,000 American jobs in communities across the country.
SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS AT 50TH U.S.-JAPAN BUSINESS CONFERENCE
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks at a Dinner for the 50th U.S.-Japan Business Conference
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
The Willard Hotel
Washington, DC
November 14, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much, Ambassador. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Please, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am enormously grateful (inaudible). Winston Churchill said the only reason people ever give a standing ovation is they desperately need an excuse to shift their underwear. (Laughter.) I know you had a much more noble cause in mind. (Laughter.) And I thank you for that.
Charles, thank you for a very warm introduction. I’m very grateful. And there’s nothing worse than parachuting into a dinner, interrupting people’s meal. You don’t have any idea what everybody’s been talking about and you’re going to give a speech for a few minutes. But I’m going to try and do that as effectively as I can.
I’m really honored to be here. As you all know – it was mentioned in the introduction by Charles – I used to be an elected official. I was a senator for 29 years. So I used to go to things and say, “It’s nice to be invited anywhere.” (Laughter.) And now that may be more true, I don’t know. (Laughter.)
I was walking through an airport a few months before I was nominated to be Secretary of State, and it was up in Boston. This guy points at me – you know that note of recognition as you’re walking and you see the eyes fix on you or something – and he said, “Hey you. Hey, anybody ever tell you, you look like that Kerry guy we sent down to Washington?” (Laughter.) And I said perfectly normally, I said, “Yeah, they tell me that all the time.” (Laughter.) He says, “Kind of makes you mad, doesn’t it?” (Laughter.) So I’m really lucky to be out of that and happy to be here.
It’s wonderful to be here with Tom Donohue and with all of you celebrating the 50th year of the U.S.-Japanese Business Conference. And I can tell looking out at the ballroom – and I think – where’s Tom Nides? Is he here somewhere? No, not Tom Donohue. Tom Nides. Is he here? Somebody told me Nides was going to be here. Well, anyway – well, I’ve now outed him. He skipped the dinner. (Laughter.) Trouble.
But I know a lot of the folks who are here, and this is a very powerful group of smart business people, all of whom understand the new global economy that we are dealing with, and as Tom and I were talking just walking in here, a much more complex world in many ways than the world that we grew used to through the latter part of the 20th century. The Cold War was really simple compared to what we’re looking at today, with the rise of sectarianism, religious extremism, the challenges of global barriers breaking down, masses of young people all around the planet desperate for education, for jobs, for opportunity, for a reach at the brass ring.
And relationships like ours, the relationship between Japan and the United States, are even that much more important when you think about the complexity and the importance of alliances in this new global economy and with these multiple challenges that we all face. If anybody doubts the importance of this particular relationship, let me just tell you that all you have to do is look at my schedule just for this week. This is my third event with Ambassador Sasae this week. (Laughter.) And I think it underscores the importance – I had the privilege of being with him when we swore in Caroline Kennedy and a wonderful reception at his home to toast her, and literally within hours she is on an airplane right now and she will land in a couple of hours in Tokyo and begin her journey there.
So Mr. Ambassador, I can promise you, as I’ve said previously, President Obama is sending somebody to represent the United States in Japan who truly has his ear and his respect. And she is a very accomplished individual – author, lawyer, a convener of people for all kinds of things through her lifetime. In many ways, she’s been an ambassador all her life, as I said at her swearing-in. And obviously, with her work with the Kennedy Library, her work as the chief of the partnership for schools and education in New York City, and so many other efforts, I believe she’s going to really take our relationship to new heights, and we’re excited about that.
It’s not inappropriate with Caroline Kennedy on that airplane and as we mark the 50th anniversary of the loss of President Kennedy that we remember what President Kennedy said 50 years ago. He urged Americans to look inter-continentally instead of inwardly, to bridge oceans with purposeful partnerships. And he said that we must “look outward to cooperate with all nations in meeting their common concerns.” I don’t think that that charge has ever been more important than it really is today.
Fifty years later, with President Obama’s leadership with respect to our outreach, to the rebalance in Asia, we are bringing that commitment and we are particularly bringing that commitment to our partnership with Japan. As the President said in Tokyo on his first visit in his first year in office, the Pacific Ocean doesn’t separate us as much as it connects us. And I think the same can be said and most of us here would feel the same way about the shared values that have brought us through these 50 years and more in a period of enormous transformation for both of our countries.
We also know, however, that you can’t rest on the past. It never works. You need to keep revitalizing the alliance and reframing it. Secretary Hagel and I paid a visit just a short time ago to Japan. We were in Tokyo for what we call a 2+2, which is Defense Secretary and Secretary of State meeting their counterparts. And we worked very closely there in order to forge a new framework for our alliance for the first time in nearly twenty years. We are not just recommitting to the partnership that has been the cornerstone of Asia’s security and prosperity for the past six decades, we are reinvigorating and redefining the ways that we need to carry that relationship into the future.
And I think as you look at our work together, whether it’s on security, on trade, on global challenges and people-to-people ties, we are proving true what Prime Minister Abe said in Washington: No one should ever doubt the strength of this remarkable alliance. Now, we could not be more pleased with the initiative of Prime Minister Abe and the work that he is doing now to strengthen Japan and its alliance and also, frankly, to play a more robust and more engaged role within the region, which is important, and we welcome that initiative and that effort.
Today, we have the opportunity to, frankly, break new ground in how we keep countries safe, how we help economies to mature, how we create new jobs and embrace partnerships for the future. And I was telling Tom as we came in here one of the things that I have said since day one when I became Secretary of State is that in many ways foreign policy today, more than almost at any time in recent memory, foreign policy is economic policy, and economy policy is foreign policy. And we need to really focus in on that – all of us – as we think about the ways in which we’re going to grow our economies and provide for this rapidly increasing demand for services and opportunity on a global basis.
I think that we’ve seen this partnership grow in other ways. Right now, Japan and the United States are working together in order to provide emergency assistance in the Philippines because of the devastation from the typhoon. That’s the kind of cooperation that redefines security and partnership in the region. And as I said in my remarks at Tokyo Tech when I spoke just last spring, we believe not in some specific set of commandments about how we ought to behave, but rather in a mutual recognition that, as you say in Japan, we are all in this together, otagai-sama. (Laughter.) Not bad. (Applause.)
Every one of you comes to these tables tonight and most importantly to this 50-year partnership with an understanding of your own businesses and of this new, more competitive, more voracious, fast-moving economy that we’re all working in. And it is the success of your businesses and the strength of the ties between them and the United States and your own countries – Japan or America – that is really the proof of what I’m talking about here tonight. For those of you representing Japanese companies who have invested in the United States, we thank you. We also invite you to do more, to recognize what is happening here in America with respect to our productivity, our competitiveness, and the extraordinary fact that we have suddenly become the number one oil and gas producer in the world and will be energy-independent by the year 2035. It’s extraordinary. I can’t tell you that it was something that was absolutely, totally planned. It came about because of the extraordinary productivity and innovation of some of our companies, and that innovation is now producing a different future for people all over the world.
We also hope that you will recognize that we, I think, are the number one leading nation in the world with respect to foreign direct investment from very, very many places, and now increasingly we are finding ourselves manufacturing competitive with manufacturing coming back as a consequence of a whole bunch of different ingredients that I won’t go into tonight.
I also want to point out that through the work of a program called SelectUSA, we are working aggressively to reach out to countries to market something that we haven’t always done as aggressively in the past but which we think is important in this new dynamic.
For those American companies among you who have invested in the Japanese market, likewise we say thank you, because your investments abroad create jobs back here at home and they generate wealth that not only supports our economy but becomes invested and helps to deal with challenges on a global basis.
To harness the full strength of our alliance, I would respectfully say to you that we need to actually deepen our economic ties, and we need to unlock the full potential for growth in the Asia Pacific, a fast – remarkably, one of the fastest-growing parts of the world, obviously. I was just in Brunei and Bali for the summits, and I could feel this incredible energy as well as just see the remarkable set of opportunities.
But the great catalyst for this effort, we believe, is the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We are absolutely convinced that the multilateral free trade agreement under negotiation with some of the world’s most vibrant economies represents something good for everybody in the world and it will make a difference by raising standards, opening up markets, and creating, literally, millions of more jobs in our country, in yours, and across the Asian Pacific. This is the future.
And with Japan’s entry, the TPP markets are going to comprise nearly 40 percent of the world’s GPP. You put that together with the TTIP and Europe, and you have the most powerful economic force on this planet, raising the standards of everybody, breaking down barriers, breaking down the sometimes government-placed barriers, and creating a fair playing field which improves everybody’s sense of the future, and certainly sends a message to capital about investment, which really is important to the kind of growth that we need in all of our countries.
So the TPP is not only going to be a job creator here at home and in Japan and throughout East Asia, but it’s going to ensure that the highest standards that we set in our own economies become the standard by which everybody then begins to measure their own judgments about investment and about the marketplace. And that improves the certainty of investment as well as creates a stability from which every single one of us will benefit.
We also know that the vitality of our partnership for the future depends on innovation. This has been proven over the last years, ever since World War II. Almost all of the productivity that we saw in our country – I think about 85, 90 percent of it – came through increases in innovation. And the foundation for innovation – none of us dare forget – is people. It’s the ability to be able to have people take ideas and take risks and be willing to cross oceans and create the new products and new possibilities of that future.
Through our exchange of technology and talent, U.S. and Japanese researchers right now are making historic breakthroughs in creating new – in helping to build the International Space Station, in helping to find cures for cancer and treatments for cancer. And from the tragedy of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, we have actually been able to cooperate and find ways to make great strides in disaster response, recovery, and risk mitigation.
But as with any profitable partnership, every single one of you here knows that growth requires investment. And when it comes to the educational exchange, I just want to single out for you we can do better and we need to do better. In recent years, the number of Japanese students studying full-time in the United States for their university degrees has dropped by nearly 60 percent. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. students studying in Japan, while growing steadily, has actually remained relatively low despite the growth. So each of you here can actually engage in proactive ways to help us continue that exchange which is going to be critical to the vitality of our innovation and the growth of this partnership.
And it’s important because in today’s world, whether it’s climate change, or the problem and challenge of youth unemployment or global health, every one of these issues transcend borders. They don’t belong to any one country. And so the result is we have to find new thinking that brings people together on an international basis willing to cooperate, willing to share the values and share the solutions to these particular problems.
I think the reality is that the United States and Japan’s ability to create shared prosperity tomorrow rests almost exclusively in what we do to build the stronger ties today. And I invite all of you to find ways for your businesses to create these stronger partnerships and move us forward. As we work to grab ahold of these opportunities in the future, there are some special things we’re going to need to pay attention to. Everybody knows about the tensions over islands between Japan and China. We’re all very cognizant of still some unfinished business with respect to the Republic of Korea and the need to move to the future and not be held by the past. We also know that North Korea presents a very special challenge to all of us, and one in which our cooperation with China will be as critical as any other single thing that we do, because China above all has the ability to make the greatest difference in the choices that North Korea makes. And we have been having that dialogue very directly, and that policy is moving, and I believe it is the only way ultimately to – the only way that we want to rationally accept to force the denuclearization of the peninsula, which is critical to the non-nuclearization of the entire region.
So these are the challenges. They’re not small. And because of what so many of you in this room have helped to achieve, I believe we have a chance to turn our potential into the promise of the future and to address each of these. I think we have the opportunity to live up to our generational responsibility to meet these challenges, and I look forward to passing that generational test with you in an effort to make certain that we make wise decisions, that we protect the future, and importantly in that effort, that we continue to build this extraordinary relationship.
Thank you for letting me be here to celebrate with you. Thank you. (Applause.)
Remarks at a Dinner for the 50th U.S.-Japan Business Conference
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
The Willard Hotel
Washington, DC
November 14, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you, thank you. Thank you very much, Ambassador. Thank you very much. (Applause.) Please, thank you, thank you, thank you. I am enormously grateful (inaudible). Winston Churchill said the only reason people ever give a standing ovation is they desperately need an excuse to shift their underwear. (Laughter.) I know you had a much more noble cause in mind. (Laughter.) And I thank you for that.
Charles, thank you for a very warm introduction. I’m very grateful. And there’s nothing worse than parachuting into a dinner, interrupting people’s meal. You don’t have any idea what everybody’s been talking about and you’re going to give a speech for a few minutes. But I’m going to try and do that as effectively as I can.
I’m really honored to be here. As you all know – it was mentioned in the introduction by Charles – I used to be an elected official. I was a senator for 29 years. So I used to go to things and say, “It’s nice to be invited anywhere.” (Laughter.) And now that may be more true, I don’t know. (Laughter.)
I was walking through an airport a few months before I was nominated to be Secretary of State, and it was up in Boston. This guy points at me – you know that note of recognition as you’re walking and you see the eyes fix on you or something – and he said, “Hey you. Hey, anybody ever tell you, you look like that Kerry guy we sent down to Washington?” (Laughter.) And I said perfectly normally, I said, “Yeah, they tell me that all the time.” (Laughter.) He says, “Kind of makes you mad, doesn’t it?” (Laughter.) So I’m really lucky to be out of that and happy to be here.
It’s wonderful to be here with Tom Donohue and with all of you celebrating the 50th year of the U.S.-Japanese Business Conference. And I can tell looking out at the ballroom – and I think – where’s Tom Nides? Is he here somewhere? No, not Tom Donohue. Tom Nides. Is he here? Somebody told me Nides was going to be here. Well, anyway – well, I’ve now outed him. He skipped the dinner. (Laughter.) Trouble.
But I know a lot of the folks who are here, and this is a very powerful group of smart business people, all of whom understand the new global economy that we are dealing with, and as Tom and I were talking just walking in here, a much more complex world in many ways than the world that we grew used to through the latter part of the 20th century. The Cold War was really simple compared to what we’re looking at today, with the rise of sectarianism, religious extremism, the challenges of global barriers breaking down, masses of young people all around the planet desperate for education, for jobs, for opportunity, for a reach at the brass ring.
And relationships like ours, the relationship between Japan and the United States, are even that much more important when you think about the complexity and the importance of alliances in this new global economy and with these multiple challenges that we all face. If anybody doubts the importance of this particular relationship, let me just tell you that all you have to do is look at my schedule just for this week. This is my third event with Ambassador Sasae this week. (Laughter.) And I think it underscores the importance – I had the privilege of being with him when we swore in Caroline Kennedy and a wonderful reception at his home to toast her, and literally within hours she is on an airplane right now and she will land in a couple of hours in Tokyo and begin her journey there.
So Mr. Ambassador, I can promise you, as I’ve said previously, President Obama is sending somebody to represent the United States in Japan who truly has his ear and his respect. And she is a very accomplished individual – author, lawyer, a convener of people for all kinds of things through her lifetime. In many ways, she’s been an ambassador all her life, as I said at her swearing-in. And obviously, with her work with the Kennedy Library, her work as the chief of the partnership for schools and education in New York City, and so many other efforts, I believe she’s going to really take our relationship to new heights, and we’re excited about that.
It’s not inappropriate with Caroline Kennedy on that airplane and as we mark the 50th anniversary of the loss of President Kennedy that we remember what President Kennedy said 50 years ago. He urged Americans to look inter-continentally instead of inwardly, to bridge oceans with purposeful partnerships. And he said that we must “look outward to cooperate with all nations in meeting their common concerns.” I don’t think that that charge has ever been more important than it really is today.
Fifty years later, with President Obama’s leadership with respect to our outreach, to the rebalance in Asia, we are bringing that commitment and we are particularly bringing that commitment to our partnership with Japan. As the President said in Tokyo on his first visit in his first year in office, the Pacific Ocean doesn’t separate us as much as it connects us. And I think the same can be said and most of us here would feel the same way about the shared values that have brought us through these 50 years and more in a period of enormous transformation for both of our countries.
We also know, however, that you can’t rest on the past. It never works. You need to keep revitalizing the alliance and reframing it. Secretary Hagel and I paid a visit just a short time ago to Japan. We were in Tokyo for what we call a 2+2, which is Defense Secretary and Secretary of State meeting their counterparts. And we worked very closely there in order to forge a new framework for our alliance for the first time in nearly twenty years. We are not just recommitting to the partnership that has been the cornerstone of Asia’s security and prosperity for the past six decades, we are reinvigorating and redefining the ways that we need to carry that relationship into the future.
And I think as you look at our work together, whether it’s on security, on trade, on global challenges and people-to-people ties, we are proving true what Prime Minister Abe said in Washington: No one should ever doubt the strength of this remarkable alliance. Now, we could not be more pleased with the initiative of Prime Minister Abe and the work that he is doing now to strengthen Japan and its alliance and also, frankly, to play a more robust and more engaged role within the region, which is important, and we welcome that initiative and that effort.
Today, we have the opportunity to, frankly, break new ground in how we keep countries safe, how we help economies to mature, how we create new jobs and embrace partnerships for the future. And I was telling Tom as we came in here one of the things that I have said since day one when I became Secretary of State is that in many ways foreign policy today, more than almost at any time in recent memory, foreign policy is economic policy, and economy policy is foreign policy. And we need to really focus in on that – all of us – as we think about the ways in which we’re going to grow our economies and provide for this rapidly increasing demand for services and opportunity on a global basis.
I think that we’ve seen this partnership grow in other ways. Right now, Japan and the United States are working together in order to provide emergency assistance in the Philippines because of the devastation from the typhoon. That’s the kind of cooperation that redefines security and partnership in the region. And as I said in my remarks at Tokyo Tech when I spoke just last spring, we believe not in some specific set of commandments about how we ought to behave, but rather in a mutual recognition that, as you say in Japan, we are all in this together, otagai-sama. (Laughter.) Not bad. (Applause.)
Every one of you comes to these tables tonight and most importantly to this 50-year partnership with an understanding of your own businesses and of this new, more competitive, more voracious, fast-moving economy that we’re all working in. And it is the success of your businesses and the strength of the ties between them and the United States and your own countries – Japan or America – that is really the proof of what I’m talking about here tonight. For those of you representing Japanese companies who have invested in the United States, we thank you. We also invite you to do more, to recognize what is happening here in America with respect to our productivity, our competitiveness, and the extraordinary fact that we have suddenly become the number one oil and gas producer in the world and will be energy-independent by the year 2035. It’s extraordinary. I can’t tell you that it was something that was absolutely, totally planned. It came about because of the extraordinary productivity and innovation of some of our companies, and that innovation is now producing a different future for people all over the world.
We also hope that you will recognize that we, I think, are the number one leading nation in the world with respect to foreign direct investment from very, very many places, and now increasingly we are finding ourselves manufacturing competitive with manufacturing coming back as a consequence of a whole bunch of different ingredients that I won’t go into tonight.
I also want to point out that through the work of a program called SelectUSA, we are working aggressively to reach out to countries to market something that we haven’t always done as aggressively in the past but which we think is important in this new dynamic.
For those American companies among you who have invested in the Japanese market, likewise we say thank you, because your investments abroad create jobs back here at home and they generate wealth that not only supports our economy but becomes invested and helps to deal with challenges on a global basis.
To harness the full strength of our alliance, I would respectfully say to you that we need to actually deepen our economic ties, and we need to unlock the full potential for growth in the Asia Pacific, a fast – remarkably, one of the fastest-growing parts of the world, obviously. I was just in Brunei and Bali for the summits, and I could feel this incredible energy as well as just see the remarkable set of opportunities.
But the great catalyst for this effort, we believe, is the Trans-Pacific Partnership. We are absolutely convinced that the multilateral free trade agreement under negotiation with some of the world’s most vibrant economies represents something good for everybody in the world and it will make a difference by raising standards, opening up markets, and creating, literally, millions of more jobs in our country, in yours, and across the Asian Pacific. This is the future.
And with Japan’s entry, the TPP markets are going to comprise nearly 40 percent of the world’s GPP. You put that together with the TTIP and Europe, and you have the most powerful economic force on this planet, raising the standards of everybody, breaking down barriers, breaking down the sometimes government-placed barriers, and creating a fair playing field which improves everybody’s sense of the future, and certainly sends a message to capital about investment, which really is important to the kind of growth that we need in all of our countries.
So the TPP is not only going to be a job creator here at home and in Japan and throughout East Asia, but it’s going to ensure that the highest standards that we set in our own economies become the standard by which everybody then begins to measure their own judgments about investment and about the marketplace. And that improves the certainty of investment as well as creates a stability from which every single one of us will benefit.
We also know that the vitality of our partnership for the future depends on innovation. This has been proven over the last years, ever since World War II. Almost all of the productivity that we saw in our country – I think about 85, 90 percent of it – came through increases in innovation. And the foundation for innovation – none of us dare forget – is people. It’s the ability to be able to have people take ideas and take risks and be willing to cross oceans and create the new products and new possibilities of that future.
Through our exchange of technology and talent, U.S. and Japanese researchers right now are making historic breakthroughs in creating new – in helping to build the International Space Station, in helping to find cures for cancer and treatments for cancer. And from the tragedy of the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, we have actually been able to cooperate and find ways to make great strides in disaster response, recovery, and risk mitigation.
But as with any profitable partnership, every single one of you here knows that growth requires investment. And when it comes to the educational exchange, I just want to single out for you we can do better and we need to do better. In recent years, the number of Japanese students studying full-time in the United States for their university degrees has dropped by nearly 60 percent. Meanwhile, the number of U.S. students studying in Japan, while growing steadily, has actually remained relatively low despite the growth. So each of you here can actually engage in proactive ways to help us continue that exchange which is going to be critical to the vitality of our innovation and the growth of this partnership.
And it’s important because in today’s world, whether it’s climate change, or the problem and challenge of youth unemployment or global health, every one of these issues transcend borders. They don’t belong to any one country. And so the result is we have to find new thinking that brings people together on an international basis willing to cooperate, willing to share the values and share the solutions to these particular problems.
I think the reality is that the United States and Japan’s ability to create shared prosperity tomorrow rests almost exclusively in what we do to build the stronger ties today. And I invite all of you to find ways for your businesses to create these stronger partnerships and move us forward. As we work to grab ahold of these opportunities in the future, there are some special things we’re going to need to pay attention to. Everybody knows about the tensions over islands between Japan and China. We’re all very cognizant of still some unfinished business with respect to the Republic of Korea and the need to move to the future and not be held by the past. We also know that North Korea presents a very special challenge to all of us, and one in which our cooperation with China will be as critical as any other single thing that we do, because China above all has the ability to make the greatest difference in the choices that North Korea makes. And we have been having that dialogue very directly, and that policy is moving, and I believe it is the only way ultimately to – the only way that we want to rationally accept to force the denuclearization of the peninsula, which is critical to the non-nuclearization of the entire region.
So these are the challenges. They’re not small. And because of what so many of you in this room have helped to achieve, I believe we have a chance to turn our potential into the promise of the future and to address each of these. I think we have the opportunity to live up to our generational responsibility to meet these challenges, and I look forward to passing that generational test with you in an effort to make certain that we make wise decisions, that we protect the future, and importantly in that effort, that we continue to build this extraordinary relationship.
Thank you for letting me be here to celebrate with you. Thank you. (Applause.)
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