FROM: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Remarks at the “SEC Speaks” Conference
Commissioner Kara M. Stein
U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C.
Feb. 21, 2014
I am pleased to join you today as Commissioner for my first SEC Speaks. Before I begin my remarks, I would like to remind you that the views I am expressing today are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Commission, my fellow Commissioners, or the staff of the Commission.
This summer will mark the 80th anniversary of the Securities and Exchange Commission, which is a testament not only to the mission of the Agency, but also to the dedication of the thousands of people who have worked for it over the decades. Since joining the Commission, I’ve been impressed by the incredible amount of work that the SEC staff-members do each and every day.
In my office, I have copies of the original securities laws and a picture of the first Commission, with Chairman Joseph Kennedy and Commissioners Ferdinand Pecora and James Landis. These men were extraordinary public figures. Ferdinand Pecora led the investigation into the causes of the Great Depression, and used that knowledge to help shape the new Commission. James Landis helped draft the Securities Act and was instrumental in developing the modern securities regulatory regime. And Joe Kennedy, who was a leading investor, businessman, and statesman, worked as a powerful chairman driving the new agency. That Commission was well-informed by the causes of the Great Depression. And they acted boldly—even during a struggling economy—to help bring stability and fairness to the financial markets.
Those first Commissioners would likely be surprised to see how much the Commission has evolved over these past eight decades. We’ve grown quite a bit. We oversee whole industries that didn’t even exist back then. And we also now have a little division that I think you might have heard of—the Division of Enforcement.
One of the greatest surprises for me when I joined the Commission was coming to grips with the vast scope of our enforcement efforts. As many of you know, each week Commissioners are asked to review hundreds of pages of documents, and pass judgment on as many as two dozen cases covering any number of complex legal issues.
Chair White and Enforcement Director Ceresney have set a fantastic tone for the Commission’s enforcement efforts. They have made it clear that the SEC will use its tools to vigorously protect the public interest and investors. Under their guidance, the Commission is seeking admissions of culpability. And we are now focusing more than ever before on firms’ internal controls. That holds true whether at a trading desk, in an accountant’s office, or in the executive suite.
I am also strongly interested in seeking greater individual accountability for gatekeepers, including executives, compliance officers, accountants, and attorneys. Just within the last few months, we’ve brought a case against a small auditor for entirely failed audits of shell public companies, a case against a large accounting firm for violating auditor independence rules, a case against a compliance officer of an investment adviser for egregious violations of custody and compliance rules, and a financial fraud case against the CFO of a large public company. I applaud our Enforcement Staff for bringing these kinds of tough and important cases.
Gatekeepers fulfill a critical role in allowing participants to access the capital markets. As the Commission is being tasked with overseeing more, with fewer resources, the focus on gatekeepers is both an efficient and effective approach to policing the securities marketplace.
This focus on gatekeepers will empower securities professionals, compliance officers, accountants, and lawyers to actively look for red flags, ask the tough questions, and demand answers. Actions will be brought when professionals fail to fulfill their responsibilities.
I also think we should look at some of the other tools we have in our toolbox to see if they can enhance our ability to protect the public interest and investors. For example, I think we should review our policies for waiving automatic disqualification provisions, sometimes called “bad actor” provisions.
Currently, there are over a half-dozen bad actor provisions. If a firm violates the law or hits some other defined trigger, then it is precluded from obtaining certain privileges, engaging in some types of offerings, or even conducting a certain type of business. These bad actor provisions exist to protect the public interest and investors, and so we should be very careful in granting waivers from them. We should consider the initial purpose for the disqualification provision, and we should consider how that policy is impacted by a decision to waive it.
We must ensure that we have a fair, sound and consistent basis for granting or denying a waiver request. Firms and investors both deserve to know what factors we, or our staff, will use to evaluate waiver requests, and we must be able to support our decisions to grant or deny waiver requests with documented policies and facts.
I am pleased to be working with my colleagues to ensure that we have clear waiver policies that I think will buttress our efforts to promote the public interest and protect investors.
As important as enforcement is, of course, that is not all that we do. We also write rules. Like the first Commission, we all come to our work informed by a financial crisis. In fact, like Ferdinand Pecora, both Commissioner Piwowar and I came to the Commission, shaped by our time as Senate Banking aides.
Also like that first Commission, this Commission has received strong direction from Congress on how to help address the underlying causes of the crisis. Following years of investigations and dozens of hearings detailing the causes of the crisis by the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, the Senate Banking Committee, the House Financial Services Committee, the Senate Agriculture Committee, and the House Agriculture Committee, Congress passed the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
That ground-breaking law built upon the lessons from the collapse of AIG, and created a new regulatory regime for derivatives. It built upon the lessons from the collapse of the housing and securitizations markets, and established new rules to make mortgages and securitizations safer. And it built upon the explosive losses at many of the largest banks and placed new limits on banks’ risky trading.
These are only a few parts of the Act that were designed to make our financial system safer, more transparent, and more fair. The Dodd-Frank Act directed the Commission to write or modify over 90 rules, and authorized the Commission to write dozens more. Over three years later, the Commission’s work to implement those rules is not complete. We need to finalize, this year, our derivatives reforms, including the cross-border application of our rules and our business conduct rules.
We also need to finalize rules about executive compensation, including provisions requiring issuers to have policies in place to claw back compensation. We should be empowering shareholders to take money back from executives who put their own personal gain ahead of the interests of shareholders and the firm. And we should be working with the banking regulators to finalize a rule that would help ensure that our largest financial firms don’t have executive compensation structures that encourage risky and potentially disastrous behavior.
We also need to finally and firmly address the conflicts of interest in asset-backed securitizations and the provision of credit ratings.
We should move carefully but quickly to finish these rules. And if a rule is rejected by a Court, we should dust ourselves off, make the rule better, and finish it. We should not be intimidated into backing off our obligation to implement the law. We should not be leaving any of our statutorily required rulemakings behind —even those that some of us may not like.
Our lessons from the financial crisis are not exclusively addressed by the Dodd-Frank Act. We must also think proactively of ways to mitigate threats to our financial system. During the depths of the financial crisis, the true fragility of our financial system was revealed as financial tidal waves washed over the global economy. I was working in the Senate as the crisis unfolded, and I can assure you that I will forever remember those frightening times in 2008 and 2009.
Our government took extraordinary measures to save the world economy, pouring trillions of dollars into the markets and financial firms. Many of us remember the Troubled Asset Relief Program, which provided billions of dollars in capital to banks. But that was just one small part of the picture.
As financial institutions struggled for funding amidst the sharp pullback of the short term lending markets, the Federal Reserve eased the rules, and expanded the ability of firms to tap the discount window. It created several unprecedented programs out of thin air with technical-sounding names, such as the Term Auction Facility, the Primary Dealer Credit Facility, and the Term Securities Lending Facility.
To help provide liquidity directly to borrowers and investors in key credit markets, the Federal Reserve also created the Commercial Paper Funding Facility, the Asset-Backed Commercial Paper Money Market Mutual Fund Liquidity Facility, the Money Market Investor Funding Facility, and the Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility.
Some of these programs worked, and others didn’t. But collectively, these and other efforts helped stem the tide of the credit crisis. I also note that most of these markets, and those who participate in them, are regulated by the Commission.
Now, several years removed, some seem determined to forget what happened, arguing that we should ignore the inter-relationships that nearly caused global economic collapse. I cannot forget. I will not ignore the relationships between banks, broker-dealers, funds, and investors. Nor will I forget how those relationships nearly unwound our financial system.
For example, the short term funding market is a complex ecosystem in which investors, including money market funds, interact with broker-dealers, banks, and non-bank issuers. Behavior by one sector in the market will have repercussions for the rest. For example, if the demand provided by money market funds for short term paper dries up, even if there isn’t a so-called “run,” what happens? Similarly, if lenders refuse to accept even high-quality, stable-value collateral, to support their short term loans, what happens?
We learned that supposedly well-capitalized firms could quickly fall victim to liquidity crises. And we learned that highly leveraged, affiliated broker-dealers can threaten even some of the largest banks.
Since the crisis, regulators around the world have been working to improve capital, leverage, liquidity, and margin rules. There is a reason why Congress and regulators have been working to tighten the definition of what constitutes “capital” in the years since the crisis. There is a reason why our fellow regulators care deeply about the risks posed by securities lending and the tri-party repo markets.[1] And there is a reason why the Financial Stability Oversight Council (FSOC) has been working with the Commission to address risks posed by money market funds. Our government put trillions of dollars on the line to bail out, directly and indirectly, our entire financial system, and each of these areas played a key role in the crisis.
We, at the Commission, are working on rules to prevent runs on money market funds. Those are valuable efforts, but they do not go far enough to address systemic risks. Our regulations shape the role that money market funds play in providing short-term funding for issuers, particularly the largest financial firms. We must consider whether regulations need to be updated. We should consider whether enhanced capital, leverage, liquidity, and margin rules would help mitigate risks at the firms, and in the markets, we regulate.
And we should also empower market participants to help prevent systemic risks. One way may be to improve disclosures regarding issuers’ reliance on short term funding. Investors should be aware of a firm’s susceptibility to a liquidity crunch, and be able to demand higher interest rates or other concessions. That is how the capital markets should work when these risks are understood.
Our efforts to avoid another financial crisis also should not be confined to simply attempting to prevent the last one. Since the financial crisis, we have also seen new issues emerge in how stocks, options, futures, and increasingly other products, are traded. In recent years, the plumbing of our markets has evolved dramatically. Today, there are 16 registered securities exchanges, dozens of so-called “dark pools,” and hundreds of so-called “internalizers.” Markets and traders are connected at near-light speeds. Telephone lines have given way to fiber optic cables, microwave towers, and now, laser beams.[2]
When this system works well, futures, options, and equities trade nearly seamlessly around the world. Yet when something goes wrong, the results can be severe for the businesses and investors who rely on our capital markets.
As we all know, on May 6, 2010, an investment adviser selling E-mini futures, on a day filled with fears about the European debt crisis, helped trigger collapses in futures, options and equities. Futures, options, and equities are inextricably linked, and our oversight of them must be too. While this task may be made somewhat more complex because it involves two primary regulators, it is not impossible. We simply must work together to oversee these markets. For example, rules for systems and testing should be coordinated, as should safety measures.
We also must have a comprehensive vision and understanding of the markets. The Consolidated Audit Trail, or CAT, is desperately needed and long overdue. But we should not stop with what we have proposed already. To be most useful, the CAT should be comprehensive, including data from all of the inter-related markets, not just those principally overseen by the Commission.
Critical market infrastructure should be both reliable and resilient. It is not good enough to say that the system is operational 99 percent of the time. It also must not be catastrophic if something unexpected or unknown occurs. Traders, exchanges, dark pools, clearing firms and others need to anticipate, and plan for, the unexpected.
All market participants need to have the appropriate systems and controls in place to ensure that they don’t trigger market failures. We, as a Commission, need to be working on improving expectations and standards for those systems and controls.
Our Enforcement staff has been doing great work in bringing some of these hyper-technical, often difficult cases against traders and execution venues. These types of cases help send strong messages that good systems and good people are vital, not only to the health of one market participant, but to all of them.
Efforts to address all of these risks, and prevent the next financial crisis, should not fall victim to agency turf wars. The FSOC was created to help break down some of the silos and end some of the jurisdictional divides that exacerbated the last crisis. The Commission needs to be a helpful contributor to the FSOC. As a Commissioner, my responsibility is to the American public, to investors, and to the businesses who rely on our capital markets every day. While I work at the SEC, I work for the American people. In that regard, I have the same goals as our fellow regulators.
We should embrace our fellow regulators’ efforts and work to improve them. We do not lose power as an agency by working with other regulators, we leverage it. We gain knowledge and expertise in new areas. And other regulators gain knowledge and expertise by working collaboratively with us. If we are to be successful in protecting American families and businesses from the damage of another financial crisis, we must work together. And we must be bold.
Eighty years from now, I hope history will show that our Commission lived up to the high standard set by our very first Commission. I hope history will show that we had the expertise and the courage to think boldly, and act carefully, to reduce risks in our financial system, promote the public interest, facilitate capital formation, and protect investors.
We have come a long way since 1934, and we have a long way to go. I know those of us on stage today will be working hard to keep us moving, and ahead of the curve. I hope you will help us.
[1] See, e.g., Adam Copeland, Antoine Martin, and Michael Walker, Fed. Reserve Bank of N.Y., The Tri-Party Repo Market before 2010 Reforms, (Staff Rep. No. 477, 2010).
[2] Scott Patterson, Race to Zero: Traders With Need for Speed Turn to Laser Beams, Wall St. J., Feb. 12, 2014.
Saturday, February 22, 2014
EX-IM BANK ANNOUNCES OVER $1 BILLION FOR BUSINESS AIRCRAFT AND HELICOPTERS
FROM: EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Tops $1 Billion in Financing for American Business Aircraft and Helicopters
Bank Approves $300 Million for Export of Gulfstream Aircraft to China, Supports 2,100 U.S. jobs
Washington, D.C. – Today the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced it has topped $1 billion in support of American-made business-aircraft and helicopter financings since the beginning of FY 2012.
In a deal that drove recent business-aircraft and helicopter financings over the $1 billion mark and supported approximately 2,100 American jobs, the Bank’s board approved a guarantee of a $300 million loan extended by Apple Bank for Savings to Minsheng Financial Leasing Company Ltd. of Tianjin, China, last December to finance the purchase of eight aircraft manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of Savannah, Ga.
“Business aircraft is a great example of a homegrown American industry that is creating jobs in communities across the country, thanks to support from the Export-Import Bank,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Despite an increase in the number of foreign competitors, America’s business-jet manufacturers continue to demonstrate the advantages of manufacturing high-technology, high-quality products in the USA. Our loan guarantee, which pushes us over the $1 billion threshold for business-aircraft and helicopter financings months before our in-house deadline, will boost the export of eight of these state-of-the-art, American-made business jets to China and bolster U.S. jobs in Georgia. It is great to see that even in this competitive global marketplace, the Chinese continue to buy American.”
At the European Business Convention and Exhibition in May 2012, Chairman Hochberg announced that Ex-Im Bank would provide support for at least $1 billion in business-aircraft and helicopter financings by the end of 2014. Ex-Im Bank met the goal well in advance.
Founded in 2008, Minsheng currently ranks as Asia’s largest business-jet leasing firm. The company was advised by Airfinance Leasing LLC, an Ex-Im Bank Qualified Advisor, and plans to lease the Gulfstream aircraft to various end users. The purchase of the four G450s and four G550s occurred in early 2013.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,200 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958.
“Gulfstream’s presence around the world has dramatically increased over the past 10 years,” said Larry Flynn, President of Gulfstream Aerospace. “In 2008, we had 10 Gulfstream aircraft based in China. Today, this number has grown to more than 80 aircraft. The support that Gulfstream receives from Ex-Im Bank allows us to be more competitive around the world and has enabled us to grow the number of employees in the U.S.”
Ex-Im Bank Tops $1 Billion in Financing for American Business Aircraft and Helicopters
Bank Approves $300 Million for Export of Gulfstream Aircraft to China, Supports 2,100 U.S. jobs
Washington, D.C. – Today the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) announced it has topped $1 billion in support of American-made business-aircraft and helicopter financings since the beginning of FY 2012.
In a deal that drove recent business-aircraft and helicopter financings over the $1 billion mark and supported approximately 2,100 American jobs, the Bank’s board approved a guarantee of a $300 million loan extended by Apple Bank for Savings to Minsheng Financial Leasing Company Ltd. of Tianjin, China, last December to finance the purchase of eight aircraft manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation of Savannah, Ga.
“Business aircraft is a great example of a homegrown American industry that is creating jobs in communities across the country, thanks to support from the Export-Import Bank,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Despite an increase in the number of foreign competitors, America’s business-jet manufacturers continue to demonstrate the advantages of manufacturing high-technology, high-quality products in the USA. Our loan guarantee, which pushes us over the $1 billion threshold for business-aircraft and helicopter financings months before our in-house deadline, will boost the export of eight of these state-of-the-art, American-made business jets to China and bolster U.S. jobs in Georgia. It is great to see that even in this competitive global marketplace, the Chinese continue to buy American.”
At the European Business Convention and Exhibition in May 2012, Chairman Hochberg announced that Ex-Im Bank would provide support for at least $1 billion in business-aircraft and helicopter financings by the end of 2014. Ex-Im Bank met the goal well in advance.
Founded in 2008, Minsheng currently ranks as Asia’s largest business-jet leasing firm. The company was advised by Airfinance Leasing LLC, an Ex-Im Bank Qualified Advisor, and plans to lease the Gulfstream aircraft to various end users. The purchase of the four G450s and four G550s occurred in early 2013.
Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of General Dynamics, designs, develops, manufactures, markets, services and supports the world’s most technologically advanced business-jet aircraft. Gulfstream has produced more than 2,200 aircraft for customers around the world since 1958.
“Gulfstream’s presence around the world has dramatically increased over the past 10 years,” said Larry Flynn, President of Gulfstream Aerospace. “In 2008, we had 10 Gulfstream aircraft based in China. Today, this number has grown to more than 80 aircraft. The support that Gulfstream receives from Ex-Im Bank allows us to be more competitive around the world and has enabled us to grow the number of employees in the U.S.”
CREDIT SUISSE TO PAY $196 MILLION TO SETTLE SEC CHARGES OF WRONGDOING
FROM: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Zurich-based Credit Suisse Group AG for violating the federal securities laws by providing cross-border brokerage and investment advisory services to U.S. clients without first registering with the SEC.
Credit Suisse agreed to pay $196 million and admit wrongdoing to settle the SEC’s charges.
According to the SEC’s order instituting settled administrative proceedings, Credit Suisse provided cross-border securities services to thousands of U.S. clients and collected fees totaling approximately $82 million without adhering to the registration provisions of the federal securities laws. Credit Suisse relationship managers traveled to the U.S. to solicit clients, provide investment advice, and induce securities transactions. These relationship managers were not registered to provide brokerage or advisory services, nor were they affiliated with a registered entity. The relationship managers also communicated with clients in the U.S. through overseas e-mails and phone calls.
“The broker-dealer and investment adviser registration provisions are core protections for investors,” said Andrew J. Ceresney, director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “As Credit Suisse admitted as part of the settlement, its employees for many years failed to comply with these requirements, and the firm took far too long to achieve compliance.”
According to the SEC’s order, Credit Suisse began conducting cross-border advisory and brokerage services for U.S. clients as early as 2002, amassing as many as 8,500 U.S. client accounts that contained an average total of $5.6 billion in securities assets. The relationship managers made approximately 107 trips to the U.S. during a seven-year period and provided broker-dealer and advisory services to hundreds of clients they visited. Credit Suisse was aware of the registration requirements of the federal securities laws and undertook initiatives designed to prevent such violations. These initiatives largely failed, however, because they were not effectively implemented or monitored.
“As a multinational firm with a significant U.S. presence, Credit Suisse was well aware of the steps that a firm needs to take to legally conduct advisory or brokerage business with U.S. clients,” said Scott W. Friestad, an associate director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “Credit Suisse failed to effectively implement internal controls designed to keep its employees from crossing the line and being non-compliant with the federal securities laws.”
According to the SEC’s order, it was not until after a much-publicized civil and criminal investigation into similar conduct by Swiss-based UBS that Credit Suisse began to take steps in October 2008 to exit the business of providing cross-border advisory and brokerage services to U.S. clients. Although the number of U.S. client accounts decreased beginning in 2009 and the majority were closed or transferred by 2010, it took Credit Suisse until mid-2013 to completely exit the cross-border business as the firm continued to collect broker-dealer and investment adviser fees on some accounts.
The SEC’s order finds that Credit Suisse willfully violated Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 203(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Credit Suisse admitted the facts in the SEC’s order, acknowledged that its conduct violated the federal securities laws, accepted a censure and a cease-and-desist order, and agreed to retain an independent consultant. Credit Suisse agreed to pay $82,170,990 in disgorgement, $64,340,024 in prejudgment interest, and a $50 million penalty.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by senior attorneys David S. Karp and Matthew R. Estabrook under the supervision of assistant director Laura B. Josephs and associate director Scott W. Friestad. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today announced charges against Zurich-based Credit Suisse Group AG for violating the federal securities laws by providing cross-border brokerage and investment advisory services to U.S. clients without first registering with the SEC.
Credit Suisse agreed to pay $196 million and admit wrongdoing to settle the SEC’s charges.
According to the SEC’s order instituting settled administrative proceedings, Credit Suisse provided cross-border securities services to thousands of U.S. clients and collected fees totaling approximately $82 million without adhering to the registration provisions of the federal securities laws. Credit Suisse relationship managers traveled to the U.S. to solicit clients, provide investment advice, and induce securities transactions. These relationship managers were not registered to provide brokerage or advisory services, nor were they affiliated with a registered entity. The relationship managers also communicated with clients in the U.S. through overseas e-mails and phone calls.
“The broker-dealer and investment adviser registration provisions are core protections for investors,” said Andrew J. Ceresney, director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “As Credit Suisse admitted as part of the settlement, its employees for many years failed to comply with these requirements, and the firm took far too long to achieve compliance.”
According to the SEC’s order, Credit Suisse began conducting cross-border advisory and brokerage services for U.S. clients as early as 2002, amassing as many as 8,500 U.S. client accounts that contained an average total of $5.6 billion in securities assets. The relationship managers made approximately 107 trips to the U.S. during a seven-year period and provided broker-dealer and advisory services to hundreds of clients they visited. Credit Suisse was aware of the registration requirements of the federal securities laws and undertook initiatives designed to prevent such violations. These initiatives largely failed, however, because they were not effectively implemented or monitored.
“As a multinational firm with a significant U.S. presence, Credit Suisse was well aware of the steps that a firm needs to take to legally conduct advisory or brokerage business with U.S. clients,” said Scott W. Friestad, an associate director in the SEC’s Division of Enforcement. “Credit Suisse failed to effectively implement internal controls designed to keep its employees from crossing the line and being non-compliant with the federal securities laws.”
According to the SEC’s order, it was not until after a much-publicized civil and criminal investigation into similar conduct by Swiss-based UBS that Credit Suisse began to take steps in October 2008 to exit the business of providing cross-border advisory and brokerage services to U.S. clients. Although the number of U.S. client accounts decreased beginning in 2009 and the majority were closed or transferred by 2010, it took Credit Suisse until mid-2013 to completely exit the cross-border business as the firm continued to collect broker-dealer and investment adviser fees on some accounts.
The SEC’s order finds that Credit Suisse willfully violated Section 15(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Section 203(a) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Credit Suisse admitted the facts in the SEC’s order, acknowledged that its conduct violated the federal securities laws, accepted a censure and a cease-and-desist order, and agreed to retain an independent consultant. Credit Suisse agreed to pay $82,170,990 in disgorgement, $64,340,024 in prejudgment interest, and a $50 million penalty.
The SEC’s investigation was conducted by senior attorneys David S. Karp and Matthew R. Estabrook under the supervision of assistant director Laura B. Josephs and associate director Scott W. Friestad. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Swiss Financial Market Supervisory Authority.
Friday, February 21, 2014
READOUT: OBAMA'S MEETING WITH GOVERNORS ON MINIMUM WAGE
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Readout of the Obama Administration’s Meeting with Governors Inslee, Malloy, O’Malley, and Quinn on Minimum Wage
Today the Vice President dropped by a meeting with Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling and Governor Inslee of Washington, Governor Malloy of Connecticut, Governor O’Malley of Maryland, and Governor Quinn of Illinois to discuss the President’s call to action on raising the minimum wage.
The Vice President reiterated the Administration’s strong support of the efforts of these Governors to raise the minimum wage in their states. The Vice President stated that action from Congress is needed to make a difference nationwide, and boost the wages of millions of workers. Legislation before both the House and the Senate would raise America’s minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. The Vice President and the Administration look forward to continuing to work closely with Congress, Governors, businesses, and partners all across the country to give hardworking Americans a raise.
Readout of the Obama Administration’s Meeting with Governors Inslee, Malloy, O’Malley, and Quinn on Minimum Wage
Today the Vice President dropped by a meeting with Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez, Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, and Director of the National Economic Council Gene Sperling and Governor Inslee of Washington, Governor Malloy of Connecticut, Governor O’Malley of Maryland, and Governor Quinn of Illinois to discuss the President’s call to action on raising the minimum wage.
The Vice President reiterated the Administration’s strong support of the efforts of these Governors to raise the minimum wage in their states. The Vice President stated that action from Congress is needed to make a difference nationwide, and boost the wages of millions of workers. Legislation before both the House and the Senate would raise America’s minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. The Vice President and the Administration look forward to continuing to work closely with Congress, Governors, businesses, and partners all across the country to give hardworking Americans a raise.
READOUT: PRESIDENTS MEETING WITH DALAI LAMA
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Readout of the President’s Meeting with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
The President met this morning at the White House with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. The President reiterated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and nonviolence and expressed support for the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach. The President stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. In this context, the President reiterated the U.S. position that Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China and that the United States does not support Tibet independence. The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume. The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and constructive relationship between the United States and China.
Readout of the President’s Meeting with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama
The President met this morning at the White House with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama. The President reiterated his strong support for the preservation of Tibet’s unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions and the protection of human rights for Tibetans in the People’s Republic of China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to peace and nonviolence and expressed support for the Dalai Lama’s “Middle Way” approach. The President stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. In this context, the President reiterated the U.S. position that Tibet is part of the People’s Republic of China and that the United States does not support Tibet independence. The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government will resume. The President and the Dalai Lama agreed on the importance of a positive and constructive relationship between the United States and China.
READOUT: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALL WITH PRESIDENT PUTIN
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Readout of President Obama’s Call with President Putin
President Obama called Russian President Vladimir Putin today to discuss Ukraine and a range of other global issues. On Ukraine, they exchanged views on the need to implement quickly the political agreement reached today in Kyiv, the importance of stabilizing the economic situation and undertaking necessary reforms, and the need for all sides to refrain from further violence. They also spoke about the situation in Syria, including the importance of efforts to advance a political solution, concerns over the humanitarian crisis and the necessity of a strong UN Security Council resolution on the issue, and the need for the Assad regime to adhere to its commitment to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons program. In addition, they discussed U.S.-Russian cooperation in the P5+1 process on Iran. The President also congratulated Russia on its hosting of the Olympic games.
Readout of President Obama’s Call with President Putin
President Obama called Russian President Vladimir Putin today to discuss Ukraine and a range of other global issues. On Ukraine, they exchanged views on the need to implement quickly the political agreement reached today in Kyiv, the importance of stabilizing the economic situation and undertaking necessary reforms, and the need for all sides to refrain from further violence. They also spoke about the situation in Syria, including the importance of efforts to advance a political solution, concerns over the humanitarian crisis and the necessity of a strong UN Security Council resolution on the issue, and the need for the Assad regime to adhere to its commitment to eliminate Syria’s chemical weapons program. In addition, they discussed U.S.-Russian cooperation in the P5+1 process on Iran. The President also congratulated Russia on its hosting of the Olympic games.
U.S. CONGRATULATES PEOPLE OF ST. LUCIA ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
St. Lucia's Independence Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 21, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of St. Lucia as you celebrate the 35th anniversary of your independence on February 22.
St. Lucia and the United States share a commitment to a more peaceful and prosperous future for the region.
We are working together to improve health and education, mitigate the effects of climate change, protect human rights, promote citizen safety, advance democracy, and create greater economic opportunities.
As you celebrate this special day with family and friends, I offer warmest wishes for the year ahead.
St. Lucia's Independence Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 21, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of St. Lucia as you celebrate the 35th anniversary of your independence on February 22.
St. Lucia and the United States share a commitment to a more peaceful and prosperous future for the region.
We are working together to improve health and education, mitigate the effects of climate change, protect human rights, promote citizen safety, advance democracy, and create greater economic opportunities.
As you celebrate this special day with family and friends, I offer warmest wishes for the year ahead.
U.S. EXTENDS BEST WISHES TO PEOPLE OF GUYANA ON THEIR REPUBLIC DAY
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Guyana's Republic Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 21, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to extend best wishes to the people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on your nation’s 44th anniversary.
The United States and Guyana share a dynamic partnership based on common interests and aspirations for peace, democracy, and respect for universal rights and freedoms.
Our partnership through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative enhances the security and prosperity of the region by increasing law enforcement capacity. We are working with the youth of Guyana to provide training for better economic opportunities. And through PEPFAR, we are proud to join with Guyana to reach its goal of Getting to Zero: zero new HIV infections, zero stigma and discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.
Our efforts to promote a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient natural environment are important to the entire region. We look forward to strengthening our cultural, business, and personal ties to help build a prosperous, secure, democratic, and healthy Guyana.
As you gather for Mashramani festivities, I wish all Guyanese peace, happiness, and a productive year ahead.
Guyana's Republic Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
February 21, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to extend best wishes to the people of the Co-operative Republic of Guyana on your nation’s 44th anniversary.
The United States and Guyana share a dynamic partnership based on common interests and aspirations for peace, democracy, and respect for universal rights and freedoms.
Our partnership through the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative enhances the security and prosperity of the region by increasing law enforcement capacity. We are working with the youth of Guyana to provide training for better economic opportunities. And through PEPFAR, we are proud to join with Guyana to reach its goal of Getting to Zero: zero new HIV infections, zero stigma and discrimination, and zero AIDS-related deaths.
Our efforts to promote a cleaner, healthier, and more resilient natural environment are important to the entire region. We look forward to strengthening our cultural, business, and personal ties to help build a prosperous, secure, democratic, and healthy Guyana.
As you gather for Mashramani festivities, I wish all Guyanese peace, happiness, and a productive year ahead.
U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR FEBRUARY 21, 2014
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
CONTRACTS
ARMY
General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded an $18,109,374 modification (P00014) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0057 for changes to the Universal Ground Control Station. Fiscal 2013 other procurement funds in the amount of $8,873,593 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Poway, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2015. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity.
General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded a $76,215,685 modification (P00015) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0057 to change the Gray Eagle Portable Ground Control Station to a mobile ground control station. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds in the amount of $35,842,972 and fiscal 2013 other procurement funds in the amount of $2,453,283 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is Nov. 30, 2016.Work will be performed in Poway, Calif. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity.
NAVY
Eastern Research Group, Lexington, Mass. (N00174-14-D-0007); Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., United Kingdom (N00174-14-D-0008); Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials, Hollister, Calif. (N00174-14-D-0009); General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Bothell, Wash. (N00174-14-D-0010); Hi-Shear Technology Corp., Torrance, Calif. (N00174-14-D-0011); Nammo Talley, Mesa, Ariz. (N00174-14-D-0012); and Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co., Simsbury, Conn. (N00174-14-D-0013) are each being awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for development, product improvement, prototyping, qualification and production support. Each contractor will receive the minimum guaranteed task order amount of $500 at time of award. These contracts include options, which if exercised, would bring these contracts to an estimated combined value of $232,897,406. If all options are exercised, the estimated ceiling for Eastern Research Group is $10,787,035; the estimated ceiling for Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. is $32,122,194; the estimated ceiling for Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials is $36,744,748; the estimated ceiling for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is $30,405,120; the estimated ceiling for Hi-Shear Technology Corp. is $33,423,374; the estimated ceiling for Nammo Talley is $40,535,021; and the estimated ceiling for Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co. is $48,879,914. These seven contractors will be given the opportunity to compete for the task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in Lexington, Mass. (14.3 percent), the United Kingdom (14.3 percent), Hollister, Calif. (14.3 percent), Bothell, Wash. (14.3 percent), Torrance, Calif. (14.3 percent), Mesa, Ariz. (14.3 percent) and Simsbury, Conn. (14.2 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2015. Fiscal 2014 operations & maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $3,500 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 Federal Business Opportunities website, with seven offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity.
Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials, Hollister, Calif. (N00174-14-D-0014); Science Applications International Corp., Lexington, Mass. (N00174-14-D-0015); Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., United Kingdom (N00174-14-D-0016); Nammo Talley, Mesa, Ariz. (N00174-14-D-0017); and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Bothell, Wash. (N00174-14-D-0018), are each being awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract for quality evaluation/surveillance program support. Each contractor will receive the minimum guaranteed task order amount of $500 at time of award. These contracts include options, which if exercised, would bring these contracts to an estimated combined value of $66,256,118. If all options are exercised, the estimated ceiling for Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials is $13,055,474; the estimated ceiling for Science Applications International Corp. is $9,646,501; the estimated ceiling for Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. is $12,796,879; the estimated ceiling for Nammo Talley is $14,840,429; and the estimated ceiling for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is $15,916,835. These five contractors will be given the opportunity to compete for the task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed Hollister, Calif. (20 percent), Lexington, Mass. (20 percent), United Kingdom (20 percent), Mesa, Ariz. (20 percent), and Bothell, Wash. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2015. Fiscal 2014 operations & maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $2,500 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 Federal Business Opportunities website, with seven offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity.
Engility Corp., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $39,969,545 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for electronic warfare (EW) weapons systems modifications for U.S. Navy and Australian EA-6B, EA-18G, E-2C, MH-60R, BAMS, P-8A aircraft, Unmanned Air Systems, flight simulators, training systems, other advanced electronic attack derivatives and initiatives. Services to be provided include systems engineering, in-service hardware and software engineering, intelligence data analysis, test and evaluation, EW systems development, threat analysis, threat defeat, mission planning, and EW data development. EW weapons systems modifications include weapon system software, on-call field engineering analysis, test and evaluation, studies and analysis, threat analysis and sensor intelligence mission data files, jammer techniques development and logistics for distribution of Operational Flight Programs. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, Calif. (90 percent) and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. (5 percent), and Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2019. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test, and evaluation, Navy funding in the amount of $800,000 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; three offers were received. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($37,971,068; 95 percent) and the Government of Australia ($1,998,477; 5 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-14-D-0015).
Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a $23,555,382 modification to previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (N00024-12-G-4329) for the accomplishment of fleet maintenance sustainment support for littoral combat ships. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by September 2014. Fiscal 2013 and 2014 operations & maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $23,555,382 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., Minneapolis, Minn., is being awarded a $19,227,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-12-C-5311) to exercise an option for hardware and engineering services in support of the Advanced Gun System. BAE will provide mounts for the magazine upper pallet hoist, gun cooling assembly, centerline hoist, and engineering services to support those efforts. Work will be performed in Louisville, Ky. (90 percent), Minneapolis, Minn. (6 percent), and Cordova, Ala. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed by January 2018. Fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy contract funds in the amount of $19,227,000 will be obligated at time of award will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington., D.C., is the contracting activity.
York International Corp., York, Pa., is being awarded an $11,100,082 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee/firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of engineering and technical support services to provide research, development, testing and evaluation for shipboard air conditioning and refrigeration modernization programs. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected complete by February 2017. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test & evaluation funding in the amount of $935,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1 - as there is only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Ship System Engineering Station, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N65540-14-D-0006).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
EnerSys Energy Products Inc., Warrensburg, Mo., has been awarded a maximum $40,263,852 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for storage batteries. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. This is a three-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri with a Feb. 20, 2017 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio, (SPE7LX-14-D-0020).
Sysco Seattle, Kent, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $24,400,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for prime vendor full line food distribution for customers in the Alaska area. This contract is a sole-source acquisition and is an extension of two contracts (SPM300-08-D-3160 and SPM300-13-D-3641). Location of performance is Alaska with a Feb. 22, 2015 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM300-14-D-3738).
Exide Technologies, Milton, Ga., has been awarded a maximum $18,546,992 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for storage batteries. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. This is a three-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia with a Feb. 20, 2017 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio, (SPE7LX-14-D-0021).
Rockwell Collins-ESA Vision Systems, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $12,235,755 modification (01) on delivery order (0009) to firm-fixed-price contract (SPRWA1-11-D-0007). The modification adds various items in support of the joint helmet mounted cueing system. Delivery order 0009 was awarded Jan. 21, 2014 with a total value of $14,666,736. The revised total based on this modification is $26,902,491. This is a sole-source acquisition. Locations of performance are Texas, Oregon, and Israel with an Aug. 31, 2015 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 Navy aircraft procurement and foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
Actavis Pharma, Parsippany, N.J., has been awarded a maximum $7,692,983 modification (P00042) exercising the fourth option year on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-10-D-0001) with seven one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical products. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is New Jersey with a Feb. 24, 2015 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 war-stopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
CONTRACTS
ARMY
General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded an $18,109,374 modification (P00014) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0057 for changes to the Universal Ground Control Station. Fiscal 2013 other procurement funds in the amount of $8,873,593 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Poway, Calif., with an estimated completion date of Nov. 30, 2015. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity.
General Atomics-Aeronautical Systems, Inc., Poway, Calif., was awarded a $76,215,685 modification (P00015) to contract W58RGZ-12-C-0057 to change the Gray Eagle Portable Ground Control Station to a mobile ground control station. Fiscal 2014 other procurement funds in the amount of $35,842,972 and fiscal 2013 other procurement funds in the amount of $2,453,283 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is Nov. 30, 2016.Work will be performed in Poway, Calif. Army Contracting Command, Redstone Arsenal, Ala. is the contracting activity.
NAVY
Eastern Research Group, Lexington, Mass. (N00174-14-D-0007); Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., United Kingdom (N00174-14-D-0008); Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials, Hollister, Calif. (N00174-14-D-0009); General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Bothell, Wash. (N00174-14-D-0010); Hi-Shear Technology Corp., Torrance, Calif. (N00174-14-D-0011); Nammo Talley, Mesa, Ariz. (N00174-14-D-0012); and Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co., Simsbury, Conn. (N00174-14-D-0013) are each being awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts for development, product improvement, prototyping, qualification and production support. Each contractor will receive the minimum guaranteed task order amount of $500 at time of award. These contracts include options, which if exercised, would bring these contracts to an estimated combined value of $232,897,406. If all options are exercised, the estimated ceiling for Eastern Research Group is $10,787,035; the estimated ceiling for Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. is $32,122,194; the estimated ceiling for Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials is $36,744,748; the estimated ceiling for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is $30,405,120; the estimated ceiling for Hi-Shear Technology Corp. is $33,423,374; the estimated ceiling for Nammo Talley is $40,535,021; and the estimated ceiling for Ensign-Bickford Aerospace & Defense Co. is $48,879,914. These seven contractors will be given the opportunity to compete for the task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed in Lexington, Mass. (14.3 percent), the United Kingdom (14.3 percent), Hollister, Calif. (14.3 percent), Bothell, Wash. (14.3 percent), Torrance, Calif. (14.3 percent), Mesa, Ariz. (14.3 percent) and Simsbury, Conn. (14.2 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2015. Fiscal 2014 operations & maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $3,500 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 Federal Business Opportunities website, with seven offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity.
Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials, Hollister, Calif. (N00174-14-D-0014); Science Applications International Corp., Lexington, Mass. (N00174-14-D-0015); Martin-Baker Aircraft Co., United Kingdom (N00174-14-D-0016); Nammo Talley, Mesa, Ariz. (N00174-14-D-0017); and General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems, Bothell, Wash. (N00174-14-D-0018), are each being awarded a firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple-award contract for quality evaluation/surveillance program support. Each contractor will receive the minimum guaranteed task order amount of $500 at time of award. These contracts include options, which if exercised, would bring these contracts to an estimated combined value of $66,256,118. If all options are exercised, the estimated ceiling for Pacific Scientific Energetic Materials is $13,055,474; the estimated ceiling for Science Applications International Corp. is $9,646,501; the estimated ceiling for Martin-Baker Aircraft Co. is $12,796,879; the estimated ceiling for Nammo Talley is $14,840,429; and the estimated ceiling for General Dynamics Ordnance and Tactical Systems is $15,916,835. These five contractors will be given the opportunity to compete for the task orders under the terms and conditions of the awarded contracts. Work will be performed Hollister, Calif. (20 percent), Lexington, Mass. (20 percent), United Kingdom (20 percent), Mesa, Ariz. (20 percent), and Bothell, Wash. (20 percent), and is expected to be completed by February 2015. Fiscal 2014 operations & maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $2,500 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 Federal Business Opportunities website, with seven offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division, Indian Head, Md., is the contracting activity.
Engility Corp., Chantilly, Va., is being awarded a $39,969,545 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for electronic warfare (EW) weapons systems modifications for U.S. Navy and Australian EA-6B, EA-18G, E-2C, MH-60R, BAMS, P-8A aircraft, Unmanned Air Systems, flight simulators, training systems, other advanced electronic attack derivatives and initiatives. Services to be provided include systems engineering, in-service hardware and software engineering, intelligence data analysis, test and evaluation, EW systems development, threat analysis, threat defeat, mission planning, and EW data development. EW weapons systems modifications include weapon system software, on-call field engineering analysis, test and evaluation, studies and analysis, threat analysis and sensor intelligence mission data files, jammer techniques development and logistics for distribution of Operational Flight Programs. Work will be performed at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, Point Mugu, Calif. (90 percent) and Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash. (5 percent), and Nellis Air Force Base, Las Vegas, Nev. (5 percent), and is expected to be completed in February 2019. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test, and evaluation, Navy funding in the amount of $800,000 are being obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via an electronic request for proposals; three offers were received. This contract combines purchases for the U.S. Navy ($37,971,068; 95 percent) and the Government of Australia ($1,998,477; 5 percent) under the Foreign Military Sales Program. The Naval Air Warfare Center, Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., is the contracting activity (N68936-14-D-0015).
Lockheed Martin Corp., Baltimore, Md., is being awarded a $23,555,382 modification to previously awarded Basic Ordering Agreement (N00024-12-G-4329) for the accomplishment of fleet maintenance sustainment support for littoral combat ships. Work will be performed in San Diego, Calif., and is expected to be completed by September 2014. Fiscal 2013 and 2014 operations & maintenance, Navy contract funds in the amount of $23,555,382 will be obligated at time of award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Southwest Regional Maintenance Center, San Diego, Calif., is the contracting activity.
BAE Systems Land and Armaments L.P., Minneapolis, Minn., is being awarded a $19,227,000 modification to previously awarded contract (N00024-12-C-5311) to exercise an option for hardware and engineering services in support of the Advanced Gun System. BAE will provide mounts for the magazine upper pallet hoist, gun cooling assembly, centerline hoist, and engineering services to support those efforts. Work will be performed in Louisville, Ky. (90 percent), Minneapolis, Minn. (6 percent), and Cordova, Ala. (4 percent), and is expected to be completed by January 2018. Fiscal 2014 shipbuilding and conversion, Navy contract funds in the amount of $19,227,000 will be obligated at time of award will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Sea Systems Command, Washington., D.C., is the contracting activity.
York International Corp., York, Pa., is being awarded an $11,100,082 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, cost-plus-fixed-fee/firm-fixed-price contract for the procurement of engineering and technical support services to provide research, development, testing and evaluation for shipboard air conditioning and refrigeration modernization programs. Work will be performed in York, Pa., and is expected complete by February 2017. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test & evaluation funding in the amount of $935,000 will be obligated at time of award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1) and FAR 6.302-1 - as there is only one responsible source and no other supplies or services will satisfy agency requirements. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, Ship System Engineering Station, Philadelphia, Pa., is the contracting activity (N65540-14-D-0006).
DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY
EnerSys Energy Products Inc., Warrensburg, Mo., has been awarded a maximum $40,263,852 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for storage batteries. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. This is a three-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Missouri with a Feb. 20, 2017 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio, (SPE7LX-14-D-0020).
Sysco Seattle, Kent, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $24,400,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-quantity contract for prime vendor full line food distribution for customers in the Alaska area. This contract is a sole-source acquisition and is an extension of two contracts (SPM300-08-D-3160 and SPM300-13-D-3641). Location of performance is Alaska with a Feb. 22, 2015 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy and Air Force. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa., (SPM300-14-D-3738).
Exide Technologies, Milton, Ga., has been awarded a maximum $18,546,992 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for storage batteries. This contract is a competitive acquisition, and two offers were received. This is a three-year base contract with no option periods. Location of performance is Georgia with a Feb. 20, 2017 performance completion date. Using military service is Army. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime, Columbus, Ohio, (SPE7LX-14-D-0021).
Rockwell Collins-ESA Vision Systems, Fort Worth, Texas, has been awarded a maximum $12,235,755 modification (01) on delivery order (0009) to firm-fixed-price contract (SPRWA1-11-D-0007). The modification adds various items in support of the joint helmet mounted cueing system. Delivery order 0009 was awarded Jan. 21, 2014 with a total value of $14,666,736. The revised total based on this modification is $26,902,491. This is a sole-source acquisition. Locations of performance are Texas, Oregon, and Israel with an Aug. 31, 2015 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 Navy aircraft procurement and foreign military sales funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Aviation, Robins Air Force Base, Ga.
Actavis Pharma, Parsippany, N.J., has been awarded a maximum $7,692,983 modification (P00042) exercising the fourth option year on a one-year base contract (SPM2D0-10-D-0001) with seven one-year option periods for various pharmaceutical products. This is a fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Location of performance is New Jersey with a Feb. 24, 2015 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 war-stopper funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pa.
RESTAURANT/BAR CHAIR TO PAY OVER $6.8 MILLION FOR WAGE VIOLATIONS
FROM: U..S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
More than $6.8 million in back wages, liquidated damages to be paid to
current & former Chickie's & Pete's employees for serious wage violations
US Labor Dept. finds popular bar & restaurant chain improperly took tips from servers
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia sports bar and restaurant chain Chickie's & Pete's has signed a consent judgment agreeing to pay current and former employees more than $6.8 million in back wages and damages for improperly taking tips from servers and violating federal minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping requirements. Following one of the U.S. Department of Labor's largest tipped employee investigations in recent years, the company and its owner, Peter Ciarrocchi, Jr., have agreed to pay $6,842,412 to 1,159 employees at nine of the company's locations, plus a $50,000 civil money penalty. The proposed consent judgment has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is subject to the review and approval by the court.
"The egregious actions by Chickie's & Pete's harmed real people and violated the promise that a fair day's work deserves a fair day's pay," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Restaurant servers are among the lowest paid workers in this country, with many earning incomes below the poverty line. Tipped workers deserve better and this action shows that the Department of Labor is ready to stand up for them."
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, tips are the property of the employee who receives them; however, restaurant operators can benefit by claiming a credit based on the tips towards their obligation to pay those employees the full minimum wage. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages do not equal the minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference during the pay period. An employer that claims a tip credit is required to pay a tipped employee only $2.13 an hour in direct wages provided that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour was last increased in 2009 and the federal tip credit's cash wage requirement of $2.13 has not been increased since 1991.
"When employers exploit tipped workers, they not only harm their employees who are working hard to earn a living, but also take advantage of the trust of their customers," said Laura Fortman, principal deputy administrator for the department's Wage and Hour Division. "Customers might not realize it, but their tips frequently are paying part of their servers' wages, not just giving them a little extra to go with their pay. Chickie's and Pete's behavior is troubling because they both unlawfully took tips from their workers and failed to pay them even the $2.13 per hour the law requires when an employer takes a tip credit."
Investigators from the Wage and Hour Division's Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey offices conducted investigations at locations in Northeast Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, Philadelphia International Airport, Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa., Warrington, Pa., Drexel Hill, Pa., Audubon, Pa., Egg Harbor Township, N.J., and Bordentown, N.J. Investigators found that the company improperly retained a fixed portion of the tips servers received from customers.
The investigation disclosed that the company required servers to contribute a portion of their tips to an improper "tip pool," or tip-sharing arrangement, which was approximately between 2 percent and 4 percent of the server's daily table sales. The owner illegally retained approximately 60 percent of the tip pool. This amount had come to be known as "Pete's Tax" and was required to be paid to the manager in cash at the end of each shift, even if the server received all tips on credit cards and therefore did not have cash on hand. In some cases, the company required employees to use their own money to contribute to this pool by withdrawing cash from a nearby ATM or borrowing from another server.
Additionally, servers and bartenders were paid only a flat rate of $15 per shift at all locations except for Chickie's and Pete's airport establishment — an amount that was not sufficient in all cases to even cover the minimum cash wage of $2.13 per hour that must be paid to a tipped employee when an employer claims a tip credit under federal law. Additionally, the employer failed to pay the required overtime wages to these employees when they worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. Investigators also determined that employees were not paid for time spent in mandatory meetings and training, and were improperly required to pay for uniforms.
Under the provisions of the consent judgment filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and subject to court approval, the company will pay minimum wage and overtime back wages and is required to return the improperly retained tips to the servers, as well as pay liquidated damages. In addition, the company has agreed to enhanced compliance, including:
External compliance monitoring for an 18-month period;
Internal compliance monitoring for an additional 18-month period;
Training for all employees on their rights under the FLSA;
Providing a statement to any employee required to contribute to a tip pool detailing the amounts that were contributed by the employee, the job categories of workers included in the tip pool and the specific percentage each category receives; and Peter Ciarrocchi, Jr., will write an article for a restaurant trade publication that addresses an employer's obligations under the FLSA.
The consent judgment also calls for Chickie's & Pete's and Ciarrocchi to be permanently enjoined and restrained from violating the provisions of the FLSA in the future.
The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also are required to provide employees notice about the FLSA tip credit provisions, to maintain accurate time and payroll records and to comply with the hours, hazardous orders and other restrictions applying to workers under age 18.
More than $6.8 million in back wages, liquidated damages to be paid to
current & former Chickie's & Pete's employees for serious wage violations
US Labor Dept. finds popular bar & restaurant chain improperly took tips from servers
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia sports bar and restaurant chain Chickie's & Pete's has signed a consent judgment agreeing to pay current and former employees more than $6.8 million in back wages and damages for improperly taking tips from servers and violating federal minimum wage, overtime and record-keeping requirements. Following one of the U.S. Department of Labor's largest tipped employee investigations in recent years, the company and its owner, Peter Ciarrocchi, Jr., have agreed to pay $6,842,412 to 1,159 employees at nine of the company's locations, plus a $50,000 civil money penalty. The proposed consent judgment has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania and is subject to the review and approval by the court.
"The egregious actions by Chickie's & Pete's harmed real people and violated the promise that a fair day's work deserves a fair day's pay," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "Restaurant servers are among the lowest paid workers in this country, with many earning incomes below the poverty line. Tipped workers deserve better and this action shows that the Department of Labor is ready to stand up for them."
Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, tips are the property of the employee who receives them; however, restaurant operators can benefit by claiming a credit based on the tips towards their obligation to pay those employees the full minimum wage. If an employee's tips combined with the employer's direct wages do not equal the minimum wage, the employer must make up the difference during the pay period. An employer that claims a tip credit is required to pay a tipped employee only $2.13 an hour in direct wages provided that amount plus the tips received equals at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour was last increased in 2009 and the federal tip credit's cash wage requirement of $2.13 has not been increased since 1991.
"When employers exploit tipped workers, they not only harm their employees who are working hard to earn a living, but also take advantage of the trust of their customers," said Laura Fortman, principal deputy administrator for the department's Wage and Hour Division. "Customers might not realize it, but their tips frequently are paying part of their servers' wages, not just giving them a little extra to go with their pay. Chickie's and Pete's behavior is troubling because they both unlawfully took tips from their workers and failed to pay them even the $2.13 per hour the law requires when an employer takes a tip credit."
Investigators from the Wage and Hour Division's Philadelphia and Southern New Jersey offices conducted investigations at locations in Northeast Philadelphia, South Philadelphia, Philadelphia International Airport, Parx Casino in Bensalem, Pa., Warrington, Pa., Drexel Hill, Pa., Audubon, Pa., Egg Harbor Township, N.J., and Bordentown, N.J. Investigators found that the company improperly retained a fixed portion of the tips servers received from customers.
The investigation disclosed that the company required servers to contribute a portion of their tips to an improper "tip pool," or tip-sharing arrangement, which was approximately between 2 percent and 4 percent of the server's daily table sales. The owner illegally retained approximately 60 percent of the tip pool. This amount had come to be known as "Pete's Tax" and was required to be paid to the manager in cash at the end of each shift, even if the server received all tips on credit cards and therefore did not have cash on hand. In some cases, the company required employees to use their own money to contribute to this pool by withdrawing cash from a nearby ATM or borrowing from another server.
Additionally, servers and bartenders were paid only a flat rate of $15 per shift at all locations except for Chickie's and Pete's airport establishment — an amount that was not sufficient in all cases to even cover the minimum cash wage of $2.13 per hour that must be paid to a tipped employee when an employer claims a tip credit under federal law. Additionally, the employer failed to pay the required overtime wages to these employees when they worked in excess of 40 hours in a week. Investigators also determined that employees were not paid for time spent in mandatory meetings and training, and were improperly required to pay for uniforms.
Under the provisions of the consent judgment filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, and subject to court approval, the company will pay minimum wage and overtime back wages and is required to return the improperly retained tips to the servers, as well as pay liquidated damages. In addition, the company has agreed to enhanced compliance, including:
External compliance monitoring for an 18-month period;
Internal compliance monitoring for an additional 18-month period;
Training for all employees on their rights under the FLSA;
Providing a statement to any employee required to contribute to a tip pool detailing the amounts that were contributed by the employee, the job categories of workers included in the tip pool and the specific percentage each category receives; and Peter Ciarrocchi, Jr., will write an article for a restaurant trade publication that addresses an employer's obligations under the FLSA.
The consent judgment also calls for Chickie's & Pete's and Ciarrocchi to be permanently enjoined and restrained from violating the provisions of the FLSA in the future.
The FLSA requires that covered, nonexempt employees be paid at least the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour for all hours worked, plus time and one-half their regular rates of pay for hours worked beyond 40 per week. Employers also are required to provide employees notice about the FLSA tip credit provisions, to maintain accurate time and payroll records and to comply with the hours, hazardous orders and other restrictions applying to workers under age 18.
FINAL RULE REGARDING ACA WAITING PERIOD FOR HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
FROM: LABOR DEPARTMENT
Obama administration announces final rule regarding Affordable Care Act 90-day waiting period limitation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services have announced the publication of final regulations implementing a 90-day limit on waiting periods for health coverage.
"This is a common sense measure that helps workers access employer-sponsored health insurance while providing employers flexibility," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Phyllis C. Borzi.
The final regulations require that no group health plan or group health insurance issuer impose a waiting period that exceeds 90 days after an employee is otherwise eligible for coverage. The rules do not require coverage be offered to any particular individual or class of individuals.
To ensure that eligibility conditions based solely on the passage of time are not used to evade the waiting period limit, the rules state that such conditions cannot exceed 90 days. Other conditions for eligibility are generally permissible, such as meeting certain sales goals, earning a certain level of commission, or successfully completing an orientation period.
Additionally, requiring employees to complete a certain number of hours before becoming eligible for coverage is generally allowed as long as the requirement is capped at 1200 hours. The rules also address situations in which it cannot be determined that a new employee will be working full-time.
The departments are issuing a companion proposed rule that would limit the maximum duration of an otherwise permissible orientation period to one month. This proposal will be open for public comment.
Obama administration announces final rule regarding Affordable Care Act 90-day waiting period limitation
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Departments of Labor, Treasury, and Health and Human Services have announced the publication of final regulations implementing a 90-day limit on waiting periods for health coverage.
"This is a common sense measure that helps workers access employer-sponsored health insurance while providing employers flexibility," said Assistant Secretary of Labor for Employee Benefits Security Phyllis C. Borzi.
The final regulations require that no group health plan or group health insurance issuer impose a waiting period that exceeds 90 days after an employee is otherwise eligible for coverage. The rules do not require coverage be offered to any particular individual or class of individuals.
To ensure that eligibility conditions based solely on the passage of time are not used to evade the waiting period limit, the rules state that such conditions cannot exceed 90 days. Other conditions for eligibility are generally permissible, such as meeting certain sales goals, earning a certain level of commission, or successfully completing an orientation period.
Additionally, requiring employees to complete a certain number of hours before becoming eligible for coverage is generally allowed as long as the requirement is capped at 1200 hours. The rules also address situations in which it cannot be determined that a new employee will be working full-time.
The departments are issuing a companion proposed rule that would limit the maximum duration of an otherwise permissible orientation period to one month. This proposal will be open for public comment.
SEC STATEMENT ON WHISTLEBLOWER COURT FILING
FROM: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Statement on Court Filing by SEC to Protect Whistleblowers From Retaliation
Sean McKessy
Chief, Office of the Whistleblower
Feb. 20, 2014
“The Commission’s whistleblower program both encourages whistleblowers to report wrongdoing and protects them when they do. Today's filing makes clear that under SEC rules, whistleblowers are entitled to protection regardless of whether they report wrongdoing to their employer or the Commission. The Commission's brief supports the anti-retaliation protections under the Dodd-Frank Act that I believe are critical to the success of the SEC's whistleblower program.”
Statement on Court Filing by SEC to Protect Whistleblowers From Retaliation
Sean McKessy
Chief, Office of the Whistleblower
Feb. 20, 2014
“The Commission’s whistleblower program both encourages whistleblowers to report wrongdoing and protects them when they do. Today's filing makes clear that under SEC rules, whistleblowers are entitled to protection regardless of whether they report wrongdoing to their employer or the Commission. The Commission's brief supports the anti-retaliation protections under the Dodd-Frank Act that I believe are critical to the success of the SEC's whistleblower program.”
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS AT DEMOCRATIC GOVERNORS ASSOCIATION DINNER
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Remarks by the President at DGA Dinner
The St. Regis
Washington, D.C.
February 20, 2014
5:39 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you so much. (Applause.) Everybody have a seat. Have a seat. Well, it is wonderful to see all of you. It is always a great weekend when the governors come into town. And tonight, we’re with some of the best -- and a few of their better halves. And I’m so grateful to all of you for all the great work you’re doing.
And I’m grateful for the people who are here to support our outstanding governors. I want to thank our DGA chair, Peter Shumlin, for the great work that he’s doing up in Vermont. (Applause.) His neighbor, Maggie Hassan, who is the vice chair, and the first time I saw her was another state senator just like me. And she’s doing great up in New Hampshire, so we are very, very proud of her. (Applause.)
I’m not going to give a long speech because I think we want to make this more of a conversation. I want to take out some time for questions and answers. But the main thing I want to do is just to say thank you for all of you coming out and supporting Democratic governors.
And Peter alluded to this, but let me underscore it. Folks here in Washington like to talk abstractions. You get into a lot of ideological debates. The problem for governors is that they actually have to do something and they just can’t talk. And they have to be practical. They have to understand a wide range of issues that are affecting a wide range of constituents. And the work that these governors do each and every day are having a concrete impact in helping to shape the debate in ways that are extraordinary.
And the challenge we have sometimes in politics is that the national politicians and the national races get all the attention. But so often, the action -- how our policies are actually impacting our constituents day to day -- are being determined by governors and state legislatures.
And if there’s one message I want to deliver today to every Democrat and every person who’s interested in supporting Democratic policies, it’s that you got to pay attention to the states. You have to stay focused on what’s happening in the states, and you especially have to pay attention to what’s happening in the states during midterm elections. Because we know how to win national elections, but all too often, it’s during these midterms where we end up getting ourselves into trouble, because I guess we don’t think it’s sexy enough. But the fact of the matter is, is that that’s where so much of the action is.
And Democratic governors are testing ideas, and they are innovating and implementing critical policies all across the board. And that’s work that obviously is made tougher when you don’t always have a Congress that is cooperating. And what binds together all these Democratic governors is a pretty simple idea, and that’s the idea of opportunity -- the idea that if you work hard in this country, no matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like, what your last name is, you can make it.
And we recognize as Democrats and you recognize as governors that government can’t do it all or shouldn’t even try to do it all. But government has a critical role to play in helping provide communities and families the tools they need to succeed, if they’re willing to work hard, if they’re acting responsibly.
And that’s as important as ever today, because what we are seeing right now is the economy is slowly healing from what was the worst crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve now created over 8.5 million jobs since the depths of the recession. Businesses are optimistic this year. CEOs say they want to start reinvesting. We’ve got an unemployment rate that is as low as it’s been since 2005 and is continuing to drop.
But despite all that, for ordinary families -- for a whole lot of the constituents of these governors here -- folks are still worried. They’re still anxious, in part because if they do have a job, their wages and their incomes have flat-lined for over a decade now. They don’t feel as if they’re getting ahead. In fact, they feel like they’re working harder and harder just to stay in place or to avoid slipping back.
And if you look at it statistically -- everybody here knows some of the numbers -- folks at the very top are doing better and better, but ordinary folks, that middle class that’s always been the core of our society and made America different, they’re still feeling squeezed. And so everything we do this year, next year, the year after that, and as long as we have the opportunity to serve has to be focused on how are we expanding opportunity; how are we growing that middle class; how are we building an economy that is good for everybody, not just some; how are we making sure that folks, whatever their station in life, can succeed if they’re willing to work hard.
And fortunately, we’ve got a bunch of Democratic governors who have been willing to implement what I’ve called an opportunity agenda and that I talked about in the State of the Union: Number one, that we’re creating more good jobs out here through manufacturing and clean energy, and making sure that we’re rebuilding our infrastructure -- our bridges, our roads, our ports -- all across the country.
Number two -- making sure that we are giving every child in this country the best education they can get, because we know in the 21st century that’s what it’s going to take for them to compete. Number three -- training folks throughout their lives with the skills they need to get those good jobs. Number four -- making sure that work pays; that if you’re out working hard, you’re not in poverty and you have a chance to get ahead.
Those simple precepts should be guiding everything that we do this year and for years to come, and that’s what we should be talking about as we’re supporting incumbent Democratic governors and candidates for Democratic governors across the country, open seats.
Now, unfortunately, state by state, Republican governors are implementing a different agenda. They’re pursuing the same top-down, failed economic policies that don’t help Americans get ahead. They’re paying for it by cutting investments in the middle class, oftentimes doing everything they can to squeeze folks who are bargaining on behalf of workers. Some of them, their economies have improved in part because the overall economy has improved, and they take credit for it instead of saying that Obama had anything to do with it. I get that. There’s nothing wrong with that. But they’re making it harder for working families to access health insurance. In some states, they’re making it harder even for Americans to exercise their right to vote.
And we’ve got a Congress that prefers to say “no” rather than “yes” right now. They don’t have an affirmative agenda. Their main strategy is to just try to do nothing and see if they can -- falsely -- give people a sense that somehow the policies that we’re trying to pursue aren’t working for them.
So the good news is that we are now talking about the issues that are on the minds of people every single day around the kitchen table. And I’ll just give you a couple of examples of where I see significant progress all across the country, even if it hasn’t been realized in every state.
Number one is on the minimum wage. Three out of four Americans support raising the minimum wage. The majority of not just Democrats but independents and Republicans think it’s important for us to make sure that if you work full-time you’re not in poverty. And we’ve been seeing businesses around the country that are starting to recognize it’s good for their bottom lines to do right by their employees. Yesterday, the Gap became the latest business to raise wages for its U.S. employees.
But even though more than half of Republicans in America support raising the minimum wage, Republicans in Congress don’t want to vote for it -- even though the current proposal in Congress would give more than 16 million Americans a raise. So I recently required federal contractors to pay their employees a wage of at least $10.10 an hour. We’ve got Democratic governors that are doing their part.
So, last year, Jerry Brown signed America’s first $10 an hour minimum wage into law in California. Dan Malloy in Connecticut, and Martin O’Malley in Maryland, who are both here tonight, they’re fighting to raise their state’s wages, as well. It’s no surprise then that most of the states that have a higher minimum wage, higher than the federal minimum wage, are governed by Democrats.
Republican governors are out of touch with their own citizens on this. Just last November, you had a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in New Jersey. Governor Christie opposed it; it got 60 percent of the vote -- because voters understood this is the right thing to do, and it will be good for the economy, not bad for the economy. It will be good because suddenly workers now have a little more money in their pockets and they’re out there and businesses have more customers.
And when it comes to making sure that Americans have access to affordable health care, we’re seeing the same pattern. Peter alluded to it. Right now, we’ve already got close to 4 million Americans who have signed up for exchanges. We’ve got 3 million Americans who were able to stay on their parents’ plan because of the law. We’ve got close to 7 million Americans who have access to health care for the first time because of Medicaid expansion. So we’ve already got well over 10 million Americans just in the first few months, despite problems with healthcare.gov in the first month and a half, who suddenly have the financial security that in some cases they’ve never known before.
And we’re doing it while reducing the cost -- the health care inflation that’s out there and that’s been plaguing us and hurting our businesses, our families, and our economies for a very long time. We’ve seen now three consecutive years of the lowest increase in health care inflation in the last 50 -- even as we’re covering more people.
Now, as you know, there have been a lot of governors and state legislators that are still resisting doing right by their people. But the good news is, is that we’ve got a bunch of Democratic governors who are willing to take on this fight. Terry McAuliffe in Virginia, I know that he is fighting this good fight. And we want to make sure that all across the country, we are supporting governors who are saying, I’m going to set politics aside, I’m going to do what’s right for my constituents.
And, ultimately, that’s what the American people are interested in. They’re not interested in ideological battles. What they’re interested in is action that is focused on their lives, on their hopes, on their aspirations. That’s what they want us to focus on each and every day. And that’s what we are offering -- more jobs, better training, better education, better pay, more ladders of opportunity for folks who currently don’t have opportunity. That’s what our agenda is about, and it is an agenda that resonates with the American people.
But we’re going to need your help to make sure that it moves forward. And we wouldn’t be able to do that unless we had already some outstanding Democratic governors who are here and have made me very proud. They are great partners with me.
I appreciate Peter’s sentiment. In some cases, in some states there are some fierce battles when you expand something like health care. The fact that you guys on the front lines are willing to stand up courageously means the world to me. More importantly, it’s going to mean the world to your constituents and future generations.
So thank you, everybody. I appreciate it. I’m proud of you. (Applause.)
END
Remarks by the President at DGA Dinner
The St. Regis
Washington, D.C.
February 20, 2014
5:39 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. (Applause.) Thank you. Thank you so much. (Applause.) Everybody have a seat. Have a seat. Well, it is wonderful to see all of you. It is always a great weekend when the governors come into town. And tonight, we’re with some of the best -- and a few of their better halves. And I’m so grateful to all of you for all the great work you’re doing.
And I’m grateful for the people who are here to support our outstanding governors. I want to thank our DGA chair, Peter Shumlin, for the great work that he’s doing up in Vermont. (Applause.) His neighbor, Maggie Hassan, who is the vice chair, and the first time I saw her was another state senator just like me. And she’s doing great up in New Hampshire, so we are very, very proud of her. (Applause.)
I’m not going to give a long speech because I think we want to make this more of a conversation. I want to take out some time for questions and answers. But the main thing I want to do is just to say thank you for all of you coming out and supporting Democratic governors.
And Peter alluded to this, but let me underscore it. Folks here in Washington like to talk abstractions. You get into a lot of ideological debates. The problem for governors is that they actually have to do something and they just can’t talk. And they have to be practical. They have to understand a wide range of issues that are affecting a wide range of constituents. And the work that these governors do each and every day are having a concrete impact in helping to shape the debate in ways that are extraordinary.
And the challenge we have sometimes in politics is that the national politicians and the national races get all the attention. But so often, the action -- how our policies are actually impacting our constituents day to day -- are being determined by governors and state legislatures.
And if there’s one message I want to deliver today to every Democrat and every person who’s interested in supporting Democratic policies, it’s that you got to pay attention to the states. You have to stay focused on what’s happening in the states, and you especially have to pay attention to what’s happening in the states during midterm elections. Because we know how to win national elections, but all too often, it’s during these midterms where we end up getting ourselves into trouble, because I guess we don’t think it’s sexy enough. But the fact of the matter is, is that that’s where so much of the action is.
And Democratic governors are testing ideas, and they are innovating and implementing critical policies all across the board. And that’s work that obviously is made tougher when you don’t always have a Congress that is cooperating. And what binds together all these Democratic governors is a pretty simple idea, and that’s the idea of opportunity -- the idea that if you work hard in this country, no matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like, what your last name is, you can make it.
And we recognize as Democrats and you recognize as governors that government can’t do it all or shouldn’t even try to do it all. But government has a critical role to play in helping provide communities and families the tools they need to succeed, if they’re willing to work hard, if they’re acting responsibly.
And that’s as important as ever today, because what we are seeing right now is the economy is slowly healing from what was the worst crisis since the Great Depression. We’ve now created over 8.5 million jobs since the depths of the recession. Businesses are optimistic this year. CEOs say they want to start reinvesting. We’ve got an unemployment rate that is as low as it’s been since 2005 and is continuing to drop.
But despite all that, for ordinary families -- for a whole lot of the constituents of these governors here -- folks are still worried. They’re still anxious, in part because if they do have a job, their wages and their incomes have flat-lined for over a decade now. They don’t feel as if they’re getting ahead. In fact, they feel like they’re working harder and harder just to stay in place or to avoid slipping back.
And if you look at it statistically -- everybody here knows some of the numbers -- folks at the very top are doing better and better, but ordinary folks, that middle class that’s always been the core of our society and made America different, they’re still feeling squeezed. And so everything we do this year, next year, the year after that, and as long as we have the opportunity to serve has to be focused on how are we expanding opportunity; how are we growing that middle class; how are we building an economy that is good for everybody, not just some; how are we making sure that folks, whatever their station in life, can succeed if they’re willing to work hard.
And fortunately, we’ve got a bunch of Democratic governors who have been willing to implement what I’ve called an opportunity agenda and that I talked about in the State of the Union: Number one, that we’re creating more good jobs out here through manufacturing and clean energy, and making sure that we’re rebuilding our infrastructure -- our bridges, our roads, our ports -- all across the country.
Number two -- making sure that we are giving every child in this country the best education they can get, because we know in the 21st century that’s what it’s going to take for them to compete. Number three -- training folks throughout their lives with the skills they need to get those good jobs. Number four -- making sure that work pays; that if you’re out working hard, you’re not in poverty and you have a chance to get ahead.
Those simple precepts should be guiding everything that we do this year and for years to come, and that’s what we should be talking about as we’re supporting incumbent Democratic governors and candidates for Democratic governors across the country, open seats.
Now, unfortunately, state by state, Republican governors are implementing a different agenda. They’re pursuing the same top-down, failed economic policies that don’t help Americans get ahead. They’re paying for it by cutting investments in the middle class, oftentimes doing everything they can to squeeze folks who are bargaining on behalf of workers. Some of them, their economies have improved in part because the overall economy has improved, and they take credit for it instead of saying that Obama had anything to do with it. I get that. There’s nothing wrong with that. But they’re making it harder for working families to access health insurance. In some states, they’re making it harder even for Americans to exercise their right to vote.
And we’ve got a Congress that prefers to say “no” rather than “yes” right now. They don’t have an affirmative agenda. Their main strategy is to just try to do nothing and see if they can -- falsely -- give people a sense that somehow the policies that we’re trying to pursue aren’t working for them.
So the good news is that we are now talking about the issues that are on the minds of people every single day around the kitchen table. And I’ll just give you a couple of examples of where I see significant progress all across the country, even if it hasn’t been realized in every state.
Number one is on the minimum wage. Three out of four Americans support raising the minimum wage. The majority of not just Democrats but independents and Republicans think it’s important for us to make sure that if you work full-time you’re not in poverty. And we’ve been seeing businesses around the country that are starting to recognize it’s good for their bottom lines to do right by their employees. Yesterday, the Gap became the latest business to raise wages for its U.S. employees.
But even though more than half of Republicans in America support raising the minimum wage, Republicans in Congress don’t want to vote for it -- even though the current proposal in Congress would give more than 16 million Americans a raise. So I recently required federal contractors to pay their employees a wage of at least $10.10 an hour. We’ve got Democratic governors that are doing their part.
So, last year, Jerry Brown signed America’s first $10 an hour minimum wage into law in California. Dan Malloy in Connecticut, and Martin O’Malley in Maryland, who are both here tonight, they’re fighting to raise their state’s wages, as well. It’s no surprise then that most of the states that have a higher minimum wage, higher than the federal minimum wage, are governed by Democrats.
Republican governors are out of touch with their own citizens on this. Just last November, you had a ballot initiative to raise the minimum wage in New Jersey. Governor Christie opposed it; it got 60 percent of the vote -- because voters understood this is the right thing to do, and it will be good for the economy, not bad for the economy. It will be good because suddenly workers now have a little more money in their pockets and they’re out there and businesses have more customers.
And when it comes to making sure that Americans have access to affordable health care, we’re seeing the same pattern. Peter alluded to it. Right now, we’ve already got close to 4 million Americans who have signed up for exchanges. We’ve got 3 million Americans who were able to stay on their parents’ plan because of the law. We’ve got close to 7 million Americans who have access to health care for the first time because of Medicaid expansion. So we’ve already got well over 10 million Americans just in the first few months, despite problems with healthcare.gov in the first month and a half, who suddenly have the financial security that in some cases they’ve never known before.
And we’re doing it while reducing the cost -- the health care inflation that’s out there and that’s been plaguing us and hurting our businesses, our families, and our economies for a very long time. We’ve seen now three consecutive years of the lowest increase in health care inflation in the last 50 -- even as we’re covering more people.
Now, as you know, there have been a lot of governors and state legislators that are still resisting doing right by their people. But the good news is, is that we’ve got a bunch of Democratic governors who are willing to take on this fight. Terry McAuliffe in Virginia, I know that he is fighting this good fight. And we want to make sure that all across the country, we are supporting governors who are saying, I’m going to set politics aside, I’m going to do what’s right for my constituents.
And, ultimately, that’s what the American people are interested in. They’re not interested in ideological battles. What they’re interested in is action that is focused on their lives, on their hopes, on their aspirations. That’s what they want us to focus on each and every day. And that’s what we are offering -- more jobs, better training, better education, better pay, more ladders of opportunity for folks who currently don’t have opportunity. That’s what our agenda is about, and it is an agenda that resonates with the American people.
But we’re going to need your help to make sure that it moves forward. And we wouldn’t be able to do that unless we had already some outstanding Democratic governors who are here and have made me very proud. They are great partners with me.
I appreciate Peter’s sentiment. In some cases, in some states there are some fierce battles when you expand something like health care. The fact that you guys on the front lines are willing to stand up courageously means the world to me. More importantly, it’s going to mean the world to your constituents and future generations.
So thank you, everybody. I appreciate it. I’m proud of you. (Applause.)
END
U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE HOLDING NATIONAL JEWELRY SALE
FROM: U.S. MARSHALS SERVICE
U.S. Marshals Holding National Jewelry Sale
Solid 24-Karat Gold Nuts and Bolts, Gold and Silver Bullion and Coins, Diamonds, Fine Jewelry and Watches from Federal Crime Cases Nationwide to be Sold via Live and Web Simulcast Auction
Washington – The U.S. Marshals Service is selling nearly 300 lots of gold and silver bullion and coins, diamonds, fine jewelry and watches from federal crime cases nationwide in a live and Web simulcast auction Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CST at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas, and online at www.txauction.com.
A public preview will be held Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon CST at the Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., Room 204A, Fort Worth, TX 76102. Registration and pre-bidding are open now.
One item of note is lot 5, 23 pieces of 24-karat gold nuts, bolts and other hardware, painted black or silver as a disguise, from a drug case in New Jersey. Weighing just over four pounds (1,818 grams), the starting bid is $54,060.
Some other cases with assets being sold are as follows:
Philip Wooten, former Army staff sergeant stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., stole $210,000 in government funds while deployed in Afghanistan, lot 211, diamond ring set with a starting bid of $29,750
Jean Joseph Ibrahim, former chief financial officer of Trustin Technology in Irvine, Calif., embezzled $15 million from the company, 12 bars of gold bullion (1 kilo each), lots 76, 77, 101, 102, 126, 127, 151-156, worth approximately $500,000 total
Drug-related cases out of northern Texas: gold pellets, lot 264; silver bar, lot 270; and gold bar, lot 271
The U.S. Marshals Service consolidates pieces from cases nationwide and holds a large auction several times a year. Proceeds generated from the auctions are used to compensate victims of crimes and supplement law enforcement programs.
For information on the auction, including a catalog, pictures, registration and terms and conditions, go to www.txauction.com.
For information on the criminal cases in this news release:
Wooten: www.justice.gov/usao/nce/press/2011/2011-dec-13.html
Ibrahim: http://1.usa.gov/1bJvweY
The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for managing and selling seized and forfeited properties acquired by federal criminals through illegal activities. Proceeds generated from asset sales are used to compensate victims, supplement funding for law enforcement initiatives and support community programs. As part of the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program, the Marshals currently manage more than 22,000 assets with a value of $2 billion.
U.S. Marshals Holding National Jewelry Sale
Solid 24-Karat Gold Nuts and Bolts, Gold and Silver Bullion and Coins, Diamonds, Fine Jewelry and Watches from Federal Crime Cases Nationwide to be Sold via Live and Web Simulcast Auction
Washington – The U.S. Marshals Service is selling nearly 300 lots of gold and silver bullion and coins, diamonds, fine jewelry and watches from federal crime cases nationwide in a live and Web simulcast auction Saturday at 12:15 p.m. CST at the Fort Worth Convention Center, Texas, and online at www.txauction.com.
A public preview will be held Saturday from 8:30 a.m. to noon CST at the Fort Worth Convention Center, 1201 Houston St., Room 204A, Fort Worth, TX 76102. Registration and pre-bidding are open now.
One item of note is lot 5, 23 pieces of 24-karat gold nuts, bolts and other hardware, painted black or silver as a disguise, from a drug case in New Jersey. Weighing just over four pounds (1,818 grams), the starting bid is $54,060.
Some other cases with assets being sold are as follows:
Philip Wooten, former Army staff sergeant stationed at Fort Bragg, N.C., stole $210,000 in government funds while deployed in Afghanistan, lot 211, diamond ring set with a starting bid of $29,750
Jean Joseph Ibrahim, former chief financial officer of Trustin Technology in Irvine, Calif., embezzled $15 million from the company, 12 bars of gold bullion (1 kilo each), lots 76, 77, 101, 102, 126, 127, 151-156, worth approximately $500,000 total
Drug-related cases out of northern Texas: gold pellets, lot 264; silver bar, lot 270; and gold bar, lot 271
The U.S. Marshals Service consolidates pieces from cases nationwide and holds a large auction several times a year. Proceeds generated from the auctions are used to compensate victims of crimes and supplement law enforcement programs.
For information on the auction, including a catalog, pictures, registration and terms and conditions, go to www.txauction.com.
For information on the criminal cases in this news release:
Wooten: www.justice.gov/usao/nce/press/2011/2011-dec-13.html
Ibrahim: http://1.usa.gov/1bJvweY
The U.S. Marshals Service is responsible for managing and selling seized and forfeited properties acquired by federal criminals through illegal activities. Proceeds generated from asset sales are used to compensate victims, supplement funding for law enforcement initiatives and support community programs. As part of the Department of Justice’s Asset Forfeiture Program, the Marshals currently manage more than 22,000 assets with a value of $2 billion.
THE "v" DUNES OF MARS
FROM: NASAMigratory birds and military aircraft often fly in a V-shaped formation. The “V” formation greatly boosts the efficiency and range of flying birds, because all except the first fly in the upward motion of air -- called upwash -- from the wingtip vortices of the bird ahead.
In this image of a dune field on Mars in a large crater near Mawrth Vallis, some of the dunes appear to be in a V-shaped formation. For dune fields, the spacing of individual dunes is a function of sand supply, wind speed, and topography. This image was acquired by the HiRISE camera aboard NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter on Dec. 30, 2013. The University of Arizona, Tucson, operates the HiRISE camera, which was built by Ball Aerospace & Technologies Corp., Boulder, Colo. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington. > More information and image products Image Credit-NASA-JPL-Caltech-Univ. of Arizona Caption-Alfred McEwen
U.S. TO SPEND $150 MILLION TO HELP LONG-TERM UNEMPLOYED GET JOBS
FROM: U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
$150M Ready to Work Partnership grant competition to help those facing
long-term unemployment return to work announced by US Labor Department
Grant applications accepted through June 19, 2014
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $150 million in grants to prepare and place those facing long-term unemployment into good jobs. The Ready to Work Partnership grant competition will support and scale innovative partnerships between employers, nonprofit organizations and America's public workforce system to build a pipeline of talented U.S. workers and help those experiencing long-term unemployment gain access to employment services that provide opportunities to return to work in middle- and high-skill jobs.
Approximately 20 to 30 grants ranging from $3 million to $10 million will be awarded to programs focused on employer engagement, individualized counseling, job placement assistance, and work-based training that facilitate hiring for jobs where employers currently use foreign workers on H-1B visas.
"These grants are part of President Obama's call to action to help ensure that America continues to be a magnet for middle-class jobs and business investment," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "We need to do everything we can to help employers expand and grow while at the same time remembering that those who have been out of work through no fault of their own deserve a fair shot."
Secretary Perez made the grant announcement from the Pulaski, N.Y., headquarters of the Fulton Companies, a global manufacturer of industrial and commercial heating systems. Thanks in part to federal funding from the multi-agency Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, Fulton develop strong training partnerships with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. Together, they were able to develop the local workforce Fulton needed to expand the manufacturing capacity of their Pulaski plant to better serve the North American and overseas markets.
Programs funded through Ready to Work Partnership grants will use on-the-job training, paid work experience, paid internships and Registered Apprenticeships to provide employers the opportunity to train workers in the specific skill sets required for open jobs. Programs will have to recruit those who have been out of work for six months or longer and will incorporate a strong up-front assessment, allowing for a customization of services and training to facilitate re-employment.
As a pre-condition to be considered for funding, at least three employers or a regional industry association must be actively engaged in the project. The grants are financed by a user fee paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program.
$150M Ready to Work Partnership grant competition to help those facing
long-term unemployment return to work announced by US Labor Department
Grant applications accepted through June 19, 2014
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Labor today announced the availability of approximately $150 million in grants to prepare and place those facing long-term unemployment into good jobs. The Ready to Work Partnership grant competition will support and scale innovative partnerships between employers, nonprofit organizations and America's public workforce system to build a pipeline of talented U.S. workers and help those experiencing long-term unemployment gain access to employment services that provide opportunities to return to work in middle- and high-skill jobs.
Approximately 20 to 30 grants ranging from $3 million to $10 million will be awarded to programs focused on employer engagement, individualized counseling, job placement assistance, and work-based training that facilitate hiring for jobs where employers currently use foreign workers on H-1B visas.
"These grants are part of President Obama's call to action to help ensure that America continues to be a magnet for middle-class jobs and business investment," said U.S. Secretary of Labor Thomas E. Perez. "We need to do everything we can to help employers expand and grow while at the same time remembering that those who have been out of work through no fault of their own deserve a fair shot."
Secretary Perez made the grant announcement from the Pulaski, N.Y., headquarters of the Fulton Companies, a global manufacturer of industrial and commercial heating systems. Thanks in part to federal funding from the multi-agency Advanced Manufacturing Jobs and Innovation Accelerator Challenge, Fulton develop strong training partnerships with the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry, the Manufacturers Association of Central New York, and the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems. Together, they were able to develop the local workforce Fulton needed to expand the manufacturing capacity of their Pulaski plant to better serve the North American and overseas markets.
Programs funded through Ready to Work Partnership grants will use on-the-job training, paid work experience, paid internships and Registered Apprenticeships to provide employers the opportunity to train workers in the specific skill sets required for open jobs. Programs will have to recruit those who have been out of work for six months or longer and will incorporate a strong up-front assessment, allowing for a customization of services and training to facilitate re-employment.
As a pre-condition to be considered for funding, at least three employers or a regional industry association must be actively engaged in the project. The grants are financed by a user fee paid by employers to bring foreign workers into the United States under the H-1B nonimmigrant visa program.
DENSO CORP. EXECUTIVE PLEADS GUILTY TO OBSTRUCTING PRICE-FIXING INVESTIGATION
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
FORMER DENSO CORP. EXECUTIVE AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY TO
OBSTRUCTING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS INVESTIGATION
Executive Agrees to Serve One Year in a U.S. Prison
WASHINGTON — A former executive of Japan-based Denso Corp. has agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice charges in connection with the Antitrust Division’s investigation into a conspiracy to fix the prices of heater control panels installed in cars sold in the United States and elsewhere, the Department of Justice announced today. The executive has also agreed to serve one year and one day in a U.S. prison.
A one-count felony charge was filed today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit against Kazuaki Fujitani, a former director of Denso Corp. in Japan. According to the charge, Fujitani, who was general manager of the Toyota Sales Division at the time of the offense, deleted numerous e-mails and electronic documents in February and March 2010 upon learning that the FBI had executed a search warrant on Denso’s U.S. subsidiary. The deleted documents contained communications between Denso and one or more of its competitors regarding requests for price quotation made by Toyota for heater control panels for the Toyota Avalon. The plea agreement is subject to court approval.
“Today’s charge demonstrates the Antitrust Division’s commitment to protecting the integrity of grand jury investigations,” said Brent Snyder, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program. “The division will vigorously prosecute individuals who destroy evidence in an attempt to conceal their participation in illegal conspiracies.”
In March 2012, Denso pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $78 million criminal fine for its role in conspiracies to fix the prices of heater control panels and electronic control units.
Including Fujitani, 29 individuals have been charged in the department’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry. Additionally, 26 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty and have agreed to pay a total of over $2.25 billion in fines.
Fujitani is charged with obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of $250,000 for individuals.
Today’s charge arose from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the automotive parts industry, which is being conducted by each of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement sections and the FBI. Today’s charge was brought by the National Criminal Enforcement Section and the San Francisco Office of the Antitrust Division, with the assistance of the Detroit Field Office of the FBI.
FORMER DENSO CORP. EXECUTIVE AGREES TO PLEAD GUILTY TO
OBSTRUCTING AUTOMOTIVE PARTS INVESTIGATION
Executive Agrees to Serve One Year in a U.S. Prison
WASHINGTON — A former executive of Japan-based Denso Corp. has agreed to plead guilty to obstruction of justice charges in connection with the Antitrust Division’s investigation into a conspiracy to fix the prices of heater control panels installed in cars sold in the United States and elsewhere, the Department of Justice announced today. The executive has also agreed to serve one year and one day in a U.S. prison.
A one-count felony charge was filed today in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan in Detroit against Kazuaki Fujitani, a former director of Denso Corp. in Japan. According to the charge, Fujitani, who was general manager of the Toyota Sales Division at the time of the offense, deleted numerous e-mails and electronic documents in February and March 2010 upon learning that the FBI had executed a search warrant on Denso’s U.S. subsidiary. The deleted documents contained communications between Denso and one or more of its competitors regarding requests for price quotation made by Toyota for heater control panels for the Toyota Avalon. The plea agreement is subject to court approval.
“Today’s charge demonstrates the Antitrust Division’s commitment to protecting the integrity of grand jury investigations,” said Brent Snyder, Deputy Assistant Attorney General of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement program. “The division will vigorously prosecute individuals who destroy evidence in an attempt to conceal their participation in illegal conspiracies.”
In March 2012, Denso pleaded guilty and was sentenced to pay a $78 million criminal fine for its role in conspiracies to fix the prices of heater control panels and electronic control units.
Including Fujitani, 29 individuals have been charged in the department’s ongoing investigation into price fixing and bid rigging in the auto parts industry. Additionally, 26 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to plead guilty and have agreed to pay a total of over $2.25 billion in fines.
Fujitani is charged with obstruction of justice, which carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a criminal fine of $250,000 for individuals.
Today’s charge arose from an ongoing federal antitrust investigation into price fixing, bid rigging and other anticompetitive conduct in the automotive parts industry, which is being conducted by each of the Antitrust Division’s criminal enforcement sections and the FBI. Today’s charge was brought by the National Criminal Enforcement Section and the San Francisco Office of the Antitrust Division, with the assistance of the Detroit Field Office of the FBI.
VA, KAISER PERMANENTE PARTNER TO SOLVE VETERANS HEALTH CARE PROBLEMS
FROM: VETERANS AFFAIRS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2014 VA Partners with Kaiser Permanente Better Care and Innovative Research behind Collaboration
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is collaborating with Kaiser Permanente, a leading member of the health care industry, to pool resources and ideas to solve some of the largest and most complex challenges in VA health care. "VA is always on the lookout for opportunities for partnerships with the private sector and other federal agencies to enhance care for Veterans,"said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We are proud to partner with Kaiser Permanente for the health and wellbeing of our Nation's Veterans." The partnership will enable more effective research and sharing of "best practices," focusing initially on four areas: Telehealth and virtual care; Genomics; Care of Veterans who are members of Kaiser Permanente; and Advanced analytics to use large data sets and population management with appropriate patient privacy protections. Together VA and Kaiser Permanente will develop recommendations for how to design care using advanced analytics and technologies as well as research. This is not the first major collaboration between the two organizations.
In 2010, Kaiser Permanente and VA launched a pilot program to exchange medical data using the Nationwide Health Information Network. The innovative pilot, launched in 2009, allows clinicians from both organizations to obtain a more comprehensive view of a patient's health record using electronic health record information, including information about health issues, medications and allergies while ensuring that patient privacy and confidentiality are protected. "We are eager to continue to redesign the experience of our Veterans seeking health care to increase ease of access and quality of services,"said Patrick Littlefield, Acting Director of VA Center for Innovation, "We're excited about this partnership to make way for useful and tangible outputs." With over 8 million enrollees, VA operates the largest integrated health care delivery system in the United States, with a mission to honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. VA provides a broad range of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services. More information is available at http://www.va.gov/health/. VA is also the Nation's largest provider of health care education and training for physician residents and other health care trainees. VA advances medical research and development in areas that most directly address the diseases and conditions that affect Veterans and eligible beneficiaries. # # #
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE February 19, 2014 VA Partners with Kaiser Permanente Better Care and Innovative Research behind Collaboration
WASHINGTON – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is collaborating with Kaiser Permanente, a leading member of the health care industry, to pool resources and ideas to solve some of the largest and most complex challenges in VA health care. "VA is always on the lookout for opportunities for partnerships with the private sector and other federal agencies to enhance care for Veterans,"said Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki. "We are proud to partner with Kaiser Permanente for the health and wellbeing of our Nation's Veterans." The partnership will enable more effective research and sharing of "best practices," focusing initially on four areas: Telehealth and virtual care; Genomics; Care of Veterans who are members of Kaiser Permanente; and Advanced analytics to use large data sets and population management with appropriate patient privacy protections. Together VA and Kaiser Permanente will develop recommendations for how to design care using advanced analytics and technologies as well as research. This is not the first major collaboration between the two organizations.
In 2010, Kaiser Permanente and VA launched a pilot program to exchange medical data using the Nationwide Health Information Network. The innovative pilot, launched in 2009, allows clinicians from both organizations to obtain a more comprehensive view of a patient's health record using electronic health record information, including information about health issues, medications and allergies while ensuring that patient privacy and confidentiality are protected. "We are eager to continue to redesign the experience of our Veterans seeking health care to increase ease of access and quality of services,"said Patrick Littlefield, Acting Director of VA Center for Innovation, "We're excited about this partnership to make way for useful and tangible outputs." With over 8 million enrollees, VA operates the largest integrated health care delivery system in the United States, with a mission to honor America's Veterans by providing exceptional health care that improves their health and well-being. VA provides a broad range of primary care, specialized care, and related medical and social support services. More information is available at http://www.va.gov/health/. VA is also the Nation's largest provider of health care education and training for physician residents and other health care trainees. VA advances medical research and development in areas that most directly address the diseases and conditions that affect Veterans and eligible beneficiaries. # # #
CDC SAYS FLU SEASON HARD FOR YOUNGER PEOPLE
FROM: CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION
CDC Reports Flu Hit Younger People Particularly Hard This Season
Vaccination lowered risk of having to go to the doctor by about 60 percent for people of all ages
This influenza season was particularly hard on younger- and middle-age adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. People age 18-64 represented 61 percent of all hospitalizations from influenza—up from the previous three seasons when this age group represented only about 35 percent of all such hospitalizations. Influenza deaths followed the same pattern; more deaths than usual occurred in this younger age group.
A second report in this week’s MMWR showed that influenza vaccination offered substantial protection against the flu this season, reducing a vaccinated person’s risk of having to go to the doctor for flu illness by about 60 percent across all ages.
“Flu hospitalizations and deaths in people younger- and middle-aged adults is a sad and difficult reminder that flu can be serious for anyone, not just the very young and old; and that everyone should be vaccinated,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “The good news is that this season's vaccine is doing its job, protecting people across all age groups."
U.S. flu surveillance data suggests that flu activity is likely to continue for a number of weeks, especially in places where activity started later in the season. Some states that saw earlier increases in flu activity are now seeing decreases. Other states are still seeing high levels of flu activity or continued increases in activity.
While flu is responsible for serious illness and death every season, the people who are most affected can vary by season and by the predominant influenza virus. The currently circulating H1N1 virus emerged in 2009 to trigger a pandemic, which was notable for high rates of hospitalization and death in younger- and middle-aged people. While H1N1 viruses have continued to circulate since the pandemic, this is the first season since the pandemic they have been predominant in the U.S. Once again, the virus is causing severe illness in younger- and middle-aged people.
Approximately 61 percent of flu hospitalizations so far this season have occurred among persons aged 18-64 years. Last season, when influenza A (H3N2) viruses were the predominant circulating viruses, people 18 to 64 years accounted for only 35 percent of hospitalizations. During the pandemic season of 2009-2010, people 18 to 64 years old accounted for about 56 percent of hospitalizations.
Hospitalization rates have also been affected. While rates are still highest among people 65 and older (50.9 per 100,000), people 50 to 64 years now have the second-highest hospitalization rate (38.7 per 100,000), followed by children 0-4 years old (35.9 per 100,000). During the pandemic, people 50 to 64 years also had the second-highest hospitalization rate. Note that hospitalization rates are cumulative and thus will continue to increase this season.
Influenza deaths this season are following a pattern a similar to the pandemic. People 25 years to 64 years of age have accounted for about 60 percent of flu deaths this season compared with 18 percent, 30 percent, and 47 percent for the three previous seasons, respectively. During 2009-2010, people 25 years to 64 years accounted for an estimated 63 percent of deaths.
"Younger people may feel that influenza is not a threat to them, but this season underscores that flu can be a serious disease for anyone," said Dr. Frieden. "It's important that everyone get vaccinated. It's also important to remember that some people who get vaccinated may still get sick, and we need to use our second line of defense against flu: antiviral drugs to treat flu illness. People at high risk of complications should seek treatment if they get a flu-like illness. Their doctors may prescribe antiviral drugs if it looks like they have influenza."
People at high risk for flu complications include pregnant women, people with asthma, diabetes or heart disease, people who are morbidly obese and people older than 65 or children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years. A full list of high risk factors and antiviral treatment guidance is available on the CDC website. More information about flu vaccine and how well it works also is available.
Flu Vaccine Best Tool Available
In the flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) study, CDC looked at data from 2,319 children and adults enrolled in the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (Flu VE) Network from December 2, 2013 to January 23, 2014. They found that flu vaccine reduced the risk of having to go to the doctor for flu illness by an estimated 61 percent across all ages. The study also looked at VE by age group and found that the vaccine provided similar levels of protection against influenza infection across all ages. VE point estimates against influenza A and B viruses by age group ranged from 52 percent for people 65 and older to 67 percent for children 6 months to 17 years. Protection against the predominant H1N1 virus was even slightly better for older people; VE against H1N1 was estimated to be 56 percent in people 65 and older and 62 percent in people 50 to 64 years of age. All findings were statistically significant.
The interim VE estimates this season are comparable to results from studies during other seasons when the viruses in the vaccine have been well-matched with circulating influenza viruses and are similar to interim estimates from Canada for 2013-14 published recently.
While flu vaccine can vary in how well it works, vaccination offers the best protection currently available against influenza infection. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine.
“We are committed to the development of better flu vaccines, but existing flu vaccines are the best preventive tool available now. This season vaccinated people were substantially better off than people who did not get vaccinated. The season is still ongoing. If you haven’t yet, you should still get vaccinated," said Dr. Frieden.
CDC Reports Flu Hit Younger People Particularly Hard This Season
Vaccination lowered risk of having to go to the doctor by about 60 percent for people of all ages
This influenza season was particularly hard on younger- and middle-age adults, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported in today’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. People age 18-64 represented 61 percent of all hospitalizations from influenza—up from the previous three seasons when this age group represented only about 35 percent of all such hospitalizations. Influenza deaths followed the same pattern; more deaths than usual occurred in this younger age group.
A second report in this week’s MMWR showed that influenza vaccination offered substantial protection against the flu this season, reducing a vaccinated person’s risk of having to go to the doctor for flu illness by about 60 percent across all ages.
“Flu hospitalizations and deaths in people younger- and middle-aged adults is a sad and difficult reminder that flu can be serious for anyone, not just the very young and old; and that everyone should be vaccinated,” said CDC Director Tom Frieden, M.D., M.P.H. “The good news is that this season's vaccine is doing its job, protecting people across all age groups."
U.S. flu surveillance data suggests that flu activity is likely to continue for a number of weeks, especially in places where activity started later in the season. Some states that saw earlier increases in flu activity are now seeing decreases. Other states are still seeing high levels of flu activity or continued increases in activity.
While flu is responsible for serious illness and death every season, the people who are most affected can vary by season and by the predominant influenza virus. The currently circulating H1N1 virus emerged in 2009 to trigger a pandemic, which was notable for high rates of hospitalization and death in younger- and middle-aged people. While H1N1 viruses have continued to circulate since the pandemic, this is the first season since the pandemic they have been predominant in the U.S. Once again, the virus is causing severe illness in younger- and middle-aged people.
Approximately 61 percent of flu hospitalizations so far this season have occurred among persons aged 18-64 years. Last season, when influenza A (H3N2) viruses were the predominant circulating viruses, people 18 to 64 years accounted for only 35 percent of hospitalizations. During the pandemic season of 2009-2010, people 18 to 64 years old accounted for about 56 percent of hospitalizations.
Hospitalization rates have also been affected. While rates are still highest among people 65 and older (50.9 per 100,000), people 50 to 64 years now have the second-highest hospitalization rate (38.7 per 100,000), followed by children 0-4 years old (35.9 per 100,000). During the pandemic, people 50 to 64 years also had the second-highest hospitalization rate. Note that hospitalization rates are cumulative and thus will continue to increase this season.
Influenza deaths this season are following a pattern a similar to the pandemic. People 25 years to 64 years of age have accounted for about 60 percent of flu deaths this season compared with 18 percent, 30 percent, and 47 percent for the three previous seasons, respectively. During 2009-2010, people 25 years to 64 years accounted for an estimated 63 percent of deaths.
"Younger people may feel that influenza is not a threat to them, but this season underscores that flu can be a serious disease for anyone," said Dr. Frieden. "It's important that everyone get vaccinated. It's also important to remember that some people who get vaccinated may still get sick, and we need to use our second line of defense against flu: antiviral drugs to treat flu illness. People at high risk of complications should seek treatment if they get a flu-like illness. Their doctors may prescribe antiviral drugs if it looks like they have influenza."
People at high risk for flu complications include pregnant women, people with asthma, diabetes or heart disease, people who are morbidly obese and people older than 65 or children younger than 5 years, but especially those younger than 2 years. A full list of high risk factors and antiviral treatment guidance is available on the CDC website. More information about flu vaccine and how well it works also is available.
Flu Vaccine Best Tool Available
In the flu vaccine effectiveness (VE) study, CDC looked at data from 2,319 children and adults enrolled in the U.S. Influenza Vaccine Effectiveness (Flu VE) Network from December 2, 2013 to January 23, 2014. They found that flu vaccine reduced the risk of having to go to the doctor for flu illness by an estimated 61 percent across all ages. The study also looked at VE by age group and found that the vaccine provided similar levels of protection against influenza infection across all ages. VE point estimates against influenza A and B viruses by age group ranged from 52 percent for people 65 and older to 67 percent for children 6 months to 17 years. Protection against the predominant H1N1 virus was even slightly better for older people; VE against H1N1 was estimated to be 56 percent in people 65 and older and 62 percent in people 50 to 64 years of age. All findings were statistically significant.
The interim VE estimates this season are comparable to results from studies during other seasons when the viruses in the vaccine have been well-matched with circulating influenza viruses and are similar to interim estimates from Canada for 2013-14 published recently.
While flu vaccine can vary in how well it works, vaccination offers the best protection currently available against influenza infection. CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an annual flu vaccine.
“We are committed to the development of better flu vaccines, but existing flu vaccines are the best preventive tool available now. This season vaccinated people were substantially better off than people who did not get vaccinated. The season is still ongoing. If you haven’t yet, you should still get vaccinated," said Dr. Frieden.
WHITE HOUSE ON LIBYA IDLs AND NOTICE
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Letter --Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya IDLs and Notice
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13566 of February 25, 2011, is to continue in effect beyond February 25, 2014.
Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, his government, and close associates took extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries, and wanton violence against unarmed civilians. In addition, there was a serious risk that Libyan state assets would be misappropriated by Qadhafi, members of his government, members of his family, or his close associates if those assets were not protected. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries caused a deterioration in the security of Libya, posed a serious risk to its stability, and led me to declare a national emergency to deal with this threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
We are in the process of winding down the sanctions in response to developments in Libya, including the fall of Qadhafi and his government and the establishment of a democratically elected government. We are working closely with the new Libyan government and with the international community to effectively and appropriately ease restrictions on sanctioned entities, including by taking actions consistent with the U.N. Security Council's decision to lift sanctions against the Central Bank of Libya and two other entities on December 16, 2011. The
situation in Libya, however, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and we need to protect against this threat and the diversion of assets or other abuse by certain members of Qadhafi's family and other former regime officials. Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Libya.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
Letter --Continuation of the National Emergency With Respect to Libya IDLs and Notice
Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)
Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13566 of February 25, 2011, is to continue in effect beyond February 25, 2014.
Colonel Muammar Qadhafi, his government, and close associates took extreme measures against the people of Libya, including by using weapons of war, mercenaries, and wanton violence against unarmed civilians. In addition, there was a serious risk that Libyan state assets would be misappropriated by Qadhafi, members of his government, members of his family, or his close associates if those assets were not protected. The foregoing circumstances, the prolonged attacks, and the increased numbers of Libyans seeking refuge in other countries caused a deterioration in the security of Libya, posed a serious risk to its stability, and led me to declare a national emergency to deal with this threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.
We are in the process of winding down the sanctions in response to developments in Libya, including the fall of Qadhafi and his government and the establishment of a democratically elected government. We are working closely with the new Libyan government and with the international community to effectively and appropriately ease restrictions on sanctioned entities, including by taking actions consistent with the U.N. Security Council's decision to lift sanctions against the Central Bank of Libya and two other entities on December 16, 2011. The
situation in Libya, however, continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States and we need to protect against this threat and the diversion of assets or other abuse by certain members of Qadhafi's family and other former regime officials. Therefore, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency with respect to Libya.
Sincerely,
BARACK OBAMA
FRAUD CHARGED BY SEC IN ALLEGED MOVIE INVESTMENT SCHEME
FROM: SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three California residents with defrauding investors in a purported multi-million dollar movie project that would supposedly star well-known actors and generate exorbitant investment returns.
The SEC alleges that Los Angeles-based attorney Samuel Braslau was the architect of the fraudulent scheme that raised money through a boiler room operation spearheaded by Rand Chortkoff of Encino, Calif. High-pressure salespeople including Stuart Rawitt persuaded more than 60 investors nationwide to invest a total of $1.8 million in the movie first titled Marcel and later changed to The Smuggler. Investors were falsely told that actors ranging from Donald Sutherland to Jean-Claude Van Damme would appear in the movie when in fact they were never even approached. Instead of using investor funds for movie production expenses as promised, Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt have spent most of the money among themselves. The investor funds that remain aren’t enough to produce a public service announcement let alone a full-length motion picture capable of securing the theatrical release promised to investors.
In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California today announced criminal charges against Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt.
“Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt sold investors on the Hollywood dream,” said Michele Wein Layne, director of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “But the dream never became a reality because they took investors’ money for themselves rather than using it to make a movie.”
According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Braslau set up companies named Mutual Entertainment LLC and Film Shoot LLC to raise funds from investors for the movie project. In January 2011, Mutual Entertainment spent $25,000 to purchase the rights to Marcel, an unpublished story set in Paris during World War II. Shortly thereafter, Mutual Entertainment began raising money from investors through a boiler room operation that Chortkoff operated out of Van Nuys, Calif.
The SEC alleges that Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt claimed that 63.5 percent of the funds raised from investors would be used for “production expenses.” However, very little if any money was actually spent on movie expenses as they instead used the vast majority of investor funds to pay sales commissions and phony “consulting” fees to themselves and other salespeople. Rawitt made numerous false claims to investors about the movie project. For instance, he flaunted a baseless projected return on investment of about 300 percent. He falsely depicted that they were just shy of reaching a $7.5 million fundraising goal and the movie was set to begin shooting in summer 2013. He instilled the belief that Mutual Entertainment was a successful film company whose track record encompassed the Harold and Kumar movies produced by Carsten Lorenz. And he falsely stated that investors would realize revenues from action figures and other products tied to the movie when in fact no such licensing rights had been sold.
According to the SEC’s complaint, Rawitt was the subject of a prior SEC enforcement action in 2009, when he was charged for his involvement in an oil-and-gas scheme.
“Investors can help protect themselves when approached for an investment opportunity by using the Internet to their advantage and researching the individual making the offer,” said Lori Schock, director of the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy. “In this case, a quick search of the SEC website reveals a copy of the complaint filed against Rawitt in federal court for participating in an offering fraud as well as an order barring him from the brokerage industry.”
The SEC’s complaint alleges that Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5. The complaint further alleges that Chortkoff and Rawitt violated Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act, and Rawitt violated Section 15(b)(6)(B) of the Exchange Act. The SEC seeks financial penalties and permanent injunctions against Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt.
The SEC’s investigation, which is continuing, has been conducted by Peter Del Greco and Marc Blau of the Los Angeles office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged three California residents with defrauding investors in a purported multi-million dollar movie project that would supposedly star well-known actors and generate exorbitant investment returns.
The SEC alleges that Los Angeles-based attorney Samuel Braslau was the architect of the fraudulent scheme that raised money through a boiler room operation spearheaded by Rand Chortkoff of Encino, Calif. High-pressure salespeople including Stuart Rawitt persuaded more than 60 investors nationwide to invest a total of $1.8 million in the movie first titled Marcel and later changed to The Smuggler. Investors were falsely told that actors ranging from Donald Sutherland to Jean-Claude Van Damme would appear in the movie when in fact they were never even approached. Instead of using investor funds for movie production expenses as promised, Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt have spent most of the money among themselves. The investor funds that remain aren’t enough to produce a public service announcement let alone a full-length motion picture capable of securing the theatrical release promised to investors.
In a parallel action, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California today announced criminal charges against Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt.
“Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt sold investors on the Hollywood dream,” said Michele Wein Layne, director of the SEC’s Los Angeles Regional Office. “But the dream never became a reality because they took investors’ money for themselves rather than using it to make a movie.”
According to the SEC’s complaint filed in U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Braslau set up companies named Mutual Entertainment LLC and Film Shoot LLC to raise funds from investors for the movie project. In January 2011, Mutual Entertainment spent $25,000 to purchase the rights to Marcel, an unpublished story set in Paris during World War II. Shortly thereafter, Mutual Entertainment began raising money from investors through a boiler room operation that Chortkoff operated out of Van Nuys, Calif.
The SEC alleges that Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt claimed that 63.5 percent of the funds raised from investors would be used for “production expenses.” However, very little if any money was actually spent on movie expenses as they instead used the vast majority of investor funds to pay sales commissions and phony “consulting” fees to themselves and other salespeople. Rawitt made numerous false claims to investors about the movie project. For instance, he flaunted a baseless projected return on investment of about 300 percent. He falsely depicted that they were just shy of reaching a $7.5 million fundraising goal and the movie was set to begin shooting in summer 2013. He instilled the belief that Mutual Entertainment was a successful film company whose track record encompassed the Harold and Kumar movies produced by Carsten Lorenz. And he falsely stated that investors would realize revenues from action figures and other products tied to the movie when in fact no such licensing rights had been sold.
According to the SEC’s complaint, Rawitt was the subject of a prior SEC enforcement action in 2009, when he was charged for his involvement in an oil-and-gas scheme.
“Investors can help protect themselves when approached for an investment opportunity by using the Internet to their advantage and researching the individual making the offer,” said Lori Schock, director of the SEC’s Office of Investor Education and Advocacy. “In this case, a quick search of the SEC website reveals a copy of the complaint filed against Rawitt in federal court for participating in an offering fraud as well as an order barring him from the brokerage industry.”
The SEC’s complaint alleges that Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt violated Section 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and Rule 10b-5. The complaint further alleges that Chortkoff and Rawitt violated Section 15(a) of the Exchange Act, and Rawitt violated Section 15(b)(6)(B) of the Exchange Act. The SEC seeks financial penalties and permanent injunctions against Braslau, Chortkoff, and Rawitt.
The SEC’s investigation, which is continuing, has been conducted by Peter Del Greco and Marc Blau of the Los Angeles office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
DOD OFFICIAL MEETS WITH PARTNERS, DEFENSE INDUSTRY OFFICIALS IN SINGAPORE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
DOD Official Meets With International Partners in Singapore
By Navy Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost
Department of Defense
SINGAPORE , Feb. 19, 2014 – The 2014 Singapore Airshow provided the setting last week for a senior Defense Department official to meet with numerous international partners and defense industry officials.
Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters at the airshow that the United States was the “feature country” at this year’s event, the first time organizers have made such a designation.
U.S. military aircraft participating in static displays and aerial demonstrations included two F-16 Fighting Falcons, two MV-22 Ospreys, a P-8A Poseidon, a C-17 Globemaster III, a KC-135 Stratotanker and a C-130J Super Hercules.
“The U.S. is honored to be the feature country,” Kendall said. “We have strong economic and security interests in Asia-Pacific region, and Singapore is a valued partner nation. We are in the process of rebalancing our national security focus to this region, and our participation in the Singapore Airshow is of the highest importance to the U.S.
“It is also important that while here,” he continued, “we have an opportunity to meet with industry, government and military leaders and discuss how we can work together to ensure security, stability and prosperity in the region.”
The undersecretary added that the tradeshow portion of the event gave the Defense Department the opportunity to promote U.S. security cooperation programs and foreign military sales.
“We see ourselves as the ‘provider of choice’ and want to assist our partners who see a need to improve their military capabilities,” he said. “We also want to ensure technical and operational interoperability with our partners; this can be critical during times of crisis and helps strengthen our military-to-military relationships.”
Formally known as the Changi International Airshow, the Singapore airshow started in 2008 as a partnership between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Defence Science and Technology Agency. It is among the most prominent airshows in the world, and is Asia’s largest aerospace and defense exhibition.
This is the fourth edition of the biennial aerospace and defense event, with more than 1,000 companies from 50 countries exhibiting, including 163 from the United States, the largest number ever.
The 2012 airshow hosted more than 120,000 visitors. Singaporean officials and event organizers said they expected even more visitors to attend this year. The airshow, held at Changi East International Airport, was open to the public Feb. 15-16.
DOD Official Meets With International Partners in Singapore
By Navy Cmdr. Amy Derrick-Frost
Department of Defense
SINGAPORE , Feb. 19, 2014 – The 2014 Singapore Airshow provided the setting last week for a senior Defense Department official to meet with numerous international partners and defense industry officials.
Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, told reporters at the airshow that the United States was the “feature country” at this year’s event, the first time organizers have made such a designation.
U.S. military aircraft participating in static displays and aerial demonstrations included two F-16 Fighting Falcons, two MV-22 Ospreys, a P-8A Poseidon, a C-17 Globemaster III, a KC-135 Stratotanker and a C-130J Super Hercules.
“The U.S. is honored to be the feature country,” Kendall said. “We have strong economic and security interests in Asia-Pacific region, and Singapore is a valued partner nation. We are in the process of rebalancing our national security focus to this region, and our participation in the Singapore Airshow is of the highest importance to the U.S.
“It is also important that while here,” he continued, “we have an opportunity to meet with industry, government and military leaders and discuss how we can work together to ensure security, stability and prosperity in the region.”
The undersecretary added that the tradeshow portion of the event gave the Defense Department the opportunity to promote U.S. security cooperation programs and foreign military sales.
“We see ourselves as the ‘provider of choice’ and want to assist our partners who see a need to improve their military capabilities,” he said. “We also want to ensure technical and operational interoperability with our partners; this can be critical during times of crisis and helps strengthen our military-to-military relationships.”
Formally known as the Changi International Airshow, the Singapore airshow started in 2008 as a partnership between the Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore and the Defence Science and Technology Agency. It is among the most prominent airshows in the world, and is Asia’s largest aerospace and defense exhibition.
This is the fourth edition of the biennial aerospace and defense event, with more than 1,000 companies from 50 countries exhibiting, including 163 from the United States, the largest number ever.
The 2012 airshow hosted more than 120,000 visitors. Singaporean officials and event organizers said they expected even more visitors to attend this year. The airshow, held at Changi East International Airport, was open to the public Feb. 15-16.
WHITE HOUSE STATEMENT ON UKRAINE
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
Statement by the Press Secretary on Ukraine
We are outraged by the images of Ukrainian security forces firing automatic weapons on their own people. We urge President Yanukovych to immediately withdraw his security forces from downtown Kyiv and to respect the right of peaceful protest, and we urge protesters to express themselves peacefully. We urge the Ukrainian military not to get involved in a conflict that can and should be resolved by political means. The use of force will not resolve the crisis -- clear steps must be taken to stop the violence and initiate meaningful dialogue that reduces tension and addresses the grievances of the Ukrainian people. The United States will work with our European allies to hold those responsible for violence accountable and to help the Ukrainian people get a unified and independent Ukraine back on the path to a better future.
Statement by the Press Secretary on Ukraine
We are outraged by the images of Ukrainian security forces firing automatic weapons on their own people. We urge President Yanukovych to immediately withdraw his security forces from downtown Kyiv and to respect the right of peaceful protest, and we urge protesters to express themselves peacefully. We urge the Ukrainian military not to get involved in a conflict that can and should be resolved by political means. The use of force will not resolve the crisis -- clear steps must be taken to stop the violence and initiate meaningful dialogue that reduces tension and addresses the grievances of the Ukrainian people. The United States will work with our European allies to hold those responsible for violence accountable and to help the Ukrainian people get a unified and independent Ukraine back on the path to a better future.
TWO SENTENCED FOR ROLES IN HOME LOAN MODIFICATION SCAM
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Two Florida Men Sentenced for Defrauding Thousands of Homeowners in $4 Million Nationwide Home Loan Modification Scam
Two Florida men were sentenced today to serve 84 months in prison for defrauding thousands of homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts and Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) Christy Romero made the announcement.
Christopher S. Godfrey, 44, of Delray Beach, Fla., and Dennis Fischer, 42, of Highland Beach, Fla., were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel of the District of Massachusetts and ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their prison term.
The defendants were convicted on Nov. 14, 2013, after a two-week trial, of one count of conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud, eight counts of mail fraud and one count of misusing a government seal.
“These men stole millions of dollars from struggling Americans who had achieved the dream of home ownership and sought help to refinance their mortgages and save their homes from foreclosure,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. “Today’s sentences should serve as a warning to anyone who exploits distressed homeowners and prevents them from getting the real help they need.”
“These convictions and sentences should send the message that those who prey on the most economically vulnerable among us to line their own pockets will be caught, convicted and given the long prison sentences they deserve,” said U.S. Attorney Ortiz.
“Scamming homeowners by selling for $400 to $2,000 what is a free application to TARP’s housing program is a despicable crime, and for their crimes, Godfrey and Fischer will each spend the next seven years in federal prison,” said Special Inspector General Romero. “Godfrey and Fischer swindled homeowners out of more than $4 million, which they used for extravagant trips to Dubai and France, luxury shopping sprees, and to pay their own mortgages on waterfront homes in Florida beach communities. SIGTARP and our law enforcement partners will put an end to scams that exploit TARP and bring swift justice to con men who perpetrate these scams.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from January 2009 through May 2011, Godfrey, Fischer and their employees, operating under the name Home Owners Protection Economics Inc. (HOPE), made a series of misrepresentations to induce struggling homeowners to pay HOPE a $400 to $2,000 up-front fee in exchange for HOPE’s help obtaining federally funded home loan modifications. Among these misrepresentations were the claims that, with HOPE’s assistance, the homeowner was guaranteed to receive a loan modification under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), which is part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and is a federally funded mortgage-assistance program. For example, the defendants routinely claimed that the homeowner had already been approved for a loan modification, provided phony “approval codes,” quoted new (and wholly fictitious) mortgage terms and due dates, touted their 98 percent past success rate and claimed that they were “underwriters” or were otherwise affiliated with the homeowners’ mortgage companies. HOPE also claimed that it would offer homeowners refunds in the unlikely event that they did not receive a loan modification.
According to the trial evidence, in exchange for the up-front fees, HOPE sent its customers, including homeowners in Massachusetts, a do-it-yourself application package, which was virtually identical to the application that the government provides free of charge. The HOPE customers had no advantage in the application process, and, in fact, most of their applications were denied. Through these misrepresentations, HOPE was able to persuade thousands of homeowners to pay more than $4 million in fees.
Trial evidence also showed that the defendants claimed that they operated HOPE as a non-profit, when, in fact, they operated as a for-profit telemarketing fraud scheme. Godfrey and Fischer used funds that homeowners had paid into the purported non-profit’s bank account to pay for their trips to Dubai and the South of France, to shop at luxury stores, to pay for their pool service, and to pay the mortgages on their waterfront home and condominium. The remaining two defendants in the case, Vernell Burris Jr. and Brian Kelly, have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2014.
The case was investigated by SIGTARP and is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bookbinder in the District of Massachusetts’s Computer Crimes Unit.
Thursday, February 20, 2014
Two Florida Men Sentenced for Defrauding Thousands of Homeowners in $4 Million Nationwide Home Loan Modification Scam
Two Florida men were sentenced today to serve 84 months in prison for defrauding thousands of homeowners in a $4 million nationwide home loan modification scheme.
Acting Assistant Attorney General Mythili Raman of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz of the District of Massachusetts and Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP) Christy Romero made the announcement.
Christopher S. Godfrey, 44, of Delray Beach, Fla., and Dennis Fischer, 42, of Highland Beach, Fla., were sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Rya W. Zobel of the District of Massachusetts and ordered to serve three years of supervised release following their prison term.
The defendants were convicted on Nov. 14, 2013, after a two-week trial, of one count of conspiracy, eight counts of wire fraud, eight counts of mail fraud and one count of misusing a government seal.
“These men stole millions of dollars from struggling Americans who had achieved the dream of home ownership and sought help to refinance their mortgages and save their homes from foreclosure,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General Raman. “Today’s sentences should serve as a warning to anyone who exploits distressed homeowners and prevents them from getting the real help they need.”
“These convictions and sentences should send the message that those who prey on the most economically vulnerable among us to line their own pockets will be caught, convicted and given the long prison sentences they deserve,” said U.S. Attorney Ortiz.
“Scamming homeowners by selling for $400 to $2,000 what is a free application to TARP’s housing program is a despicable crime, and for their crimes, Godfrey and Fischer will each spend the next seven years in federal prison,” said Special Inspector General Romero. “Godfrey and Fischer swindled homeowners out of more than $4 million, which they used for extravagant trips to Dubai and France, luxury shopping sprees, and to pay their own mortgages on waterfront homes in Florida beach communities. SIGTARP and our law enforcement partners will put an end to scams that exploit TARP and bring swift justice to con men who perpetrate these scams.”
According to the evidence presented at trial, from January 2009 through May 2011, Godfrey, Fischer and their employees, operating under the name Home Owners Protection Economics Inc. (HOPE), made a series of misrepresentations to induce struggling homeowners to pay HOPE a $400 to $2,000 up-front fee in exchange for HOPE’s help obtaining federally funded home loan modifications. Among these misrepresentations were the claims that, with HOPE’s assistance, the homeowner was guaranteed to receive a loan modification under the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP), which is part of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) and is a federally funded mortgage-assistance program. For example, the defendants routinely claimed that the homeowner had already been approved for a loan modification, provided phony “approval codes,” quoted new (and wholly fictitious) mortgage terms and due dates, touted their 98 percent past success rate and claimed that they were “underwriters” or were otherwise affiliated with the homeowners’ mortgage companies. HOPE also claimed that it would offer homeowners refunds in the unlikely event that they did not receive a loan modification.
According to the trial evidence, in exchange for the up-front fees, HOPE sent its customers, including homeowners in Massachusetts, a do-it-yourself application package, which was virtually identical to the application that the government provides free of charge. The HOPE customers had no advantage in the application process, and, in fact, most of their applications were denied. Through these misrepresentations, HOPE was able to persuade thousands of homeowners to pay more than $4 million in fees.
Trial evidence also showed that the defendants claimed that they operated HOPE as a non-profit, when, in fact, they operated as a for-profit telemarketing fraud scheme. Godfrey and Fischer used funds that homeowners had paid into the purported non-profit’s bank account to pay for their trips to Dubai and the South of France, to shop at luxury stores, to pay for their pool service, and to pay the mortgages on their waterfront home and condominium. The remaining two defendants in the case, Vernell Burris Jr. and Brian Kelly, have pleaded guilty and will be sentenced on Feb. 25, 2014.
The case was investigated by SIGTARP and is being prosecuted by Senior Trial Attorney Mona Sedky of the Criminal Division’s Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section and Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Bookbinder in the District of Massachusetts’s Computer Crimes Unit.
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