PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS ON FREEDOM DAY ANNIVERSARY

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by President Obama at at 25th Anniversary of Freedom Day

 Castle Square

Warsaw, Poland

12:10 P.M. CET

     PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Hello, Warsaw!  (Applause.)  Witaj, Polsko!  (Applause.)   

Mr. President; Mr. Prime Minister; Madam Mayor; heads of state and government, past and present -- including the man who jumped that shipyard wall to lead a strike that became a movement, the prisoner turned president who transformed this nation -- thank you, Lech Walesa, for your outstanding leadership.  (Applause.)   

Distinguished guests, people of Poland, thank you for your extraordinary welcome and for the privilege of joining you here today.  I bring with me the greetings and friendship of the American people -- and of my hometown of Chicago, home to so many proud Polish Americans.  (Applause.)  In Chicago, we think of ourselves as a little piece of Poland.  In some neighborhoods, you only hear Polish.  The faithful come together at churches like Saint Stanislaus Kostka.  We have a parade for Polish Constitution Day.  And every summer, we celebrate the Taste of Polonia, with our kielbasa and pierogies, and we’re all a little bit Polish for that day.  (Applause.)  So being here with you, it feels like home.  (Applause.)           

Twenty-five years ago today, we witnessed a scene that had once seemed impossible -- an election where, for the first time, the people of this nation had a choice.  The Communist regime thought an election would validate their rule or weaken the opposition.  Instead, Poles turned out in the millions.  And when the votes were counted, it was a landslide victory for freedom.  One woman who voted that day said, “There is a sense that something is beginning to happen in Poland.  We feel the taste of Poland again.”  She was right.  It was the beginning of the end of Communism -- not just in this country, but across Europe.

The images of that year are seared in our memory.  Citizens filling the streets of Budapest and Bucharest.  Hungarians and Austrians cutting the barbed wire border.  Protestors joining hands across the Baltics.  Czechs and Slovaks in their Velvet Revolution.  East Berliners climbing atop that wall.  And we have seen the extraordinary progress since that time.  A united Germany.  Nations in Central and Eastern Europe standing tall as proud democracies.  A Europe that is more integrated, more prosperous and more secure.  We must never forget that the spark for so much of this revolutionary change, this blossoming of hope, was lit by you, the people of Poland.  (Applause.) 

History was made here.  The victory of 1989 was not inevitable.  It was the culmination of centuries of Polish struggle, at times in this very square.  The generations of Poles who rose up and finally won independence.  The soldiers who resisted invasion, from the east and the west.  The Righteous Among the Nations -- among them Jan Karski -- who risked all to save the innocent from the Holocaust.  The heroes of the Warsaw Ghetto who refused to go without a fight.  The Free Poles at Normandy and the Poles of the Home Army who -- even as this city was reduced to rubble -- waged a heroic uprising. 

We remember how, when an Iron Curtain descended, you never accepted your fate.  When a son of Poland ascended to the Chair of Saint Peter, he returned home, and here, in Warsaw, he inspired a nation with his words -- “there can be no just Europe without the independence of Poland.”  (Applause.)  And today we give thanks for the courage of the Catholic Church and the fearless spirit of Saint John Paul II.  (Applause.)   

We also recall how you prevailed 25 years ago.  In the face of beatings and bullets, you never wavered from the moral force of nonviolence.  Through the darkness of martial law, Poles lit candles in their windows.  When the regime finally agreed to talk, you embraced dialogue.  When they held those elections -- even though not fully free -- you participated.  As one Solidarity leader said at the time, “We decided to accept what was possible.”  Poland reminds us that sometimes the smallest steps, however imperfect, can ultimately tear down walls, can ultimately transform the world.  (Applause.)  

But of course, your victory that June day was only the beginning.  For democracy is more than just elections.  True democracy, real prosperity, lasting security -- these are neither simply given, nor imposed from the outside.  They must be earned and built from within.  And in that age-old contest of ideas -- between freedom and authoritarianism, between liberty and oppression, between solidarity and intolerance -- Poland’s progress shows the enduring strength of the ideals that we cherish as a free people.

Here we see the strength of democracy:  Citizens raising their voices, free from fear.  Here we see political parties competing in open and honest elections.  Here we see an independent judiciary working to uphold the rule of law.  Here in Poland we see a vibrant press and a growing civil society that holds leaders accountable -- because governments exist to lift up their people, not to hold them down.  (Applause.)   

Here we see the strength of free markets and the results of hard reforms -- gleaming skyscrapers soaring above the city, and superhighways across this country, high-tech hubs and living standards that previous generations of Poles could only imagine. This is the new Poland you have built -- an economic “Miracle on the Vistula” -- Cud nad Wisłą.  (Applause.)    

Here we see the strength of free nations that stand united. Across those centuries of struggle, Poland’s fate too often was dictated by others.  This land was invaded and conquered, carved up and occupied.  But those days are over.  Poland understands as few other nations do that every nation must be free to chart its own course, to forge its own partnerships, to choose its own allies.  (Applause.)

This year marks the 15th anniversary of Poland’s membership in NATO.  We honor Polish service in the Balkans, in Iraq and Afghanistan.  And as Americans, we are proud to call Poland one of our strongest and closest allies.  (Applause.)  

This is the Poland we celebrate today.  The free and democratic Poland that your forebears and some who are here today dreamed of and fought for and, in some cases, died for.  The growing and secure Poland that you -- particularly the young people who are here today -- have enjoyed for your entire lives.

It’s a wonderful story, but the story of this nation reminds us that freedom is not guaranteed.  And history cautions us to never take progress for granted.  On the same day 25 years ago that Poles were voting here, tanks were crushing peaceful democracy protests in Tiananmen Square on the other side of the world.  The blessings of liberty must be earned and renewed by every generation -- including our own.  This is the work to which we rededicate ourselves today.  (Applause.) 

Our democracies must be defined not by what or who we’re against, but by a politics of inclusion and tolerance that welcomes all our citizens.  Our economies must deliver a broader prosperity that creates more opportunity -- across Europe and across the world -- especially for young people.  Leaders must uphold the public trust and stand against corruption, not steal from the pockets of their own people.  Our societies must embrace a greater justice that recognizes the inherent dignity of every human being.  And as we’ve been reminded by Russia’s aggression in Ukraine, our free nations cannot be complacent in pursuit of the vision we share -- a Europe that is whole and free and at peace.  We have to work for that.  We have to stand with those who seek freedom.  (Applause.)        

I know that throughout history, the Polish people were abandoned by friends when you needed them most.  So I’ve come to Warsaw today -- on behalf of the United States, on behalf of the NATO Alliance -- to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Poland’s security.  Article 5 is clear -- an attack on one is an attack on all.  And as allies, we have a solemn duty -- a binding treaty obligation -- to defend your territorial integrity.  And we will.  We stand together -- now and forever -- for your freedom is ours. (Applause.)  Poland will never stand alone.  (Applause.)  But not just Poland -- Estonia will never stand alone.  Latvia will never stand alone.  Lithuania will never stand alone.  Romania will never stand alone.  (Applause.)  

These are not just words.  They’re unbreakable commitments backed by the strongest alliance in the world and the armed forces of the United States of America -- the most powerful military in history.  (Applause.)  You see our commitment today. In NATO aircraft in the skies of the Baltics.  In allied ships patrolling the Black Sea.  In the stepped-up exercises where our forces train together.  And in our increased and enduring American presence here on Polish soil.  We do these things not to threaten any nation, but to defend the security and territory of ourselves and our friends. 

Yesterday, I announced a new initiative to bolster the security of our NATO allies and increase America’s military presence in Europe.  With the support of Congress, this will mean more pre-positioned equipment to respond quickly in a crisis, and exercises and training to keep our forces ready; additional U.S. forces -- in the air, and sea, and on land, including here in Poland.  And it will mean increased support to help friends like Ukraine, and Moldova and Georgia provide for their own defense.  (Applause.) 

Just as the United States is increasing our commitment, so must others.  Every NATO member is protected by our alliance, and every NATO member must carry its share in our alliance.  This is the responsibility we have to each other.    

Finally, as free peoples, we join together, not simply to safeguard our own security but to advance the freedom of others. Today we affirm the principles for which we stand. 

We stand together because we believe that people and nations have the right to determine their own destiny.  And that includes the people of Ukraine.  Robbed by a corrupt regime, Ukrainians demanded a government that served them.  Beaten and bloodied, they refused to yield.  Threatened and harassed, they lined up to vote; they elected a new President in a free election -- because a leader’s legitimacy can only come from the consent of the people.

Ukrainians have now embarked on the hard road of reform.  I met with President-elect Poroshenko this morning, and I told him that, just as free nations offered support and assistance to Poland in your transition to democracy, we stand with Ukrainians now.  (Applause.)  Ukraine must be free to choose its own future for itself and by itself.  (Applause.)  We reject the zero-sum thinking of the past -- a free and independent Ukraine needs strong ties and growing trade with Europe and Russia and the United States and the rest of the world.  Because the people of Ukraine are reaching out for the same freedom and opportunities and progress that we celebrate here today -- and they deserve them, too.

We stand together because we believe that upholding peace and security is the responsibility of every nation.  The days of empire and spheres of influence are over.  Bigger nations must not be allowed to bully the small, or impose their will at the barrel of a gun or with masked men taking over buildings.  And the stroke of a pen can never legitimize the theft of a neighbor’s land.  So we will not accept Russia’s occupation of Crimea or its violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty.  (Applause.)   Our free nations will stand united so that further Russian provocations will only mean more isolation and costs for Russia. (Applause.)  Because after investing so much blood and treasure to bring Europe together, how can we allow the dark tactics of the 20th century to define this new century?

We stand together because we know that the spirit of Warsaw and Budapest and Prague and Berlin stretches to wherever the longing for freedom stirs in human hearts, whether in Minsk or Caracas, or Damascus or Pyongyang.  Wherever people are willing to do the hard work of building democracy -- from Tbilisi to Tunis, from Rangoon to Freetown -- they will have a partner in our nations.  For in the struggles of these citizens we recall our own struggles.  In their faces we see our own.  And few see this more clearly than the people of Poland.

The Ukrainians of today are the heirs of Solidarity -- men and women like you who dared to challenge a bankrupt regime.  When your peaceful protests were met with an iron fist, Poles placed flowers in the shipyard gate. 

Today, Ukrainians honor their fallen with flowers in Independence Square.  We remember the Polish voter who rejoiced to “feel the taste of Poland again.”  Her voice echoes in the young protestor in the Maidan who savored what she called “a taste of real freedom.”  “I love my country,” she said, and we are standing up for “justice and freedom.”  And with gratitude for the strong support of the Polish people, she spoke for many Ukrainians when she said, “Thank you, Poland.  We hear you and we love you.”  (Applause.)   

Today we can say the same.  Thank you, Poland -- thank you for your courage.  Thank you for reminding the world that no matter how brutal the crackdown, no matter how long the night, the yearning for liberty and dignity does not fade away.  It will never go away.  Thank you, Poland, for your iron will and for showing that, yes, ordinary citizens can grab the reins of history, and that freedom will prevail -- because, in the end, tanks and troops are no match for the force of our ideals. 

Thank you, Poland -- for your triumph -- not of arms, but of the human spirit, the truth that carries us forward. There is no change without risk, and no progress without sacrifice, and no freedom without solidarity.  (Applause.) 

Dziękuję, Polsko!  God bless Poland.  (Applause.)  God bless America.  God bless our unbreakable alliance.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

                        END             12:28 P.M. CET

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS ON 25TH ANNIVERSARY OF TIANANMEN SQUARE PROTEST

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Message on the 25th Anniversary of Tiananmen Square

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 4, 2014

---

Today of all days, we remember the courage and commitment of hundreds of thousands of peaceful protesters who took to the streets to demand fundamental, universal rights. I’ll never forget turning on the television in my office and seeing a column of tanks halted by a single man armed only with his conscience. In those uncertain days, I was in the presence of 2,000 students in Massachusetts. I shared with them that these events were not the happenings of a weekend, but the happenings of an epoch, of a lifetime, and they demanded a moral and political response.

For all people who seek freedom, Tiananmen Square still stirs our conscience. That is why the United States and the international community commemorate the tragic loss of hundreds of lives and the heavy price paid by those who braved the violence in pursuit of the freedom to express their views. We express our sorrow to the families still grieving the loved ones, the lost, and especially to the Tiananmen Mothers.

We all recognize and appreciate that China has made marked social and economic progress in the past several decades. Continued progress will be defined by openness not just to the world, but to the voices and diverse perspectives of China’s citizens. Open discussion and examination of the events of 1989 and a full public accounting of those killed, detained, or missing would be a sign of strength and healing, not weakness and division. A peaceful, prosperous future is made more promising by healing the wounds of the past. We call on Chinese authorities to release from prison all those still serving sentences in connection with the events surrounding June 4, 1989, and end the ongoing pattern of harassment, detention, and official retribution against those who participated in the demonstrations, their family members, and those who continue to bravely speak out. We also urge China to release those who were detained in advance of the anniversary of June 4, and to uphold its international commitments to protect fundamental freedoms of all in China. All societies are stronger when every citizen has a say and a stake in their country’s direction.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH UKRAINES PRESIDENT ELECT POROSHENKO

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With President-elect Petro Poroshenko Before Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Marriott Hotel

Warsaw, Poland

June 4, 2014

---

SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. It's a great pleasure for me to be with President-elect Poroshenko, who won a dramatic victory all across Ukraine. He won everywhere, and clearly has been given a mandate to try to lead the country into a new era. And I look forward to this meeting to talk about some of those priorities, then he will meet with the President.

And what happened in Ukraine in this election is really quite remarkable. It's a great example to the world, an example about courage, determination, and, most of all, a commitment to be free, to determine their own future. So we will work very, very closely. It's a privilege for me to be with the president-elect, who will be sworn in formally this Saturday, and Vice President Biden will be there. We look forward to celebrating that.

PRESIDENT-ELECT POROSHENKO: I want to thank the people of the United States for (inaudible) for the democracy, for the freedom. And I think it is enormously important to have a (inaudible) with the United States, with the European Union, and I'm really confident that we modernize the country, we build up the democracy, and we build up the freedom. Welcome.

LAGOON OF VENICE AS SEEN FROM SPACE

Image Credit: NASA.

FROM:  NASA 

A narrow barrier island protects the Lagoon of Venice from storm waves in the northern Adriatic Sea, and breakwaters protect inlets to the lagoon. Red tiles on the roofs of Venice contrast with the grays of the sister city of Mestre, and the cities are joined by a prominent causeway. What appears to be another causeway joining the island to the airport (top right) is actually the combined wakes of many boats and water taxis shuttling between them. Small, bright agricultural fields on well-drained soils (top left) contrast with the darker vegetation of back-bay swamps, where fishing is a popular pastime.

The water is turbid in the northern half of the lagoon, the result of heavy use by watercraft and of dense urban populations on the shores. This turbidity and other issues of environmental concern led to the creation in 2002 of the Atlas of the Lagoon (Atlante della laguna), which was set up to document environmental conditions and to track changes. Today, the Atlante della laguna is available online (in Italian) and provides a comprehensive collection of interpretive maps and imagery—including astronaut photographs from the International Space Station. A detailed view of Venice in 2007 can be viewed here. A more detailed article on the use of astronaut photography to monitor environmental change in the Lagoon of Venice is available here.

This astronaut photograph (ISS039-E-19482) was acquired on May 9, 2014, with a Nikon D3S digital camera using a 400 millimeter lens, and is provided by the ISS Crew Earth Observations Facility and the Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, Johnson Space Center. The image was taken by the Expedition 39 crew. It has been cropped and enhanced to improve contrast, and lens artifacts have been removed.  Caption: M. Justin Wilkinson, Jacobs at NASA-JSC.

SEC CHARGES CHARTER SCHOOL OPERATOR WITH DEFRAUDING INVESTORS IN $37.5 MILLION BOND OFFERING

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION 

The Securities and Exchange Commission charged a charter school operator in Chicago with defrauding investors in a $37.5 million bond offering for school construction by making materially misleading statements about transactions that presented a conflict of interest.

The SEC alleges that UNO Charter School Network Inc. and United Neighborhood Organization of Chicago not only failed to disclose a multi-million-dollar contract with a windows company owned by the brother of one of its senior officers, but investors also weren’t informed about the potential financial impact the conflicted transaction had on its ability to repay the bonds.

UNO is settling the SEC’s charges by agreeing to undertakings to improve its internal procedures and training, including the appointment of an independent monitor.

“UNO misled its bond investors by assuring them it had reported conflicts of interest in connection with state grants when in fact it had not,” said Andrew J. Ceresney, director of the SEC’s Division of Enforcement.  “Investors had a right to know that UNO’s transactions with related persons jeopardized its ability to pay its bonds because they placed the grant money that was primarily funding the projects at risk.”

According to the SEC’s complaint filed in federal court in Chicago, UNO entered into two grant agreements with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (IDCEO) in 2010 and 2011 to build three schools.  Each grant agreement contained a provision requiring UNO to certify that no conflict of interest existed when it signed the agreements.  UNO was required to immediately notify IDCEO in writing if any actual or potential conflicts subsequently arose.  If UNO breached this conflict of interest provision, IDCEO could suspend the payment of grants and recover grant funds already paid to UNO.

According to the SEC’s complaint, UNO breached the conflict of interest provision as it entered the construction phases of the project in 2011 and 2012.  UNO contracted two companies owned by brothers of its chief operating officer.  UNO agreed to pay one company approximately $11 million to supply and install windows and the other company approximately $1.9 million to serve as an owner’s representative during construction.  UNO did not advise IDCEO in writing about either of those conflicted transactions.

The SEC alleges that when UNO conducted its $37.5 million bond offering in October 2011, it issued an official statement to investors in bond offering documents that devoted an entire subsection to the subject of conflicts of interest.  UNO affirmatively assured investors that its conflicts policy was more robust than required for non-profit organizations.  UNO did disclose the contract with the company serving as owner’s representative, which was owned by the chief operating officer’s brother – who was a former UNO board member himself.

The SEC alleges that UNO nonetheless failed to disclose its much larger transactions with the windows company owned by another brother of the chief operating officer.  Moreover, nothing in the official statement disclosed that UNO already was in breach of the conflict of interest provision in its June 2010 grant agreement with the IDCEO because it already had transacted with both companies without advising the agency in writing about those engagements.  UNO also failed to disclose in the official statement that IDCEO could recoup all of the grant money as a result of this breach of the conflicts of interest provision.  Had IDCEO exercised its rights under the grant agreements and recouped the entire amount of the grants, UNO would not have had the cash to repay the grants and therefore would have had to liquidate its charter schools – the very revenue-producing assets essential for repayment of the bonds.

“Conflicted transactions and self-dealing by issuer officials can be material information for municipal bond investors and should be given appropriate focus by issuers and underwriters in disclosure documents,” said LeeAnn Gaunt, chief of the SEC Enforcement Division’s Municipal Securities and Public Pensions Unit.  “Failing to disclose material information undermines investor confidence in the municipal securities market and places at risk an important source of funding for local government projects.”

The SEC complaint charges UNO with violations of Section 17(a)(2) of the Securities Act of 1933.  UNO neither admitted nor denied the charges in the settlement.

The SEC’s investigation is continuing.  It has been conducted jointly by staff in the Chicago Regional Office and the Municipal Securities and Public Pensions Unit, including Michael Mueller, Eric Celauro, and Michael Foster.  The case is being supervised by Peter K.M. Chan.

FDA REPORTS ON MAMMOGRAPHY QUALITY STANDARDS ACT

MQSA National Statistics

FROM:  U.S. FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION 

MQSA National Statistics

In this section of the MQSA Scorecard, we present the most commonly requested national statistics regarding the MQSA program. These statistics are updated on the first of each month.

Certified facilities, as of October 1, 2013 8,691

Certification statistics, as of June 1, 2014  

  Total certified facilities / Total accredited units 8,714 / 13,523

  Certified facilities with FFDM2 units / Accredited FFDM units 8,154 / 12,790

FY 2014 inspection statistics, as of June 1, 2014  

  Facilities inspected 5,323

  Total units at inspected facilities 7,947

  Percent of inspections where the highest noncompliance was a:  

    Level 1 violation 0.3%

  Level 2 violation 11.4%

  Level 3 violation 1.4%

  Percent of inspections with no violation 86.9%

Total annual mammography procedures reported, as of June 1, 20141 38,747,608

1 This number is an aggregate of the total number of procedures performed annually as reported by facilities to their accreditation bodies. Facilities are asked to disclose this information at their initial accreditation, and then at the time of their re-accreditation, which takes place once every three years. FDA began collecting these data in 1998. The aggregate does not reflect the current number of procedures performed at these facilities, but only the numbers reported by them during the three-year period prior to the current date. We have aggregated only the numbers reported by certified, non-Veterans Administration facilities.

2 FFDM - Full Field Digital Mammography unit.

WASTE METHANE MADE INTO BIODEGRADABLE PLASTIC BY SCIENTISTS

FROM:  NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION 

A biodegradable plastic made from waste methane

Scientists are making PHA (a biodegradable polymer similar to the polypropylene used in yogurt containers) from waste methane

What if we could make the Great Pacific Garbage Patch just disappear? What if plastics didn't accumulate in our landfills? What if we could reduce greenhouse gas emissions while replacing up to 30 percent of the world's plastics with a biodegradable substitute?

Researchers have tried for decades to achieve these goals. One approach being taken is the development of an efficient production process for poly-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA)--a biodegradable polymer similar to the polypropylene used to make yogurt containers.

Scientists at Stanford University and a Palo Alto, Calif.-based start-up company called Mango Materials have come up with a new way to make PHA from waste methane gas. And, with funding from the National Science Foundation (NSF), Mango Materials is advancing the process toward commercialization.

PHA is a biodegradable polyester that is produced naturally inside some bacteria under conditions of excess carbon and limited nutrient availability. Processes being developed to make PHA at a commercial scale typically involve bacteria strains that have been genetically modified to boost production and corn-based sugar as the carbon source.

The microorganisms feed on plant-derived sugars and produce PHA. The PHA is then separated from the bacteria and made into pellets that can be molded into plastic products. This approach has several shortcomings: It requires use of agricultural land and other inputs to produce feedstock, and it competes with the food supply.

Mango Materials' process uses bacteria grown in fermenters to transform methane and oxygen, along with added nutrients (to supply excess carbon), into PHA. Eventually, the PHA-rich bacteria--now literally swollen with PHA granules--are removed from the fermenters, and the valuable polymer is separated via proprietary techniques from the rest of the cell mass. The PHA is then rinsed, cleaned, and dried as needed.

After the products made of the PHA have reached the end of their useful life, the plastic can be degraded anaerobically (without air)--to produce methane gas. This closes the loop and provides a fresh feedstock for PHA production.  Because PHA's properties can be tweaked by varying the copolymer content or with additives, Mango Materials has identified a range of applications.

"We are currently focused on applications where biodegradability is key," says Molly Morse, CEO at Mango Materials. "However, we're open to all sorts of applications and are eager to bring PHA bioplastics to market."

This unique approach addresses challenges that have derailed previous attempts at PHA commercialization. Other processes use sugar as a carbon feedstock, whereas Mango Materials uses waste methane--which is considerably less expensive than sugar.

"By using methane gas as the feedstock, we can significantly drive down costs of production," Morse says.

In addition, the process relies on a mixed community of wild bacteria that are obtained through natural selection rather than genetic engineering. Using wild bacteria that are not genetically altered alleviates concerns of some toward genetically modified organisms. And, the use of a mixed community of wild bacteria reduces production costs because it eliminates the need to sterilize equipment.

"This stands in contrast to the processes many biotech companies use that require high-purity, genetically engineered cultures," says Allison Pieja, director of technology at Mango Materials.

As an added environmental benefit, the process sequesters methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and provides an economic incentive for methane capture at facilities such as landfills, wastewater treatment plants and dairy farms. The unused, vented methane from California landfills (based on 2010 data from the Methane to Markets Partnership)--if used as PHA feedstock--would yield more than 100 million pounds per year of plastic. (This estimate is based on Mango Materials' internal calculations using its own rates and yields).

Mango Materials has vetted this technology and achieved excellent yields at the lab scale. Field studies have shown that the methane-consuming cultures grow just as well on waste biogas, which includes contaminants such as sulfides, as on pure methane. Now, the company is setting out to achieve the same yields at a commercial scale. Mango Materials standard commercial plants will be sized to handle the methane produced at an average wastewater treatment plant--enough to produce more than 2 million pounds per year of PHA.

This technology was funded through the NSF Small Business Innovation Research Program.

This article was prepared by NSF for the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and appeared in the February 2014 issue of Chemical Engineering Progress.

Investigators
Molly Morse
Related Institutions/Organizations
Mango Materials

U.S. DEFNESE DEPARTMENT CONTRACTS FOR JUNE 3, 2014

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

CONTRACTS

AIR FORCE

Northrop Grumman Systems Corp., Aerospace Systems, Palmdale, California, has been awarded a ceiling $9,900,000,000 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for B-2 modernization and sustainment. The Flexible Acquisition Sustainment Team (FAST) II contract requirements include B-2 enhancements, sustainment logistics elements including sustaining engineering, software maintenance and support equipment. Also included is programmed depot maintenance of the fleet and other interim contractor support. Work will be performed at Palmdale, California, with performance at other locations, namely Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri; Tinker AFB, Oklahoma; Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio; Edwards AFB, California, and Hill AFB, Utah, and the base period work is to be completed May 2, 2019. If the option is exercised, the work is to be completed May 2, 2024. This award is the result of a sole-source acquisition. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,355,000 are being obligated at time of award on delivery order 0001 for Common Very Low Frequency Receiver Increment 1. The total price for delivery order 0001 is $26,584,648. Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, B-2 Division Contracting, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center/WWZK, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio is the contracting activity (FA8616-14-D-6060).

L-3 Communications, IEC, Anaheim, California, has been awarded an $8,281,679 cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00017) on FA8807-12-C-0011 for software coding and security certification on the military global positioning system user equipment contract. The contract modification is to mature the software coding of the GPS receiver cards being developed and perform security certification to enable faster fielding of military-code capable GPS receivers to the warfighter. Work will be performed at Anaheim, California, and is expected to be completed by April 15, 2015. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $6,000,000 are being obligated at time of award. The Space and Missile Systems Center Contracting Directorate, El Segundo, California, is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE ADVANCED RESEARCH PROJECTS AGENCY

Ibis Biosciences, Inc., Carlsbad, California, has been awarded a $7,217,926 cost-plus fixed-fee contract. The contract is to develop the PUMA Biosensor system, which is a new point-of-care hand-held device suitable for use in the field with molecular diagnostics for screening viruses, respiratory pathogens and bio threats. Work will be performed in Carlsbad, California, and is expected to be completed by April 30, 2015. Fiscal 2014 applied research funding in the amount of $3,000,000 was obligated at the time of the award. The contracting activity is DARPA, Arlington, Virginia (HR0011-14-C-0083).

DEFENSE HEALTH AGENCY

SeKON Enterprises, Inc., Herndon, Virginia is being awarded a potential $9,499,405 firm-fixed-price contract (HT0011-14-F-0009) to provide support to the Defense Health Agency’s Information Management office. The total potential contract value including the eight-month base period, four one-year option periods, and the transition-in and -out periods is $64,746,604. The contractor will provide analysis to support DHA IM office decisions on business need, mission priorities, alternatives solutions, business process change, policies, and funding. This contract will also support the development and management of business processes, health data management strategies and collaboration in the development and implementation of national health IT standards. Work will be performed in Virginia with an estimated completion date of Feb 14, 2015. Fiscal 2014 operation and maintenance funds in the amount of $5,630,761 are being obligated at award. This contract was competitively procured under the National Institutes of Health Information Technology Acquisition and Assessment Center's CIO-SP3 Small Business government-wide acquisition contract. Defense Health Agency, Falls Church, Virginia is the contracting activity (HT0011-14-R-0004).

NAVY

Guam MACC Builders A JV, Honolulu, Hawaii, is being awarded $39,699,700 for firm-fixed-price task order 0006 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N62742-10-D-1309) for the design and construction of X-Ray Wharf improvements to Berth 1 at Naval Base, Guam. The work includes the rehabilitation and modernization of the north berth at X-Ray Wharf to provide berthing and utilities for Auxiliary Cargo and Ammunition Ship (T-AKE) class supply vessels; including dredging, sheet pile bulkhead, cement/soil mix gravity wall, mooring dolphin, relocation of buoys, wharf deck, fenders, cathodic protection, potable water, bilge and oily waste treatment, sewer, fire protection, and storm drain utility systems, security fencing and lighting, wharf deck lighting, and associated support buildings. Work will be performed in Santa Rita, Guam, and is expected to be completed by October 2016. Fiscal 2014 military construction (Navy) contract funds in the amount of $39,699,700 are being obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Six proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Pacific, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, is the contracting activity.

Olin Corp. - Winchester Ammunition, East Alton, Illinois, is being awarded a $27,681,245 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for 9mm frangible ammunition in support of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy. The 9mm frangible ammunition will be used for indoor and outdoor close quarter battle (CQB) training. CQB operations are in locations where there may be populated areas beyond the impact area of an operation for the Air Force, Coast Guard and Navy. Work will be performed in Oxford, Mississippi, and is expected to be completed by June 2019. Fiscal 2014 procurement, military ammunition funds in the amount of $1,955,248 will be obligated at time of contract award. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with three offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, Crane, Indiana, is the contracting activity (N00164-14-D-JN45).
American Rheinmetall Munition, Stafford, Virginia, is being awarded a $26,037,082 firm-fixed price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for 3,154,286 40mm day/night M1110 practice cartridges. The M1110 contains a chemiluminescent projectile for training of Marines in the use of the 40mm low velocity cartridge under day and night/low-light conditions. Work will be performed in Camden, Arkansas, and is expected to be completed by February 2016. Fiscal 2012 and 2014 procurement (Marine Corps) funds in the amount of $26,037,082 will be obligated at the time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $14,531,088 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was a sole-source procurement in accordance with 10 U.S.C. 2304(c)(1). The Marine Corps Systems Command, Quantico, Virginia, is the contracting activity (M67854-14-D-7403).

Kellogg Brown & Root Services, Inc., Houston, Texas, is being awarded a $22,142,994 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for base operating support services at Isa Air Base, Bahrain and its outlying support sites including the Patriot Battery Site at Riffa, Bahrain. The work to be performed provides for all management, supervision, labor, materials, and equipment necessary to perform services for general information, management and administration, galley, housing (bachelor/unaccompanied housing), facility support (facility investment, facility management, custodial, pest control, integrated solid waste management, grounds maintenance and landscaping), electrical, wastewater, water and base support vehicles and equipment, and environmental. The maximum dollar value including the base period and four option years is $113,824,554. Work will be performed in Isa, Bahrain, and is expected to be completed by September 2019. Fiscal year 2014 operation and maintenance (Navy, Marine Corps, and Army) contract funds in the amount of $10,921,919 are obligated on this award and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Navy Electronic Commerce Online website, with six proposals received. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity (N62470-14-D-6012).

The Boeing Co., Seattle, Washington, is being awarded a $19,857,582 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price contract (N00019-12-C-0112) for the procurement of one spare P-8A CFM-56 engine and one spare engine build-up unit in support of the P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft. Work will be performed in Seattle, Washington, and is expected to be completed in August 2015. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $19,857,582 will be obligated on this award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland is the contracting activity.

Rockwell Collins, Inc., Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is being awarded a $15,947,962 modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-priced contract (N00019-09-C-0069) to exercise an option for the procurement of AN/ARC-210(V) electronic radios and ancillary equipment for a variety of aircraft. This option provides for the procurement of 182 RT-1990(C)/ARCs and conversion of four RT-1939(C)s to RT-1990(C)s. Work will be performed in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and is expected to be completed in December 2015. Fiscal 2014 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $15,947,962 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland is the contracting activity.

King Aerospace, Inc., Addison, Texas, is being awarded a $9,458,209 modification to a previously awarded indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract (N00019-12-D-0014) to exercise an option for contractor logistics services in support of C-9B aircraft, including base site operations, depot planned maintenance interval inspections and engine shop visits. Work will be performed in Cherry Point, North Carolina (60 percent); Ardmore, Oklahoma (10 percent); Whidbey Island, Washington (10 percent); Addison, Texas (10 percent); and Miami, Florida (10 percent), and is expected to be completed in May 2015. No funds are being obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated against individual delivery orders as they are issued. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland is the contracting activity.

BAE Systems Mayport, Jacksonville, Florida, is being awarded a $9,270,465 modification to previously awarded contract (N40024-10-C-4406) for ship repairs, hull, machinery, electrical, electronics, ship alterations, and piping alteration as required on USS Carney (DDG-64). The primary focus of this repair package is to accomplish structural repairs and habitability upgrades. Work will be performed in Jacksonville, Florida, and is expected to be completed by September 2014. Fiscal 2014 operations & maintenance (Navy), fiscal 2014 other procurement (Navy) and working capital funds (Navy) funding in the amount of $9,270,465 will be obligated at time of award. Contract funds in the amount of $9,215,334 will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Southeast Regional Maintenance Center Jacksonville, Florida, is the contracting activity.

ARMY

General Dynamics Land Systems, Sterling Heights, Michigan was awarded an $11,421,811 modification (P00011) to contract W56HZV-14-C-B019 for the procurement of three additional DVH Stryker ECP ICVV prototype test vehicles, under Phase II of the Stryker Engineering Change Proposal Upgrade program. Fiscal 2014 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $5,715,337 were obligated at the time of the award. Work will be performed in Sterling Heights, Michigan, with an estimated completion date of Dec. 31, 2016. Army Contracting Command, Warren, Michigan is the contracting activity.
APPTRICITY Corp.*, Irving, Texas, was awarded a $10,543,119 firm-fixed-price contract for the annual license maintenance for the Transportation Coordinators Automated Information for Movements System II (TC-AIMS II) commercial supply chain solutions software: [Theater Operations Software (TOPS)]. Funding and work location will be determined with each order. The estimated completion date is Jan. 31, 2019. One bid was solicited and one received. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island Arsenal, Illinois is the contracting activity (W52P1J-14-D-0069).

ITT Exelis Systems Corp., Colorado Springs, Colorado was awarded a $9,490,510 modification (BA0343) to contract W911SE-07-D-0006 for the Army Prepositioned Stock-5 support to the Army Field Support Battalion-Qatar. Fiscal 2014 operations and maintenance (Army) funds in the amount of $4,198,314 were obligated at the time of the award. Estimated completion date is Dec. 31, 2014. Work will be performed in Qatar. Army Contracting Command, Rock Island, Illinois is the contracting activity.

DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY

Sysco Seattle, Kent, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $173,507,460 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for subsistence prime vendor support for various customers in Seattle, Washington – Zone 1 (Ships). This contract was a competitive acquisition with two offers received. This is a two-year base contract with one two-year option period. Location of performance is Washington with an Aug. 3, 2016 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-14-D-3009).

Sysco Seattle, Kent, Washington, has been awarded a maximum $110,818,565 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for subsistence prime vendor support for various customers in Seattle, Washington – Zone 2 (Land). This contract was a competitive acquisition with two offers received. This is a two-year base contract with one two-year option period. Location of performance is Washington with an Aug. 3, 2016 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE300-14-D-3010).

ScImage, Inc.,* Los Altos, California, has been awarded a maximum $45,000,000 fixed-price with economic-price-adjustment contract for digital imaging network-picture archive and communication system, components, system options and accessories, upgrades, training, maintenance services, and turnkey installation. This contract was a competitive acquisition with ten offers received. This is a two-year base contract with one one-year option period. Location of performance is California with a May 29, 2017 performance completion date. Using military services are Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps and federal civilian agencies. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 through fiscal year 2017 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE2D1-14-D-8302).

Genco Infrastructures Solutions, Inc., Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has been awarded a maximum $7,955,284 modification (P00006) exercising the first one-year option on a one-year base contract (SP3300-13-C-5002) with four one-year option periods. This is a fixed-price/incentive-firm and cost-reimbursable contract for warehousing and distribution support services. Location of performance is Pennsylvania with a May 31, 2015 performance completion date. Using service is Defense Logistics Agency Distribution Bahrain, Southwest. Type of appropriation is fiscal year 2014 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, New Cumberland, Pennsylvania. (Awarded May 16, 2014)

*Small Business

U.S. WISHES PEOPLE OF THE KINGDOM OF TONGA WARM WISHES ON THEIR INDEPENDENCE DAY

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

The Kingdom of Tonga Independence Day

Press Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 3, 2014

---

On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I offer warm wishes and congratulations to the people of the Kingdom of Tonga as you celebrate the anniversary of your nation’s independence on June 4.

The United States and the Kingdom of Tonga share a close partnership based on mutual respect and shared interests. The safe return of your troops from Afghanistan is especially on our minds. Americans everywhere are grateful for your courage and commitment to peace and security throughout the world.

The inauguration this year of a joint security cooperation program between the Nevada National Guard and His Majesty’s Armed Forces will strengthen our close partnership. Our work together to create shared prosperity, combat climate change, and improve regional cooperation throughout the Pacific region will continue to unite us in the future.

As you celebrate your independence day, the United States stands with you as an unwavering partner and friend. I wish the people of the Kingdom of Tonga peace and prosperity in the years to come.

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S REMARKS AT MEETING OF CENTRAL AND EASTERN EUROPEAN LEADERS

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by President Obama Before a Meeting with Central and Eastern European Leaders

Koniecpolski Palace
Warsaw, Poland

3:24 P.M. CET

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, thank you very much.  Good afternoon. And along with President Komorowski, I’m very pleased to welcome our outstanding allies from across Central and Eastern Europe.  We have done this before in Prague and on my last visit to Warsaw.  And I want to thank my fellow leaders for being here.

As the President indicated, this 25th anniversary of Polish freedom reminds us of the transformation that’s taken place all across the region.  The countries represented here have all undertaken hard reforms, have built democratic institutions, have delivered greater prosperity for their citizens, and underlying this progress is the security guarantee that comes from NATO membership.  We’re here today because as NATO allies we have to stand absolutely united in our Article 5 commitments to collective defense.  We stand together always. 

And as I’ve said throughout the day and previously back home, I continue to believe that NATO is the cornerstone foundation of U.S. security, not just European security.  Now, given Russia’s actions in Ukraine, NATO has increased its presence across the region from the Baltic to the Black Sea.  I thank our allies for the contributions they’re making, and I’ll be discussing the initiative that I announced today to bolster the U.S. presence in Europe. 

A number of countries represented here have already committed to increasing their investments in our collective defense, and today we’ll be discussing additional steps that we can take both as individual nations and as an alliance to make sure we have the capabilities that we need.  I expect that we’ll also have an opportunity to discuss how Europe, especially Central and Eastern Europe, can continue to diversify its energy sources.  The United States will be exporting more natural gas to the global market in the years to come.  But more immediately, there are steps that we can take together to reduce energy risks, upgrade our energy infrastructure and improve efficiency. 

So, again, I want to thank our fellow leaders for being here today.  I think their presence sends a powerful message that as NATO allies, we stand as one.  Citizens across Central and Eastern Europe need to know that what you’ve built over the last 25 years no other nation can take away. 

So, again, thank you, President Komorowski, for your hospitality.  And I think once the press clears the room, we can get the meeting started. 

END          
3:27 P.M. CET

REMARKS: PRESIDENT OBAMA AND POLAND'S PRIME MINISTER TUSK

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Tusk of Poland

Chancellery of the Prime Minister
Warsaw, Poland

2:25 P.M. CET

PRIME MINISTER TUSK:  (As interpreted.)  Mr. President, I’m very happy that again here in Warsaw we had the opportunity to talk about Polish-American relations.  And with great satisfaction, I observed that so much has changed around us, but our relations and the nature of our relations remain the same -- it remains so very good and of such fundamental significance as it was in the past when we spoke for the first time.

It was no coincidence in the fact that we began our meeting with my thanks to the very speedy and also very effective reaction of the United States to the Ukrainian crisis.  And we’re talking about the American reaction to the very situation in the region, but also in terms of support for Poland, which is both political -- and we do remember that on this key day, when Crimea was subject to annexation, we remember the visit of Vice President Biden here to Warsaw, but we also highly appreciate your practical decisions about the support given to the Polish defense capabilities.  And for that we’re truly thankful, because that’s not always so frequent in contemporary times.

We’ve exchanged information of our strategic cooperation.  I informed Mr. President about our readiness and something that President Komorowski has also mentioned about our readiness to strengthen the Polish defense capabilities.  We will also try to convince our European allies -- also at the meeting at the NATO Summit in Wales – we’ll try to convince them to a common European effort for a common European defense and solidarity.

It was with great satisfaction that we welcome the announcement of Mr. President about the readiness to increase the engagement and the plus-billion dollars dedicated to this part of the world.  It was also with satisfaction that I heard from Mr. President this is just another step and that this is not the end, and that in terms of the strategic perspective we will continue to talk about the evermore intense cooperation and presence in this part of Europe -- the presence of NATO in this part of Europe.

Our relations really, really do not require any repair, so we really did not have the need to talk about Polish-American relations.  But our opinions about Ukraine and the situation in the entire region, and also in terms of energy cooperation, these opinions are in line.  I’ve informed Mr. President about our Polish mission of the European energy union so as to increase the independence of Europe in terms of a single energy supply point.  And I think that is also a domain where we see possibilities of practical cooperation.  And I’m very happy that Mr. President has also declared his personal engagement so as to increase this possibility of energy diversification in Europe.

Again, thank you very much, Mr. President.  I did say at the beginning that a friend in need is a friend indeed.  And I reiterate I’m sure that the experiences of recent months and also our talks here on the symbolic date of our 25th anniversary of freedom, these talks were not just symbolic and were not referring to the history.  And I think that this is the most important thing in our relations -- that we appreciate the same values and we like the same symbols, but at the same time we both want to go in the similar direction.  And the United States is the best partner we could ever imagine.

Thank you so very much, Mr. President. 

And now, Mr. President.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Dzień dobry.  I want to thank you, Prime Minister Tusk, for your warm welcome.  It’s good to be back in this hall.  I’ve said a lot today already about why we think Poland is so important, why the alliance between the United States and Poland is so important, but perhaps during my remarks here I can say a little bit about why the economic progress that we’ve seen in Poland is so important.  Economic growth wasn’t inevitable just because Poland achieved its political freedom.  It wasn’t easy.  Reforms here in Poland have been hard and have not been without sacrifice.  But as you drive through Warsaw, you see that Poland is a country on the move, one with one of the largest and fastest-growing economies in Europe, a manufacturing powerhouse, and a hub of high-tech innovation. 

In fact, the last time I was here, Donald gave me a gift -- the video game developed here in Poland that’s won fans the world over, “The Witcher.”  I confess, I’m not very good at video games, but I’ve been told that it is a great example of Poland’s place in the new global economy and it’s a tribute to the talents and the work ethic of the Polish people, as well as the wise stewardship of Polish leaders, like Prime Minister Tusk.

As I did with President Komorowski, I reiterated to the Prime Minister our rock-solid commitment to Poland’s security, outlined for him the announcement I made earlier today about bolstering security to our NATO allies in Eastern Europe, and made clear that the United States is ready to deepen our defense cooperation as Poland modernizes its military.

As the Prime Minister indicated, we spent a lot of time on Ukraine.  Mr. Prime Minister, you’ve been a strong voice in conveying Poland’s solidarity to the Ukrainian people.  And Poland has been a great partner to Ukrainian civil society groups, and Polish diplomacy has played a critical role earlier this year in preventing even more violence. 

Poland is joining us in providing Ukraine with critical economic assistance.  And my conversation with the Prime Minister illustrated again that our countries are absolutely united in the need to stand with the Ukrainian people as they move forward, and that is not just with respect to their territorial integrity and security, but also with respect to the kinds of economic reforms that are going to be needed. 

As Ukrainians undertake the hard work of political and economic reform, Poland is going to have an important role to play in sharing the lessons of its own success, as Poland has with other countries in Eastern Europe and Central Europe and around the world. 

And one of the areas we discussed was energy.  Obviously, this has created significant vulnerabilities throughout Europe, particularly Eastern and Central Europe.  And we highlighted the need for greater energy security in Europe, which Prime Minister Tusk has championed, but we also agreed that it’s going to be critical for Ukraine to embark on effective efforts to reform its energy sector and diversify its supply of natural gas.  Just to give one example, Ukraine’s economy requires about three times as much energy to produce the same amount of output as Poland’s does.  And it’s very hard for Ukraine then to be competitive and to be successful if, in fact, it is that inefficient when it comes to energy.  So these are areas where I think we can make great progress.  Donald’s ideas on how Europe can reduce its energy risks by diversifying, investing in renewables, and upgrading energy infrastructure are ones that I think are important for everybody to listen to.

Poland is, for example, making an important investment that will allow the world’s liquefied natural gas, LNG, to travel to Europe.  For our part, the United States has already approved licenses for natural gas exports, which will increase global supplies and thereby benefit partners here in Europe.  I also mentioned to the Prime Minister the importance of the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, T-TIP, the trade agreement that we are negotiating currently between the United States and Europe.

Poland has been a supporter of an ambitious T-TIP agreement.  And I indicated to him one of the benefits of a strong trade agreement is that it is much easier for me to approve natural gas exports to countries with which we already have a free trade agreement. 

So, last point -- we discussed in the context of energy the issue of climate change.  The United States just took major steps to propose new standards that would result in significant reductions in carbon emissions from our power plants.  This has to be a global effort.  Poland hosted a successful U.N. climate summit conference last year.  As we work to shape a strong global climate agreement this year -- or next year, rather -- it’s important for the United States and the EU to set an example by committing to ambitious goals to reduce emissions beyond 2020.  And if we’re thinking seriously about energy diversification, energy efficiency, we can combine those two efforts in ways that make us not only more politically secure and economically secure but also more environmentally secure. 
                                            
So let me just thank once again Prime Minister Tusk for his outstanding leadership, and let me thank the Polish people for their outstanding example.  I’m confident that the friendship that we’ve established over the years will only be strengthened.   And although it’s wonderful to have friends when things are going good, the Prime Minister is absolutely right that it’s especially important to have friends when things are tough.  And we don’t have a better friend anywhere in the world than Poland.  So we’re grateful for that.

Thank you.

END               
2:32 P.M. CET

REMARKS: PRESIDENT OBAMA AND POLAND'S PRESIDENT KOMOROWSKI

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Remarks by President Obama and President Komorowski to U.S. and Polish Armed Forces

 Okecie Military Airport
Warsaw, Poland

10:03 A.M. CET 

PRESIDENT KOMOROWSKI:  (As interpreted.)  Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great honor for me to be able to welcome the President of the United States here to the airport against the background of the F-16 aircraft -- Polish and American aircraft. 

It is [a] very significant symbol of Polish-American military cooperation.  This symbol has a long history that is enough to remember the Kościuszko.  Mr. President, you just visited West Point; there’s a beautiful monument to the Kościuszko there.  And it is also a reminder of the special brotherhood in arms that goes back to the 18th century; I’m talking about the Polish-American brotherhood in arms.

Here, because of the F-16s here, I would like to remind you that we have already had an opportunity to host American pilots in the Polish skies.  It was at a very important moment in Poland -- it was back in 1920 when the first Polish squadron was fighting against the Bolshevik wave, and it was established on the basis of the American pilots, mainly those of Polish origin from Chicago and other American towns.  But these were American pilots. 

That is why it is important for us to be able to really mark the lasting Polish-American brotherhood in arms.  And I think that F-16 -- while “F” can stand for fighter, but “F” can also stand for freedom, Mr. President.  And I’m convinced that it matches perfectly well the 25th anniversary of Poland regaining its freedom, and it’s really worthwhile being strengthened and to become a permanent, stable element to make Poland secure and safe -- the security of Poland and the whole region.  It is also about Polish-American cooperation; it is also about the presence of American troops in Poland, in the Polish territory at the time when we are all experiencing this crisis that is unfolding just across Poland’s border, just across the border of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, in Ukraine.

Mr. President, once again, thank you very much for coming here, and thank you very much for the opportunity to mark together the lasting Polish-American brotherhood in arms.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Dzień dobry!  Good morning, everybody.  And thank you, Mr. President, for the kind words.  It is wonderful to be back in Poland, one of our great friends and one of our strongest allies in the world. 

It is a special honor to be here as Poles celebrate the 25th anniversary of the rebirth of Polish democracy.  And this year also marks the 15th anniversary of Poland’s membership in NATO.  I’m starting the visit here because our commitment to Poland’s security, as well as the security of our allies in Central and Eastern Europe, is a cornerstone of our own security and it is sacrosanct.  

And during my visit here three years ago, I said that the United States would increase our commitment to Poland’s security.  The United States honors our commitments, which you see in the aviation detachment at Łask Air Base.  It is a commitment that is particularly important at this moment in time. 

We just had a chance to meet some outstanding service members -- both Americans and Poles -- who serve and train here together.  They’re part of the backbone of an alliance and part of the long history, as Mr. President alluded to, of Poles and Americans standing shoulder to shoulder for freedom.  And we are so grateful to all of you for your service. 

Given the situation in Ukraine right now, we’ve also increased our American presence.  We’ve begun rotating additional ground troops and F-16 aircraft into Poland.  And this is going to help our forces train together.  This is going to help our forces support NATO air missions.  It’s also part of NATO’s stepped-up presence across Central and Eastern Europe.  And I look forward to announcing some additional steps later today.

So, President Komorowski, it is wonderful to be here.  I want to thank you and the Polish people for welcoming me.  As friends and as allies, we stand united, together and forever -- na zawsze razem.  Thank you so much. 

END
10:08 A.M. CET

RECENT U.S. AIR FORCE PHOTOS

FROM:  U.S. AIR FORCE 

Capt. John Cummings executes a maneuver during a solo demonstration May 21, 2014, at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Local media outlets were invited to watch as the F-22 Raptor demonstration team prepares for the Virginia Beach Oceanfront Air Show and Patriotic Festival held May 30 through June 1. Cummings is a 1st Fighter Wing F-22 pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kayla Newman)

Police Week:  Military Working Dog Breston subdues a simulated uncooperative suspect during a K-9 competition May 17, 2014, at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. The K-9 competition brought together military and civilian working dogs to showcase the dogs' skills. Breston is a MWD with the 375th Security Forces Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Sarah Hall-Kirchner)

HHS HAS NEW DATA, TOOLS TO INCREASE HOSPITAL UTILIZATION TRANSPARENCY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES 

HHS releases new data and tools to increase transparency on hospital utilization and other trends

Data can help improve care coordination and health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries

With more than 2,000 entrepreneurs, investors, data scientists, researchers, policy experts, government employees and more in attendance, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is releasing new data and launching new initiatives at the annual Health Datapalooza conference in Washington, D.C.

Today, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is releasing its first annual update to the Medicare hospital charge data, or information comparing the average amount a hospital bills for services that may be provided in connection with a similar inpatient stay or outpatient visit. CMS is also releasing a suite of other data products and tools aimed to increase transparency about Medicare payments. The data trove on CMS’s website now includes inpatient and outpatient hospital charge data for 2012, and new interactive dashboards for the CMS Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse and geographic variation data. Also today, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will launch a new open data initiative. And before the end of the conference, the Office of the National Coordinator for Health Information Technology (ONC) will announce the winners of two data challenges.

“The release of these data sets furthers the administration’s efforts to increase transparency and support data-driven decision making which is essential for health care transformation,” said HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius.

“These public data resources provide a better understanding of Medicare utilization, the burden of chronic conditions among beneficiaries and the implications for our health care system and how this varies by where beneficiaries are located,” said Bryan Sivak, HHS chief technology officer. “This information can be used to improve care coordination and health outcomes for Medicare beneficiaries nationwide, and we are looking forward to seeing what the community will do with these releases. Additionally, the openFDA initiative being launched today will for the first time enable a new generation of consumer facing and research applications to embed relevant and timely data in machine-readable, API-based formats."

2012 Inpatient and Outpatient Hospital Charge Data

The data posted today on the CMS website provide the first annual update of the hospital inpatient and outpatient data released by the agency last spring. The data include information comparing the average charges for services that may be provided in connection with the 100 most common Medicare inpatient stays at over 3,000 hospitals in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Hospitals determine what they will charge for items and services provided to patients and these “charges” are the amount the hospital generally bills for those items or services.

With two years of data now available, researchers can begin to look at trends in hospital charges. For example, average charges for medical back problems increased nine percent from $23,000 to $25,000, but the total number of discharges decreased by nearly 7,000 from 2011 to 2012.

In April, ONC launched a challenge – the Code-a-Palooza challenge – calling on developers to create tools that will help patients use the Medicare data to make health care choices. Fifty-six innovators submitted proposals and 10 finalists are presenting their applications during Datapalooza. The winning products will be announced before the end of the conference.

Chronic Conditions Warehouse and Dashboard

CMS recently released new and updated information on chronic conditions among Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries, including:

Geographic data summarized to national, state, county, and hospital referral regions levels for the years 2008-2012;

Data for examining disparities among specific Medicare populations, such as beneficiaries with disabilities, dual-eligible beneficiaries, and race/ethnic groups;
Data on prevalence, utilization of select Medicare services, and Medicare spending;

Interactive dashboards that provide customizable information about Medicare beneficiaries with chronic conditions at state, county, and hospital referral regions levels for 2012; and Chartbooks and maps.

These public data resources support the HHS Initiative on Multiple Chronic Conditions by providing researchers and policymakers a better understanding of the burden of chronic conditions among beneficiaries and the implications for our health care system.

Geographic Variation Dashboard

The Geographic Variation Dashboards present Medicare fee-for-service per-capita spending at the state and county levels in interactive formats. CMS calculated the spending figures in these dashboards using standardized dollars that remove the effects of the geographic adjustments that Medicare makes for many of its payment rates. The dashboards include total standardized per capita spending, as well as standardized per capita spending by type of service. Users can select the indicator and year they want to display. Users can also compare data for a given state or county to the national average. All of the information presented in the dashboards is also available for download from the Geographic Variation Public Use File.

Research Cohort Estimate Tool

CMS also released a new tool that will help researchers and other stakeholders estimate the number of Medicare beneficiaries with certain demographic profiles or health conditions. This tool can assist a variety of stakeholders interested in specific figures on Medicare enrollment. Researchers can also use this tool to estimate the size of their proposed research cohort and the cost of requesting CMS data to support their study.

Digital Privacy Notice Challenge

ONC, with the HHS Office of Civil Rights, will be awarding the winner of the Digital Privacy Notice Challenge during the conference. The winning products will help consumers get notices of privacy practices from their health care providers or health plans directly in their personal health records or from their providers’ patient portals.

OpenFDA

The FDA’s new initiative, openFDA, is designed to facilitate easier access to large, important public health datasets collected by the agency. OpenFDA will make FDA’s publicly available data accessible in a structured, computer readable format that will make it possible for technology specialists, such as mobile application creators, web developers, data visualization artists and researchers to quickly search, query, or pull massive amounts of information on an as needed basis. The initiative is the result of extensive research to identify FDA’s publicly available datasets that are often in demand, but traditionally difficult to use. Based on this research, openFDA is beginning with a pilot program involving millions of reports of drug adverse events and medication errors submitted to the FDA from 2004 to 2013. The pilot will later be expanded to include the FDA’s databases on product recalls and product labeling.