FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Statement on the Occasion of Latvia's National Day
Press Statement
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Washington, DC
November 17, 2014
On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I congratulate the people of Latvia on the 96th anniversary of your independence on November 18.
Earlier this year, the United states joined with you to honor the 25th anniversary of the Baltic Way. We remembered watching in awe as millions of Latvians, Estonians, and Lithuanians linked arms and formed a human chain hundreds of miles long -- connecting Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius. It was an inspiring act of humanity, one that gave hope to millions of people living under the Iron Curtain.
Today, your unbreakable spirit, determination, and entrepreneurial character are the foundations of your success. You are an example for people around the world who want to be free.
As NATO Allies, the United States remains committed to Latvia's security. We are proud to work closely with you to advance issues including energy security, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership, and stopping human trafficking.
We look forward to deepening our Transatlantic partnership as Latvia prepares to take over the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union this January.
As you celebrate this day, please know that the United States will always stand with you as a faithful friend and ally.
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
SECRETARY HAGEL SAYS RUSSIA'S ACTIONS "DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE"
Right: Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel talks to U.S. Marines assigned to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) on Camp LeJeune, N.C., Nov. 18. 2014. DoD Photo by U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Cassandra Flowers
Secretary: Russia’s Actions ‘Dangerous And Irresponsible’
By Nick Simeone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “dangerous and irresponsible” and said the tensions provoked by Moscow have probably done more to unify NATO than anything else in years.
“It has brought the world together in a way where they are isolating themselves by their actions,” Hagel said of Russia, as he took questions from Marines during a visit to North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune.
‘Very Dangerous’ Actions
One service member asked the defense secretary if he envisioned the United States becoming more involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia’s actions toward Ukraine, as well as stepped-up Russian military air flights over European airspace and plans for similar flights over the Gulf of Mexico are “very dangerous,” Hagel said.
“The violations of sovereignty and international law that the Russians have perpetuated continue to require responses,” the defense secretary said. The United States is working with NATO “in shifting our entire rotational rapid deployment focus,” he added.
U.S. European Command chief Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove , who is also NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, has said Russian military equipment continues to flow across the border into Ukraine, something Russia denies.
CANADIAN CEO EXTRADITED IN CASE INVOLVING NEW JERSEY SUPERFUND SITE
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, November 17, 2014
Canadian Executive Extradited on Major Fraud Charges Involving a New Jersey Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site
John Bennett, a Canadian national, was extradited Friday from Canada on a charge of participating in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks and commit fraud at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund site Federal Creosote, located in Manville, New Jersey. He was also charged with a related count for major fraud against the United States related to contracts obtained at the Federal Creosote site, the Department of Justice announced today.
Bennett was the former Chief Executive Officer with Bennett Environmental Inc., a Canadian-based company that treated and disposed of contaminated soil. According to a felony indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on Aug. 31, 2009 Bennett carried out the conspiracy by providing kickbacks to Gordon McDonald, the project manager at the Federal Creosote site, in order to influence the award of sub-contracts at the site and inflate the prices charged to the EPA by the prime contractor. The kickbacks were in the form of money transferred by wire to a co-conspirator’s shell company, lavish cruises for senior officials of the prime contractor, and various entertainment tickets. The department said the conspiracy began at least as early as December 2001 and continued until approximately August 2004.
The clean-up at Federal Creosote is partly funded by the EPA. Under an interagency agreement between the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers, prime contractors oversaw the removal, treatment and disposal of contaminated soil as well as other operations at the Federal Creosote site.
Bennett arrived in the District of New Jersey, in Newark, on Nov. 14, 2014 and made his initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
“The defendant is charged with thwarting the government’s competitive contracting practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “This extradition demonstrates our resolve to pursue those who undermine competition. And it is yet another example of our longstanding cooperation with our enforcement colleagues in Canada’s Department of Justice, which helps ensure that those who subvert competition in the United States and elsewhere are brought to justice.”
The fraud conspiracy that Bennett is charged with carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The major fraud against the United States charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
As a result of the department’s investigation, three companies, including Bennett Environmental Inc., and eight individuals have pleaded guilty. Bennett’s co-conspirator, Gordon McDonald, was convicted on Sept. 30, 2013, on 10 counts, including the two charges pending against Bennett. McDonald was sentenced on March 4, 2014 to a 14-year term of imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Field Office, the EPA Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Antitrust Division’s Foreign Commerce Section and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Canadian Executive Extradited on Major Fraud Charges Involving a New Jersey Environmental Protection Agency Superfund Site
John Bennett, a Canadian national, was extradited Friday from Canada on a charge of participating in a conspiracy to pay kickbacks and commit fraud at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-designated Superfund site Federal Creosote, located in Manville, New Jersey. He was also charged with a related count for major fraud against the United States related to contracts obtained at the Federal Creosote site, the Department of Justice announced today.
Bennett was the former Chief Executive Officer with Bennett Environmental Inc., a Canadian-based company that treated and disposed of contaminated soil. According to a felony indictment filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey on Aug. 31, 2009 Bennett carried out the conspiracy by providing kickbacks to Gordon McDonald, the project manager at the Federal Creosote site, in order to influence the award of sub-contracts at the site and inflate the prices charged to the EPA by the prime contractor. The kickbacks were in the form of money transferred by wire to a co-conspirator’s shell company, lavish cruises for senior officials of the prime contractor, and various entertainment tickets. The department said the conspiracy began at least as early as December 2001 and continued until approximately August 2004.
The clean-up at Federal Creosote is partly funded by the EPA. Under an interagency agreement between the EPA and the Army Corps of Engineers, prime contractors oversaw the removal, treatment and disposal of contaminated soil as well as other operations at the Federal Creosote site.
Bennett arrived in the District of New Jersey, in Newark, on Nov. 14, 2014 and made his initial appearance today in the U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey in Newark.
“The defendant is charged with thwarting the government’s competitive contracting practices,” said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Department of Justice’s Antitrust Division. “This extradition demonstrates our resolve to pursue those who undermine competition. And it is yet another example of our longstanding cooperation with our enforcement colleagues in Canada’s Department of Justice, which helps ensure that those who subvert competition in the United States and elsewhere are brought to justice.”
The fraud conspiracy that Bennett is charged with carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The major fraud against the United States charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $1 million criminal fine for individuals. The maximum fine may be increased to twice the gain derived from the crime or twice the loss suffered by the victims of the crime, if either of those amounts is greater than the statutory maximum fine.
As a result of the department’s investigation, three companies, including Bennett Environmental Inc., and eight individuals have pleaded guilty. Bennett’s co-conspirator, Gordon McDonald, was convicted on Sept. 30, 2013, on 10 counts, including the two charges pending against Bennett. McDonald was sentenced on March 4, 2014 to a 14-year term of imprisonment.
The investigation was conducted by the Antitrust Division’s New York Field Office, the EPA Office of Inspector General and the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation with assistance from the Antitrust Division’s Foreign Commerce Section and the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs.
EXPORT-IMPORT BANK CHAIRMAN PROMOTES U.S. EXPORTS TO INDIA
FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Ex-Im Bank Chairman Hochberg Visits India to Promote Made-in-America Exports
Washington, D.C. – Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) Chairman Fred P. Hochberg is visiting India this week to promote made-in-America exports in support of U.S. jobs.
“The U.S. and India share complementary aspirations when it comes to our economic future,” said Chairman Hochberg. “When quality American goods and services are deployed to buyers in India, their nation benefits from increased capacity and a reliable foundation for long-term economic growth—and the U.S. benefits by creating new jobs back home.”
Today, Chairman Hochberg delivered comments at a roundtable hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council, where he discussed energy growth, especially when it comes to the renewable energy sector, and infrastructure expansion in India and what role U.S. companies can play in both. He also addressed similar subjects at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry later in the day.
In addition, Chairman Hochberg held a lunch with Indian businesswomen, to learn more about the challenges and opportunities they have in starting and growing a business in the country.
Throughout his trip, Chairman Hochberg has also taken the opportunity to highlight how Ex-Im Bank’s financing tools have enabled American businesses both large and small to export their products to India.
Some examples include:
Polyguard, of Ennis, Texas, employs 120 people and manufactures corrosion-preventing and waterproof linings for industrial processes and pipelines. The company utilizes Ex-Im trade credit insurance and is exporting to 34 countries. Since making use of Ex-Im insurance, the company’s export sales have increased by more than 230 percent.
Preferred Popcorn of Chapman, Nebraska is a small-business vendor that exports popcorn, concessions supplies, and coconut oil to India and other international markets. Started in 1998, the company currently employs 40 people in Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. Since its founding, the company has relied upon Ex-Im Bank products and now fills orders in 60 countries around the globe. As a consistent policy holder of Ex-Im Bank export credit insurance, Preferred Popcorn has watched its sales mount to $43 million, 50 percent of which are export-related. Moreover, Ex-Im Bank support has translated into approximately 25 new jobs.
Tomorrow, Chairman Hochberg will attend and give keynote remarks at the India-U.S. Technology Summit. The Summit will be an opportunity for businesses, research institutions and government agencies from both countries to exchange ideas and forge new partnerships to increase trade and investment in the knowledge sector. Chairman Hochberg’s remarks will focus on the mutual benefits that can be realized by choosing quality U.S. goods and American innovation.
Ex-Im Bank Chairman Hochberg Visits India to Promote Made-in-America Exports
Washington, D.C. – Export-Import Bank of the U.S. (Ex-Im Bank) Chairman Fred P. Hochberg is visiting India this week to promote made-in-America exports in support of U.S. jobs.
“The U.S. and India share complementary aspirations when it comes to our economic future,” said Chairman Hochberg. “When quality American goods and services are deployed to buyers in India, their nation benefits from increased capacity and a reliable foundation for long-term economic growth—and the U.S. benefits by creating new jobs back home.”
Today, Chairman Hochberg delivered comments at a roundtable hosted by the U.S.-India Business Council, where he discussed energy growth, especially when it comes to the renewable energy sector, and infrastructure expansion in India and what role U.S. companies can play in both. He also addressed similar subjects at the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry later in the day.
In addition, Chairman Hochberg held a lunch with Indian businesswomen, to learn more about the challenges and opportunities they have in starting and growing a business in the country.
Throughout his trip, Chairman Hochberg has also taken the opportunity to highlight how Ex-Im Bank’s financing tools have enabled American businesses both large and small to export their products to India.
Some examples include:
Polyguard, of Ennis, Texas, employs 120 people and manufactures corrosion-preventing and waterproof linings for industrial processes and pipelines. The company utilizes Ex-Im trade credit insurance and is exporting to 34 countries. Since making use of Ex-Im insurance, the company’s export sales have increased by more than 230 percent.
Preferred Popcorn of Chapman, Nebraska is a small-business vendor that exports popcorn, concessions supplies, and coconut oil to India and other international markets. Started in 1998, the company currently employs 40 people in Nebraska, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, and Kentucky. Since its founding, the company has relied upon Ex-Im Bank products and now fills orders in 60 countries around the globe. As a consistent policy holder of Ex-Im Bank export credit insurance, Preferred Popcorn has watched its sales mount to $43 million, 50 percent of which are export-related. Moreover, Ex-Im Bank support has translated into approximately 25 new jobs.
Tomorrow, Chairman Hochberg will attend and give keynote remarks at the India-U.S. Technology Summit. The Summit will be an opportunity for businesses, research institutions and government agencies from both countries to exchange ideas and forge new partnerships to increase trade and investment in the knowledge sector. Chairman Hochberg’s remarks will focus on the mutual benefits that can be realized by choosing quality U.S. goods and American innovation.
SEC SANCTIONS TWO FORMER DEFENSE CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEES FOR FOREIGN CORRUPT PRACTICES ACT VIOLATIONS
FROM: U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
November 17, 2014
The Securities and Exchange Commission sanctioned two former employees in the Dubai office of a U.S.-based defense contractor for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by taking government officials in Saudi Arabia on a “world tour” to help secure business for the company. The two employees later falsified records in an attempt to hide their misconduct.
Stephen Timms and Yasser Ramahi, who worked in sales at FLIR Systems Inc., agreed to settle the SEC’s charges and pay financial penalties. The SEC’s investigation is continuing.
“This case shows we will pursue employees of public companies who think it is acceptable to buy foreign officials’ loyalty with lavish gifts and travel,” said Andrew J. Ceresney, Director of the SEC Enforcement Division. “By making illegal payments and causing them to be recorded improperly, employees expose not only their firms but also themselves to an enforcement action.”
FLIR is headquartered in Oregon and produces thermal imaging, night vision, and infrared cameras and sensor systems. According to the SEC’s order instituting a settled administrative proceeding, FLIR entered into a multi-million dollar contract to provide thermal binoculars to the Saudi government in November 2008. Timms and Ramahi were the primary sales employees responsible for the contract, and also were involved in negotiations to sell FLIR’s security cameras to the same government officials. At the time, Timms was the head of FLIR’s Middle East office in Dubai and Ramahi reported to him.
The SEC’s order finds that Timms and Ramahi traveled to Saudi Arabia in March 2009 and provided five officials with expensive luxury watches during meetings to discuss several business opportunities. Timms and Ramahi believed these officials were important to sales of both the binoculars and the security cameras. A few months later, they arranged for key officials, including two who received watches, to embark on what Timms referred to as a “world tour” of personal travel before and after they visited FLIR’s Boston facilities for a factory equipment inspection that was a key condition to fulfillment of the contract. The officials traveled for 20 nights with stops in Casablanca, Paris, Dubai, Beirut, and New York City. There was no business purpose for the stops outside of Boston, and the airfare and hotel accommodations were paid for by FLIR. Prior to providing the gifts and travel to the Saudi Arabian officials, Ramahi and Timms each had taken FCPA training at the company that specifically identified luxury watches and side trips as prohibited gifts.
According to the SEC’s order, when FLIR’s finance department flagged the expense reimbursement request for the watches during an unrelated review of expenses in the Dubai office and questioned the $7,000 cost, Timms and Ramahi obtained a second, fabricated invoice showing a cost of 7,000 Saudi Riyal (approximately $1,900 in U.S. dollars) instead of the true cost of $7,000 in U.S. dollars. They directed FLIR’s local third-party agent to provide false information to the company to back up their story that the original submission was merely a mistake. Ramahi and Timms also falsely claimed that FLIR’s payment for the world tour had been a billing mistake by FLIR’s travel agent, and again used false documentation and FLIR’s third-party agent to bolster their cover-up efforts.
Timms and Ramahi are U.S. citizens who reside in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates respectively. The SEC’s order finds that they violated the anti-bribery provisions of Section 30A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the internal controls and false records provisions of Section 13(b)(5) and Rule 13b2-1 of the Exchange Act. The SEC’s order further finds that Timms and Ramahi caused FLIR’s violations of the books and records provisions of Section 13(b)(2)(A) of the Exchange Act. Without admitting or denying the findings, Timms and Ramahi consented to the entry of the order and agreed to pay financial penalties of $50,000 and $20,000 respectively.
The SEC’s investigation is being conducted by FCPA Unit members Cameron P. Hoffman and Tracy L. Davis in the San Francisco office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority.
November 17, 2014
The Securities and Exchange Commission sanctioned two former employees in the Dubai office of a U.S.-based defense contractor for violating the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) by taking government officials in Saudi Arabia on a “world tour” to help secure business for the company. The two employees later falsified records in an attempt to hide their misconduct.
Stephen Timms and Yasser Ramahi, who worked in sales at FLIR Systems Inc., agreed to settle the SEC’s charges and pay financial penalties. The SEC’s investigation is continuing.
“This case shows we will pursue employees of public companies who think it is acceptable to buy foreign officials’ loyalty with lavish gifts and travel,” said Andrew J. Ceresney, Director of the SEC Enforcement Division. “By making illegal payments and causing them to be recorded improperly, employees expose not only their firms but also themselves to an enforcement action.”
FLIR is headquartered in Oregon and produces thermal imaging, night vision, and infrared cameras and sensor systems. According to the SEC’s order instituting a settled administrative proceeding, FLIR entered into a multi-million dollar contract to provide thermal binoculars to the Saudi government in November 2008. Timms and Ramahi were the primary sales employees responsible for the contract, and also were involved in negotiations to sell FLIR’s security cameras to the same government officials. At the time, Timms was the head of FLIR’s Middle East office in Dubai and Ramahi reported to him.
The SEC’s order finds that Timms and Ramahi traveled to Saudi Arabia in March 2009 and provided five officials with expensive luxury watches during meetings to discuss several business opportunities. Timms and Ramahi believed these officials were important to sales of both the binoculars and the security cameras. A few months later, they arranged for key officials, including two who received watches, to embark on what Timms referred to as a “world tour” of personal travel before and after they visited FLIR’s Boston facilities for a factory equipment inspection that was a key condition to fulfillment of the contract. The officials traveled for 20 nights with stops in Casablanca, Paris, Dubai, Beirut, and New York City. There was no business purpose for the stops outside of Boston, and the airfare and hotel accommodations were paid for by FLIR. Prior to providing the gifts and travel to the Saudi Arabian officials, Ramahi and Timms each had taken FCPA training at the company that specifically identified luxury watches and side trips as prohibited gifts.
According to the SEC’s order, when FLIR’s finance department flagged the expense reimbursement request for the watches during an unrelated review of expenses in the Dubai office and questioned the $7,000 cost, Timms and Ramahi obtained a second, fabricated invoice showing a cost of 7,000 Saudi Riyal (approximately $1,900 in U.S. dollars) instead of the true cost of $7,000 in U.S. dollars. They directed FLIR’s local third-party agent to provide false information to the company to back up their story that the original submission was merely a mistake. Ramahi and Timms also falsely claimed that FLIR’s payment for the world tour had been a billing mistake by FLIR’s travel agent, and again used false documentation and FLIR’s third-party agent to bolster their cover-up efforts.
Timms and Ramahi are U.S. citizens who reside in Thailand and the United Arab Emirates respectively. The SEC’s order finds that they violated the anti-bribery provisions of Section 30A of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the internal controls and false records provisions of Section 13(b)(5) and Rule 13b2-1 of the Exchange Act. The SEC’s order further finds that Timms and Ramahi caused FLIR’s violations of the books and records provisions of Section 13(b)(2)(A) of the Exchange Act. Without admitting or denying the findings, Timms and Ramahi consented to the entry of the order and agreed to pay financial penalties of $50,000 and $20,000 respectively.
The SEC’s investigation is being conducted by FCPA Unit members Cameron P. Hoffman and Tracy L. Davis in the San Francisco office. The SEC appreciates the assistance of the Justice Department’s Fraud Section, the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Massachusetts, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the United Arab Emirates Securities and Commodities Authority.
DOD ANNOUNCES ALLEGED DRUG CARTEL LEADER EXTRADITED FROM MEXICO TO U.S.
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Monday, November 17, 2014
Alleged Leader of a Mexican Drug Cartel Extradited to United States
One of the alleged leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a Mexican drug-trafficking cartel responsible for importing multi-ton quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, was extradited to the United States from Mexico on Nov. 15, 2014, and will be making an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay of the District of Columbia.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, New York Division Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Executive Associate Director Peter T. Edge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) made the announcement.
“Over the past two decades, the Beltran Leyva Cartel has distributed tens of thousands of kilograms of dangerous narcotics and engaged in a campaign of violence that sparked drug wars and jeopardized public safety across North America,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Today’s extradition of alleged kingpin Alfredo Beltran Leyva is an important step toward stamping out an organization that has ruined the lives of so many. The Justice Department is committed to working with our international partners to bring the rest of the organization to justice.”
“The arrest and extradition of Alfredo Beltran Leyva represents a significant milestone in combating transnational criminal organizations,” said FBI Assistant Director Campbell. “It is through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners that the United States will stem the tide of this continuing threat.”
“For years Alfredo Beltran Leyva, along with his brothers, was responsible for not only smuggling tons of cocaine to the United States, but also for the violence that has plagued the lives of Mexican citizens,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Hunt. “His extradition to the United States is an example of a commitment to international cooperation and the rule of law.”
“The illegal drugs distributed throughout the United States by the Beltran Levya Cartel ruined countless lives in this country and sowed violence and chaos throughout Mexico,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Edge. “The arrest and extradition of Alfredo Beltran Levya to face justice here for his crimes is a great victory for ICE HSI and our partner agencies.”
Alfredo Beltran Levya, 43, was indicted on Aug. 24, 2012, for international narcotics trafficking conspiracy in connection with his leadership role in theinternational drug-trafficking cartel bearing his family name.
According to a motion for pretrial detention filed by prosecutors, between the early 1990s until his January 2008 arrest by Mexican law enforcement, Beltran Levya allegedly led the Beltran Levya Organization with his brothers Hector Beltran Levya and Arturo Beltran Levya, the latter of whom was killed in a December 2009 shootout with the Mexican army. Since the 1990s, the Beltran Levya Organization, together with the Sinaloa Cartel, allegedly directed a large-scale drug transportation network, shipping multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, and finally into the United States via land, air and sea. The organization also employed “sicarios,” or hitmen, who allegedly carried out hundreds of acts of violence, including murders, kidnappings, tortures and violent collections of drug debts, at the direction of the organization.
Following the January 2008 arrest of Alfredo Beltran Leyva by Mexican law enforcement authorities, the Beltran Leyva Organization severed its relationship with the Sinaloa Cartel, which was blamed for the arrest. This resultedin a violent war between the two drug cartels, and the murder of thousands of citizens in Mexico, including numerous law enforcement officers and officials.
On May 30, 2008, the President added the Beltran Leyva Organization to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. On Aug. 20, 2009, the President specifically designated Beltran Leyva as a specially designated drug trafficker under the same Kingpin Act.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is led by the FBI’s El Paso Office, in partnership with the DEA’s New York Field Division and HSI’s New York Office, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs Section, with the assistance of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department thanks the government of Mexico for their assistance in this extradition.
Monday, November 17, 2014
Alleged Leader of a Mexican Drug Cartel Extradited to United States
One of the alleged leaders of the Beltran Leyva Organization, a Mexican drug-trafficking cartel responsible for importing multi-ton quantities of cocaine and methamphetamine into the United States, was extradited to the United States from Mexico on Nov. 15, 2014, and will be making an initial appearance this afternoon before U.S. Magistrate Judge Alan Kay of the District of Columbia.
Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, Assistant Director Joseph S. Campbell of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division, New York Division Special Agent in Charge James J. Hunt of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and Executive Associate Director Peter T. Edge of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Homeland Security Investigations (ICE HSI) made the announcement.
“Over the past two decades, the Beltran Leyva Cartel has distributed tens of thousands of kilograms of dangerous narcotics and engaged in a campaign of violence that sparked drug wars and jeopardized public safety across North America,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. “Today’s extradition of alleged kingpin Alfredo Beltran Leyva is an important step toward stamping out an organization that has ruined the lives of so many. The Justice Department is committed to working with our international partners to bring the rest of the organization to justice.”
“The arrest and extradition of Alfredo Beltran Leyva represents a significant milestone in combating transnational criminal organizations,” said FBI Assistant Director Campbell. “It is through collaborative efforts with our law enforcement partners that the United States will stem the tide of this continuing threat.”
“For years Alfredo Beltran Leyva, along with his brothers, was responsible for not only smuggling tons of cocaine to the United States, but also for the violence that has plagued the lives of Mexican citizens,” said DEA Special Agent in Charge Hunt. “His extradition to the United States is an example of a commitment to international cooperation and the rule of law.”
“The illegal drugs distributed throughout the United States by the Beltran Levya Cartel ruined countless lives in this country and sowed violence and chaos throughout Mexico,” said HSI Executive Associate Director Edge. “The arrest and extradition of Alfredo Beltran Levya to face justice here for his crimes is a great victory for ICE HSI and our partner agencies.”
Alfredo Beltran Levya, 43, was indicted on Aug. 24, 2012, for international narcotics trafficking conspiracy in connection with his leadership role in theinternational drug-trafficking cartel bearing his family name.
According to a motion for pretrial detention filed by prosecutors, between the early 1990s until his January 2008 arrest by Mexican law enforcement, Beltran Levya allegedly led the Beltran Levya Organization with his brothers Hector Beltran Levya and Arturo Beltran Levya, the latter of whom was killed in a December 2009 shootout with the Mexican army. Since the 1990s, the Beltran Levya Organization, together with the Sinaloa Cartel, allegedly directed a large-scale drug transportation network, shipping multi-ton quantities of cocaine from South America, through Central America and Mexico, and finally into the United States via land, air and sea. The organization also employed “sicarios,” or hitmen, who allegedly carried out hundreds of acts of violence, including murders, kidnappings, tortures and violent collections of drug debts, at the direction of the organization.
Following the January 2008 arrest of Alfredo Beltran Leyva by Mexican law enforcement authorities, the Beltran Leyva Organization severed its relationship with the Sinaloa Cartel, which was blamed for the arrest. This resultedin a violent war between the two drug cartels, and the murder of thousands of citizens in Mexico, including numerous law enforcement officers and officials.
On May 30, 2008, the President added the Beltran Leyva Organization to the Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control’s Specially Designated Nationals and Blocked Persons list pursuant to the Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act. On Aug. 20, 2009, the President specifically designated Beltran Leyva as a specially designated drug trafficker under the same Kingpin Act.
The charges in the indictment are merely allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.
The investigation is led by the FBI’s El Paso Office, in partnership with the DEA’s New York Field Division and HSI’s New York Office, as part of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force. This case is being prosecuted by the Criminal Division’s Narcotic and Dangerous Drugs Section, with the assistance of the Criminal Division’s Office of International Affairs. The Justice Department thanks the government of Mexico for their assistance in this extradition.
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
FTC APPROVES FINAL CONSENT SETTLING CHRGES REGARDING MADE IN USA BRAND, LLC
FROM: U.S. FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
FTC Approves Final Consent Settling Charges that Made in USA Brand, LLC Deceived Consumers
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final consent order settling charges that a company providing a “Made in USA” certification seal to marketers did so without verifying the companies’ Made in USA claims, or disclosing that the companies had certified themselves.
First announced in July 2014, the settlement prohibits Made in USA Brand, LLC’s deceptive claims, and bars the company from providing the marketers it certifies with the means to deceive consumers.
The Commission vote to approve the final order in this case was 5-0.
FTC Approves Final Consent Settling Charges that Made in USA Brand, LLC Deceived Consumers
Following a public comment period, the Federal Trade Commission has approved a final consent order settling charges that a company providing a “Made in USA” certification seal to marketers did so without verifying the companies’ Made in USA claims, or disclosing that the companies had certified themselves.
First announced in July 2014, the settlement prohibits Made in USA Brand, LLC’s deceptive claims, and bars the company from providing the marketers it certifies with the means to deceive consumers.
The Commission vote to approve the final order in this case was 5-0.
PRESIDENT OBAMA CONDEMNS ATTACK AT JERUSALEM SYNAGOGUE
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
November 18, 2014
Statement by the President on Attack in Jerusalem
I strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack on worshipers at a synagogue in Jerusalem, which killed four innocent people, including U.S. citizens Aryeh Kupinsky, Cary William Levine, and Mosheh Twersky, and injured several more. There is and can be no justification for such attacks against innocent civilians. The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the victims and families of all those who were killed and injured in this horrific attack and in other recent violence. At this sensitive moment in Jerusalem, it is all the more important for Israeli and Palestinian leaders and ordinary citizens to work cooperatively together to lower tensions, reject violence, and seek a path forward towards peace.
November 18, 2014
Statement by the President on Attack in Jerusalem
I strongly condemn today’s terrorist attack on worshipers at a synagogue in Jerusalem, which killed four innocent people, including U.S. citizens Aryeh Kupinsky, Cary William Levine, and Mosheh Twersky, and injured several more. There is and can be no justification for such attacks against innocent civilians. The thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the victims and families of all those who were killed and injured in this horrific attack and in other recent violence. At this sensitive moment in Jerusalem, it is all the more important for Israeli and Palestinian leaders and ordinary citizens to work cooperatively together to lower tensions, reject violence, and seek a path forward towards peace.
DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL'S MEDIA AVAILABILITY AT FORT IRWIN, CA
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
Media Availability with Secretary Hagel Conducted at Fort Irwin, California
Presenter: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
November 16, 2014
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY: Okay, folks, I'm Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary.
The secretary is going to come on up here. He's got no opening statements. This obviously will be on the record. Only going to be able to take a few questions.
Bob, we're going to start with you, and then I'll call on a couple of -- some of the local reporters here as well.
And then I think -- where's John?
John, you had one, too.
Okay, is everybody ready?
Mr. Secretary?
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CHUCK HAGEL: General Abrams is in the tank there. I hope that we're not in the way.
(UNKNOWN): He couldn't help himself.
SEC. HAGEL: He couldn't help himself. I'm not sure we shouldn't be off to the side, but he is a general.
So yes. All right, Bob?
Q: Mr. Secretary a question for you about the (inaudible) strategy that (inaudible) today. You said it's working and you said it's (inaudible). (inaudible) it could be accelerated (inaudible). General Dempsey had talked this weekend about (inaudible).
SEC. HAGEL: Yes, we -- at the recommendation of General Austin, have agreed with General Austin's recommendations to take some of the special operations forces that he has in Iraq and give them some early missions working with the Iraqi security forces in Anbar province just to kind of continue to mission accelerate the mission of preparing for training and equipping, and the things that we need to do to start setting that up.
Because it is a process, it has to be done right; we've got to get the right trainers in there, coalition partners. So yes, we are doing what we can with the resources we have to give some acceleration to that.
Q: Has this just begun in the last couple of days or a week?
SEC. HAGEL: Last couple of days that he has moved some of this advisers into Anbar province to work with the Iraqi security forces.
Q: (off mic) You talked a little bit about (inaudible). You know that (inaudible) on the (inaudible). (inaudible). Can you talk a little bit about how the environment here is critical to the U.S. military?
SEC. HAGEL: Well, this is really a critically important base for our training. Yes, partly because of the environment that it represents, and it does give our trainers a very realistic geography to work with, and we've invested a lot of effort here and resources, and it has really been a very smart investment, because it's paid off in the training and the capabilities that our men and women get through this training here. So it's a unique location. It's an important location.
Q: (off mic)
SEC. HAGEL: Well, first, I think everybody knew from the beginning, because this is a rotational overall mission, that we would be requiring National Guard assistance and participation. So I went ahead and authorized the beginning of that last week. Nothing is moving; it takes time to -- but you've got to notify our Guardsmen and their families and their employers.
But anticipating any further call-ups, not in our planned -- at this point.
Q: (off mic)
SEC. HAGEL: Well, it depends on how successful we all are in stopping the spread of Ebola. Working, as you know, with the USAID and CDC and the Liberian government, we're hopeful that it won't be a long mission at all.
But we're uncertain until we know that we have been able to stop it. There are positive signs, but we're planning for a six-month mission, but we'll see. It just depends on how successful we all are in stopping the spread of Ebola.
REAR ADM. KIRBY: We've got one more question.
Sir, we'll go to you.
Q: You mentioned in budget constraints that there were facilities that (inaudible). Are any of those in California? And if so, (inaudible)?
SEC. HAGEL: (Laughter.) I'm not going to get into which ones.
Q: (off mic)
SEC. HAGEL: We have a pretty clear inventory of where we have excess capacity. We've shared at least our thinking, some of our thinking, with the Congress on this, but that's the whole point behind a BRAC, a base closing commission that allows an independent look at what facilities are still being used, which facilities are important to the future of our country, our security, and which are not.
And it was setup, you'll recall, many years ago, to give not only an honest assessment of that, but also take it out of politics.
And so, what we're asking for, again, is for the Congress to authorize another base relocation closing commission to go in and take a hard look, an insightful, honest look, and evaluate where that excess capacity is. And I would hope the Congress will allow us to do that, and I would hope that they would support another round of BRAC.
REAR ADM. KIRBY: Thanks, everybody. Appreciate it.
SEC. HAGEL: Thank you.
Media Availability with Secretary Hagel Conducted at Fort Irwin, California
Presenter: Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel
November 16, 2014
REAR ADMIRAL JOHN KIRBY: Okay, folks, I'm Admiral John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary.
The secretary is going to come on up here. He's got no opening statements. This obviously will be on the record. Only going to be able to take a few questions.
Bob, we're going to start with you, and then I'll call on a couple of -- some of the local reporters here as well.
And then I think -- where's John?
John, you had one, too.
Okay, is everybody ready?
Mr. Secretary?
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE CHUCK HAGEL: General Abrams is in the tank there. I hope that we're not in the way.
(UNKNOWN): He couldn't help himself.
SEC. HAGEL: He couldn't help himself. I'm not sure we shouldn't be off to the side, but he is a general.
So yes. All right, Bob?
Q: Mr. Secretary a question for you about the (inaudible) strategy that (inaudible) today. You said it's working and you said it's (inaudible). (inaudible) it could be accelerated (inaudible). General Dempsey had talked this weekend about (inaudible).
SEC. HAGEL: Yes, we -- at the recommendation of General Austin, have agreed with General Austin's recommendations to take some of the special operations forces that he has in Iraq and give them some early missions working with the Iraqi security forces in Anbar province just to kind of continue to mission accelerate the mission of preparing for training and equipping, and the things that we need to do to start setting that up.
Because it is a process, it has to be done right; we've got to get the right trainers in there, coalition partners. So yes, we are doing what we can with the resources we have to give some acceleration to that.
Q: Has this just begun in the last couple of days or a week?
SEC. HAGEL: Last couple of days that he has moved some of this advisers into Anbar province to work with the Iraqi security forces.
Q: (off mic) You talked a little bit about (inaudible). You know that (inaudible) on the (inaudible). (inaudible). Can you talk a little bit about how the environment here is critical to the U.S. military?
SEC. HAGEL: Well, this is really a critically important base for our training. Yes, partly because of the environment that it represents, and it does give our trainers a very realistic geography to work with, and we've invested a lot of effort here and resources, and it has really been a very smart investment, because it's paid off in the training and the capabilities that our men and women get through this training here. So it's a unique location. It's an important location.
Q: (off mic)
SEC. HAGEL: Well, first, I think everybody knew from the beginning, because this is a rotational overall mission, that we would be requiring National Guard assistance and participation. So I went ahead and authorized the beginning of that last week. Nothing is moving; it takes time to -- but you've got to notify our Guardsmen and their families and their employers.
But anticipating any further call-ups, not in our planned -- at this point.
Q: (off mic)
SEC. HAGEL: Well, it depends on how successful we all are in stopping the spread of Ebola. Working, as you know, with the USAID and CDC and the Liberian government, we're hopeful that it won't be a long mission at all.
But we're uncertain until we know that we have been able to stop it. There are positive signs, but we're planning for a six-month mission, but we'll see. It just depends on how successful we all are in stopping the spread of Ebola.
REAR ADM. KIRBY: We've got one more question.
Sir, we'll go to you.
Q: You mentioned in budget constraints that there were facilities that (inaudible). Are any of those in California? And if so, (inaudible)?
SEC. HAGEL: (Laughter.) I'm not going to get into which ones.
Q: (off mic)
SEC. HAGEL: We have a pretty clear inventory of where we have excess capacity. We've shared at least our thinking, some of our thinking, with the Congress on this, but that's the whole point behind a BRAC, a base closing commission that allows an independent look at what facilities are still being used, which facilities are important to the future of our country, our security, and which are not.
And it was setup, you'll recall, many years ago, to give not only an honest assessment of that, but also take it out of politics.
And so, what we're asking for, again, is for the Congress to authorize another base relocation closing commission to go in and take a hard look, an insightful, honest look, and evaluate where that excess capacity is. And I would hope the Congress will allow us to do that, and I would hope that they would support another round of BRAC.
REAR ADM. KIRBY: Thanks, everybody. Appreciate it.
SEC. HAGEL: Thank you.
NATO AND THE SOUTHERN FLANK
FROM: U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
NATO Official Discusses Southern Flank, Mediterranean Dialogue
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2014 – Russia’s blatant disregard of international norms in Ukraine is just one example of its attempts to reject an international order that promotes democracy, sovereignty and the rule of law, NATO’s deputy secretary general said in La Hulpe, Belgium, today.
Alexander Vershbow told the conference on NATO-Israel cooperation that challenges from Russia and from NATO’s southern flank share many of the same attributes.
Russia’s continued attempts to destabilize Ukraine “have blatantly breached international agreements and confidence-building measures,” Vershbow said.
And on NATO’s southern flank, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant continues to spew its hatred, “pouring oil on the fire of extremism and sectarianism that is already burning across the Middle East and North Africa,” he said.
“ISIL’s advances in Iraq and the Levant also risk exporting terrorism much further afield, including to NATO and [European Union] member states,” the deputy secretary general added.
NATO Determined to Defeat ISIL, Similar Threats
ISIL is working to overthrow rules-based and values-based order that is the guarantor of freedom, security and prosperity for all nations, Vershbow said, and NATO is determined to play its part to defeat this threat and those like it.
“The capabilities and forces that we are now developing are very clearly aimed at enhancing NATO’s overall resilience,” the deputy secretary general said. “We want to be able to deploy them quickly not only whenever, but also wherever, threats emerge – whether it’s in our eastern or our southern neighborhoods.”
At NATO’s summit held in Wales in September, the alliance also decided to strengthen cooperation with partner nations. The summit also launched an initiative to help partners strengthen their ability to address security challenges.
“This initiative builds upon NATO’s extensive expertise in defense capacity building -- for instance, in Kosovo and Afghanistan,” Vershbow explained. “And we made clear that we stand ready to assist Iraq in strengthening its security sector, if the new government so requests.”
Risk of Extremism Has Grown on NATO’s Southern Flank
The risk of extremism on NATO’s southern flank has grown and produced more fertile territory since the Arab Spring, the deputy secretary general said. The Mediterranean Dialogue – a NATO initiative celebrating 20 years – is more valuable than ever, he added.
“The Mediterranean Dialogue was never intended to have a direct influence on the Middle East peace process, or in tackling the wider challenges of the region,” he said. “But it was a genuine attempt to improve mutual understanding, to dispel misconceptions and to foster a dialogue that otherwise would not exist.”
The dialogue has developed into a unique multilateral forum, he noted. “It’s the only structured framework where the 28 NATO allies, Israel and key Arab countries sit together on a regular basis,” he said.
But more can be done, Vershbow told the forum audience:
-- A firm offer to assist countries in transition with defense and security sector reform, including planning and budgeting;
-- Dealing with surplus ammunition; and
-- Encouraging what he called “good security governance.”
NATO nations have unique expertise in these areas, he said, and the alliance will look to include the European Union in these efforts.
More Focus on Capability Building
Vershbow said he would like to see more focus on capability building. “We want to help the countries of the region to be better able both to address security concerns in their own region and to participate in international peacekeeping and crisis management operations – including those led by NATO,” he said.
This, he added, could involve greater military-to-military cooperation, and invitations to participate in NATO training, exercises and education programs.
“But it could also involve more structured cooperation between NATO and organizations like the African Union and the Arab League,” he said.
The deputy secretary general said he expects a further strengthening of dialogue and cooperation where NATO shares the same values and interests with its partners to better address specific concerns and requirements. “And I see particular scope here for our relations with longstanding, active partners like Israel,” he added.
NATO Official Discusses Southern Flank, Mediterranean Dialogue
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Nov. 17, 2014 – Russia’s blatant disregard of international norms in Ukraine is just one example of its attempts to reject an international order that promotes democracy, sovereignty and the rule of law, NATO’s deputy secretary general said in La Hulpe, Belgium, today.
Alexander Vershbow told the conference on NATO-Israel cooperation that challenges from Russia and from NATO’s southern flank share many of the same attributes.
Russia’s continued attempts to destabilize Ukraine “have blatantly breached international agreements and confidence-building measures,” Vershbow said.
And on NATO’s southern flank, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant continues to spew its hatred, “pouring oil on the fire of extremism and sectarianism that is already burning across the Middle East and North Africa,” he said.
“ISIL’s advances in Iraq and the Levant also risk exporting terrorism much further afield, including to NATO and [European Union] member states,” the deputy secretary general added.
NATO Determined to Defeat ISIL, Similar Threats
ISIL is working to overthrow rules-based and values-based order that is the guarantor of freedom, security and prosperity for all nations, Vershbow said, and NATO is determined to play its part to defeat this threat and those like it.
“The capabilities and forces that we are now developing are very clearly aimed at enhancing NATO’s overall resilience,” the deputy secretary general said. “We want to be able to deploy them quickly not only whenever, but also wherever, threats emerge – whether it’s in our eastern or our southern neighborhoods.”
At NATO’s summit held in Wales in September, the alliance also decided to strengthen cooperation with partner nations. The summit also launched an initiative to help partners strengthen their ability to address security challenges.
“This initiative builds upon NATO’s extensive expertise in defense capacity building -- for instance, in Kosovo and Afghanistan,” Vershbow explained. “And we made clear that we stand ready to assist Iraq in strengthening its security sector, if the new government so requests.”
Risk of Extremism Has Grown on NATO’s Southern Flank
The risk of extremism on NATO’s southern flank has grown and produced more fertile territory since the Arab Spring, the deputy secretary general said. The Mediterranean Dialogue – a NATO initiative celebrating 20 years – is more valuable than ever, he added.
“The Mediterranean Dialogue was never intended to have a direct influence on the Middle East peace process, or in tackling the wider challenges of the region,” he said. “But it was a genuine attempt to improve mutual understanding, to dispel misconceptions and to foster a dialogue that otherwise would not exist.”
The dialogue has developed into a unique multilateral forum, he noted. “It’s the only structured framework where the 28 NATO allies, Israel and key Arab countries sit together on a regular basis,” he said.
But more can be done, Vershbow told the forum audience:
-- A firm offer to assist countries in transition with defense and security sector reform, including planning and budgeting;
-- Dealing with surplus ammunition; and
-- Encouraging what he called “good security governance.”
NATO nations have unique expertise in these areas, he said, and the alliance will look to include the European Union in these efforts.
More Focus on Capability Building
Vershbow said he would like to see more focus on capability building. “We want to help the countries of the region to be better able both to address security concerns in their own region and to participate in international peacekeeping and crisis management operations – including those led by NATO,” he said.
This, he added, could involve greater military-to-military cooperation, and invitations to participate in NATO training, exercises and education programs.
“But it could also involve more structured cooperation between NATO and organizations like the African Union and the Arab League,” he said.
The deputy secretary general said he expects a further strengthening of dialogue and cooperation where NATO shares the same values and interests with its partners to better address specific concerns and requirements. “And I see particular scope here for our relations with longstanding, active partners like Israel,” he added.
NSF PRESENTS FINDINGS FROM PAPER ON LARGE ANIMALS AND EFFECTS ON TROPICAL FORESTS
FROM: THE NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
Fruits of the forest gone: Overhunting of large animals has catastrophic effects on trees
As the animals go, so go tropical forests
The elephant has long been an important spiritual, cultural and national symbol in Thailand. At the beginning of the 20th century, its numbers exceeded 100,000.
Today, those numbers have plunged to 2,000. Elephants, as well as other large, charismatic animals such as tigers, monkeys and civet cats, are under attack from hunters and poachers.
Overhunting of animals affects entire forest
While the loss of these animals is concerning for species conservation, now researchers at the University of Florida have shown that overhunting can have widespread effects on the forest itself.
Overhunting leads to the extinction of a dominant tree species, Miliusa horsfieldii, or the Miliusa beech, with likely cascading effects on other forest biota.
The scientists report their results in the current issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Co-authors of the paper are Trevor Caughlin and Jeremy Lichstein of the University of Florida and Doug Levey, formerly of the University of Florida and now a program director in the National Science Foundation's Division of Environmental Biology.
Other co-authors are researchers at King Mongkut's University of Technology Thonburi in Thailand, Wageningen University in the Netherlands and the Royal Thai Forest Department.
Loss of one tree species has far-reaching implications
The ecologists show how vital large animals are to maintaining the biodiversity of tropical forests in Thailand.
The team looked at how these mammals contribute to moving seeds through the forest.
"It's not surprising that seed dispersers help trees get to new places," says Levey. "The effects of hunting can extend far beyond the hunted, threatening the overall health of the trees that make up the forest."
Adds Caughlin, "On the surface, it doesn't seem that seed dispersal would be important for tree populations. But seed dispersal has an effect over the whole life of a tree."
Animals critical to seed transport through the forest
The scientists looked at the growth and survival of trees that sprouted from parent trees and grew up in crowded environs, compared to trees from seeds that were widely transported across the forest by animals.
The information was supplemented with a dataset from the Thai Royal Forest Department that contains more than 15 years of data on trees.
The researchers then created a long-term simulation and ran it on the University of Florida's supercomputer, the HiPerGator.
"Having that computing power was very important," says Caughlin, "because we had to simulate the fate of millions of seeds."
The scientists discovered that trees that grow from seeds transported by now-overhunted animals are hardier and healthier.
"Our study is the first to quantify the decades-long effects of animal seed dispersal across the entire tree life cycle, from seeds to seedlings to adult trees," says Lichstein.
Probability of tree extinction increased tenfold
The results show that loss of animal seed-dispersers increases the probability of tree extinction by more than tenfold over a 100-year period.
"The entire ecosystem is at risk," says Caughlin.
"We hope the study will provide a boost for those trying to curb overhunting," he says, "and provide incentives to stop the wildlife trade."
-- Cheryl Dybas, NSF
-- Gigi Marino, University of Florida
WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET ON THE G-20 BRISBANE SUMMIT
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
November 16, 2014
FACT SHEET: The G-20 Brisbane Summit
The G-20 is the world’s premier forum for economic policy cooperation – where Leaders representing economies generating 85 percent of global GDP assemble around the table to promote strong, sustainable and balanced growth and to address urgent global economic challenges.
The Brisbane G-20 Summit – the eighth that President Obama has attended since taking office – focused on growth and jobs. With the global economic recovery still fragile, G-20 Leaders sent a clear signal of their commitment to take decisive steps, recognizing that the global economy is being held back by a shortfall in demand. G-20 Leaders announced a Brisbane Action Plan of individual country commitments and collective actions that could increase the G-20’s combined output by 2.1 percent or more over the next five years.
Leaders agreed on a number of specific steps to strengthen the resilience of the global economy and to address challenges such as climate change. These include new initiatives on infrastructure investment, female labor force participation, combating corruption, and remittances. Leaders also issued a separate statement about Ebola and global health security.
Among the most significant agreements were:
launching the Global Infrastructure Initiative to unlock private financing for infrastructure investment worldwide, including the creation of a Global Infrastructure Hub to support best practices and coordination;
a commitment by each country to close the gap between its male and female labor-force participation rates by 25% by 2025; this will bring an estimated 100 million additional women into the labor force by that year;
principles that would help prevent the abuse of anonymous shell companies to facilitate illicit financial flows stemming from corruption, tax evasion, and money laundering a commitment to addressing the challenge of climate change including communicating post-2020 domestic climate targets as soon as possible and preferably by the first quarter of 2015. G-20 leaders also stressed the importance of climate finance, including additional contributions to the Green Climate Fund following the United States’ $3 billion commitment to the GCF;
an Energy Efficiency Action Plan that includes, among other initiatives, a program to increase fuel quality and reduce carbon emissions by heavy-duty vehicles;
advancing the implementation of the international financial reform agenda;
agreement to complete by the end of 2015 an implementation plan on combating tax avoidance by multinational companies; and agreement on principles on energy markets that could serve as the basis for ongoing discussions on reform of the international energy architecture.
Building a Stronger Global Economy through Jobs and Growth
The United States is a major source of strength in the global economy, with 56 straight months of private sector job growth creating 10.6 million jobs. The Administration’s comprehensive response to the economic crisis — including through macroeconomic and structural policies — has laid the foundation for growth in the United States.
The pace of global economic growth and job creation, however, has disappointed since the recovery from recession began in 2009. Economic activity in advanced countries has been particularly weak, while growth in emerging markets is uneven. As the G-20 Leaders acknowledged, there is a shortfall in global demand.
To help strengthen medium-term potential growth, G-20 Leaders endorsed the Brisbane Action Plan to boost collective G-20 growth by 2 percent or more over the next five years. The Action Plan includes a U.S. Growth Strategy based on Administration priorities such as infrastructure investment, raising household income, increasing access to quality skills development, increasing trade, comprehensive immigration reform, and assisting working families. The U.S. reform commitments were critical in allowing the G-20 to meet its 2 percent goal.
Increasing Infrastructure Investment
A key constraint to growth across the G-20 is inadequate infrastructure. At the same time, infrastructure investment creates construction jobs and can provide a strong impetus to growth. This year, the G-20 launched a Global Infrastructure Initiative, paired with a new Global Infrastructure Hub that will be based here in Australia, to help tap into the large pool of potential private financing for infrastructure investment.
We’ve also made significant advances in expanding the amount of money that the World Bank and other multilateral development banks can deploy to emerging economies through more efficient use of their existing balance sheets.
Female Labor Force Participation
The G-20 made a new commitment to bring more women into the workforce and improve the quality of their jobs. All G-20 countries committed to reduce the gap between the share of men and women in the workforce by 25 percent by 2025. That would bring an additional 100 million women into the formal workforce and increase global GDP.
Fighting corruption
The G-20 has taken significant steps over the last four years to fight the scourge of corruption in our own countries and overseas. In Brisbane, Leaders adopted a two-year plan to strengthen enforcement, enhance transparency, and facilitate the recovery of assets stolen by corrupt officials. This includes meaningful steps to ensure that corrupt actors cannot exploit our financial and legal systems. The G-20 also reached a significant agreement to end the abuse of anonymous shell companies by endorsing implementation of “Beneficial Ownership” principles. The G-20 will work to ensure that corrupt actors can no longer use these shell companies to evade taxes or launder the proceeds of their crimes, and the Administration has proposed legislation to end the use of anonymous shell companies in the United States.
Remittances and Financial inclusion
G-20 leaders today agreed on a set of concrete steps that will reduce the cost of sending money home for people working overseas. These remittances are a life-line for millions of people in the developing world and a critical source of development financing for emerging and developing economies. This action plan will lower the cost of remittances to an average of 5 percent by increasing competition and expanding access to money transfer services, making the financial system more inclusive for billions of people and again demonstrating the G-20’s capacity to make the global economy work better for everyone.
Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Addressing Climate Change
G-20 leaders increased their commitment to energy and climate change through energy deliverables and a strong endorsement of the need for action to address climate change. Leaders agreed to:
Endorse a new set of Principles on Energy Collaboration that outline key elements for future G-20 energy and climate change work. These principles can set the agenda for future discussions of how we should adapt the global energy architecture to reflect recent transformations in the world’s energy markets – including the energy revolution in the United States.
An Energy Efficiency Action Plan that will guide efficiency work in six important sectors. Central to this Action Plan is an agreement to develop country-specific plans in 2015 to improve efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles – trucks, buses, and other large vehicles which account for as much as half of all vehicle emissions even though they represent only 10 percent of all vehicles. Three quarters of these vehicles globally are sold in G-20 countries. The plan will lead to cleaner fuel, lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and reduced public health costs. The United States is a global leader in heavy-duty vehicles standards for tailpipe emissions, fuel quality and efficiency, as well as green freight programs.
Reaffirm the G-20 commitment to rationalize and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. The United States, China, and Germany have committed to undergo fossil fuel subsidy peer reviews, which can help countries assess their subsidies and provide recommendations for reform. The European Union has also offered to participate as a reviewer.
Send a clear signal that G-20 Leaders support strong and effective action to address climate change by reaffirming their resolve to adopt a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force at the UN climate negotiations in Paris in 2015. In order to accomplish this, G-20 Leaders committed to communicate their post-2020 domestic climate targets as soon as possible and preferably by early 2015. They also stressed the importance of contributions to the Green Climate Fund, and the United States announced a $3 billion commitment to the GCF.
Ebola and Global Health Security
The G-20 also demonstrated its ability to respond to new and fast-breaking challenges to the global economy, such as the threat posed by the Ebola epidemic. In a statement released yesterday, G-20 leaders called for faster action to end the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Participating countries also committed to take steps to build the capacity to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to future outbreaks – before they become epidemics. And to make sure these aren’t just idle promises, the G-20 will review progress in building that capacity in at a major international meeting next May. These steps are consistent with the Global Health Security Agenda, which the United States helped launch in February and the President hosted for an event at the White House in September.
For the three countries whose economies have been devastated by this epidemic, G-20 leaders also endorsed an IMF initiative to provide them with $300 million in low-cost or no-cost financing and debt relief.
Strengthening the Global Financial System and addressing tax evasion and avoidance
The G-20 came into being during the financial crisis, and repairing and strengthening the resilience of the global financial system has been one of the most important elements of our cooperation. While there is critical work to be done, this year we are close to finalizing the majority of the work on new rules to strengthen the financial system, end too-big-too fail, and promote a level playing field around the world.
U.S. leadership has played a transformational role by engaging others in a “race to the top” to improve the quality of regulation and level the playing field across major and emerging financial centers. The United States led the way in this area with our Dodd-Frank reforms. Now the key is for all G-20 countries to implement these commitments. After the damage wrought by the financial crisis, we owe it to our citizens to complete our work in creating a safer and more resilient financial system.
This year, the G-20 took significant steps forward to strengthening bank capital and liquidity by reducing leverage, addressing “too big to fail” by ensuring tax payers will not have to bear the costs of resolution for large financial institutions, committing to make the derivatives markets more transparent and safe, and addressing the systemic risks posed by shadow banking.
November 16, 2014
FACT SHEET: The G-20 Brisbane Summit
The G-20 is the world’s premier forum for economic policy cooperation – where Leaders representing economies generating 85 percent of global GDP assemble around the table to promote strong, sustainable and balanced growth and to address urgent global economic challenges.
The Brisbane G-20 Summit – the eighth that President Obama has attended since taking office – focused on growth and jobs. With the global economic recovery still fragile, G-20 Leaders sent a clear signal of their commitment to take decisive steps, recognizing that the global economy is being held back by a shortfall in demand. G-20 Leaders announced a Brisbane Action Plan of individual country commitments and collective actions that could increase the G-20’s combined output by 2.1 percent or more over the next five years.
Leaders agreed on a number of specific steps to strengthen the resilience of the global economy and to address challenges such as climate change. These include new initiatives on infrastructure investment, female labor force participation, combating corruption, and remittances. Leaders also issued a separate statement about Ebola and global health security.
Among the most significant agreements were:
launching the Global Infrastructure Initiative to unlock private financing for infrastructure investment worldwide, including the creation of a Global Infrastructure Hub to support best practices and coordination;
a commitment by each country to close the gap between its male and female labor-force participation rates by 25% by 2025; this will bring an estimated 100 million additional women into the labor force by that year;
principles that would help prevent the abuse of anonymous shell companies to facilitate illicit financial flows stemming from corruption, tax evasion, and money laundering a commitment to addressing the challenge of climate change including communicating post-2020 domestic climate targets as soon as possible and preferably by the first quarter of 2015. G-20 leaders also stressed the importance of climate finance, including additional contributions to the Green Climate Fund following the United States’ $3 billion commitment to the GCF;
an Energy Efficiency Action Plan that includes, among other initiatives, a program to increase fuel quality and reduce carbon emissions by heavy-duty vehicles;
advancing the implementation of the international financial reform agenda;
agreement to complete by the end of 2015 an implementation plan on combating tax avoidance by multinational companies; and agreement on principles on energy markets that could serve as the basis for ongoing discussions on reform of the international energy architecture.
Building a Stronger Global Economy through Jobs and Growth
The United States is a major source of strength in the global economy, with 56 straight months of private sector job growth creating 10.6 million jobs. The Administration’s comprehensive response to the economic crisis — including through macroeconomic and structural policies — has laid the foundation for growth in the United States.
The pace of global economic growth and job creation, however, has disappointed since the recovery from recession began in 2009. Economic activity in advanced countries has been particularly weak, while growth in emerging markets is uneven. As the G-20 Leaders acknowledged, there is a shortfall in global demand.
To help strengthen medium-term potential growth, G-20 Leaders endorsed the Brisbane Action Plan to boost collective G-20 growth by 2 percent or more over the next five years. The Action Plan includes a U.S. Growth Strategy based on Administration priorities such as infrastructure investment, raising household income, increasing access to quality skills development, increasing trade, comprehensive immigration reform, and assisting working families. The U.S. reform commitments were critical in allowing the G-20 to meet its 2 percent goal.
Increasing Infrastructure Investment
A key constraint to growth across the G-20 is inadequate infrastructure. At the same time, infrastructure investment creates construction jobs and can provide a strong impetus to growth. This year, the G-20 launched a Global Infrastructure Initiative, paired with a new Global Infrastructure Hub that will be based here in Australia, to help tap into the large pool of potential private financing for infrastructure investment.
We’ve also made significant advances in expanding the amount of money that the World Bank and other multilateral development banks can deploy to emerging economies through more efficient use of their existing balance sheets.
Female Labor Force Participation
The G-20 made a new commitment to bring more women into the workforce and improve the quality of their jobs. All G-20 countries committed to reduce the gap between the share of men and women in the workforce by 25 percent by 2025. That would bring an additional 100 million women into the formal workforce and increase global GDP.
Fighting corruption
The G-20 has taken significant steps over the last four years to fight the scourge of corruption in our own countries and overseas. In Brisbane, Leaders adopted a two-year plan to strengthen enforcement, enhance transparency, and facilitate the recovery of assets stolen by corrupt officials. This includes meaningful steps to ensure that corrupt actors cannot exploit our financial and legal systems. The G-20 also reached a significant agreement to end the abuse of anonymous shell companies by endorsing implementation of “Beneficial Ownership” principles. The G-20 will work to ensure that corrupt actors can no longer use these shell companies to evade taxes or launder the proceeds of their crimes, and the Administration has proposed legislation to end the use of anonymous shell companies in the United States.
Remittances and Financial inclusion
G-20 leaders today agreed on a set of concrete steps that will reduce the cost of sending money home for people working overseas. These remittances are a life-line for millions of people in the developing world and a critical source of development financing for emerging and developing economies. This action plan will lower the cost of remittances to an average of 5 percent by increasing competition and expanding access to money transfer services, making the financial system more inclusive for billions of people and again demonstrating the G-20’s capacity to make the global economy work better for everyone.
Enhancing Energy Efficiency and Addressing Climate Change
G-20 leaders increased their commitment to energy and climate change through energy deliverables and a strong endorsement of the need for action to address climate change. Leaders agreed to:
Endorse a new set of Principles on Energy Collaboration that outline key elements for future G-20 energy and climate change work. These principles can set the agenda for future discussions of how we should adapt the global energy architecture to reflect recent transformations in the world’s energy markets – including the energy revolution in the United States.
An Energy Efficiency Action Plan that will guide efficiency work in six important sectors. Central to this Action Plan is an agreement to develop country-specific plans in 2015 to improve efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles – trucks, buses, and other large vehicles which account for as much as half of all vehicle emissions even though they represent only 10 percent of all vehicles. Three quarters of these vehicles globally are sold in G-20 countries. The plan will lead to cleaner fuel, lower fuel consumption and carbon emissions, and reduced public health costs. The United States is a global leader in heavy-duty vehicles standards for tailpipe emissions, fuel quality and efficiency, as well as green freight programs.
Reaffirm the G-20 commitment to rationalize and phase out inefficient fossil fuel subsidies. The United States, China, and Germany have committed to undergo fossil fuel subsidy peer reviews, which can help countries assess their subsidies and provide recommendations for reform. The European Union has also offered to participate as a reviewer.
Send a clear signal that G-20 Leaders support strong and effective action to address climate change by reaffirming their resolve to adopt a protocol, another legal instrument or an agreed outcome with legal force at the UN climate negotiations in Paris in 2015. In order to accomplish this, G-20 Leaders committed to communicate their post-2020 domestic climate targets as soon as possible and preferably by early 2015. They also stressed the importance of contributions to the Green Climate Fund, and the United States announced a $3 billion commitment to the GCF.
Ebola and Global Health Security
The G-20 also demonstrated its ability to respond to new and fast-breaking challenges to the global economy, such as the threat posed by the Ebola epidemic. In a statement released yesterday, G-20 leaders called for faster action to end the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Participating countries also committed to take steps to build the capacity to prevent, detect, and rapidly respond to future outbreaks – before they become epidemics. And to make sure these aren’t just idle promises, the G-20 will review progress in building that capacity in at a major international meeting next May. These steps are consistent with the Global Health Security Agenda, which the United States helped launch in February and the President hosted for an event at the White House in September.
For the three countries whose economies have been devastated by this epidemic, G-20 leaders also endorsed an IMF initiative to provide them with $300 million in low-cost or no-cost financing and debt relief.
Strengthening the Global Financial System and addressing tax evasion and avoidance
The G-20 came into being during the financial crisis, and repairing and strengthening the resilience of the global financial system has been one of the most important elements of our cooperation. While there is critical work to be done, this year we are close to finalizing the majority of the work on new rules to strengthen the financial system, end too-big-too fail, and promote a level playing field around the world.
U.S. leadership has played a transformational role by engaging others in a “race to the top” to improve the quality of regulation and level the playing field across major and emerging financial centers. The United States led the way in this area with our Dodd-Frank reforms. Now the key is for all G-20 countries to implement these commitments. After the damage wrought by the financial crisis, we owe it to our citizens to complete our work in creating a safer and more resilient financial system.
This year, the G-20 took significant steps forward to strengthening bank capital and liquidity by reducing leverage, addressing “too big to fail” by ensuring tax payers will not have to bear the costs of resolution for large financial institutions, committing to make the derivatives markets more transparent and safe, and addressing the systemic risks posed by shadow banking.
Monday, November 17, 2014
WHITE HOUSE FACT SHEET ON SUPPLIERPAY INITIATIVE EXPANSION
FROM: THE WHITE HOUSE
November 17, 2014
FACT SHEET: President Obama’s SupplierPay Initiative Expands; 20 Additional Companies Pledge to Strengthen America’s Small Businesses
Today, the White House announced an expansion of President Obama’s SupplierPay initiative, a partnership with the private sector to strengthen small businesses by increasing their working capital, so they can grow and hire more workers.
Twenty companies are joining the 26 companies that adopted the SupplierPay pledge at a launch announcement with President Obama in July. As part of the SupplierPay initiative, companies pledge to pay their small suppliers faster or enable a financing solution that helps them access working capital at a lower cost.
The SupplierPay initiative helps address the difficulties small businesses face in accessing affordable working capital. Reducing the time it takes for smaller suppliers to get paid or lowering their short-term borrowing costs enables them to devote more of their resources to investing in their business, hiring, and growing.
Also today, the Commerce Department is releasing a new report which finds that the larger companies participating in the SupplierPay initiative also have the potential to realize significant economic benefits. High working capital costs for small suppliers can get passed onto large customers in the form of lower-quality goods and services, less stable suppliers, and higher prices. Reducing working capital costs—as SupplierPay companies are doing—unlocks capital to be put to work for the benefit of large buyers, and for the entire economy, according to the report.
Today’s SupplierPay Working Session
Also today, the White House will hold a SupplierPay working session hosted by National Economic Council Director Jeff Zients and SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. The working session will bring together both existing and new SupplierPay companies to discuss actions companies are taking to implement the SupplierPay pledge, and ensure the metrics are in place to track and measure impact of this initiative going forward.
The following new companies have signed on to SupplierPay:
Akima
Chugach Alaska
Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Dominion Resources, Inc.
Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.
Intel Corp.
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Kaiser Permanente
McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.
Nova Corp., Inc.
Oracle Corp.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Sealaska
Siemens Corp.
Sempra Energy
Southern California Edison Co.
3M Co.
Xerox Corp.
Zappos.com., Inc.
A list of the 26 SupplierPay participants announced in July is available here.
SupplierPay Builds on Success of Federal Government’s QuickPay Initiative
SupplierPay builds on the success of the Federal Government’s QuickPay initiative, which President Obama launched in 2011 and renewed in July to help accelerate payments to federal small business subcontractors. Under QuickPay, the federal government pays its large contractors faster and, in return, requires them to pay their small business subcontractors faster.
SupplierPay Impact
SupplierPay companies participating in today’s meeting will be providing updates on how they are implementing this initiative and accelerating payments to their small suppliers. Among the examples that will be discussed:
Intuit. After taking the pledge, Intuit surveyed its supplier base and offered 10-day payment terms to 320 small businesses. Intuit also moved all of its 80+ independent contractors to contracts that committed to pay them within 10 days. Intuit’s actions will impact an estimated $40 million in payments this year, and an estimated $80 million in annual payments when more small and medium-sized suppliers are brought on board. “Prompt payment is important to small firms such as mine,” said Jeff Adams, owner of Jeff Adams Copywriting in Santee, CA.
Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest security and aerospace company, sources more than 60 percent of its work through its supply chain, which includes more than 15,000 companies across all 50 states. More than half of these suppliers are small businesses, with whom the company did $4.9 billion worth of business in fiscal year 2014. Lockheed Martin is committed to expedited payments and is paying 100 percent of small business supplier invoices on an accelerated schedule. The company’s supplier portal flags small businesses so Lockheed Martin can accelerate payment, cutting time to payment in half to just 15 days.
Siemens. Siemens has more than 100 U.S. manufacturing sites and more than 60,000 U.S. employees. Just last year, Siemens’ Procurement & Logistics small business spending was approximately $266 million, and its spending on small and diverse companies was 16 percent of its total overall annual spending. A new participant in the SupplierPay initiative, Siemens offers small business suppliers a supply chain finance program which includes several supplier benefits such as cash flow improvement, working capital optimization, cost reduction, and cash flow transparency. About 1,300 Siemens North America suppliers participate in its supply chain finance program.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
Small businesses play a vital role in the American economy – employing half the workforce, creating about 60 percent of net new American jobs, and often being the source of the next great American innovation.
Small businesses were disproportionately impacted by the Great Recession, losing 40 percent more jobs than the rest of the private sector combined. When the President took office, small business credit markets were effectively frozen. Today, trends are moving in the right direction. For 15 straight quarters, small firms have contributed to employment growth. According to a recent survey, more than a quarter of small business owners are planning capital investments, the second highest such reading since 2008.
Small business capital access has been an area of focus for this Administration, starting with the Recovery Act in 2009 and continuing with the Small Business Jobs Act in 2010 and the JOBS Act in 2012. Collectively, this legislation has been instrumental in driving improvement from the depths of the recession. The Administration has achieved record SBA small business lending volumes and recent Federal Reserve Small Business surveys indicate improved access to financing. Yet, more can be done. Too many small businesses still struggle to access the capital they need:
A 2014 Pepperdine and D&B study reported that 66 percent of small businesses found it “difficult to raise new business financing.”
Regional survey data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed that 40 percent of the roughly one-third of small businesses that applied for credit in late 2013 received either none or less than the amount they requested. And another fifth of small businesses didn’t even apply for credit, because they assumed the process was too difficult, or they would not qualify.
Capital access challenges are magnified by the fact that small businesses are waiting longer to get paid for their products and services. The amount of time it took a corporation to pay an invoice increased from an average of 35 days in March 2009 to 46 days in July 2014, according to the Georgia Tech Financial Analysis Lab. Extended payment terms mean small businesses are spending unnecessary funds to cover cash flow. These are funds that could be otherwise spent on growing their business and creating new jobs.
November 17, 2014
FACT SHEET: President Obama’s SupplierPay Initiative Expands; 20 Additional Companies Pledge to Strengthen America’s Small Businesses
Today, the White House announced an expansion of President Obama’s SupplierPay initiative, a partnership with the private sector to strengthen small businesses by increasing their working capital, so they can grow and hire more workers.
Twenty companies are joining the 26 companies that adopted the SupplierPay pledge at a launch announcement with President Obama in July. As part of the SupplierPay initiative, companies pledge to pay their small suppliers faster or enable a financing solution that helps them access working capital at a lower cost.
The SupplierPay initiative helps address the difficulties small businesses face in accessing affordable working capital. Reducing the time it takes for smaller suppliers to get paid or lowering their short-term borrowing costs enables them to devote more of their resources to investing in their business, hiring, and growing.
Also today, the Commerce Department is releasing a new report which finds that the larger companies participating in the SupplierPay initiative also have the potential to realize significant economic benefits. High working capital costs for small suppliers can get passed onto large customers in the form of lower-quality goods and services, less stable suppliers, and higher prices. Reducing working capital costs—as SupplierPay companies are doing—unlocks capital to be put to work for the benefit of large buyers, and for the entire economy, according to the report.
Today’s SupplierPay Working Session
Also today, the White House will hold a SupplierPay working session hosted by National Economic Council Director Jeff Zients and SBA Administrator Maria Contreras-Sweet. The working session will bring together both existing and new SupplierPay companies to discuss actions companies are taking to implement the SupplierPay pledge, and ensure the metrics are in place to track and measure impact of this initiative going forward.
The following new companies have signed on to SupplierPay:
Akima
Chugach Alaska
Cook Inlet Region, Inc.
ConAgra Foods, Inc.
Dominion Resources, Inc.
Dun & Bradstreet Credibility Corp.
Intel Corp.
Hallmark Cards, Inc.
Kaiser Permanente
McGraw Hill Financial, Inc.
Nova Corp., Inc.
Oracle Corp.
Sacramento Municipal Utility District
Sealaska
Siemens Corp.
Sempra Energy
Southern California Edison Co.
3M Co.
Xerox Corp.
Zappos.com., Inc.
A list of the 26 SupplierPay participants announced in July is available here.
SupplierPay Builds on Success of Federal Government’s QuickPay Initiative
SupplierPay builds on the success of the Federal Government’s QuickPay initiative, which President Obama launched in 2011 and renewed in July to help accelerate payments to federal small business subcontractors. Under QuickPay, the federal government pays its large contractors faster and, in return, requires them to pay their small business subcontractors faster.
SupplierPay Impact
SupplierPay companies participating in today’s meeting will be providing updates on how they are implementing this initiative and accelerating payments to their small suppliers. Among the examples that will be discussed:
Intuit. After taking the pledge, Intuit surveyed its supplier base and offered 10-day payment terms to 320 small businesses. Intuit also moved all of its 80+ independent contractors to contracts that committed to pay them within 10 days. Intuit’s actions will impact an estimated $40 million in payments this year, and an estimated $80 million in annual payments when more small and medium-sized suppliers are brought on board. “Prompt payment is important to small firms such as mine,” said Jeff Adams, owner of Jeff Adams Copywriting in Santee, CA.
Lockheed Martin. Lockheed Martin, the world’s largest security and aerospace company, sources more than 60 percent of its work through its supply chain, which includes more than 15,000 companies across all 50 states. More than half of these suppliers are small businesses, with whom the company did $4.9 billion worth of business in fiscal year 2014. Lockheed Martin is committed to expedited payments and is paying 100 percent of small business supplier invoices on an accelerated schedule. The company’s supplier portal flags small businesses so Lockheed Martin can accelerate payment, cutting time to payment in half to just 15 days.
Siemens. Siemens has more than 100 U.S. manufacturing sites and more than 60,000 U.S. employees. Just last year, Siemens’ Procurement & Logistics small business spending was approximately $266 million, and its spending on small and diverse companies was 16 percent of its total overall annual spending. A new participant in the SupplierPay initiative, Siemens offers small business suppliers a supply chain finance program which includes several supplier benefits such as cash flow improvement, working capital optimization, cost reduction, and cash flow transparency. About 1,300 Siemens North America suppliers participate in its supply chain finance program.
ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND:
Small businesses play a vital role in the American economy – employing half the workforce, creating about 60 percent of net new American jobs, and often being the source of the next great American innovation.
Small businesses were disproportionately impacted by the Great Recession, losing 40 percent more jobs than the rest of the private sector combined. When the President took office, small business credit markets were effectively frozen. Today, trends are moving in the right direction. For 15 straight quarters, small firms have contributed to employment growth. According to a recent survey, more than a quarter of small business owners are planning capital investments, the second highest such reading since 2008.
Small business capital access has been an area of focus for this Administration, starting with the Recovery Act in 2009 and continuing with the Small Business Jobs Act in 2010 and the JOBS Act in 2012. Collectively, this legislation has been instrumental in driving improvement from the depths of the recession. The Administration has achieved record SBA small business lending volumes and recent Federal Reserve Small Business surveys indicate improved access to financing. Yet, more can be done. Too many small businesses still struggle to access the capital they need:
A 2014 Pepperdine and D&B study reported that 66 percent of small businesses found it “difficult to raise new business financing.”
Regional survey data from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York showed that 40 percent of the roughly one-third of small businesses that applied for credit in late 2013 received either none or less than the amount they requested. And another fifth of small businesses didn’t even apply for credit, because they assumed the process was too difficult, or they would not qualify.
Capital access challenges are magnified by the fact that small businesses are waiting longer to get paid for their products and services. The amount of time it took a corporation to pay an invoice increased from an average of 35 days in March 2009 to 46 days in July 2014, according to the Georgia Tech Financial Analysis Lab. Extended payment terms mean small businesses are spending unnecessary funds to cover cash flow. These are funds that could be otherwise spent on growing their business and creating new jobs.
FTC, FLORIDA AG SETTLEMENT STOPS ROBOCALL OPERATION THAT PUSHED SALES OF MEDICAL ALERT DEVICES TO SENIORS
FROM: U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT
Settlement with the FTC and Florida Attorney General Stops Operations that Used Robocalls to Fraudulently Pitch Medical Alert Devices to Seniors
A settlement obtained by the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Florida Attorney General permanently shuts down an Orlando-based operation that bilked seniors by using pre-recorded robocalls to sell them supposedly free medical alert systems.
The settlement order bans the defendants from making robocalls, prohibits other telemarketing activities, and bars them from making misrepresentations related to the sale of any product or service. The order includes a judgment of nearly $23 million, most of which will be suspended after the defendants surrender assets including cash, cars, and a boat.
”This case is a great example of how federal and state law enforcement can work together to stop fraudulent telemarketing targeting older consumers,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC will continue to work with its state partners to protect senior citizens from pernicious schemes like this one.”
“We must do everything within our power to protect Florida’s consumers. The scheme we have stopped allegedly targeted Florida’s senior citizens, and we, along with our Federal Trade Commission partners, have held these individuals accountable,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
According to the joint agency complaint, announced in January, the defendants violated the FTC Act, the Commission’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) by blasting robocalls to senior citizens falsely stating that they were eligible to receive a free medical alert system that was bought for them by a friend, family member, or acquaintance. Many of the consumers who received the defendants’ calls were elderly, live alone, and have limited or fixed incomes.
Consumers who pressed one (1) on their phones for more information were transferred to a live representative who continued the deception by falsely saying that their medical alert systems are recommended by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the National Institute on Aging. In addition, the telemarketers falsely said that the $34.95 monthly monitoring fee would be charged only after the system has been installed and activated. In reality, consumers were charged immediately, regardless of whether the system was activated or not.
The court order settling the agencies’ charges also imposes a judgment of $22,989,609, the total amount consumers paid for monthly monitoring services for their medical alert devices. The judgment will be suspended as to all of the settling defendants once the individual defendants turn over cash and other assets valued at about $79,000, including $24,000 that was transferred in violation of a court-ordered asset freeze.
Assets that will be sold include a 2008 BMW, a 1984 Hans Christian sailboat, a 2004 Mercedes, and a 2008 Lincoln Navigator. In addition, defendant Joseph Settecase is subject to a second judgment of $39,300, which will not be suspended. This judgment reflects the funds that Settecase retained after selling his Ferrari in violation of the asset freeze and transferring a portion of the proceeds to another defendant.
The defendants subject to the settlement include: 1) Worldwide Info Services, Inc., also doing business as (d/b/a) The Credit Voice; 2) Elite Information Solutions Inc., also d/b/a The Credit Voice; 3) Absolute Solutions Group Inc., also d/b/a The Credit Voice; 4) Global Interactive Technologies, Inc., also d/b/a The Credit Voice Inc.; 5) Global Service Providers, Inc.; 6) Arcagen, Inc., also d/b/a ARI; 7) American Innovative Concepts, Inc.; 8) Unique Information Services Inc.; 9) National Life Network, Inc., and their principals 10) Michael Hilgar; 11) Gary Martin; 12) Joseph Settecase; and 13) Yuluisa Nieves.
One defendant, Live Agent Response 1 LLC, also d/b/a LAR, has not settled, and the FTC and Florida AG are seeking a default judgment against it. In May, the parties stipulated to the dismissal of The Credit Voice, Inc. as a defendant.
The FTC and Florida Attorney General’s Office appreciate the assistance of the following agencies, offices, and organizations in helping to investigate and bring this case: 1) the Indiana Office of the Attorney General; 2) the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General; 3) the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; 4) the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois; 5) the American Heart Association; 6) the American Diabetes Association; 7) the National Institute on Aging; 8) the United States Postal Inspection Service, including its Atlanta, Boston, and Houston divisions; and 9) the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Financial Crimes Task Force.
Settlement with the FTC and Florida Attorney General Stops Operations that Used Robocalls to Fraudulently Pitch Medical Alert Devices to Seniors
A settlement obtained by the Federal Trade Commission and the Office of the Florida Attorney General permanently shuts down an Orlando-based operation that bilked seniors by using pre-recorded robocalls to sell them supposedly free medical alert systems.
The settlement order bans the defendants from making robocalls, prohibits other telemarketing activities, and bars them from making misrepresentations related to the sale of any product or service. The order includes a judgment of nearly $23 million, most of which will be suspended after the defendants surrender assets including cash, cars, and a boat.
”This case is a great example of how federal and state law enforcement can work together to stop fraudulent telemarketing targeting older consumers,” said Jessica Rich, Director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “The FTC will continue to work with its state partners to protect senior citizens from pernicious schemes like this one.”
“We must do everything within our power to protect Florida’s consumers. The scheme we have stopped allegedly targeted Florida’s senior citizens, and we, along with our Federal Trade Commission partners, have held these individuals accountable,” said Attorney General Pam Bondi.
According to the joint agency complaint, announced in January, the defendants violated the FTC Act, the Commission’s Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR), and Florida’s Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (FDUTPA) by blasting robocalls to senior citizens falsely stating that they were eligible to receive a free medical alert system that was bought for them by a friend, family member, or acquaintance. Many of the consumers who received the defendants’ calls were elderly, live alone, and have limited or fixed incomes.
Consumers who pressed one (1) on their phones for more information were transferred to a live representative who continued the deception by falsely saying that their medical alert systems are recommended by the American Heart Association, the American Diabetes Association, and the National Institute on Aging. In addition, the telemarketers falsely said that the $34.95 monthly monitoring fee would be charged only after the system has been installed and activated. In reality, consumers were charged immediately, regardless of whether the system was activated or not.
The court order settling the agencies’ charges also imposes a judgment of $22,989,609, the total amount consumers paid for monthly monitoring services for their medical alert devices. The judgment will be suspended as to all of the settling defendants once the individual defendants turn over cash and other assets valued at about $79,000, including $24,000 that was transferred in violation of a court-ordered asset freeze.
Assets that will be sold include a 2008 BMW, a 1984 Hans Christian sailboat, a 2004 Mercedes, and a 2008 Lincoln Navigator. In addition, defendant Joseph Settecase is subject to a second judgment of $39,300, which will not be suspended. This judgment reflects the funds that Settecase retained after selling his Ferrari in violation of the asset freeze and transferring a portion of the proceeds to another defendant.
The defendants subject to the settlement include: 1) Worldwide Info Services, Inc., also doing business as (d/b/a) The Credit Voice; 2) Elite Information Solutions Inc., also d/b/a The Credit Voice; 3) Absolute Solutions Group Inc., also d/b/a The Credit Voice; 4) Global Interactive Technologies, Inc., also d/b/a The Credit Voice Inc.; 5) Global Service Providers, Inc.; 6) Arcagen, Inc., also d/b/a ARI; 7) American Innovative Concepts, Inc.; 8) Unique Information Services Inc.; 9) National Life Network, Inc., and their principals 10) Michael Hilgar; 11) Gary Martin; 12) Joseph Settecase; and 13) Yuluisa Nieves.
One defendant, Live Agent Response 1 LLC, also d/b/a LAR, has not settled, and the FTC and Florida AG are seeking a default judgment against it. In May, the parties stipulated to the dismissal of The Credit Voice, Inc. as a defendant.
The FTC and Florida Attorney General’s Office appreciate the assistance of the following agencies, offices, and organizations in helping to investigate and bring this case: 1) the Indiana Office of the Attorney General; 2) the Minnesota Office of the Attorney General; 3) the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services; 4) the Better Business Bureau Serving Eastern Missouri and Southern Illinois; 5) the American Heart Association; 6) the American Diabetes Association; 7) the National Institute on Aging; 8) the United States Postal Inspection Service, including its Atlanta, Boston, and Houston divisions; and 9) the Seminole County Sheriff’s Office, Financial Crimes Task Force.
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