Pressures on Fuel Ethanol Production Capacity

November 18, 2009 -- Capacity to produce fuel ethanol from corn nearly tripled between January 2006 and January 2009. However, over the past 18 months, a combination of surplus production capacity, the decline of gasoline prices from their mid-2008 peak level, and high corn prices that boosted producers’ input costs have resulted in a sharp decline in ethanol margins. The combination of economic pressures on capacity led some producers to idle plants, and in some cases, file for bankruptcy.    » read more »

November 16, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of Transportation today released its Motorcoach Safety Action Plan which lays out concrete steps for improving motorcoach safety across the board. The action plan addresses major safety issues such as driver fatigue and inattention, vehicle rollover, occupant ejections and oversight of unsafe carriers.

"We are committed to making sure that bus travelers reach their destinations safely," said Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. "These improvements will not only help reduce the number of motorcoach crashes, it will also help save lives and reduce injuries."    » read more »

New standard to protect millions of the nation’s most vulnerable citizens

11/17/2009 -- WASHINGTON – For the first time in nearly 40 years, EPA is proposing to strengthen the nation’s sulfur dioxide (SO2) air quality standard to protect public health. Power plants and other industrial facilities emit SO2 directly into the air. Exposure to SO2 can aggravate asthma, cause respiratory difficulties, and result in emergency room visits and hospitalization. People with asthma, children, and the elderly are especially vulnerable to SO2’s effects.    » read more »

Press Briefing By White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs; And Ambassador To China Jon Huntsman; Senior Director For The National Security Council For Asian Affairs Jeff Bader; Deputy National Security Advisor Mike Froman; And Deputy National Security Advisor Ben Rhodes

November 17, 2009 -- MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon, guys. I am going to very brief, so brief that all I'm going to do is turn this over to -- first to Ambassador Huntsman, to give us a few minutes on the trip; Jeff Bader, who will talk a little bit more about -- in addition to what the Ambassador talks about -- what happened at some of the meetings today; as well as Mike Froman, who you've heard from during the trip.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- Today, President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao announced a far-reaching package of measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy. Attached are six fact sheets on the U.S-China clean energy announcements.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- Beijing, China -- At the invitation of President Hu Jintao of the People’s Republic of China, President Barack Obama of the United States of America is paying a state visit to China from November 15–18, 2009. The Presidents held in-depth, productive and candid discussions on U.S.-China relations and other issues of mutual interest.    » read more »

Washington, D.C., Nov. 17, 2009 — The Securities and Exchange Commission today charged two former Silicon Valley executives for improperly inflating the reported financial results at Santa Clara, Calif., semiconductor company Tvia, Inc.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced the appointment of new Regional Directors of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

"HHS welcomes Cristal, Marjorie, Judy and Susan and we look forward to working with them to achieve HHS' mission to protect the health of all Americans and provide essential human services," Secretary Sebelius said. "Their individual experience and knowledge of our department's most important issues, as well as local understanding of the people and institutions in their respective Regions make them a welcome addition to HHS."

* Cristal Thomas, Regional Director Region V (IL, IN, MI, MN, OH, WI)
* Marjorie McColl Petty, Regional Director Region VI, (AR, LA, NM, OK, TX)    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced today that DOE is awarding nearly $40 million in funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to Florida and Maine to support clean energy projects. Under DOE’s Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant (EECBG) program, these states will implement programs that lower energy use, reduce carbon pollution, and create green jobs locally.    » read more »

Global ocean surface temperature fifth warmest

November 17, 2009 -- The combined global land and ocean surface temperature was the sixth warmest October on record, according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C. Based on records going back to 1880, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services NOAA provides.

NCDC scientists reported that the average land surface temperature for October was also the sixth warmest on record. Additionally, the global ocean surface temperature was the fifth warmest on record for October.
Global Temperature Highlights    » read more »

Washington, D.C. -- November 17, 2009 -- "Good afternoon. I am joined here by some of my partners in the new effort we are launching today, Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shawn Donovan, and Robert Khuzami, the Director of Enforcement at the Securities and Exchange Commission, who is here representing SEC Chairwoman Mary Schapiro.    » read more »

Funding recipients include states, American Indians, and eligible counties

November 17, 2009 -- DENVER, CO – The Department of the Interior’s Minerals Management Service (MMS) today announced that it disbursed more than $10.68 billion in Fiscal Year 2009 from revenues collected from energy and mineral production on Federal and American Indian lands, including energy and mineral production on the Federal Outer Continental Shelf.    » read more »

Testifies at Senate Agriculture Committee on the Opportunities to Address Critical Issues During Reauthorization of Child Nutrition Programs

WASHINGTON, D.C., Nov. 17 - Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today testified in front of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Environment on the opportunities to combat child hunger and improve the health and nutrition of children across the country during the upcoming reauthorization of USDA's Child Nutrition Programs.

Below are excerpts from Vilsack's prepared testimony:

"The reauthorization of the Child Nutrition Programs presents us with an important opportunity to combat child hunger, improve the health and nutrition of children across the nation, and enhance program performance.    » read more »

November 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- Attorney General Eric Holder, Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner, Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan, and Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Chairwoman Mary Schapiro today announced that President Barack Obama has established by Executive Order an interagency Financial Fraud Enforcement Task Force to strengthen efforts to combat financial crime.    » read more »

Nov. 17, 2009 -- WASHINGTON -- NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or Wise, is chilled out, sporting a sunshade and getting ready to roll. NASA's newest spacecraft is scheduled to roll to the pad on Friday, Nov. 20, its last stop before launching into space to survey the entire sky in infrared light.

Wise is scheduled to launch no earlier than 9:09 a.m. EST on Dec. 9 from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. It will circle Earth over the poles, scanning the entire sky one-and-a-half times in nine months. The mission will uncover hidden cosmic objects, including the coolest stars, dark asteroids and the most luminous galaxies.    » read more »

Zogby Interactive Survey Finds Concern Over Vaccine Safety Cited As Top Reason

Utica, NY - As the H1N1 swine flu vaccine becomes increasingly available, 46% of adults who are considered by the CDC to be members of high priority groups plan to ignore the CDC's recommendation for vaccination. The Zogby International interactive survey also finds that the top reasons high risk adults plan to skip the vaccine include concern over the safety of the vaccine (38%) and a general sense that they simply do not need the vaccine (32%).    » read more »

Statement of Charles D. Connor, American Lung Association President and CEO

(November 17, 2009) -- Today the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed new limits on the toxic air pollutant sulfur dioxide in the outdoor air. This health standard has not been revised since 1971. The American Lung Association welcomes this long overdue action and urges EPA to set a standard at a level that truly protects public health. Inhaling sulfur dioxide (SO2) makes it hard for people with asthma to breathe. High levels of SO2 force people to the emergency room and to hospitals because they have trouble breathing.    » read more »

Vote Expected This Week; Bill Repeals Broken Physician Payment Formula That Hurts Access to Care for Seniors and Military Families

Nov. 17, 2009 -- Washington, D.C. –Today, leading advocates for seniors, military families and physicians joined together to call for passage of legislation in the House that will preserve access to care for seniors, baby boomers and military families through repeal of the broken Medicare physician payment formula.

A vote on H.R. 3961, the Medicare Physician Payment Reform Act of 2009, is expected this week, and the American Medical Association (AMA), AARP and the Military Officers of America (MOAA) call on members of Congress to honor the federal government's obligations to seniors and military families and pass the bill.    » read more »

Summit Key Opportunity to Press Moscow to Regain Lost Momentum for Reform

November 17, 2009 -- (Moscow) - European leaders should use the upcoming EU-Russia summit to convey alarm over deteriorating human rights in Russia and to press for concrete improvements, Human Rights Watch said today. The summit is scheduled for November 18 and 19, 2009, in Stockholm.

During the past year, Russia has suffered unprecedented blows to its human rights community, with at least five independent civic activists murdered, and others imprisoned, beaten, and harassed. A leading rights activist is facing criminal charges for speaking out over the murder of a colleague. Violence has surged in the North Caucasus.    » read more »