President meets with top business leaders to discuss his proposed economic stimulus package. He also made a trip to Capitol Hill to push for his proposed stimulus package.
The U.S. House passes Obama's stimulus plan along party lines.
Monday, January 26, 2009 - Day 7
Obama issues Memorandum to the Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency ordering that the March 6, 2008 denial of California's request to adopt stricter emissions standards be reviewed to determine if the denial was appropriate in light of the Clean Air Act. The Memo also notes that if California is permitted to adopt stricter emmissions standards, other states adopting identical emmissions standards must be approved as well (California's waiver sets precedent).
President issues Memorandum to the Secretary of Transportation and the Director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration instructing they coordinate with the EPA to establish fuel economy standards for car model year 2011. In order for this to happen, the standards must be published in the Federal Register by March 30, 2009. This gets the ball rolling on a timeline of emmission standard increases that by 2020 will require vehicles to have a 35 mile per gallon fuel economy.
First interview with Obama is aired after being given to Al-Aribaya TV:
President issues Memorandum to the Secretary of Transportation and the Director of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration instructing they coordinate with the EPA to establish fuel economy standards for car model year 2011. In order for this to happen, the standards must be published in the Federal Register by March 30, 2009. This gets the ball rolling on a timeline of emmission standard increases that by 2020 will require vehicles to have a 35 mile per gallon fuel economy.
First interview with Obama is aired after being given to Al-Aribaya TV:
Saturday, January 24, 2009 - Day 5
Issues first weekly video and radio address as President, highlighting $825 billion stimulus package.
Friday, January 23, 2009 - Day 4
President issues Mexico City Policy and Assistance for Voluntary Population Planning Memorandum striking down "Mexico City policy" (named for the city a U.S. delegation first announced it in at a UN International Conference on Population). Striking down the "Global Gag Rule" means U.S. aid will now be accessible to international groups that perform abortions or provide abortion information.
President Obama orders missile attacks in the Waziristan region of Pakistan, killing 22 people. Among the dead: eight suspected foreign militants, including an Egyptian Al Qaeda operative.
President Obama orders missile attacks in the Waziristan region of Pakistan, killing 22 people. Among the dead: eight suspected foreign militants, including an Egyptian Al Qaeda operative.
Thursday, January 22, 2009 - Day 3
President Obama orders closure of the detention center at the American naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying: "We will close the Guantanamo Bay detention camp and determine how to deal with those who are held there."
He signed 3 executive orders:
The order on interrogations - states that interrogations done by U.S. personnel will be conducted under procedures prescribed in the U.S. Army Field Manual (the U.S. will not torture those people it is holding).
The order on detention policy - Creates a task force that has 30 days to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future. Specifically, the group will look at where those detainees should be housed since Guantanamo is closing.
Review and Disposition Order - Closes prison at Guantanamo base within a year
President issued Review of the Detention of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri Memorandum ordering the immediate review of al-Marri's detention. Because al-Marri is the only U.S. enemy combatant not detained by the U.S. at Guantanamo, his review is not covered under the Review and Disposition Order.
President visited State Department for first time to announce he is sending former Senator and veteran negotiator George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East and former U.N. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
He signed 3 executive orders:
The order on interrogations - states that interrogations done by U.S. personnel will be conducted under procedures prescribed in the U.S. Army Field Manual (the U.S. will not torture those people it is holding).
The order on detention policy - Creates a task force that has 30 days to recommend policies on handling terror suspects who are detained in the future. Specifically, the group will look at where those detainees should be housed since Guantanamo is closing.
Review and Disposition Order - Closes prison at Guantanamo base within a year
President issued Review of the Detention of Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri Memorandum ordering the immediate review of al-Marri's detention. Because al-Marri is the only U.S. enemy combatant not detained by the U.S. at Guantanamo, his review is not covered under the Review and Disposition Order.
President visited State Department for first time to announce he is sending former Senator and veteran negotiator George Mitchell as special envoy to the Middle East and former U.N. Ambassador Richard Holbrooke as envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009 - Day 2
Re-took Presidential Oath of Office
Telephoned the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas - according to Abbas's spokesman, the call was Obama's first to a foreign leader.
Phoned the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
Phoned King Abdullah of Jordan.
Phoned Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak. The Middle Eastern calls, Obama's press spokesman said, were intended "to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term".
Signed Executive Order -- Presidential Records - limits powers of former presidents and vice-presidents to block the release of sensitive records from their time in the White House. It allows the administration to approve release of former vice-president Dick Cheney's records, among others, against his objections.
Signed Executive Order -- Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel - tightens rules on ex-lobbyists working in government.
President issued the following Memorandums:
Freedom of Information Act Memorandum ordering all agencies to adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure when public information requests are made. The memorandum also instructs the heads of executive departments and agencies to be pro-active in making information accessible to the public, rather than waiting for specific requests.
Pay Freeze Memorandum ordering that senior officials on the White House staff forgo pay increases until further notice.
Transparency and Open Government Memorandum ordering that the Chief Technology Officer, in coordination with the OMB Director submit reccommendations within 120 days for an Open Government Initiative, based on the principles that government should be transparent, participatory and collaborative.
Telephoned the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas - according to Abbas's spokesman, the call was Obama's first to a foreign leader.
Phoned the Israeli prime minister, Ehud Olmert.
Phoned King Abdullah of Jordan.
Phoned Egypt's president, Hosni Mubarak. The Middle Eastern calls, Obama's press spokesman said, were intended "to communicate his commitment to active engagement in pursuit of Arab-Israeli peace from the beginning of his term".
Signed Executive Order -- Presidential Records - limits powers of former presidents and vice-presidents to block the release of sensitive records from their time in the White House. It allows the administration to approve release of former vice-president Dick Cheney's records, among others, against his objections.
Signed Executive Order -- Ethics Commitments by Executive Branch Personnel - tightens rules on ex-lobbyists working in government.
President issued the following Memorandums:
Freedom of Information Act Memorandum ordering all agencies to adopt a presumption in favor of disclosure when public information requests are made. The memorandum also instructs the heads of executive departments and agencies to be pro-active in making information accessible to the public, rather than waiting for specific requests.
Pay Freeze Memorandum ordering that senior officials on the White House staff forgo pay increases until further notice.
Transparency and Open Government Memorandum ordering that the Chief Technology Officer, in coordination with the OMB Director submit reccommendations within 120 days for an Open Government Initiative, based on the principles that government should be transparent, participatory and collaborative.
Tuesday, January 20, 2009 - Day 1
Newly Inaugurated President Obama sent the following cabinet nominations to the U.S. Senate:
Steven Chu, of California, to be Secretary of Energy.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, of New York, to be Secretary of State.
Thomas Andrew Daschle, of South Dakota, to be Secretary of Health and Human Services.
Shaun L.S. Donovan, of New York, to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Arne Duncan, of Illinois, to be Secretary of Education.
Timothy F. Geithner, of New York, to be Secretary of the Treasury.
Eric H. Holder, Jr., of the District of Columbia, to be Attorney General.
Lisa Perez Jackson, of New Jersey, to be Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency.
Ronald Kirk, of Texas, to be United States Trade Representative, with the rank of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary.
Ray LaHood, of Illinois, to be Secretary of Transportation.
Janet Ann Napolitano, of Arizona, to be Secretary of Homeland Security.
Peter R. Orszag, of Massachusetts, to be Director of the Office of Management and Budget.
Susan E. Rice, of the District of Columbia, to be the Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations, with the rank and status of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, and the Representative of the United States of America in the Security Council of the United Nations.
Susan E. Rice, of the District of Columbia, to be Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations during her tenure of service as Representative of the United States of America to the United Nations.
Christina Duckworth Romer, of California, to be a Member of the Council of Economic Advisers, vice Edward P. Lazear.
Kenneth Lee Salazar, of Colorado, to be Secretary of the Interior.
Eric K. Shinseki, of Hawaii, to be Secretary of Veterans Affairs.
Hilda L. Solis, of California, to be Secretary of Labor.
Thomas J. Vilsack, of Iowa, to be Secretary of Agriculture.
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