Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–September 13, 2013 – 2:25 P.M. EDT PRESIDENT OBAMA:  It’s a great pleasure to welcome our friend, the Amir of Kuwait, to the Oval Office.  Kuwait is one of our most important partners in the region, and we have a very strong bilateral defense agreement, as well as working[Read More…]

Changes Resolve Implementation Issues and Clear the Way for Better Consumer Protections WASHINGTON, D.C.—(ENEWSPF)—September 13, 2013. Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized amendments and clarifications to its January 2013 mortgage rules in order to help industry comply and to better protect consumers. The changes made today answer questions[Read More…]

GENEVA–(ENEWSPF)–13 September 2013 – Pressing ahead with his efforts secure a diplomatic solution that would end to more than two years of bloodshed in Syria, United Nations-Arab League Joint Representative Lakhdar Brahimi hosted a meeting between senior officials from Russia and the United States on devising a political path forward,[Read More…]

ACLU Welcomes Ruling for Transparency WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–September 13, 2013.  In an important decision, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court ordered the government to review for release the court’s opinions on the meaning, scope, and constitutionality of Section 215 of the Patriot Act. The ruling is on a motion filed by the American[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–September 12, 2013 – 1:56 P.M. EDT MR. CARNEY:  Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen.  Thank you for your patience today.  The Cabinet meeting ran a little long, and then, obviously, as I think some of you saw, Secretary Kerry and his counterpart spoke in Geneva.  I wanted to allow[Read More…]

NEW YORK–(ENEWSPF)–12 September 2013 – United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has received a letter from the Government of Syria President Bassar Al-Assad will sign and abide by the 20-year-old international treaty on banning chemical weapons. A statement issued by Mr. Ban’s spokesman in New York confirmed that the UN chief[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–September 12, 2013. Index for Today’s Briefing SYRIA Secretary’s Ongoing Meetings in Geneva with Special Representative Brahimi and Foreign Minister Lavrov Secretary’s Calls with Coalition President Jarba and General Idris / Continued Commitment to Opposition SOMALIA Omar Hammami EGYPT Extension of State of Emergency SOMALIA Omar Hammami EGYPT U.S.[Read More…]

Geneva, Switzerland–(ENEWSPF)–September 12, 2013. FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: (Via interpreter) (In progress) – delegations that accompany us. Of course, we would like you to have unbiased ideas about what we are going to do. But I think that you understand well before we start to tell you what we are going[Read More…]

Letter sent to Senate and House Commerce Committees as part of “Lifeline Awareness Week” WASHINGTON–(ENEWSPF)–September 12, 2013.  On Thursday, as part of Lifeline Awareness Week, the Free Press Action Fund and more than 80 groups representing a diverse coalition of public interest, civil rights, religious and community-based organizations sent a[Read More…]

Bulletin Highlights Federal Consumer Protections for Holders of Payroll Cards WASHINGTON, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–September 12, 2013.  Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) published a bulletin reminding employers that they cannot require their employees to receive wages on a payroll card. The bulletin also explains some of the federal consumer protections that[Read More…]