Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. President Obama called Egyptian President Morsi today to discuss the situation in Gaza. The President commended Egypt’s efforts to de-escalate the situation and expressed his hope that these efforts would be successful. The President expressed regret for the loss of Israeli and Palestinian civilian lives, and[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. Prime Minister Netanyahu called the President today to provide an update on the situation in Israel and Gaza. The Prime Minister expressed his deep appreciation to the President and the American people for the United States’ investment in the Iron Dome rocket and mortar defense system,[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. Index for Today’s Briefing DEPARTMENT Secretary Clinton’s Speech on Economic Statecraft KOSOVO European Bank for Reconstruction and Development MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS Secretary’s Phone Calls / Situation in Gaza / Urging De-escalation Egyptian Role in Gaza / Peace Treaty / Egyptian Prime Minister’s Visit Conditions for[Read More…]

MIDDLETOWN, N.J.–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano and Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Shaun Donovan today traveled to Middletown, N.J. to meet with state and local officials and discuss ongoing response and recovery efforts to Hurricane Sandy. Secretaries Napolitano and Donovan reiterated the ongoing support[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012 – 10:25 A.M. EST THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I want to welcome the congressional leadership here and thank them for their time.  I think we’re all aware that we have some urgent business to do.  We’ve got to make sure that taxes don’t go up on middle-class[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. Today, the President called Prime Minister Erdogan to discuss the escalating violence in Israel and the Gaza Strip.  The two leaders shared their concerns about the dangers to civilian populations on both sides and expressed their common desire to see an end to the violence.  The[Read More…]

Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. Today, the President met with the bipartisan, bicameral leadership of Congress at the White House for over an hour.   The President and the leadership had a constructive meeting and agreed to do everything possible to find a solution that averts the so-called “fiscal cliff,” and to[Read More…]

GENEVA–(ENEWSPF)–16 November 2012 – The United Nations human rights chief today urged all parties in Gaza and Israel to pull back from an “increasingly dangerous confrontation” and respect their obligations under humanitarian law to protect citizens, according to her spokesperson. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, Navi Pillay, “is[Read More…]

Senators Kirk, Gillibrand, 62 others cosponsor resolution backing Israel’s inherent right to defend itself from terrorist rockets WASHINGTON, D.C.–(ENEWSPF)–November 16, 2012. As terrorist rockets continue to fall on Israel, the United States Senate tonight unanimously approved a bipartisan resolution introduced by Senators Mark Kirk (R-Ill.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and[Read More…]

Washington, DC—(ENEWSPF)—November 16, 2012. Federal Housing Finance Agency Acting Director Edward J. DeMarco today released FHFA’s 2012 Performance and Accountability Report (PAR) detailing the agency’s performance as regulator and conservator of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and regulator of the 12 Federal Home Loan Banks (FHLBs). The report discusses highlights,[Read More…]