In 2008, we elected the most
progressive president possible. And when you actually look at the
record, there has been a lot of progress since January 20, 2009. I know a
lot of people continue to be negative, but I decided to go a different
route when I started compiling this almost five years ago.
Here is a list of many of President
Obama’s accomplishments as President. Every one of them has a citation,
so no one can dismiss them out of hand, although many have tried since I
started to compile this list Even with the obstacles we gave him,
especially the Republican Congress, this President will leave a hell of a
legacy. If we want to win elections – and in a democracy, that has to
be our main goal – we have to make people want to vote for us. That means accentuating the positive, and talking about how great we are, especially compared to the alternative.
Changed the Culture of the Executive Branch
Within his first week, he signed an Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating waste and abuse.
http://1.usa.gov/dUvbu5
Created the post of Chief Performance
Officer, whose job it is to make operations more efficient to save the
federal government money.
http://n.pr/hcgBn1
He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending and efficiency.
http://www.cio.gov
He committed to phasing out unnecessary
and outdated weapons systems and signed the Weapons Systems Acquisition
Reform Act, in an attempt to limit waste, fraud and abuse in the defense
procurement and contracting systems.
http://bit.ly/hOw1t1http://bit.ly/fz8GAd
Signed an Executive Order instructing
federal agencies to review all federal regulations and remove any
unnecessary and/or burdensome regulations from the books.
http://1.usa.gov/Lpo5bd
Dismantled the Minerals Management Service, thereby cutting ties between energy companies and the government.
http://nyti.ms/bw1MLu
Banned anyone from working in an agency
they had lobbied in previous years and placed strict limits on
lobbyists’ access to the White House.
http://nyti.ms/gOrznV
Held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public.
http://bit.ly/gVNSgX
Restored the 30-day time frame for
former presidents to review records and eliminated the right for the
vice president or family members of former presidents to do the reviews,
giving the public greater access to historic White House documents,
and curtails the use of executive privilege to shield them.
http://1.usa.gov/gUetLb
Improved the Freedom of Information Act
and issued new guidelines to make FOIA more open and transparent when
processing FOIA requests.
http://1.usa.gov/gjrnp2
Streamline the Department of Education’s procurement policies and made them more transparent.
http://bit.ly/1r9oQvh
Provided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history.
http://1.usa.gov/hQ7
Signed a law to completely reform NSA Data Collection program and keep phone records in the hands of the phone company.
http://bit.ly/1dG34vD
Staved Off a Bush Depression, Improved the Economy
Pushed through and signed the American
Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as “the stimulus package.” He
also launched recovery.gov, a website that allows taxpayers to track
spending from the Act.
http://1.usa.gov/ibiFSshttp://1.usa.gov/e3BJMk
By the end of his first year, the economy created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy by 3.5%.
http://reut.rs/i46CEE
In 2010, more jobs were created than had been created during Bush’s eight years.
http://bit.ly/hrrnjY
Through his investment in GM, returned to the company to its place as the premiere car company in the world.
http://lat.ms/zIJuQx
In February 2016, GM was in such good
financial shape, they gave a share of the profit to each worker, with
checks up to $11,000.
http://detne.ws/1mk7Jry
Doubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, to improve manufacturing efficiency.
http://bit.ly/eYD4nf
Signed the Helping Families Save Their
Homes Act, which helped millions of Americans avoid preventable
foreclosures and provided $2.2 billion to combat homelessness and
stabilize the housing market.
http://bit.ly/eEpLFn
Signed an Executive Order creating
jobs immediately by instructing them to reduce the time needed for
review and permitting of infrastructure projects.
http://1.usa.gov/GHxaYt
Through the Worker, Homeownership, and
Business Assistance Act of 2009, he and Congressional Democrats provided
tax credits to first-time home buyers, which helped the U.S. housing
market recovery.
http://bit.ly/dZgXXw http://bit.ly/gORYfL
Played a lead role in getting the G-20 Summit to commit to a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis.
http://nyti.ms/gHlgp5
Through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, saved at least 300,000 education jobs, such as
teachers, principals, librarians, and counselors that would have
otherwise been lost.
http://1.usa.gov/ez30D
With Congressional Democrats, provided
funding to states and the Department of Homeland Security to save
thousands of police and firefighter jobs from being cut during the
recession.
http://bit.ly/g0IKWR
Worked with Apple Computer to get them
to build more product here, and thecompany is building two large plants
to manufacture products here; one in Texas
http://zd.net/1nkpt2O and one in Arizona
http://bit.ly/1mXY5Vg
Created an institute to invest in more manufacturing jobs in the technology fields of the future.
http://nyti.ms/1egyXrV
Ordered all federal contractors to pay a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour, leading the way to a national increase.
http://wapo.st/1iaU5kd
Ordered the completion of the
International Trade Data System, a digital trade record book, by 2016.
This move will streamline and simplify the process through
which small- and medium-sized businesses set up the export of US goods.
http://bit.ly/1nwSRF4
Specific Examples of Economic Improvement
As of January 2016, Unemployment drops below 5% for the first time in eight years and without a significant bubble. 4.9%
http://on.msnbc.com/1TKFCPQ
Oversaw a reduction in the federal budget deficit by two-thirds since taking office.
http://bit.ly/1xKMmjY
Scolds Congress and gets passed a $305
billion highways bill, which will have the added benefit of created
hundreds of thousands of new jobs and creating incentives for green
cars.
http://bit.ly/1NsL2Zq
Addressed Wrongdoing in the Financial Sector
Signed the Fraud Enforcement and
Recovery Act giving the federal government more tools to investigate and
prosecute fraud in every corner of the financial system, and create a
bipartisan Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission to investigate the
financial fraud that led to the economic meltdown.
http://abcn.ws/g18Fe7
Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money.
http://huff.to/eAi9Qq
Along with Congressional Democrats,
pushed through and got passed Dodd-Frank, one of the largest and most
comprehensive Wall Street reforms since the Great Depression.
http://bit.ly/hWCPg0http://bit.ly/geHpcD
Created and implemented rules to reduce the influence of speculators in the oil market.
http://bit.ly/MDnA1t
Created and implemented rules so banks
can no longer use depositors’ money to invest in high-risk financial
instruments that work against depositors’ interests.
http://bit.ly/fnTayj
Supported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation.
http://bit.ly/fnTayj
Negotiated a deal with Swiss banks permitting the US government to gain access to bank records of criminals and tax evaders.
http://bit.ly/htfDgw
Signed the American Jobs and Closing Tax
Loopholes Act, closing many of the loopholes that allowed companies to
send jobs overseas, and avoid paying US taxes by moving money
offshore.
http://1.usa.gov/bd1RTq
Thanks to the Patient Protection
and Affordable Care Act, inflation in the healthcare sector dropped to
its lowest point in 50 years.
http://on.wsj.com/1E6cYjF
Improved Conditions for Consumers and Small Businesses
Signed the Credit Card
Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, to protect
consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices.
http://1.usa.gov/gIaNcS
Brought airline industry back to their highest profitability since before the recession.
http://lat.ms/1O8H1iE
Blocked a monopolistic merger of Staples and Office Depot, to preserve at least some competition.
http://bit.ly/1kcY2Kv
Stock market has reached record highs, restoring most of the economic losses felt during the Bush Recession.
http://bit.ly/1z4FAtL
Created business.gov, to allow online
collaboration between small businesses and experts re managing a
business. (The program has since merged with SBA.gov.)
http://www.business.gov
Used recovered TARP money to fund
programs at local housing finance agencies in California, Florida,
Nevada, Arizona and Michigan.
http://on.msnbc.com/i1i8eV
Crafted and signed an executive order
establishing the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability
to assist in financial education for all Americans.
http://bit.ly/eyqsNE
Through the Fraud Enforcement and
Recovery Act, extended the False Claims Act to combat fraud by companies
and individuals using money from TARP and Stimulus programs.
http://bit.ly/SLTcSa
Took steps to prevent pirate fishing and
protect fish populations, and ordered stricter labeling requirements on
labeling of seafood products in stores.
http://1.usa.gov/1BYhTUn
Signed the RAISE Act, which should encourage more people to open small businesses and help improve the economy.
http://bit.ly/1QhTqkF
Signed a bill that allows low-volume
vehicle manufacturers that will increase entrepreneurship among small
car manufacturers, who often build replicas of classics but who often
build green vehicles.
http://bit.ly/1QhTqkF
Strengthened the Middle Class and Fought Poverty
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, cut taxes for 95% of America’s working families.
http://bit.ly/eSEI4F
Extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years.
http://bit.ly/eFeSdP
Provided a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps).
http://nyti.ms/gfLqyM
Signed an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs.
http://wapo.st/eWECA8
Included the Buffet Rule in his 2014
budget proposal, in order to fulfill a campaign promise to make sure tax
rates are fair between the rich and the middle class.
http://1.usa.gov/19PkdQo
Used the fiscal cliff negotiations to
extend for five additional years the American Opportunity Tax Credit,
which provides tax credits to families for college-related expenses,
thus saving those families up to $10,000.
http://onforb.es/17zYg3u
Signed and implemented the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, to improve nutrition in schools and make children healthier.
http://1.usa.gov/GAXkSk
To make college more affordable and accountable, will begin rating colleges with regard to affordability and value.
http://bit.ly/14Dn7UL
Initiated a reform of federal job training programs, to make them more relevant to the current economy and the job market.
http://1.usa.gov/1kZLQHG
Under Obama, the bottom 95% of taxpayers
pay lower federal income taxes than at any time in the last 50 years,
including under Reagan, or either Bush.
http://bit.ly/1w1W8Ns
Signed a presidential memorandum
authorizing six weeks paid leave for all federal employees with a
new baby and encouraged Congress to do the same for all workers.
http://bit.ly/18613XA
2014 marked the first time since 1984 that unemployment dropped in all 50 states and the District of Columbia.
1.usa.gov/1E25u0C
Took steps to improve workplace safety by creating an Advisory Board to study workers’ exposure to toxic substances.
http://1.usa.gov/1M4s8IG
Changed overtime rules to make it far more difficult for employers to avoid paying overtime to workers.
http://politi.co/1KHfiBe
Changed rules for federal contractors,
guaranteeing that all workers earn paid leave; this should affect about
300,000 workers.
http://1.usa.gov/1LcHZWl
Negotiated a law to finally replace “No
Child Left Behind” and remove much of the onerous government “oversight”
that caused children to stagnate, not improve, academically.
http://bit.ly/1Up9pMl
Addressed Civil Rights and Equality
Formed a commission to examine and make recommendations for fixing the broken voting system.
http://wapo.st/16K0D
At a press conference August 9, 2013,
gave up a small measure of executive power, promising to
create adversarial process in FISA regarding NSA surveillance.
http://1.usa.gov/1dQmnyQ
Proposed rules to enhance Fair Housing Laws, to give HUD and other enforcement agencies more enforcement power.
http://bit.ly/1qkz4uQ
Appointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy.
http://1.usa.gov/fi5IY0
Concentrated immigration enforcement on those who commit crimes, and vowed to stop breaking up families.
http://1.usa.gov/1uTZ8gV
Streamlined the visa process, to make it more responsive and humane for those who want to be here legally.
http://1.usa.gov/1tgDRti
Took steps to tighten the reins when it
comes to providing local law enforcement agencies with military-style
equipment and exercising more control over the equipment they receive.
http://1.usa.gov/1ATWV3K
Changed fair housing rules to make more affordable housing available to more people.
http://cnn.it/1JcR3qB
Established the White House
Council of Native American Affairs, to improve government-to-government
relations with Native American nations.
http://1.usa.gov/1cIEeEv
Limited local police acquisitions of military-style equipment, to reduce the likelihood of overkill.
http://n.pr/1NGkBjT
Signed Blue Alert Law, which provides police officers with more information when they are threatened.
http://bit.ly/1NGksga
Improved Workers’ Rights
He issued final rules that require all
employers to prominently post employees’ rights where all employees or
prospective employees can see it, including all websites and
intranets.
http://1.usa.gov/qu2EhQ
Obama’s Equal Employment Opportunity
Commission clarified and strengthened rules prohibiting discrimination
against pregnant workers.
http://alj.am/1mo0kjV
Required companies who bid on federal
contracts larger than $500,000 to publicly disclose all previous
violations of labor law, including unpaid claims for back wages.
http://1.usa.gov/V54qY3
Made it illegal for federal contractors
with more than $1 million in contracts to force employees into
arbitration in workplace discrimination accusations.
http://1.usa.gov/V54qY3
Vetoed Republican bill that would have
blocked new NLRB rules that were designed to speed up the time it takes
workers to unionize.
http://reut.rs/1agujMO
He also added a Memorandum of Disagreement to make his reasons for the
veto clear and made a major statement in support of unions.
http://1.usa.gov/1NG7RuA
Cracked down on companies that
were previously denying sick pay, vacation and health insurance, and
Social Security and Medicare tax payments through abuse of the employee
classification of independent contractor.
http://nyti.ms/fOGLcj
Protected the Rights of Gay People
Signed and implemented the Matthew
Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which made it a
federal crime to assault anyone based on his or her sexual orientation
or gender identity.
http://bit.ly/gsMSJ7
As soon as the Supreme Court invalidated
the Defense of Marriage Act, he moved to extend federal benefits to
same-sex couples.
http://wapo.st/1avDjue
Changed HUD rules to prohibit gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination in housing
bit.ly/9RxEnP
Issued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other.
http://1.usa.gov/aUueGT
Appointed several prominent gay athletes
and others, and plans to show US government’s commitment to gay rights
to anti-gay Russia.
http://on.cpsj.com/1fckN9h
Department of Agriculture propagated new
rules to better enforce non-discrimination when it comes to USDA
investigations and to extend non-discrimination to gender identity.
http://bit.ly/1yChJhi
Persevered with his campaign to turn “gay marriage” into “marriage” and won in the Supreme Court.
http://cbsloc.al/1M4qLKb
Improved Conditions for Women
Establishing the White House Council on
Women and Girls to ensure that all Cabinet and Cabinet-level
agencies consider the effect of their policies and programs on women and
families.
http://bit.ly/e1puTk http://1.usa.gov/rFfqMM
Implemented the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay
Act, which restored basic protections against pay discrimination for
women and other workers.
http://bit.ly/fT3Cxg
Improved the Paycheck Fairness Act,
making it possible for employees to talk about their salaries without
retaliation, and ordering salary data collection, so as to make it
harder for employers to pay women less.
http://huff.to/1nwVOWf
Signed an Executive Order pledging support for efforts to end the global problem of violence against women and girls.
http://1.usa.gov/MHTRVU
Shattered another glass ceiling by naming Janet Yellen chair of the Federal Reserve beginning Feb. 1, 2014.
http://usat.ly/1gqMBfk
Ordered companies with 100 employees or more to disclose pay data based on race and gender, to address the pay gap.
http://theatln.tc/1Q04XPL
Addressed Criminal Justice Failings and the Gun Culture
Made significant reductions in drug sentencing guidelines for current prisoners.
http://n.pr/1mWBLkM
Increased his use of clemency to release thousands of non-violent drug offenders from prison.
http://nyti.ms/1KE8DJG
After a failure by Congress to act,
proposed executive orders to create more background checks and to fully
staff the background check system.
http://cnn.it/1JXmUg6
Relaxed HIPAA rules enough to allow for more information to be available to the background check system.
http://on.wsj.com/SX9xaZ
Order the Justice Department to look at
the categories of mental health problems prohibited from owning guns to
make sure people aren’t falling through the cracks, getting guns.
http://onforb.es/1nUAGw3
Expanded the definitions of gun dealers
and expanded the information available and required in background checks
for firearm purchases.
http://bit.ly/1K5aXee
Set up a task force to figure out what
other measures can be taken to limit gun violence in the wake of
Congressional inaction.
http://1.usa.gov/1QjYMGJ
Improved Treatment of Soldiers and Veterans
Put an end to the Bush-era stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their enlistment date.
http://nyti.ms/e2YQ7Q
Signed and implemented Veterans Health
Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, making more money available to
enable better medical care for veterans.
http://1.usa.gov/fN4ur1
With Congressional Democrats, oversaw
largest spending increase in 30 years for Department of Veterans
Affairs, for improved medical and extended care facilities for
veterans.
http://1.usa.gov/gY8O3x
Implemented the Green Vet Initiative, which provides special funding to provide veterans with training in green jobs.
http://bit.ly/epwUQY
Initiated and signed a recruitment and employment plan to get more veterans into government jobs.
http://bit.ly/b48coi
Oversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals.
http://bit.ly/gjzTxX
Signed the Military Spouses Residency
Relief Act, which ensures that spouses of military personnel who are
forced to move because their spouse is posted for military duty can
avoid state taxes in their temporary residence.
http://bit.ly/1Gh0NX
Ordered improvements to access to mental health care for veterans, military personnel and their families.
http://1.usa.gov/TP7PVZ
Got Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons without military firing a single shot or dropping a single bomb.
http://nyti.ms/1lVEkU7
Along with Congressional Democrats, not
only reauthorized families of fallen soldiers to be able to visit when
the body arrives at Dover AFB, but also provided funding for it. Ended
the media blackout on coverage of the return of fallen soldiers.
http://nyti.ms/glqN66
http://bbc.in/gWSSkA
Funded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services.
http://1.usa.gov/huhqfo
Signed into law a bill that provides
support, counseling, and breastfeeding supplies to military moms who are
covered under TRICARE, the health insurance provided to veterans.
http://bit.ly/1yNxL8O
Signed into law a bill that makes it easier for military dogs to retire at home with their handlers.
http://bit.ly/1J78Y2U
Improved America’s Reputation Around the World
Visited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office.
http://bit.ly/hZycda
As he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration.
http://nyti.ms/dKvY4g
Made a speech at a US mosque to
demonstrate his commitment to religious rights and send a message to
Muslims around the world.
http://cnn.it/1PGU1uI
Re-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues.
http://1.usa.gov/e7QuDj
Pushed forward the first realistic Middle East peace strategy in more than a decade, without abandoning the two-state solution.
http://wapo.st/1avyste
Pushed for military to emphasize greater development of foreign language skills.
http://bit.ly/AxUCLV
Offered $400 million to the people
living in Gaza, while calling on both Israel and the Palestinians to
stop inciting violence.
http://bit.ly/9axfWh
Refused to give Israel the green light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program.
http://bit.ly/xVmSZK
Ordered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, although blocked by Congress.
http://bit.ly/eW6CVF
Ordered a review of our detention and interrogation policy and prohibited the use of “enhanced interrogation.”
http://bit.ly/g6MTuC
Ordered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed.
http://bbc.in/h6N9ax
In response to the emerging “Arab
Spring,” he created a Rapid Response fund, to assist emerging
democracies with foreign aid, debt relief, technical assistance and
investment packages in order to show that the United States stands with
them.
http://bit.ly/zfmGv9
Ended the F-22 program, saving $4
billion. Though the 187 aircraft cost $358 million each to build, it had
never flown a combat mission.
http://slate.me/PYzmzT
Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war and encourage the Iranian government to give up their nuclear program.
http://1.usa.gov/wLtNjb
Conducted a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates.
http://bit.ly/y8c9Fz
Through United Nations Ambassador
Susan Rice, helped negotiate a peaceful split of Sudan into two
countries, creating an independent South Sudan.
http://reut.rs/qzE0Tj
Established new, more reasonable
policies in our relations with Cuba, such as allowing Cuban-Americans to
visit their families and send money to support them.
http://n.pr/hY3Kwa http://nyti.ms/emQBde
The new policies in Cuba led to thawed relations and the first US Embassy in Cuba in more than 55 years.
http://abcn.ws/1ghLrEs
Negotiated a deal with Iran that will
prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon anytime soon, without firing a
shot or invading the country.
http://cnn.it/1M3Hpvv
As a result of the Iran agreement, Iran shipped pretty much all of it nuclear material to Russia.
http://nyti.ms/1PrzLty
Became the first US President to visit
Jamaica in more than 30 years, worked to restore relations with the
country and signed a natural gas distribution agreement with the
country.
http://bit.ly/1JtpFqi
Signs law extending some privacy
protections to US allies, a reversal of the Bush practice of spying on
people like Angela Merkel and the like.
http://bit.ly/1VZza6w
Instituted Power Africa, an initiative to bring electrical generation to greater parts of the African continent.
http://bbc.in/1QtYVud
Changed US Approach to “Defense” and National Security
Restarted nuclear nonproliferation talks
and built up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols to where
they had been before Bush.
http://lat.ms/gkcl3i
Developed a comprehensive strategy with
regard to Afghanistan and Pakistan designed to facilitate the defeat of
al Qaeda, the withdrawal of most troops and the rebuilding of
Afghanistan.
http://wapo.st/ee4Xcs
Re-focused on Afghanistan, stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing troops from the country.
http://bit.ly/lNXUna
Negotiated a deal
with Afghan government, to withdraw troops and military support, while
assisting in rebuilding and modernizing of the country.
http://bit.ly/K362an
Took steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world.
http://yhoo.it/n5lXs6
Worked with NATO to limit the slaughter
of innocents in Libya, so that Libyans could topple the
despotic Khadaffy government and determine their own fate.
http://aje.me/qAh4Sj
Got Egyptian President/dictator Mubarak to leave the Egyptian government to the people, to determine their own fate.
http://f24.my/efvgNZ
In 2011, reoriented American focus from
the Middle East to the Asian-Pacific region by simultaneously engaging
China and crafting new alliances with Asian countries uncomfortable with
Chinese behavior.
http://bit.ly/RGlMDi
Restored federal agencies such as FEMA
to the point that they have been able to manage a huge number of natural
disasters successfully.
http://bit.ly/h8Xj7z
Established the Homeland Security
Partnership Council, to enhance the nation’s ability to “address
homeland security priorities, from responding to natural disasters to
preventing terrorism, by utilizing diverse perspectives, skills, tools,
and resources.”
http://1.usa.gov/VJjLXO
Breaking with recent presidential
tradition, instead of just attacking Syria in the wake of chemical
weapons attacks on Syrians, Obama ordered a full report on the
decision-making process.
http://cbsn.ws/184RFgu
Instead of holding hearings and creating
a political football, he quietly captured a suspect who actually
committed the Benghazi terrorist attack.
http://wapo.st/1jFlmzv He is also getting a lot of useful information from the suspect.
http://nyti.ms/UfE2Ka
Instituted rules to order sanctions against individuals and groups that threaten national cybersecurity.
http://1.usa.gov/1HWcGMG
Instituted tougher new sanctions against North Korea after threats of nuclear attack and several tests.
http://cbsn.ws/1L8L5hW
Improved Education and Educational Opportunities
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, invested heavily in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education.
http://1.usa.gov/gGRIAr
Created the Race to the Top program,
which encouraged states to come up with effective school reforms and
rewards the best of them.
http://bit.ly/NHtZ7L
Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start.
http://1.usa.gov/tzT2Rr
Signed the Democratic-sponsored Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0, to improve veterans’ access to education.
http://bit.ly/hPhG7J
Oversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low and middle income students to go to college.
http://bit.ly/hI6tXz
Signed and implemented the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds.
http://1.usa.gov/dQvtUe
Took major new steps to protect students
from ineffective for-profit colleges through “gainful employment”
measures, whereby schools have to demonstrate that its students actually
find work to get federal aid.
http://1.usa.gov/jkzQe2
Reformed student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate.
http://nyti.ms/dMvHOt
Created a rating system for colleges, so that those applying for student financial aid know better what they’re paying for.
http://bit.ly/14Dn7UL
Restored the Adult View on Science and Technology
Created a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making.
http://1.usa.gov/g2SDuw
Opened up the process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects.
http://bit.ly/j0KV2U
Through the American Recovery and
Reinvestment Act, committed more federal funding, about $18 billion, to
support non-defense science and research labs.
http://nyti.ms/fTs9t7
Obama EPA reversed research ethics
standards which allowed humans to be used as “guinea pigs” in tests of
the effects of chemicals, to comply with numerous codes of medical
ethics.
http://bit.ly/bKgqdS
Oversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use.
http://bit.ly/dNTRyP
Through American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs.
http://bit.ly/ecQSgA
Through the Connect America Fund, pushed
through and received FCC approval for a move of $8 billion in subsidies
away from telephone landlines to assist lower-income rural families in
accessing broadband.
http://lat.ms/vhRUEs http://bit.ly/129V3SY
In the wake of the West Fertilizer
tragedy, formed the Chemical Safety and Security Working Group, to work
on measures to prevent another such events.
http://1.usa.gov/18kHSlA
Established a Cyber Threat Intelligence
Integration Center, a recommendation made by the 9/11 Commission, to
coordinate efforts to fight cyber-crime and terrorism.
http://1.usa.gov/1A0aEoS
The Obama FCC, with his leadership, adopted strong net neutrality rules, to keep the Internet open and equal for everyone.
http://fcc.us/1MhTlIA
Set up a National Strategic Computing
Initiative, to “maximize benefits of high-performance computing (HPC)
research, development, and deployment.”
http://1.usa.gov/1IN3FZa
Signed executive orders designed to strengthen government cybersecurity and prevent hackers from getting in.
http://usat.ly/1R0saIt
Improved Our Health
Signed Democratic-sponsored Christopher
and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first comprehensive attempt to improve
the lives of Americans living with paralysis.
http://bit.ly/fOi2rb
Expanded the Nurse-Family Partnership
program, which provides home visits by trained registered nurses to
low-income expectant mothers and their families, to cover more
first-time mothers.
http://bit.ly/jRRRJc\
Along with Democrats in Congress,
ushered through and signed a bill authorizing FDA to regulate tobacco
and order tobacco companies to disclose their ingredients and to ban
cigarettes falsely labeled as “light.”
http://on.msnbc.com/fiKViB
Eliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price.
http://bit.ly/fOkG5b
Two weeks after taking office, signed
Democratic-sponsored Children’s Health Insurance Reauthorization Act,
which increased the number of children covered by health insurance by 4
million.
http://bit.ly/fDEzGv
Urged Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation.
http://yhoo.it/e8Tj9C
Pushed through and signed Affordable
Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage greatly and ended
many detrimental insurance company practices. He also established
healthcare.gov.
http://www.healthcare.gov/
Through ACA, allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26.
http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Through the ACA, provided tax breaks to allow 3.5 million small businesses to provide health insurance to their employees.
http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Through the ACA, millions of people receive help in paying their health insurance company premiums.
http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Through the ACA, expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level.
http://nyti.ms/ekMWpo (Note: except for those states whose Republicans refused to take the extra money.)
By 2014, the Affordable Care Act dropped
the number of uninsured Americans by 22.3%, which amounts to more than
10.3 million people with insurance who didn’t have it before. Only 13.9%
of Americans are uninsured, a drop from 18.9% in 2013.
http://on.msnbc.com/1r4kjGn
Through the ACA, health insurance
companies now have to disclose how much of your premium actually goes to
pay for patient care.
http://nyti.ms/fNB26V
Medicare costs actually declined slightly, for the first time in decades in 2011, according to the Congressional Budget Office.
http://1.usa.gov/oMxpTh
Created the HIV Care
Continuum Initiative, to strengthen the government’s ability to respond
to the continuing domestic HIV epidemic, after years of Republicans
weakening the government’s ability to deal with the crisis.
http://1.usa.gov/1iLED0t
Signed bill that will provide health
insurance premium support to workers who lose their health insurance due
to foreign competition.
http://bit.ly/1evvVDF
In response to the confusion triggered
by the asinine Hobby Lobby decision, which essentially declared that
corporations could have “religious rights” and lord them
over employees, created new rules to give all women with insurance the
right to free birth control.
http://on.wsj.com/1O44a1t
Implemented the National HIV/AIDS
Strategy for 2015-2020, which is a follow-up to the first such strategy
in US history, which he implemented in 2010.
http://1.usa.gov/1IXknHm
Set up a White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force, in order to implement ways to develop a cure for cancer.
http://1.usa.gov/20AeKY4
Addressed the Environment While Dealing with Energy Needs
Created a program to develop renewable
energy projects on the waters of our Outer Continental Shelf that will
produce electricity from wind, wave, and ocean currents.
http://1.usa.gov/fgfRWq
Fully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide.
http://bit.ly/eJ6QOO
Required states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption.
http://bit.ly/lBhk7P
Under Obama, our dependence on foreign oil has dropped to its lowest rate since 1985, and continues to drop.
http://1.usa.gov/1p6kTUy
Meanwhile, oil consumption is way down because of reduced driving and higher mileage standards.
http://ti.me/1z4HFG8
Improved siting, review and permitting
stations for power plants, in an attempt to seriously improve the
nation’s electric grid.
http://1.usa.gov/1l8zNqn
Reengaged in a number of treaties and agreements designed to protect the Antarctic.
http://bit.ly/fzQUFO
Established a quadrennial review of our
energy infrastructure, to encourage a modernization of the grid, and to
encourage the transition away from fossil fuel use.
http://1.usa.gov/1nx2oMo
Encouraged BP to pay $20 billion
to establish Oil Spill Liability Trust Fund, to reduce the need for
taxpayer funds to be used for compensation and clean up.
http://wapo.st/ds2BxT (Note: it took 20 years to get $1.3 billion for the Exxon Valdez spill. )
Oversaw and pushed through an amendment
to the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 authorizing advances from Oil Spill
Liability Trust Fund for the Deepwater Horizon oil spill.
http://1.usa.gov/yTRYVo
Actively tried to amend the Oil
Pollution Act of 1990 to eliminate the liability limits for those
companies responsible for large oil spills.
http://nyti.ms/bxjDi3
Became the first President to simply say
“Climate Change is a fact,” and set up the first federal government
protocols for dealing with the impacts of climate change.
http://1.usa.gov/1b7V67B
Asserted federal legal supremacy to bar Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its own.
http://bit.ly/ww8eMd
Strengthened protection for wildlife, and expanded enforcement of laws against wildlife trafficking.
http://1.usa.gov/1fce1Ai
Obama EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year.
http://bit.ly/jYH7nt
Through the EPA, attemped to take steps
to severely limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to increase
their efficacy in humans.
http://bit.ly/fBuWd2
Through new EPA regulations, he created a
pretext for closing the dirtiest power plants in the country, by
limiting emissions of mercury and other toxic gasses.
http://bit.ly/rQCIgA
Announced a huge increase in average
fuel economy standards from 27.5mpg in 2010 to 35.5mpg starting in 2016
and 54.5 starting in 2025
http://1.usa.gov/qtghsW
Facilitated investment in industrial
energy efficiency to create jobs and strengthen US manufacturing while
saving businesses $100 billion over a decade.
http://1.usa.gov/WsIgbx
Set up the Gulf Coast Ecosystem
Restoration Council to oversee Gulf Coast restoration efforts after the
2010 BP oil spill. The money to fund the restoration efforts comes from
fines against BP.
http://1.usa.gov/Rxjb29
Ordered energy plants to prepare to
produce at least 15% of all energy through renewable resources like wind
and solar, by 2021.
http://reut.rs/fV155p
Oversaw the creation of an initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into new clean technology centers.
http://bit.ly/mjnq2R
As of May 2015, 74% of new electrical capacity was provided by solar and wind power.
http://bit.ly/1T5r0LC
Bypassed Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions.
http://bit.ly/froaP5
Ordered the federal government
to incorporate climate resilience and climate science into all
international development in which the United States engages.
http://1.usa.gov/YV1EpW
Fast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact fuel efficiency standards that exceeded federal standards.
http://nyti.ms/e8e94x
Fast-tracked increased fuel economy
standards for vehicles beginning with the 2011 model year. It was
the first time such standards had been increased in more than a
decade.
http://politi.co/hiaPKM
Oversaw establishment of an Energy
Partnership for the Americas, to create more markets for American-made
biofuels and green energy technologies.
http://bit.ly/lZp73y
Obama EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history.
http://bit.ly/lP3yEL
Ordered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances.
http://1.usa.gov/g3MTbu
Blocked all oil and gas drilling in Bristol Bay, Alaska, one of the most pristine environments in North America
http://lat.ms/13xUVFD
Signed an Executive Order to improve
environmental efforts in the Arctic region and to combat climate change
by better coordinating the efforts of the 23 federal agencies operating
in the area.
http://usat.ly/ZEzLzE
Expanded clean water regulations to more
stringently protect all of the nation’s waterways, even when states
fail in their duty.
http://bit.ly/1RdQpTc
Signed an Executive Order committing the
federal government to lead the way in building a sustainable economy.
It’s his fifth doing just that.
http://1.usa.gov/1EzO2ne
Developed new rules to address climate change and to create a significant boost to clean energy.
http://bit.ly/1UnQcuR
Negotiated and signed a virtually Republican-Proof global agreement on climate change, with 190 countries signing on.
http://bit.ly/1RkjVG8
Ordered a moratorium on new coal leasing on federal land, and they will examine the whole leasing process.
http://wapo.st/23Q6en8
There’s a Lot More!
Nominated Sonia Sotomayor and
Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court. Sotomayor is the first Hispanic
Justice in the court’s history, and the women represent only the third
and fourth women to serve on the court, out of a total of 112
justices.
http://huff.to/eOChg6http://bit.ly/i02wgP
Appointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president.
http://bit.ly/dX6vNB
Loosened the rules and allowed the 14
states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves without
federal interference.
http://huff.to/eQfa7j
Signed national service legislation,
increasing funding for national service groups, including triple the
size of the Americorps program.
http://bit.ly/idgQH5
Signed a bill that provided $4.3 billion in additional assistance to 9/11 first responders.
http://bit.ly/o7cWYS
Signed the Claims Resolution Act, which
provided $4.6 billion in funding for a legal settlement with black and
Native American farmers who had been cheated out of government loans and
natural resource royalties in the past.
http://1.usa.gov/dGppUa
To help those communities devastated by
Hurricane Sandy, issued an executive order setting up the Hurricane
Sandy Rebuilding Task Force, and asked Congress to approve $60 billion
in supplemental assistance to aid in storm recovery.
http://1.usa.gov/134L7hl
Produced 23 Executive actions designed
to make it easier for law enforcement to identify those who shouldn’t
have guns, thus helping them enforce the law.
http://on.wsj.com/SX9xaZ
Expanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements in trade pacts like NAFTA.
http://bit.ly/etznpY
Oversaw funding of the design of a new
Smithsonian National Museum of African American History, which is
scheduled to open on the National Mall in 2015. He protected the
funding during budget negotiations.
http://on.fb.me/fD0EVO http://bit.ly/ff5Luv
And Did You Know?
Despite the characterizations of some,
Obama’s success rate in winning congressional votes on issues was an
unprecedented 96.7% for his first year in office. Though he is often
cited as superior to Obama, President Lyndon Johnson’s success rate in
1965 was only 93%.
http://n.pr/i3d7cY
And of course…
Despite the odds, became the first black president and then, was reelected by a wide margin.
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