The White House announced it will continue the national emergency designation for Iraq another year, to May 22, 2014. Obstacles to the country's continued reconstruction, restoration and maintenance of peace and security in the country and the development of political and economic institutions "continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States," the White House said in its May 17 message to Congress about the extension (here). Iraq was first designated a national emergency country in 2003.
The U.S. and Turkey established a bilateral High Level Committee led by the Ministry of Economy of Turkey and the office of the USTR, associated with the 2009 Framework for Strategic Economic and Commercial Cooperation (FSECC), with the "ultimate objective of continuing to deepen our economic relations and liberalize trade." said the White House May 16. The White House also noted that the proposed Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership with the European Union could impact Turkey due to its Customs Union with the EU.
The White House issued notice that the national emergency with respect to Yemen will continue for one year, until May 16, 2014. “The actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Yemen and others in threatening Yemen's peace, security, and stability continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States,” said the notice.
President Obama sent his nomination for Secretary of Commerce, Penny Pritzker, to the Senate May 9. For more on Pritzker's background, see 13050221. Also sent to the Senate was the nomination of Rose Eilene Gottemoeller to be Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security. She would replace Ellen Taucher, who resigned.
President Obama sent the nominations of Michael Froman to be U.S. Trade Representative and Anthony Foxx to be Transportation Secretary to the Senate May 7. See 13050221 for more on Froman and [Ref13043017] for more on Foxx.
A new cabinet level initiative aims to foster greater economic growth and stronger connections between the U.S. and Mexico. The High Level Economic Dialogue was announced by the administration May 2, as part of President Obama’s visit to Mexico. The first meeting of the HLED will happen later this year and involve officials from various government agencies as well as the private sector, according to a White House statement (here). HLED will focus on promoting entrepreneurship, innovation and the development of human capital, the U.S. Trade Representative said. It will also help align efforts of the U.S. and Mexico in regional and international forums, like the G20 and Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, USTR said.
The White House issued notice that the national emergency with respect to Burma (Myanmar), originally established in 1997, will be extended for one year. "The Government of Burma has made significant progress in a number of critical areas, including releasing hundreds of political prisoners, achieving cease-fire talks with the 11 armed ethnic groups, taking significant steps toward eliminating press censorship, and enabling the participation of opposition parties in the country's political system," President Obama said in a letter announcing the continuation (here).
White House Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs Mike Froman could be the next U.S. Trade Representative, according to various news reports. Froman has extensive experience in international forums, serving as the U.S. "sherpa" for the G20 and G8 summits and working on the Transatlantic Economic Council, the U.S.-India and U.S.-Brazil CEO forums. Froman attended Harvard Law School with President Obama, and has served in his current role since 2009. He previously worked as a Citigroup executive. New reports are also circulating that Obama fundraiser Penny Pritzker is still in line to become the next Commerce Secretary. Pritzker is the founder and CEO of Chicago investment firm PSP Capital Partners, and served as Obama's national finance campaign chair in 2008 and his national campaign co-chair in 2012. She is also a member of the President's Council for Jobs and Competitiveness and a member of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation board. Pritzker is number 271 on Forbes list of richest Americans.
The Office of Management and Budget released estimates on Fiscal Year 2014 budget reductions required by sequestration April 10 (here). The report estimates a 7.3 percent across-the-board cut for nondefense mandatory spending, higher than the 5 percent sequestration cut federal agencies are currently implementing. Defense mandatory spending will be cut 9.8 percent, the report estimates. CBP is estimated to face a $109 million cut from nondefense mandatory appropriations.
Somalia is now eligible to receive defense articles and defense services under the Arms Export Control Act and the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961. President Barack Obama issued a memorandum April 8 granting Somalia eligibility, saying furnishing defense articles and services to the East African republic “will strengthen the security of the United States and promote world peace.”