President Obama Cites the National Weather Service as an
Example of Necessary Government Funding During a White House News Conference
Related articles - Washington Post June 29, 2011 - Don't Gut the Weather Service: Obama warns against cutting too much
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(June 29, 2011) Funding the National Weather Service and the agency’s mission to save lives and property is clearly on President Obama’s mind. This week, in two separate news conferences regarding the budget, the White House used the National Weather Service as a prime example of necessary funding.
At the beginning of today’s June 29 news conference, President Obama stated, “"We can’t get to the four trillion dollars in savings that we need by just cutting the 12 percent of the budget that pays for things like medical research, and education funding, and food inspectors, and the Weather Service. . . .we are going to have to look at the whole budget."
Later in the news conference, while talking about the need to add tax revenues to the budget, President Obama said, “If we do not have those revenues then the kinds of cuts that would be required might compromise the National Weather Service; it means we would not be funding critical medical research; it means that food inspection might be compromised . . ."
To view the comments, please click the link below. The time frame for the first quote is 04:14 in the conference and second quote is at 13:12 in the conference.
http://www.c-spanvideo.org/program/PresidentialNewsConference96
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney began the June 27 press briefing with the following comments:
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Let me begin with a brief readout. I just went in and spoke to the President about his meeting with Senator Reid, the meeting he and the Vice President held. It was a good meeting, constructive. Coming out of it, the President told me that all -- everyone in the room believes that a significant deal remains possible. And I would note that Democrats and the administration have shown themselves willing to take on tough issues and make tough choices, and it’s important that Republicans are willing to do the same, to take on some of their sacred cows.
"Because we have a choice here. For example, on the issue of revenues, do we perpetuate a system that allows for subsidies in revenues for oil and gas, for example, or owners of corporate private jets, and then call for cuts in things like food safety or weather services -- things that the federal government really does need to do on behalf of American citizens -- or do we look at everything and we take a balanced approach.”
Click the link below for the full June 27 press briefing.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2011/06/27/press-briefing-press-secretary-jay-carney-6272011
“NWSEO’s ongoing communications campaign on the importance of funding the lifesaving work of the National Weather Service is making an impact,” said Dan Sobien, President of the NWSEO. “We’ve been working with legislators and lobbyists on Capitol Hill, as well as the media on a national basis, and in public forums such at the Protect the National Weather Service Facebook community. To hear President Obama urge the funding of the National Weather Service twice in today’s news conference means the message is getting heard.”
President Obama focused on budget negotiations between the White House and Congress and the need to raise the debt ceiling in today’s news conference. He also called for some revenue increases, to include closing some tax loopholes for the nation’s wealthiest citizens.