Jefferson City – Gov. Jay Nixon was selected on Thursday (Feb. 4) by President Barack Obama to serve on the Council of Governors, a bipartisan group established last month by an executive order from the President. The purpose of the Council is to advise and work closely with the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of Homeland Security, the White House Homeland Security Council, and other national defense and security officials on matters related to the National Guard and homeland defense.

“Close cooperation and communication between the federal government and the states are vital if we are to make the most effective use of state resources on matters of national defense and homeland security,” Gov. Nixon said. “Having personally seen the accomplishments of the Missouri National Guard both here in Missouri and in Afghanistan, my focus on this Council will be to ensure that we continue to use our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen to the best effect possible on these fronts.”

“As Commander-In-Chief of the Missouri National Guard, Gov. Nixon has repeatedly demonstrated his full support of our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen, both in our home state and deployed overseas,” said Brig. Gen. Stephen L. Danner, Adjutant General of the Missouri National Guard. “Gov. Nixon’s extensive experience in government and policy make him exceptionally well-suited to provide expert advice to the President, Secretary of Defense and Secretary of Homeland Security on matters relating to the National Guard and Homeland Defense.”

“Gov. Nixon’s appointment to the Council shows his strong support of the National Guard and Reserves, as well as Missouri’s military and veteran population,” said Larry D. Kay, executive director of the Missouri Veterans Commission. “Gov. Nixon will provide a strong voice as Missouri and the nation move forward in taking care of our veterans, active duty service members, and their families.”

The Council of Governors will be co-chaired by Gov. James H. Douglas, of Vermont; and Gov. Chris Gregoire, of Washington. Other members of the Council, in addition to Gov. Nixon, are: Gov. Janice K. Brewer, of Arizona; Gov. Luis G. Fortuño, of Puerto Rico; Gov. Brad Henry, of Oklahoma; Gov. Robert F. McDonnell, of Virginia; Gov. Martin O’Malley, of Maryland; Gov. Beverly Eaves Perdue, of North Carolina; and Gov. M. Michael Rounds, of South Dakota.

If some godless socialist from the ACLU thwarted your Christmas celebration this year, then you should probably call Todd Akin and beg him to keep fighting for an extremely important Congressional resolution to protect “the symbols and traditions of Christmas…for use by those who celebrate Christmas.” 

Akin has cosponsored House Resolution 951 to show you just how much he loves Christmas. It reads:

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the symbols and traditions of Christmas should be protected for use by those who celebrate Christmas.

Whereas Christmas is a national holiday celebrated on December 25; and

Whereas the Framers intended that the First Amendment of the Constitution, in prohibiting the establishment of religion, would not prohibit any mention of religion or reference to God in civic dialog: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the House of Representatives–

1. recognizes the importance of the symbols and traditions of Christmas;
2. strongly disapproves of attempts to ban references to Christmas; and
3. expresses support for the use of these symbols and traditions by those who celebrate Christmas.

The main threat to Christmas, according to the HR951′s main sponsor, is the use of the term “happy holidays” rather than an emphasis on “Christ and Christmas.”  Thankfully, Akin is in Washington to protect us and to protect Christmas. 

And who says Republicans don’t have an agenda for governing?

(You may think I’m a little behind on this, but it’s actually just the Fifth Day of Christmas. )

THE PRESIDENT:   Good morning.  Yesterday I updated the American people on the immediate steps we took — the increased screening and security of air travel — to keep our country safe in the wake of the attempted terrorist attack on Christmas Day.  And I announced two reviews — a review of our terrorist watch list system and a review of our air travel screening, so we can find out what went wrong, fix it and prevent future attacks.

Those reviews began on Sunday and are now underway.  Earlier today I issued the former guidelines for those reviews and directed that preliminary findings be provided to the White House by this Thursday.  It’s essential that we diagnose the problems quickly and deal with them immediately.

Now, the more comprehensive, formal reviews and recommendations for improvement will be completed in the coming weeks, and I’m committed to working with Congress and our intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security communities to take all necessary steps to protect the country.

I wanted to speak to the American people again today because some of this preliminary information that has surfaced in the last 24 hours raises some serious concerns.  It’s been widely reported that the father of the suspect in the Christmas incident warned U.S. officials in Africa about his son’s extremist views.  It now appears that weeks ago this information was passed to a component of our intelligence community, but was not effectively distributed so as to get the suspect’s name on a no-fly list.

There appears to be other deficiencies as well.  Even without this one report there were bits of information available within the intelligence community that could have and should have been pieced together.  We’ve achieved much since 9/11 in terms of collecting information that relates to terrorists and potential terrorist attacks.  But it’s becoming clear that the system that has been in place for years now is not sufficiently up to date to take full advantage of the information we collect and the knowledge we have.

Had this critical information been shared it could have been compiled with other intelligence and a fuller, clearer picture of the suspect would have emerged.  The warning signs would have triggered red flags and the suspect would have never been allowed to board that plane for America.

The professionalism of the men and women in our intelligence, counterterrorism and law enforcement and homeland security communities is extraordinary.  They are some of the most hardworking, most dedicated Americans that I’ve ever met.  In pursuit of our security here at home they risk their lives, day in and day out, in this country and around the world.

Few Americans see their work, but all Americans are safer because of their successes.  They have targeted and taken out violent extremists, they have disrupted plots and saved countless American lives; they are making real and daily progress in our mission to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda and other extremist networks around the world.  And for this every American owes them a profound and lasting debt of gratitude.

Moreover, as Secretary Napolitano has said, once the suspect attempted to take down Flight 253 — after his attempt it’s clear that passengers and crew, our homeland security systems and our aviation security took all appropriate actions.  But what’s also clear is this:  When our government has information on a known extremist and that information is not shared and acted upon as it should have been, so that this extremist boards a plane with dangerous explosives that could cost nearly 300 lives, a systemic failure has occurred.  And I consider that totally unacceptable.

The reviews I’ve ordered will surely tell us more.  But what already is apparent is that there was a mix of human and systemic failures that contributed to this potential catastrophic breach of security.  We need to learn from this episode and act quickly to fix the flaws in our system, because our security is at stake and lives are at stake.

I fully understand that even when every person charged with ensuring our security does what they are trained to do, even when every system works exactly as intended there is still no one hundred percent guarantee of success.  Yet, this should only compel us to work even harder, to be even more innovative and relentless in our efforts.

As President I will do everything in my power to support the men and women in intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security to make sure they’ve got the tools and resources they need to keep America safe.  But it’s also my job to ensure that our intelligence, law enforcement and homeland security systems and the people in them are working effectively and held accountable.  I intend to fulfill that responsibility and insist on accountability at every level.

That’s the spirit guiding our reviews into the attempted attack on Christmas Day.  That’s the spirit that will guide all our efforts in the days and years ahead.

Thank you very much.

END

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  In a historic vote that took place this morning members of the Senate joined their colleagues in the House of Representatives to pass a landmark health insurance reform package — legislation that brings us toward the end of a nearly century-long struggle to reform America’s health care system.

Ever since Teddy Roosevelt first called for reform in 1912, seven Presidents — Democrats and Republicans alike — have taken up the cause of reform.  Time and time again, such efforts have been blocked by special interest lobbyists who’ve perpetuated a status quo that works better for the insurance industry than it does for the American people.  But with passage of reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we are now finally poised to deliver on the promise of real, meaningful health insurance reform that will bring additional security and stability to the American people.

The reform bill that passed the Senate this morning, like the House bill, includes the toughest measures ever taken to hold the insurance industry accountable.  Insurance companies will no longer be able to deny you coverage on the basis of a preexisting condition.  They will no longer be able to drop your coverage when you get sick.  No longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for the treatments you need.  And you’ll be able to appeal unfair decisions by insurance companies to an independent party.

If this legislation becomes law, workers won’t have to worry about losing coverage if they lose or change jobs.  Families will save on their premiums.  Businesses that would see their costs rise if we do not act will save money now, and they will save money in the future.  This bill will strengthen Medicare, and extend the life of the program.  It will make coverage affordable for over 30 million Americans who do not have it — 30 million Americans.  And because it is paid for and curbs the waste and inefficiency in our health care system, this bill will help reduce our deficit by as much as $1.3 trillion in the coming decades, making it the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade. 

As I’ve said before, these are not small reforms; these are big reforms.  If passed, this will be the most important piece of social policy since the Social Security Act in the 1930s, and the most important reform of our health care system since Medicare passed in the 1960s.  And what makes it so important is not just its cost savings or its deficit reductions.  It’s the impact reform will have on Americans who no longer have to go without a checkup or prescriptions that they need because they can’t afford them; on families who no longer have to worry that a single illness will send them into financial ruin; and on businesses that will no longer face exorbitant insurance rates that hamper their competitiveness.  It’s the difference reform will make in the lives of the American people. 

I want to commend Senator Harry Reid, extraordinary work that he did; Speaker Pelosi for her extraordinary leadership and dedication.  Having passed reform bills in both the House and the Senate, we now have to take up the last and most important step and reach an agreement on a final reform bill that I can sign into law.  And I look forward to working with members of Congress in both chambers over the coming weeks to do exactly that.

With today’s vote, we are now incredibly close to making health insurance reform a reality in this country.  Our challenge, then, is to finish the job.  We can’t doom another generation of Americans to soaring costs and eroding coverage and exploding deficits.  Instead we need to do what we were sent here to do and improve the lives of the people we serve.  For the sake of our citizens, our economy, and our future, let’s make 2010 the year we finally reform health care in the United States of America.

Everybody, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year.

Q    Do you have a holiday wish for the troops?

THE PRESIDENT:  I do, and I will be actually — I’m on my way right now to call a few of them and wish them Merry Christmas and to thank them for their extraordinary service as they’re posted in Iraq and Afghanistan.

END
8:52 A.M. EST

Read the rest of the article at Politico.com

Early this morning (01:08 AM), Senate Democrats and independents approved a procedural cloture motion by a 60-40 vote.  Senators voted m. while seated at their desks, a rarely used practice implemented only for historic votes.

There are two more procedural votes scheduled on the bill this week, and the final vote is currently slated for 7pm. Christmas Eve. Then, of course, Senate and House negotiators will have to meld their bills together for a final compromise.

Sen. McCaskill vote Yea, Sen. Bond voted Nay.

View article…

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello.  Good afternoon, everybody.  You know that I am from Chicago, so let me first say that with the place where I live covered with snow I’m finally starting to feel like home.  And I am sorry to drag you guys out in this weather, but I wanted to speak briefly to you about the significant progress that we’ve made on two of the major challenges facing the American people:  the crushing cost of health care and our dangerous dependence on fossil fuels.

On health care, with today’s developments it now appears that the American people will have the vote they deserve on genuine reform that offers security to those who have health insurance and affordable options to those for do not.  And so I want to thank Senator Harry Reid and every senator who’s been working around the clock to make this happen.

There’s still much work left to be done, but not a lot of time left to do it.  But today is a major step forward for the American people.  After a nearly century long struggle we are on the cusp of making health care reform a reality in the United States of America.

As with any legislation, compromise is part of the process.  But I’m pleased that recently added amendments have made this landmark bill even stronger.  Between the time the bill passes and the time when the insurance exchange gets up and running there will now be penalties for insurance companies that arbitrarily jack up rates on consumers.  And while insurance companies will be prevented from denying coverage on the basis of pre-existing conditions once the exchange is open, in the meantime there will be a high risk pool where people with pre-existing conditions can purchase affordable coverage.

And a recent amendment has made these protections even stronger.  Insurance companies will now be prohibited from denying coverage to children immediately after this bill passes.  There’s also explicit language in this bill that will protect a patient’s choice of doctor.  And small businesses will get additional assistance as well.

These protections are in addition to the ones we’ve been talking about for some time.  No longer will insurance companies be able to drop your coverage if you become sick and no longer will you have to pay unlimited amounts out of your own pocket for treatments that you need.

Under this bill families will save on their premiums; businesses that will see their costs rise if we don’t act will save money now and in the future.  This bill with strengthen Medicare and extend the life of the program.   Because it’s paid for and gets rid of waste and inefficiency in our health care system this will be the largest deficit reduction plan in over a decade.  In fact, we just learned from the Congressional Budget Office that this bill will reduce our deficit by $132 billion over the first decade of the program, and more than one trillion dollars in the decade after that.

Finally, this reform will make coverage affordable for over 30 million Americans who don’t have it — over 30 million Americans.

As I said before, these are not small changes.  These are big changes.  They’re fundamental reforms.  They will save money.  They will save lives.  And I look forward to working with the Senate and the House to finish the work that remains so that we can make this reform a reality for the American people.

I also want to briefly mention the progress we made in Copenhagen yesterday.  For the first time in history all of the major -– the world’s major economies have come together to accept their responsibility to take action to confront the threat of climate change.  After extremely difficult and complex negotiations this important breakthrough lays the foundation for international action in the years to come.

This progress did not come easily and we know that progress on this particular aspect of climate change negotiations is not enough.  Going forward we’re going to have to build on the momentum that we established in Copenhagen to ensure that international action to significantly reduce emissions is sustained and sufficient over time.

At home, that means continuing our efforts to build a clean energy economy that has the potential to create millions of new jobs and new industries.  And it means passing legislation that will create the incentives necessary to spark this clean energy revolution.

So even though we have a long way to go, there’s no question that we’ve accomplished a great deal over the last few days.  And I want America to continue to lead on this journey, because if America leads in developing clean energy, we will lead in growing our economy and putting our people back to work, and leaving a stronger and more secure country to our children.  That’s why I went to Copenhagen yesterday and that’s why I will continue in these efforts in the weeks and months to come.

Thank you very much, everybody.

END
1:45 P.M. EST

There will be a town hall style meeting Tuesday at 12:30 p.m. at the Goad Ballinger American Legion Post 69 at 149 Memorial Plaza in Springfield.

The group was formed in August by veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.

You can read more about the group by visiting the  Operation Free web site.

VoteVets.org is running radio ads to promote the tour.

Rep. Ike Skelton was on “Face The Nation” this morning as part of a roundtable on the future of the war in Afghanistan. 

On the program, Skelton said he supports General Stanley McChrystal’s recommendation for sending an additional 40,000 troops to Afghanistan.

“I back him up. I sent a letter to the president a number of days ago spelling out in great detail – some six pages of a letter – spelling out basically ‘Give the general what he needs.’ You see, you have to have security in Afghanistan. You have to have governance in Afghanistan. If you don’t have both of them, your whole strategy falls apart,” Skelton said.

“The war really didn’t start until March of this year when the president came forth with a strategy, frankly an excellent strategy,” Skelton reasoned. “He chose General McChrystal who is the best in the business for this type of conflict. He asked General McChrystal for an assessment. He got that assessment. Of course that became known … it was public. And in essence he’s going to be asking for additional resources.”

The CBS video player may have having a few problems, so apologies if you’re having trouble viewing  — here’s a full transcript of the conversation

Our Nation has an obligation to provide access to affordable, high-quality health care for all our children. No child should be forced to go without medical attention because the cost of a doctor visit is too high. Healthy children are better equipped to combat illness and to perform well in school, impacting their development well into adulthood. On Child Health Day, we recognize the fundamental importance of health care for our Nation’s children, and dedicate our collective energies to support their needs and those of their families.

The responsibility for our children’s health rests with every American. Parents and guardians should lead by example. We must teach our children the importance of healthy eating and a physically active lifestyle. We can support community programs across America that provide our young people with healthy choices, and ensure that families have the resources necessary to champion the health of their children. From outdoor activities to community athletic teams, we can seize opportunities to increase physical activity in the lives of our children, and promote healthy habits at an early age.

When our children make smart, healthy decisions, they are set on the path towards success. A balanced diet, coupled with proper exercise, has proven effective in combating childhood obesity and other chronic illnesses among our Nation’s young people. More recently, the lure of indoor distractions has drawn our children away from the athletic fields and outdoor activities that can be part of a healthy lifestyle. We must engage our Nation’s children in behaviors that support their physical fitness, ensure they have access to healthy, affordable food, and empower their families with the information essential for healthy living.

As a Nation, we cannot allow our children to fail in reaching their full potential because we fail to meet their basic needs. My Administration has made children’s health a priority, and I was proud to sign the reauthorization of the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), extending health
care to millions of young Americans who were previously uninsured. Today, we celebrate the health of our children and rededicate ourselves to providing a bright, healthy future for our Nation’s youth.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim Monday, October 5, 2009, as Child Health Day. I call upon families, child health professionals, faith-based and community organizations, and governments to help ensure that America’s children stay safe and healthy.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this second day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand nine, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-fourth.

BARACK OBAMA