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While it sounds as if you acted reasonably, nothing is ever completely certain. So let me play devil’s advocate here.First, let’s begin with a summary of Oregon law, as presented by the Oregon Community Alliance of Tenants. (That doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed to be accurate, though.):Getting Your Deposit BackLandlords must provide the applicant with a written list of all deposits, fees, and rent that are charged before landlord enters into new written rental agreement with an applicant or accepts any payment from an applicant. A landlord must supply a receipt for any security deposit paid by the tenant ORS 90.300(2).Under Oregon State Law, Landlords are required to either return deposits or provide a written explanation as to how all or part of the deposit is being used within 31 days after a tenant has turned in the keys (ORS 90.300(10)).∞ Deposits may be used to pay all unpaid rent and fees, and damages caused by tenant that are beyond normal wear and tear.∞ You are responsible for thoroughly cleaning your home before moving out. Try to leave your home in as good (or better) condition as when you moved in.∞ Check your rental contract. Sometimes there are rules listed in it about how landlords deduct cleaning costs from the deposit.∞ Make sure you have given the appropriate written notice to move out (usually at least 30 days) and have turned in your keys!∞ Also, make sure the landlord has a forwarding address for you.∞ If you haven’t moved out yet, you should walk through the apartment with the landlord to discuss its condition. During the “walk through” you can ask a friend or family member who doesn’t live with you to acompany you as a witness. Fill out a Unit Condition Report Form which both you and the landlord should sign. This sheet describes the condition of the entire apartment. Make and keep a copy! At the end of the “walk through” ask your landlord for an estimate of the deposit he or she will return to you.It appears that you did a lot of things correctly. You:Returned the balance of the deposit within 30 days.Provided a detailed explanation of deductions.Appear not to be required to do a move-out walk-though with the tenants.But let me get really, really picky.Did you: “provide the applicant with a written list of all deposits, fees, and rent that are charged before landlord enters into new written rental agreement with an applicant or accepts any payment from an applicant”? You say that the cleaning fee labor rate was listed in the lease. That’s good, but you were required to provide that and other charges to the applicant before the lease is signed. Did you? Uh oh.Did you provide the tenant a receipt for the security deposit?Did you give your tenant an EPA-approved pamphlet on lead paint? (That’s required by law.) Also, did you disclose any known lead paint issues? See The Lead Disclosure Rule - HUDWho performed the cleaning at $30 an hour? It may or may not be a problem if you did it yourself. For example, from a tax standpoint (I’m not an accountant, so this isn’t tax advice), if you yourself perform a service at a rental property, you can’t charge for your own time. However, if you hire someone to do the work, the amount paid to that person is deductible. I have no idea how Oregon views the question of charges to a tenant based on work you did yourself . . . if you were the one who did the cleaning.Was the person a tenant or a lodger? It’s possible—in fact, there’s a decent chance—that because you were renting out a room in your house, that person was legally a lodger, not a tenant. Here’s a discussion of the difference: What Is The Difference Between a Tenant and a Lodger? The good news is that it seems like it’s simpler to get rid of a lodger. The bad news is: There may be other requirements that you didn’t follow, acting on the assumption that the person was a tenant when in fact he was a lodger. These include requirements involving the lodger as well as requirement regarding licensing and operation.Those are just a few issues that might come up. Honestly, I doubt that they will. But you never know . . . and you should be prepared just in case they do. And there are some steps you can take—possible areas of past deficiencies on your part—to better protect yourself in the future.Oh, and don’t forget to check with your homeowners’ insurance company to determine if your policy might be voided if a tenant or lodger is involved in a claim against your policy.And just to emphasize: I’m not a lawyer or an accountant. Also, I’m licensed only in Virginia, not in Oregon. So none of this should be considered legal or tax advice. But, considering the issues I’ve raised, you may want to talk to a lawyer.

Most, if not all, presidents have accomplished more than one goal. Presidents will come in with an agenda of several items they consider important.Here's a list of Obama accomplishments. It seems clear he already had some things in mind such as limiting undue outside influence on the legislative process. Some of these were not entirely through his own efforts.Within his first week, he signed an Executive Order ordering an audit of government contracts, and combating waste and abuse. Executive Order -- Economy in Government ContractingCreated the post of Chief Performance Officer, whose job it is to make operations more efficient to save the federal government money. Obama Names Chief Performance OfficerOn his first full day, he froze White House salaries for the duration of the Great Recession. MSNBC: news, video and progressive community. Lean Forward.He appointed the first Federal Chief Information Officer to oversee federal IT spending and efficiency. CIO Council - Chief Information Officers CouncilHe 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/fz8GAdHe created the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform. President orders debt panel, names chairmenSigned an Executive Order instructing federal agencies to review all federal regulations and remove any unnecessary and/or burdensome regulations from the books. Executive Order -- Identifying and Reducing Regulatory BurdensDismantled the Minerals Management Service, thereby cutting ties between energy companies and the government. Obama Officials Seek Better Policing of Oil IndustryBanned gifts from lobbyists to anyone in the Executive Branch. Ban lobbyist gifts to executive employeesBanned anyone from working in an agency they had lobbied in previous years and placed strict limits on lobbyists’ access to the White House. Obama Outlines Lobbying Restrictions Held the first-ever first online town hall from the White House, and took questions from the public. http://bit.ly/gVNSgXBecame the first president to stream every White House event, live. Live EventsEstablished a central portal for Americans to find service opportunities. United We ServeRestored 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. Executive Order 13489 -- Presidential RecordsImproved the Freedom of Information Act and issued new guidelines to make FOIA more open and transparent when processing FOIA requests. Freedom of Information ActStreamline the Department of Education’s procurement policies and made them more transparent. http://bit.ly/1r9oQvhProvided the first voluntary disclosure of the White House Visitors Log in history. http://1.usa.gov/hQ7Signed a law to completely reform NSA Data Collection program and keep phone records in the hands of the phone company. Obama signs overhauled NSA phone-records bill into lawPushed through and signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, also known as “the stimulus package.” He also launched http://recovery.gov, a website that allows taxpayers to track spending from the Act. http://1.usa.gov/ibiFSshttp://1.usa.gov/e3BJMkBy the end of his first year, the economy created and sustained 2.1 million jobs and stimulated the economy by 3.5%. UPDATE 2-US stimulus added up to 2.1 mln jobs in Q4 2009-CBOHe created the massive TARP financial and banking rescue plan and forced banks and other entities to pay back virtually all of the bailout money. http://1.usa.gov/eA5jVShttp://bit.ly/eCNrD6He created the Making Home Affordable home refinancing plan. HomeIn 2010, more jobs were created than had been created during the previous eight years. It’s Official: More Private Sector Jobs Created In 2010 Than During Entire Bush YearsHe pushed through and implemented an auto industry rescue plan that saved as many as 1 million jobs and possibly the entire auto industry. Obama unveils plan to help U.S. auto industry_English_Xinhua The Bailout That WorkedThrough his investment in GM, returned to the company to its place as the premiere car company in the world. General Motors is world's sales leaderDoubled funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, to improve manufacturing efficiency. Double funding for the Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program that encourages manufacturing efficiencyIncreased infrastructure spending after years of neglect. http://bit.ly/f77aOwSigned 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/eEpLFnSigned an Executive Order creating jobs immediately by instructing them to reduce the time needed for review and permitting of infrastructure projects. Executive Order -- Improving Performance of Federal Permitting and Review of Infrastructure ProjectsThrough 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. FEDERALHOUSINGTAXCREDIT.COM The Federal Home Buyer Tax Credit Program (Military Edition)Played a lead role in getting the G-20 Summit to commit to a $1.1 trillion deal to combat the global financial crisis. G-20 Pact Has New Rules and $1.1 Trillion for Loans and TradeThrough 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/ez30DWith 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. Increase funding for local emergency planningChina’s largest manufacturer, Foxconn, is building a large plant in Pennsylvania Foxconn to build plant in PennsylvaniaWorked 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 Apple's $100m made-in-the-USA Mac facility will be in Texas | ZDNet and one in Arizona Apple creates 2,000 jobs shifting production back to USCreated an institute to invest in more manufacturing jobs in the technology fields of the future. Obama Announces Institute to Create Manufacturing JobsOrdered all federal contractors to pay a minimum wage of $10.10 per hour, leading the way to a national increase. Obama to raise minimum wage for government contract workersOrdered 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. Obama Inks Executive Order to Streamline Import and Export Process for BusinessesSpecific Examples of Economic ImprovementAs of January 2016, a record 64 consecutive months of overall job growth. Unemployment rate drops below 5%, reaches 8-year lowAs of January 2016, Unemployment drops below 5% for the first time in eight years and without a significant bubble. 4.9% Unemployment rate drops below 5%, reaches 8-year lowAs of January 2016, there have been 71 consecutive months of private sector job growth. Unemployment rate drops below 5%, reaches 8-year lowSince February 2010, when job numbers hit their lowest point, 13.7 non-farm jobs have been created. Bureau of Labor Statistics Data (Republican budget cuts reduced public employment by about 700,000)Oversaw a reduction in the federal budget deficit by two-thirds since taking office. US Federal Deficit DefinitionReduced the federal budget deficit from 9.8% of GDP in Fiscal Year 2009 under Bush, to 2.9% of GDP in FY 2014. An Update to the Budget and Economic Outlook: 2014 to 2024Scolds 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. Obama signs $305B highway billSigned 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. Obama Signs Housing and Fraud Bill, Praises Congress for "Most Productive" Period Ordered 65 executives who took bailout money to cut their own pay until they paid back all bailout money. Pay Czar Cuts Salaries For 65 Bailout ExecutivesAlong 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/geHpcDCreated and implemented rules to reduce the influence of speculators in the oil market. http://bit.ly/MDnA1tCreated and implemented rules so banks can no longer use depositors’ money to invest in high-risk financial instruments that work against depositors’ interests. Wall Street Reform: A Summary of What's In the BillSupported the concept of allowing stockholders to vote on executive compensation. Wall Street Reform: A Summary of What's In the BillEndorsed and supported the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act of 2009 that would close offshore tax avoidance loopholes. http://bit.ly/esOdfB http://bit.ly/eG4DPMNegotiated a deal with Swiss banks permitting the US government to gain access to bank records of criminals and tax evaders. Routine MaintenanceSigned 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/bd1RTqThanks to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, inflation in the healthcare sector dropped to its lowest point in 50 years. Medical-Price Inflation Is at Slowest Pace in 50 YearsSigned the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act, to protect consumers from unfair and deceptive credit card practices. Fact Sheet: Reforms to Protect American Credit Card HoldersGuided the housing market all the way back from total collapse, which led to a rally for housing starts. U.S. housing data signals economic strength; manufacturing weak U.S. housing data signals economic strength; manufacturing weakBrought airline industry back to their highest profitability since before the recession. Airlines report $9.3 billion net profits, highest since 2006Blocked a monopolistic merger of Staples and Office Depot, to preserve at least some competition. Staples Goes On the Attack in Attempt to Win Office DepotStock market has reached record highs, restoring most of the economic losses felt during the Recession. Dow Jones Industrial Average Last 10 Years | MacroTrendsCreated and Implemented the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau THOMAS (Library of Congress) Wall Street Reform: A Summary of What's In the BillConsumer confidence continues to inch up to its highest level more than a decade. United States Consumer Confidence Grows to 3-Month HighInitiated a $15 billion plan designed to encourage increased lending to small businesses. Remarks by the President to small business owners community lenders and members of CongressCreated BusinessUSA, to allow online collaboration between small businesses and experts re managing a business. (The program has since merged with U.S. Small Business Administration.) BusinessUSATook steps to improve minority access to capital. Increase minority access to capitalUsed recovered TARP money to fund programs at local housing finance agencies in California, Florida, Nevada, Arizona and Michigan. MSNBC: news, video and progressive community. Lean Forward.Crafted and signed an executive order establishing the President’s Advisory Council on Financial Capability to assist in financial education for all Americans. Executive Order 13530Oversaw the most sweeping food safety legislation since the Great Depression. http://thedc.com/gxkCtPThrough 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. Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act Expands the False Claims ActSet up rules for banks in handling legal marijuana money. Legal Marijuana Businesses Should Have Access to Banks, Holder SaysAdded greater protections to consumer financial transactions to reduce identity theft. Executive Order --Improving the Security of Consumer Financial TransactionsTook steps to prevent pirate fishing and protect fish populations, and ordered stricter labeling requirements on labeling of seafood products in stores. New Recommendations to End Pirate Fishing and Seafood FraudSigned the RAISE Act, which should encourage more people to open small businesses and help improve the economy. Flash: Obama Signs New Small Business Initiatives Into LawSigned 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. Flash: Obama Signs New Small Business Initiatives Into LawWorked to provide affordable, high-quality child care to working families. Provide affordable, high-quality child careThrough the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, cut taxes for 95% of America’s working families. A credit for workers cuts taxes for middle classTax rates for average working families are the lowest since 1950. http://bit.ly/f74pD8Extended and fully funded the patch for the Alternative Minimum Tax for 10 years. Alternative Minimum Tax Reform Now Part of the Senate StimulusExtended discounted health coverage under the COBRA health insurance law for the unemployed from 9 months to 15 months, and he’s also extended unemployment benefits more than a few times. http://aol.it/evtVxDhttp://nyti.ms/emrqKJ President extends unemployment benefits by up to 20 weeks Obama compromises with GOP to extend tax cuts, unemployment benefitsProvided a $20 billion increase for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (Food Stamps). Food StampsSigned an Executive Order that established the White House Office of Urban Affairs. New White House Office to Redefine Urban PolicyIncluded 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/19PkdQoUsed 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. You Can Get $10,000 Per Child In College Tax Credits, Thanks To The Fiscal Cliff DealIncreased protections for the unemployed who are seeking a government job. Presidential Memorandum -- Enhancing Safeguards to Prevent the Undue Denial of Federal Employment Opportunities to the Unemployed and Those Facing Financial Difficulty Through no Fault of Their OwnUpdated and modernized overtime regulations under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) Presidential Memorandum -- Updating and Modernizing Overtime RegulationsSigned and implemented the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act, to improve nutrition in schools and make children healthier. Healthy Hunger-Free Kids ActTo make college more affordable and accountable, will begin rating colleges with regard to affordability and value. Obama proposes college-rating system in bid to increase affordabilityInitiated a reform of federal job training programs, to make them more relevant to the current economy and the job market. Presidential Memorandum -- Job-Driven Training for WorkersUnder 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. Federal Income Taxes on Middle-Income Families Remain Near Historic LowsSigned 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. WHfamilyleavefacts2014 marked the first time since 1984 that unemployment dropped in all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Regional and State Unemployment, 2014 Annual Average SummaryTook steps to improve workplace safety by creating an Advisory Board to study workers’ exposure to toxic substances. Executive Order -- Establishing the Advisory Board on Toxic Substances and Worker HealthChanged overtime rules to make it far more difficult for employers to avoid paying overtime to workers. Obama overtime rule could raise wages for 5 millionChanged rules for federal contractors, guaranteeing that all workers earn paid leave; this should affect about 300,000 workers. Executive Order -- Establishing Paid Sick Leave for Federal ContractorsNegotiated 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. Obama signs new education act into law, replaces No Child Left Behind Formed a commission to examine and make recommendations for fixing the broken voting system. The Washington Post: National, World & D.C. Area News and HeadlinesAt a press conference August 9, 2013, gave up a small measure of executive power, promising to create adversarial process in FISA regarding NSA surveillance. President Obama Holds a Press ConferenceProposed rules to enhance Fair Housing Laws, to give HUD and other enforcement agencies more enforcement power. http://bit.ly/1qkz4uQOrdered a review of capital punishment policies after several botched executions. Obama Orders Policy Review on ExecutionsAppointed Kareem Dale as the first ever Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy. Vice President Joe Biden Announces Kareem Dale As Special Assistant to the President for Disability PolicyConcentrated immigration enforcement on those who commit crimes, and vowed to stop breaking up families. Presidential Memorandum -- Creating Welcoming Communities and Fully Integrating Immigrants and RefugeesStreamlined the visa process, to make it more responsive and humane for those who want to be here legally. Presidential Memorandum -- Modernizing and Streamlining the U.S. Immigrant Visa System for the 21st CenturyTook 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. Executive Order -- Federal Support for Local Law Enforcement Equipment AcquisitionChanged fair housing rules to make more affordable housing available to more people. Obama administration announces new fair housing rulesHelped Democrats in Congress pass and signed the Civil Rights History Act. H.R.586 - Civil Rights History Project Act of 2009, a bill on OpenCongressEstablished the White House Council of Native American Affairs, to improve government-to-government relations with Native American nations. Executive Order -- Establishing the White House Council on Native American AffairsLimited local police acquisitions of military-style equipment, to reduce the likelihood of overkill. Obama To Limit Police Acquisition Of Some Military-Style Equipment Signed Blue Alert Law, which provides police officers with more information when they are threatened. President Obama Signs Pascrell Blue Alert Bill Into LawHe 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. Board issues Final Rule to require posting of NLRA rightsObama’s Equal Employment Opportunity Commission clarified and strengthened rules prohibiting discrimination against pregnant workers. http://alj.am/1mo0kjVRequired 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. Executive Order --Fair Pay and Safe WorkplacesMade it illegal for federal contractors with more than $1 million in contracts to force employees into arbitration in workplace discrimination accusations. Executive Order --Fair Pay and Safe WorkplacesVetoed Republican bill that would have blocked new NLRB rules that were designed to speed up the time it takes workers to unionize. Obama vetoes Republican bid to block union election rules He also added a Memorandum of Disagreement to make his reasons for the veto clear and made a major statement in support of unions. Memorandum of Disapproval Regarding S.J. Res. 8Cracked 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. U.S. Cracks Down on ‘Contractors’ as a Tax DodgeSigned 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. Obama signs hate crimes bill into lawOversaw and implemented the repeal of the reprehensible “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy. http://bit.ly/fdahuHhttp://bit.ly/mZV4PzExtended benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees. Presidential Memorandum-Extension of Benefits to Same-Sex Domestic Partners of Federal EmployeesAppointed more openly gay officials than anyone in history. Obama has appointed most U.S. gay officialsAppointed first openly transgender Cabinet Official in History. Transgender woman appointed to Commerce DepartmentAdvocated that United Nations adopt a policy supporting gay rights worldwide. Obama and gay rights: U.S. urges United Nations Human Rights Council to support gay rightsAs soon as the Supreme Court invalidated the Defense of Marriage Act, he moved to extend federal benefits to same-sex couples. Obama administration extends federal-employee benefits to same-sex couplesIssued an order requiring hospitals to allow visitation by same-sex couples. Obama makes hospitals allow gay visitation rightsChanged HUD rules to prohibit gender and sexual orientation-based discrimination in housing HUD clarifies LGBT housing discrimination protectionsChanged his mind and publicly expressed support for same-sex marriage. http://bit.ly/JsiFKpIssued a Presidential Memorandum reaffirming the rights of gay couples to make medical decisions for each other. Presidential Memorandum - Hospital VisitationAppointed 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/1fckN9hDepartment 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/1yChJhiBanned all federal contractors from discriminating against gay workers. Executive Order -- Further Amendments to Executive Order 11478, Equal Employment Opportunity in the Federal Government, and Executive Order 11246, Equal Employment OpportunityPersevered with his campaign to turn “gay marriage” into “marriage” and won in the Supreme Court. Crowds Celebrate Same-Sex Marriage Ruling At Historic Stonewall InnEstablishing 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. Obama's Council on Women and Girls http://1.usa.gov/rFfqMMImplemented the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act, which restored basic protections against pay discrimination for women and other workers. President Obama Signs the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay ActEliminated federal funding for abstinence-only education, and rescinded the global gag rule. US teen pregnancy and syphilis rates rose sharply during George Bush's presidency, Centres for Disease Control finds Obama Rescinds “Global Gag Rule,” Commits to Funding UNFPAImproved 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. Obama To Sign Executive Orders On Equal PaySigned an Executive Order pledging support for efforts to end the global problem of violence against women and girls. Executive Order -- Preventing and Responding to Violence Against Women and Girls GloballyShattered another glass ceiling by naming Janet Yellen chair of the Federal Reserve beginning Feb. 1, 2014. David Marsh: Tests looming for Janet YellenExpanded funding for the Violence Against Women Act. 2010 Budget and Performance SummaryOrdered companies with 100 employees or more to disclose pay data based on race and gender, to address the pay gap. Obama's New Equal-Pay RulesAddressed Criminal Justice Failings and the Gun CultureMade significant reductions in drug sentencing guidelines for current prisoners. Drug Sentencing Guidelines Reduced For Current PrisonersOversaw the first drop in the federal prison population in 32 years. Federal prison population drops for first time in 3 decades, Eric Holder saysIncreased his use of clemency to release thousands of non-violent drug offenders from prison. Obama Plans Broader Use of Clemency to Free Nonviolent Drug OffendersOrdered a ban on solitary confinement for juvenile offenders in federal prisons. http://bit.ly/20ObRzATook executive action to promote smart gun technology, to make them safer. Memorandum -- Promoting Smart Gun TechnologyAfter a failure by Congress to act, proposed executive orders to create more background checks and to fully staff the background check system. Obama executive action: New gun control ordersRelaxed HIPAA rules enough to allow for more information to be available to the background check system. List: Obama’s 23 Executive Actions on Gun ViolenceOrdered the tracing of guns as part of criminal investigations to provide data to researchers. List: Obama’s 23 Executive Actions on Gun ViolenceOrder 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. Here Are The 23 Executive Orders On Gun Safety Signed Today By The PresidentExpanded the definitions of gun dealers and expanded the information available and required in background checks for firearm purchases. President Obama’s 2015 Executive Actions on Gun ControlSet up a task force to figure out what other measures can be taken to limit gun violence in the wake of Congressional inaction. President Obama Announces New Measures to Prevent Gun ViolenceImproved Treatment of Soldiers and VeteransProvided active combat troops with better body armor. http://bit.ly/hzSv2hCreated a Joint Virtual Lifetime Electronic Record program for military personnel, in order http://abcn.ws/1ghLrEshttp://abcn.ws/1ghLrEs to improve the quality of their medical care. "The Care They Were Promised and the Benefits That They Have Earned"Put an end to the Bush-era stop-loss policy that kept soldiers in Iraq/Afghanistan beyond their enlistment date. ‘Stop-Loss’ Will All but End by 2011, Gates SaysSigned and implemented Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency Act, making more money available to enable better medical care for veterans. Remarks by the President at signing of the Veterans Health Care Budget Reform and Transparency ActWith Congressional Democrats, oversaw largest spending increase in 30 years for Department of Veterans Affairs, for improved medical and extended care facilities for veterans. Office of Public and Intergovernmental AffairsImplemented the Green Vet Initiative, which provides special funding to provide veterans with training in green jobs. Create a 'Green Vet Initiative' to promote environmental jobs for veteransInitiated and signed a recruitment and employment plan to get more veterans into government jobs. http://bit.ly/b48coiOversaw a $4.6 billion expansion of the Veterans Administration budget to pay for more mental health professionals. Annual Budget SubmissionSigned 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. President Signs Military Spouses Residency Relief ActOrdered improvements to access to mental health care for veterans, military personnel and their families. Executive Order -- Improving Access to Mental Health Services for Veterans, Service Members, and Military FamiliesGot Syria to dismantle its chemical weapons without military firing a single shot or dropping a single bomb. U.S. and Russia Reach Deal to Destroy Syria’s Chemical ArmsAlong 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. Pentagon Will Help Families Travel to Dover US war dead media blackout liftedFunded Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) with an extra $1.4 billion to improve veterans’ services. Veterans & Military FamiliesSigned 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. Obama Signs Capps's Military Mom Health-Care Bill Signed into law a bill that makes it easier for military dogs to retire at home with their handlers. Military Overseas Dogs Are Now Guaranteed Retirement in the United States—With Their Former HandlersVisited more countries and met with more world leaders than any previous president during his first six months in office. Chain e-mail claims Obama has visited more countries in first six months of presidency than predecessorsAs he promised, he gave a speech at a major Islamic forum in Cairo early in his administration. Text: Obama’s Speech in CairoMade a speech at a US mosque to demonstrate his commitment to religious rights and send a message to Muslims around the world. Obama rebuts GOP Muslim rhetoric in first U.S. mosque visitRestored America’s reputation around the world as a global leader. http://bit.ly/h743y7http://bit.ly/ho4TCrRe-established and reinforced our partnership with NATO and other allies on strategic international issues. Afghanistan and NATOClosed a number of secret detention facilities. Obama Orders Secret Prisons and Detention Camps ClosedImproved relations with Middle East countries by appointing special envoys. http://1.usa.gov/tiGAGePushed forward the first realistic Middle East peace strategy in more than a decade, without abandoning the two-state solution. With marathon talks, Kerry shows zeal on Middle East peacePushed for military to emphasize greater development of foreign language skills. Bolster the military's ability to speak different languagesOffered $400 million to the people living in Gaza, while calling on both Israel and the Palestinians to stop inciting violence. Obama offers Abbas $400m in extra aid for Gaza in flotilla aftermathRefused to give Israel the green light to attack Iran over their possible nuclear program. http://bit.ly/xVmSZKOrdered the closure of the prison at Guantanamo Bay, although blocked by Congress. Barack Obama abandons Guantánamo closure plan after Congress vetoOrdered a review of our detention and interrogation policy and prohibited the use of “enhanced interrogation.” Obama signs order to close Guantanamo Bay facilityOrdered all secret detention facilities in Eastern Europe and elsewhere to be closed. CIA shuts down its secret prisonsReleased the Bush torture memos. Barack Obama releases Bush administration torture memosOn his second day in office, banned torture, reversed all Bush torture policies and put the US in full compliance with the Geneva Convention. http://1.usa.gov/dL6Zvehttp://nyti.ms/hzWWysIn 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. Create a rapid response fund for emerging democraciesEnded the F-22 program, saving $4 billion. Though the 187 aircraft cost $358 million each to build, it had never flown a combat mission. The remarkable vote to kill the F-22 and what it means for America's military future.Passed the Iran Sanctions Act, to prevent war and encourage the Iranian government to give up their nuclear program. http://1.usa.gov/wLtNjbEnded the Iraq War. Po.stWorked to keep our withdrawal from Afghanistan on track, despite GOP opposition. Obama says managing Afghanistan exit is a priority Reiterated that commitment in 2014. What the State of the Union Address Means for 2014Conducted a secret mission by SEAL Team Six to rescue two hostages held by Somali pirates. SEAL Team 6 Rescues Hostages in Secret MissionThrough United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice, helped negotiate a peaceful split of Sudan into two countries, creating an independent South Sudan. Obama grants U.S. recognition of South SudanHelped make donations to Haiti tax deductible in 2009. Donations To Haiti Are Tax Deductible: Obama Signs Bill For Haiti Earthquake ContributionsEstablished a new U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. Statement On Bilateral Meeting With President Hu Of ChinaIssued Executive Order blocking interference and helping to stabilize Somalia. http://1.usa.gov/hxdf8UEstablished new, more reasonable policies in our relations with Cuba, such as allowing Cuban-Americans to visit their families and send money to support them. Obama Eases Limits On Cuba Travel, Remittances Obama to Loosen Restrictions on Policy With CubaThe new policies in Cuba led to thawed relations and the first US Embassy in Cuba in more than 55 years. Obama: US, Cuban Embassies Start ‘New Chapter’Negotiated a deal with Iran that will prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon anytime soon, without firing a shot or invading the country. Landmark deal reached on Iran nuclear programAs a result of the Iran agreement, Iran shipped pretty much all of it nuclear material to Russia. Iran Hands Over Stockpile of Enriched Uranium to RussiaBecame 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. Jamaica signs energy agreement with USChanged US Approach to “Defense” and National SecurityCreated a comprehensive new strategy for dealing with the international nuclear threat. Remarks By President Barack Obama In Prague As DeliveredAuthorized a $1.4 billion reduction in Star Wars program in 2010. Pentagon unveils $533.7 billion budgetRestarted nuclear nonproliferation talks and built up the nuclear inspection infrastructure/protocols to where they had been before Bush. Obama wins passage of nuclear nonproliferation resolution at U.N.Signed and got ratification of a new SALT Treaty. New SALT Treaty Ratified, 71-26Negotiated and signed a new START Treaty that will stay in force until at least 2021. President Obama Announces the New START TreatyCommitted the US to no permanent military bases in Iraq. No permanent bases in IraqDeveloped 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. Obama Announces Strategy for Afghanistan, PakistanRe-focused on Afghanistan, stabilized the country, and began the process of withdrawing troops from the country. Obama to withdraw troops from AfghanistanNegotiated a deal with Afghan government, to withdraw troops and military support, while assisting in rebuilding and modernizing of the country. Obama’s Plan to Announce Afghanistan Withdrawal at NATO Summit Is Shrewd PoliticsTook steps to severely weaken al Qaeda and limited their ability to terrorize the world. US general: al-Qaida in Iraq severely weakenedNegotiated and signed a nuclear nonproliferation treaty with India. Presidential Memorandum - United States-India Nuclear Cooperation Approval and Nonproliferation Enhancement ActWorked with NATO to limit the slaughter of innocents in Libya, so that Libyans could topple the despotic Khadaffy government and determine their own fate. Obama leads rousing UN welcome for Libyan NTCGot Egyptian President/dictator Mubarak to leave the Egyptian government to the people, to determine their own fate. Americas - Obama presses Hosni Mubarak to make 'right decision' and step downIn 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. The Obama Administration's Pivot to AsiaRestored 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/h8Xj7zIncreased border security More border security and patrols under Obama than previous presidents, says Debbie Wasserman SchultzOrdered and oversaw the Navy SEALS operation that killed Osama bin Laden. We will kill bin LadenEstablished 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.” Executive Order -- Establishing the White House Homeland Security Partnership CouncilSigned agreement with Afghanistan to end war, turn security over to Afghans. Mending Alliance, U.S. and Afghanistan Sign Long-Term Security AgreementBreaking 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. Obama orders release of report justifying Syria strikeInstead of holding hearings and creating a political football, he quietly captured a suspect who actually committed the Benghazi terrorist attack. U.S. captured Benghazi suspect in secret raid He is also getting a lot of useful information from the suspect. Benghazi Suspect Said to Corroborate Important Details of AttacksInstituted rules to order sanctions against individuals and groups that threaten national cybersecurity. Executive Order -- "Blocking the Property of Certain Persons Engaging in Significant Malicious Cyber-Enabled Activities"Through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, invested heavily in elementary, secondary and post-secondary education. EducationCreated 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/NHtZ7LOversaw major expansion of broadband availability in K-12 schools nationwide. http://bit.ly/fNDcj3Oversaw major expansion in school construction. Obama: Education Money Must Come With ReformThrough the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, put $5 billion into early education, including Head Start. Education Jobs and ReformSigned the Democratic-sponsored Post-9/11 GI Bill, also known as GI Bill 2.0, to improve veterans’ access to education. EducationOversaw expansion of the Pell Grants program, to expand opportunity for low and middle income students to go to college. Expand Pell grants for low-income studentsSigned and implemented the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which provided an extra $12.2 billion in funds. IDEA Recovery Funds for Services to Children and Youths with DisabilitiesTook 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. Obama Administration Announces New Steps to Protect Students from Ineffective Career College ProgramsRepeatedly increased funding for student financial aid, and at the same time cut the banks completely out of the process, thus us creating greater accountability. Expand Pell grants for low-income students Obama’s Budget: Supporting Students, Not Banks Proposed Federal Budget Will Increase Financial Aid Funding by $300 Million for 2011Reformed student loan program, to make it possible for students to refinance at a lower rate. Obama Signs Overhaul of Student Loan ProgramCreated a rating system for colleges, so that those applying for student financial aid know better what they’re paying for. Obama proposes college-rating system in bid to increase affordabilityRestored the Adult View on Science and TechnologyCreated a Presidential Memorandum to restore scientific integrity in government decision-making. Memorandum for the Heads of Executive Departments and Agencies 3-9-09Opened up the process for fast-tracking patent approval for green energy projects. Green Innovation Getting More Support from Fast Patent Approval ProcessThrough the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, committed more federal funding, about $18 billion, to support non-defense science and research labs. The Science of Spending Stimulus Money WiselyObama 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. EPA Reverses Controversial ‘Human Guinea Pig’ RuleConducted a cyberspace policy review. Statement by the Press Secretary on Conclusion of the Cyberspace ReviewProvided financial support for private sector space programs. NASA Announces Plan to Invest in Commercial Crew ConceptsOversaw enhanced earth mapping, to provide valuable data for agricultural, educational, scientific, and government use. Enhance earth mappingThrough American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, provided $500 million for Health Professions Training Programs. Expand funding to train primary care providers and public health practitionersIncreased funding for community-based prevention programs. Increase funding to expand community based prevention programsExpanded space exploration and discovery options to include more players. http://1.usa.gov/13qmZpmThrough 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 FCC Finalizes Effort to Make Available $485M For Rural Broadband in USF Reform EffortIn the wake of the West Fertilizer tragedy, formed the Chemical Safety and Security Working Group, to work on measures to prevent another such events. Executive Order -- Improving Chemical Facility Safety and SecurityEstablished a Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center, a recommendation made by the 9/11 Commission, to coordinate efforts to fight cyber-crime and terrorism. New Threat Center to Integrate Cyber IntelligenceThe Obama FCC, with his leadership, adopted strong net neutrality rules, to keep the Internet open and equal for everyone. FCC Adopts Strong, Sustainable Rules to Protect the Open InternetOrdered rules to speed up deployment of a more comprehensive broadband infrastructure. Executive Order -- Accelerating Broadband Infrastructure DeploymentSet up a National Strategic Computing Initiative, to “maximize benefits of high-performance computing (HPC) research, development, and deployment.” Executive Order -- Creating a National Strategic Computing InitiativeOrdered a federal level change in national earthquake standards. Executive Order: Establishing a Federal Earthquake Risk Management StandardEliminated Bush-era restrictions on embryonic stem cell research, and provided increased federal support for biomedical and stem cell research. http://bit.ly/h36SSOhttp://ti.me/edezgeSigned Democratic-sponsored Christopher and Dana Reeve Paralysis Act, the first comprehensive attempt to improve the lives of Americans living with paralysis. 404 ErrorExpanded 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. Expand the Nurse-Family Partnership to all low-income, first-time mothersAlong 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.” MSNBC: news, video and progressive community. Lean Forward.Has overseen a 50% decrease in cost of prescription drugs for seniors. Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010 (2010 - H.R. 4872) Seniors Already Seeing Lower Prescription Drug CostsEliminated the Bush-era practice of forbidding Medicare from negotiating with drug companies on price. US govt will negotiate Medicare drug prices, says ObamaTwo 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/fDEzGvUrged Congress to investigate Anthem Blue Cross for raising premiums 39% without explanation. http://yhoo.it/e8Tj9CPushed through and signed Affordable Care Act, which expanded health insurance coverage greatly and ended many detrimental insurance company practices. He also established Get 2016 health coverage. Health Insurance Marketplace . Get 2016 health coverage. Health Insurance Marketplace Through ACA, allowed children to be covered under their parents’ policy until they turned 26. Obama Signs Bill on Student Loans and Health CareThrough the ACA, provided tax breaks to allow 3.5 million small businesses to provide health insurance to their employees. Obama Signs Bill on Student Loans and Health CareThrough the ACA, millions of people receive help in paying their health insurance company premiums. Obama Signs Bill on Student Loans and Health CareThrough the ACA, expanded Medicaid to those making up to 133% of the federal poverty level. For Consumers, Some Clarity on Health Care Changes (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. Number of uninsured Americans drops againThe Affordable Care Act has increased the life expectancy of Medicare greatly. Medicare, Social Security Disability Fund Headed in Different DirectionsThrough the ACA, health insurance companies now have to disclose how much of your premium actually goes to pay for patient care. Obama Signs Bill on Student Loans and Health CareMedicare costs actually declined slightly, for the first time in decades in 2011, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Monthly Budget ReviewSince passage of the ACA, health care inflation is at its lowest level since 1960. http://1.usa.gov/1vXR0LdCreated 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. Executive Order -- HIV Care Continuum InitiativeSigned bill that will provide health insurance premium support to workers who lose their health insurance due to foreign competition. http://bit.ly/1evvVDFIn 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. Birth Control Coverage Rules Announced by Obama AdministrationImplemented 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. Executive Order -- Implementing the National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States for 2015-2020Signed and will implement new child safety standards for e-cigarettes. Obama signs child-proof packaging standards for e-cigsSet up a White House Cancer Moonshot Task Force, in order to implement ways to develop a cure for cancer. Memorandum -- White House Cancer Moonshot Task ForceDoubled federal spending on clean energy research. Double federal spending for research on clean fuelsPushed through a tax credit to help people buy plug-in hybrid cars. Enact tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid carsCreated 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/fgfRWqReengaged in the climate change and greenhouse gas emissions agreements talks, and proposed one himself. He also addressed the U.N. Climate Change Conference, officially reversing the Bush era stance that climate change was a “hoax.” http://bit.ly/dX6Vj3 YouTube Obama Says He’ll Push for Clean Energy BillFully supported the initial phase of the creation of a legally-binding treaty to reduce mercury emissions worldwide. Obama Shifts U.S. Policy to Back Global Mercury Control TreatyRequired states to provide incentives to utilities to reduce their energy consumption. Require states to provide incentives for utilities to reduce energy consumptionUnder Obama, our dependence on foreign oil has dropped to its lowest rate since 1985, and continues to drop. How much oil consumed by the United States comes from foreign sources?Meanwhile, oil consumption is way down because of reduced driving and higher mileage standards. Why Are U.S. Oil Imports Falling? Improved siting, review and permitting stations for power plants, in an attempt to seriously improve the nation’s electric grid. Presidential Memorandum -- Transforming our Nation's Electric Grid Through Improved Siting, Permitting, and ReviewReengaged in a number of treaties and agreements designed to protect the Antarctic. http://bit.ly/fzQUFOCreated tax write-offs for purchases of hybrid and electric vehicles. Hybrid Car Tax Credits: Incentives Fade into Memory - HybridCars.comEstablished a quadrennial review of our energy infrastructure, to encourage a modernization of the grid, and to encourage the transition away from fossil fuel use. Presidential Memorandum -- Establishing a Quadrennial Energy ReviewMandated that federal government fleet purchases be for fuel-efficient American vehicles, and encouraged that federal agencies support experimental, fuel-efficient vehicles. http://1.usa.gov/hmUSbk GSA Drives Innovative, Job-Creating Sustainable Industries http://bit.ly/h5KZqyEncouraged 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. BP agrees to $20 billion fund for gulf oil spill claims (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. Bill Summary & StatusActively tried to amend the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 to eliminate the liability limits for those companies responsible for large oil spills. White House Proposes Bill to Lift Caps on Offshore Oil Spill LiabilityBecame 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. Executive Order -- Preparing the United States for the Impacts of Climate ChangeInitiated Criminal and Civil inquiries into the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. U.S. Opens Criminal Inquiry Into Oil SpillAsserted federal legal supremacy to bar Texas from authorizing new refinery permits on its http://own.http://bit.ly/ww8eMdSet up new, stricter standards limiting power plant emissions. Presidential Memorandum -- Power Sector Carbon Pollution StandardsStrengthened the Endangered Species Act. http://bit.ly/hscjsHStrengthened protection for wildlife, and expanded enforcement of laws against wildlife trafficking. Executive Order -- Combating Wildlife TraffickingObama EPA improved boiler safety standards to improve air quality, and save 6500 lives per year. New EPA Boiler Standards Will Save 6,500 Lives Per YearThrough the EPA, attemped to take steps to severely limit the use of antibiotics in livestock feed, to increase their efficacy in humans. FDA takes steps to limit use of antibiotics in livestockThrough 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. Obama praises EPA mercury rule, calls for steps to ensure grid reliabilityIncreased funding for National Parks and Forests by 10% http://bit.ly/fbJPjYAnnounced greatly improved commercial fuel efficiency standards. President Obama Announces First Ever Fuel Economy Standards for Commercial VehiclesAnnounced 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 President Obama Announces New Fuel Economy StandardsFacilitated investment in industrial energy efficiency to create jobs and strengthen US manufacturing while saving businesses $100 billion over a decade. Executive Order -- Accelerating Investment in Industrial Energy EfficiencySet 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. Executive Order -- Gulf Coast Ecosystem RestorationEngaged in the most comprehensive plan to combat climate change in a generation. http://bit.ly/13lXhETOrdered energy plants to prepare to produce at least 15% of all energy through renewable resources like wind and solar, by 2021. Lawmakers turn to public on Obama clean energy planOversaw the creation of an initiative that converts old factories and manufacturing centers into new clean technology centers. Establish program to convert manufacturing centers into clean technology leadersGuided a 418% increase in solar power capacity between 2010 and 2014. US Solar Energy Capacity Grew An Astounding 418% From 2010-2014As of May 2015, 74% of new electrical capacity was provided by solar and wind power. Solar + Wind = 74% of New US Electricity Capacity January–May 2015 (Exclusive)Bypassed Congress and ordered EPA to begin regulating and measuring carbon emissions. http://bit.ly/froaP5Oversaw a tripling in the use of wind power to generate electricity. The US now leads the world in increased wind power capacity. Wind Power Continues Rapid RiseOrdered the federal government to incorporate climate resilience and climate science into all international development in which the United States engages. Executive Order -- Climate-Resilient International DevelopmentFast-tracked regulations to allow states to enact fuel efficiency standards that exceeded federal standards. Obama’s Order Is Likely to Tighten Auto StandardsFast-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. Obama announces new fuel standardsOversaw establishment of an Energy Partnership for the Americas, to create more markets for American-made biofuels and green energy technologies. Establish an Energy Partnership for the AmericasObama EPA reversed a Bush-era decision to allow the largest mountaintop removal project in US history. Obama Administration Reverses Largest Appalachian Mountaintop Removal Permit in US HistoryOrdered the Department of Energy to implement more aggressive efficiency standards for common household appliances. Appliance Efficiency StandardsObama EPA ruled that excess CO2 is a pollutant. EPA Wields Timely Stick: Ruling CO2 a Public Danger Before Copenhagen Climate DecisionClosed a deal with China to limit carbon emissions to slow down climate change. U.S. and China Reach Climate Accord After Months of TalksBlocked all oil and gas drilling in Bristol Bay, Alaska, one of the most pristine environments in North America Obama protects Alaska's Bristol Bay from oil and gas drillingSigned 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. George W. Bush says library 'a place to lay out facts'Vetoed a bill to fast track construction of the parallel Keystone XL pipeline. Senate Fails to Override Obama's Keystone XL VetoExpanded clean water regulations to more stringently protect all of the nation’s waterways, even when states fail in their duty. Obama announces new rule limiting water pollution - The Boston GlobeSigned an Executive Order committing the federal government to lead the way in building a sustainable economy. It’s his fifth doing just that. Executive Order -- Planning for Federal Sustainability in the Next DecadeBanned the use of antibiotics in food served in US Government-run cafeterias and ordered agencies to only use antibiotic-free meat. It’s about time: President Obama Bans Antibiotics in Government Run Cafeterias Obama directs agencies to serve antibiotic-free meat and poultryDeveloped new rules to address climate change and to create a significant boost to clean energy. Obama toughens climate change planNegotiated and signed a virtually Republican-Proof global agreement on climate change, with 190 countries signing on. How US negotiators ensured landmark Paris climate deal was Republican-proofBecame one of 196 countries that signed onto a UN Framework on Climate Change. United Nations Framework Convention on Climate ChangeOrdered a moratorium on new coal leasing on federal land, and they will examine the whole leasing process. Obama halts new coal leasing on federal land, orders sweeping reviewNominated 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/i02wgPAppointed the most diverse Cabinet in history, including more women than any other incoming president. http://bit.ly/dX6vNBLoosened the rules and allowed the 14 states that legalized medical marijuana to regulate themselves without federal interference. New Medical Marijuana Policy: Obama Administration Will Not Seek Arrests For People Following State LawsSigned national service legislation, increasing funding for national service groups, including triple the size of the Americorps program. http://bit.ly/idgQH5Signed a bill that provided $4.3 billion in additional assistance to 9/11 first responders. http://bit.ly/o7cWYSSigned 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. President Obama Signs the Claims Resolution Act of 2010To 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. Executive Order -- Establishing the Hurricane Sandy Rebuilding Task ForceProduced 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. List: Obama’s 23 Executive Actions on Gun ViolenceExpanded trade agreements to include stricter labor and environmental agreements in trade pacts like NAFTA. Include environmental and labor standards in trade agreementsOversaw 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. Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture Most Smithsonian funding intact under budget dealOversaw and passed increased funding for the National Endowment for the http://Arts.http://bit.ly/dFb8qFDespite 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%. CQ: Obama's Winning Streak On Hill UnprecedentedDespite the odds, became the first black president and then, was reelected by a wide margin.

This is by far the best answer I have seen on this topic:The Case for Repealing 
Dodd-Frank PETER J. WALLISON holds the Arthur F. Burns Chair in Financial Policy Studies at the American Enterprise Institute. Previously he practiced banking, corporate, and financial law at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher in Washington, D.C., and in New York. He also served as White House Counsel in the Reagan Administration. A graduate of Harvard College, Mr. Wallison received his law degree from Harvard Law School and is a regular contributor to the Wall Street Journal, among many other publications. He is the editor, co-editor, author, or co-author of numerous books, including Ronald Reagan: The Power of Conviction and the Success of His Presidency and Bad History, Worse Policy: How a False Narrative about the Financial Crisis Led to the Dodd-Frank Act.The following is adapted from a speech delivered at Hillsdale College on November 5, 2013, during a conference entitled “Dodd-Frank: A Law Like No Other,” co-sponsored by the Center for Constructive Alternatives and the Ludwig Von Mises Lecture Series.The 2008 Financial Crisis was a major event, equivalent in its initial scope—if not its duration—to The Great Depression of the 1930s. At the time, many commentators said that we were witnessing a crisis of capitalism, proof that the free market system was inherently unstable. Government officials who participated in efforts to mitigate its effects claim that their actions prevented a complete meltdown of the world’s financial system, an idea that has found acceptance among academic and other observers, particularly the media. These views culminated in the enactment of the Dodd-Frank Act that is founded on the notion that the financial system is inherently unstable and must be controlled by government regulation.We will never know, of course, what would have happened if these emergency actions had not been taken, but it is possible to gain an understanding of why they were considered necessary—that is, the causes of the crisis.Why is it important at this point to examine the causes of the crisis? After all, it was five years ago, and Congress and financial regulators have acted, or are acting, to prevent a recurrence. Even if we can’t pinpoint the exact cause of the crisis, some will argue that the new regulations now being put in place under Dodd-Frank will make a repetition unlikely. Perhaps. But these new regulations have almost certainly slowed economic growth and the recovery from the post-crisis recession, and they will continue to do so in the future. If regulations this pervasive were really necessary to prevent a recurrence of the financial crisis, then we might be facing a legitimate trade-off in which we are obliged to sacrifice economic freedom and growth for the sake of financial stability. But if the crisis did not stem from a lack of regulation, we have needlessly restricted what most Americans want for themselves and their children.It is not at all clear that what happened in 2008 was the result of insufficient regulation or an economic system that is inherently unstable. On the contrary, there is compelling evidence that the financial crisis was the result of the government’s own housing policies. These in turn, as we will see, were based on an idea—still popular on the political left—that underwriting standards in housing finance are discriminatory and unnecessary. In today’s vernacular, it’s called “opening the credit box.” These policies, as I will describe them, were what caused the insolvency of the government-sponsored enterprises (GSE) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and ultimately the financial crisis. They are driven ideologically by the left, but the political muscle in Washington is supplied by what we should call the Government Mortgage Complex—the realtors, the homebuilders, and the banks—for whom freely available government-backed mortgage money is a source of great profit.The Federal Housing Administration, or FHA, established in 1934, was authorized to insure mortgages up to 100 percent, but it required a 20 percent down payment and operated with very few delinquencies for 25 years. However, in the serious recession of 1957, Congress loosened these standards to stimulate the growth of housing, moving down payments to three percent between 1957 and 1961. Predictably, this resulted in a boom in FHA insured mortgages and a bust in the late '60s. The pattern keeps recurring, and no one seems to remember the earlier mistakes. We loosen mortgage standards, there’s a bubble, and then there’s a crash. Other than the taxpayers, who have to cover the government’s losses, most of the people who are hurt are those who bought in the bubble years, and found—when the bubble deflated—that they couldn’t afford their homes.Exactly this happened in the period leading up to the 2008 financial crisis, again as a result of the government’s housing policies. Only this time, as I’ll describe, the government’s policies were so pervasive and were pursued with such vigor by two administrations that they caused a financial crisis as well as the usual cyclical housing market collapse.Congress planted the seeds of the crisis in 1992, with the enactment of what were called “affordable housing” goals for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Before 1992, these two firms dominated the housing finance market, especially after the federal savings and loan industry—another government mistake—had collapsed in the late 1980s. Fannie and Freddie’s role, as initially envisioned and as it developed until 1992, was to conduct what were called secondary market operations, to create a liquid market in mortgages. They were prohibited from making loans themselves, but they were authorized to buy mortgages from banks and other lenders. Their purchases provided cash for lenders and thus encouraged home ownership by making more funds available for more mortgages. Although Fannie and Freddie were shareholder-owned, they were chartered by Congress and granted numerous government privileges. For example, they were exempt from state and local taxes and from SEC regulations. The president appointed a minority of the members of their boards of directors, and they had a $2.25 billion line of credit at the Treasury. As a result, market participants believed that Fannie and Freddie were government-backed, and would be rescued by the government if they ever encountered financial difficulties.This widely assumed government support enabled these GSEs to borrow at rates only slightly higher than the U.S. Treasury itself, and with these low-cost funds they were able to drive all competition out of the secondary mortgage market for middle-class mortgages—about 70 percent of the $11 trillion housing finance market. Between 1991 and 2003, Fannie and Freddie’s market share increased from 28 to 46 percent. From this dominant position, they were able to set the underwriting standards for the market as a whole; few mortgage lenders would make middle-class mortgages that could not be sold to Fannie or Freddie.Over time, these two GSEs had learned from experience what underwriting standards kept delinquencies and defaults low. These required down payments of 10 to 20 percent, good credit histories for borrowers, and low debt-to-income ratios after the mortgage was closed. These were the foundational elements of what was called a prime loan or a traditional mortgage, and they contributed to a stable mortgage market through the 1970s and most of the 1980s, with mortgage defaults generally under one percent in normal times and only slightly higher in rough economic waters. Despite these strict credit standards, the homeownership rate in the United States remained relatively high, hovering around 64 percent for the 30 years between 1964 and 1994.In a sense, government backing of the GSEs and their market domination was their undoing. Community activists had kept the two firms in their sights for many years, arguing that Fannie and Freddie’s underwriting standards were so tight that they were keeping many low- and moderate-income families from buying homes. The fact that the GSEs had government support gave Congress a basis for intervention, and in 1992 Congress directed the GSEs to meet a quota of loans to low- and middle-income borrowers when they acquired mortgages. The initial quota was 30 percent: In any year, at least 30 percent of the loans Fannie and Freddie acquired must have been made to low- and moderate-income borrowers—defined as borrowers at or below the median income level in their communities. Although 30 percent was not a difficult goal, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) was given authority to increase the goals, and Congress cleared the way for far more ambitious requirements by suggesting in the legislation that down payments could be reduced below five percent without seriously impairing mortgage quality. In succeeding years, HUD raised the goal, with many intermediate steps, to 42 percent in 1996, 50 percent in 2000, and 56 percent in 2008.In order to meet these ever-increasing goals, Fannie and Freddie had to reduce their underwriting standards. In fact that was explicitly HUD’s purpose, as many statements by the department at the time made clear. As early as 1995, the GSEs were buying mortgages with three percent down payments, and by 2000 Fannie and Freddie were accepting loans with zero down payments. At the same time, they were also compromising other underwriting standards, such as borrower credit standards, in order to find the subprime and other non-traditional mortgages they needed to meet the affordable housing goals.These new easy credit terms spread far beyond the low-income borrowers that the loosened standards were intended to help. Mortgage lending is a competitive business; once Fannie and Freddie started to reduce their underwriting standards, many borrowers who could have afforded prime mortgages sought the easier terms now available so they could buy larger homes with smaller down payments. Thus, home buyers above the median income were gaining leverage through lower down payments, and loans to them were decreasing in quality. In many cases, these homeowners were withdrawing cash from the equity in their homes through cash-out refinancing as home prices went up and interest rates declined in the mid-2000s. By 2007, 37 percent of loans with down payments of three percent went to borrowers with incomes above the median.As a result of the gradual deterioration in loan quality over the preceding 16 years, by 2008, just before the crisis, 56 percent of all mortgages in the U.S.—32 million loans—were subprime or otherwise low quality. Of this 32 million, 76 percent were on the books of government agencies or institutions like the GSEs that were controlled by government policies. This shows incontrovertibly where the demand for these mortgages originated.With all the new buyers entering the market because of the affordable housing goals, housing prices began to rise. By 2000, the developing bubble was already larger than any bubble in U.S. history, and it kept growing until 2007, when—at nine times the size of any previous bubble—it finally topped out and housing prices began to fall.Housing bubbles tend to suppress delinquencies and defaults while the bubble is growing. This happens because as prices rise, it becomes possible for borrowers who are having difficulty meeting their mortgage obligations to refinance or sell the home for more than the principal amount of the mortgage. In these conditions, potential investors in mortgages or in mortgage-backed securities receive a strong affirmative signal; they see high-yielding mortgages—loans that reflect the riskiness of lending to a borrower with a weak credit history—but the expected delinquencies and defaults have not occurred. They come to think, “This time it’s different”—that the risks of investing in subprime or other weak mortgages are not as great as they’d thought. Housing bubbles are also pro-cyclical. When they are growing, they feed on themselves, as buyers bid up prices so they won’t lose a home they want. Appraisals, based on comparable homes, keep pace with rising prices. And loans keep pace with appraisals, until home prices get so high that buyers can’t afford them no matter how lenient the terms of the mortgage.But when bubbles begin to deflate, the process reverses. It then becomes impossible to refinance or sell a home when the mortgage is larger than the home’s appraised value. Financial losses cause creditors to pull back and tighten lending standards, recessions frequently occur, and would-be purchasers can’t get financing. Sadly, many are likely to have lost their jobs in the recession while being unable to move where jobs are more plentiful, because they couldn’t sell their homes without paying off the mortgage balances. In these circumstances, many homeowners are tempted to walk away from the mortgage, knowing that in most states the lender has recourse only to the home itself.With the largest housing bubble in history deflating in 2007, and more than half of all mortgages made to borrowers who had weak credit or little equity in their homes, the number of delinquencies and defaults in 2008 was unprecedented. One immediate effect was the collapse of the market for mortgage-backed securities that were issued by banks, investment banks, and subprime lenders, and held by banks, financial institutions, and other investors around the world. These were known as private label securities or private mortgage-backed securities, to distinguish them from mortgage-backed securities issued by Fannie and Freddie. Investors, shocked by the sheer number of mortgage defaults that seemed to be underway, fled the market for private label securities; there were now no buyers, causing a sharp drop in market values for these securities.This had a disastrous effect on financial institutions. Since 1994, they had been required to use what was called “fair value accounting” in setting the balance sheet value of their assets and liabilities. The most significant element of fair value accounting was the requirement that assets and liabilities be marked-to-market, meaning that the balance sheet value of assets and liabilities was to reflect their current market value instead of their amortized cost or other valuation methods.Marking-to-market worked effectively as long as there was a market for the assets in question, but it was destructive when the market collapsed in 2007. With buyers pulling away, there were only distress-level prices for private mortgage-backed securities. Although there were alternative ways for assets to be valued in the absence of market prices, auditors—worried about their potential liability if they permitted their clients to overstate assets in the midst of the financial crisis—would not allow the use of these alternatives.Accordingly, financial firms were compelled to write down significant portions of their private mortgage-backed securities assets and take losses that substantially reduced their capital positions and created worrisome declines in earnings. When Lehman Brothers (company), a major investment bank, declared bankruptcy, a full-scale panic ensued in which financial institutions started to hoard cash. They wouldn’t lend to one another, even overnight, for fear that they would not have immediate cash available when panicky investors or depositors came for it. This radical withdrawal of liquidity from the market was the financial crisis.Thus, the crisis was not caused by insufficient regulation, let alone by an inherently unstable financial system. It was caused by government housing policies that forced the dominant factors in the trillion dollar housing market—Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac—to reduce their underwriting standards. These lax standards then spread to the wider market, creating an enormous bubble and a financial system in which well more than half of all mortgages were subprime or otherwise weak. When the bubble deflated, these mortgages failed in unprecedented numbers, driving down housing values and the values of mortgage-backed securities on the balance sheets of financial institutions. With these institutions looking unstable and possibly insolvent, a full-scale financial panic ensued when Lehman Brothers, a large financial firm, failed.Given these facts, further regulation of the financial system through the Dodd-Frank Act was a disastrously wrong response. The vast new regulatory restrictions in the act have created uncertainty and sapped the appetite for risk-taking that had once made the U.S. financial system the largest and most successful in the world.What, then, should have been done? The answer is a thorough reorientation of the U.S. housing finance system away from the kind of government control that makes it hostage to narrow political imperatives—that is, providing benefits to constituents—rather than responsive to the competition and efficiency imperatives of a market system. This does not mean that we should have no regulation. What it means is that we should have only regulation that is necessary when the self-correcting elements in a market system fail. We can see exactly that kind of failure in the effect of a bubble on housing prices. A bubble energizes itself by reducing defaults as prices rise. This sends the wrong signal to investors: Instead of increasing risk, they tend to see increasing opportunity. They know that in the past there have been painful bubble deflations in housing, but it is human nature to believe that “this time it’s different.” Requiring that only high quality mortgages are eligible for securitization would be the kind of limited regulatory intervention that addresses the real problem, not the smothering regulation in Dodd-Frank that depresses economic growth.The Affordable Care Act, better known as ObamaCare, has received all the attention as the worst expression of the Obama presidency, but Dodd-Frank deserves a look. Just as ObamaCare was the wrong prescription for health care, Dodd-Frank was based on a faulty diagnosis of the financial crisis. Until that diagnosis is corrected—until it is made clear to the American people that the financial crisis was caused by the government rather than by deregulation or insufficient regulation—economic growth will be impeded. It follows that when the true causes of the financial crisis have been made clear, it will become possible to repeal Dodd-Frank.This has happened before. During the 1930s, the dominant view was that the Depression was caused by excessive competition. It seems crackpot now, but the New Dealers thought that too much competition drove down prices, caused firms to fail, and thus increased unemployment. The Dodd-Frank of the time was the National Industrial Recovery Act. Although it was eventually overturned by the Supreme Court, its purpose was to cartelize industry and limit competition so that businesses could raise their prices. It was only in the 1960s, when Milton Friedman and Anna Schwartz showed that the Depression was caused by the Federal Reserve’s monetary policy, that national policies began to move away from regulation and toward competition. What followed was a flood of deregulation—of trucking, air travel, securities, and communications, among others—which has given us the Internet, affordable air travel for families instead of just business, securities transactions at a penny a share, and Fedex. Ironically, however, the regulation of banking increased, accounting for the problems of the industry today.If the American people come to recognize that the financial crisis was caused by the housing policies of their own government—rather than insufficient regulation or the inherent instability of the U.S. financial system—Dodd-Frank will be seen as an illegitimate response to the crisis. Only then will it be possible to repeal or substantially modify this repressive law.Copyright © 2013 Hillsdale College. The opinions expressed in Imprimis are not necessarily the views of Hillsdale College. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided the following credit line is used: “Reprinted by permission from Imprimis, a publication of Hillsdale College.” SUBSCRIPTION FREE UPON REQUEST. ISSN 0277-8432. Imprimis trademark registered in U.S. Patent and Trade Office #1563325.