Politics. On Point.

President Obama issued the following Executive Orders and Memorandums today, Friday, April 5, 2013. Executive Order -- Continuanc​e of Advisory Council Executive Order -- Adjustment​s of Certain Rates of Pay Presidenti​al Memorandum -- Federal Employee Pay Schedules and Rates that are set by Administra​tive Discretion Presidenti​al Memorandum -- Delegation of Functions Under Sections 404 and 406 of Public Law 112-208   While not an Executive Order or Memorandum, the president also today issued a new policy directive on security sector assistance.    The goals of this new policy are to:  help partner nations build the sustainable capacity to address common security challenges; promote partner support for the policies and interests of the United States; strengthen collective security and multinational defense arrangements and organizations; and promote universal values.    Also released today are the  job numbers for the m...

Chief Usher Admiral Stephen W. Rochon , a highly decorated Coast Guard officer who has dedicated four years of service to the Executive Residence at the White House, will leave the White House to become the Principal Executive for Strategic Integration at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), one of the largest and most complex components of the Department of Homeland Security. Admiral Rochon is the eighth person and first ever African American to serve as Director of the President’s Executive Residence and “Chief Usher.” Admiral Rochon on the White House grounds at the 2011 Easter Egg Roll.  Photo/CD Brown. President George W. Bush appointed Admiral Rochon to the position in February 2007 and President Obama asked him to continue when he took office in January 2009. Admiral Rochon has successfully led a team of Executive Residence employees in executing major events from state visits and Presidential press conferences, to the annual Easter Egg Roll and East Room even...

President Obama met with Mexico's President Felipe Calderón today on a number of issues that the White House says the two agreed to resolve. Issuing a Fact Sheet today, the White House said among the items the two presidents discussed and agreed on are: 1) resolving the cross-border long-haul trucking dispute, 2) regulatory cooperation, 3) clean energy and climate change, and 4) transboundary energy negotiations (reservoirs). There was no mention of whether the two discussed Mexico's ongoing drug war, and the continued shipment of drugs from Mexico into the United States. As early as last month a Mexican drug gang leader was arrested for the shooting of a federal US agent, causing US Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to remark that "...the violence in Mexico is something we are very concerned about." ** Update ** During a joint press conference today in the East Room President Obama did make the following statement as it relates to the Mexican drug c...