Click to see preamble.

   

 
MARCH 12, 2017

WE THE PEOPLE RADIO

WE THE PEOPLE RADIO

 

Hour 1 WE THE PEOPLE RADIO Hour 2 WE THE PEOPLE RADIO

"Border Security & the Wall"

- SECURITY SOLUTIONS TECHNOLOGY -

with Bruce Moran 'national security consultant' & Chuck Floyd, 'chief executive officer'

CHUCK FLOYD, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Chuck is a senior executive with an MBA and a Masters degree in Logistics, with over 25 years of experience driving strategy, business development, market penetration, regulatory compliance, acquisitions, program management, and joint ventures with industry and the U.S. Departments of State, Defense, Homeland Security, Health & Human Services, Justice, Veteran Affairs, and the U.S. Congress. He is also adept at managing domestic and international teams, collaborating with business, government and other stakeholders, and leading large-scale programs from planning to completion. His extensive expertise includes strategic planning, business development & capture, marketing, program management, security, spiral & agile development, Six Sigma and ISO process improvements, P&L, supply chain and operations management. He has experience writing legislation and managing government relation programs. Chuck has traveled to over 50 countries around the world and has coordinated contracts, policy, and agreements with foreign government officials. He also has experience building, managing, and motivating high-performing teams that exceed expectations and company objectives.

 

BRUCE MORAN, NATIONAL SECURITY ADVIS

Bruce J. Moran is a senior National Security Advisor who focuses on strategic planning for National Security issues. As a consultant, he works with public officials, U.S. Government committees, departments, agencies, think tanks, and corporations. He works on special national security projects and defines clear "hands on" working solutions for Crisis Preparedness and Crisis Readiness scenarios. He has in-depth experience in foreign policy, security operations & Hi-Tech systems (connectivity, interoperability, and interfacing) such as SMART* Fusion protocols and applications. He consults with the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S. Department of State, U.S. Department of Commerce, Senate Foreign Relations Committee, House Committee On Foreign Affairs, Joint Economic Committee, Senate/House Committees on Banking/Finance, Senate Permanent Committee On investigations and the Senate Select Committee On Intelligence.
 
Forbes article: How to Handcuff a National Security Investigation

 

Security Solutions Technology, LLC is a Veteran Owned (and SDVOSB) Company that provides federal government consulting, IT professional services, security assessments, cybersecurity, geospatial, program and life cycle management, change management, logistics, and financial consulting. We provide a performance and results-based culture in any organization.
 
Click here for more information on Bruce Moran
 

Here's out plan of attack for today's program ... aka out best laid plans ...

  • ENFORCE THE LAW
  • IMPLEMENT EXISTING RULES AND REGULATIONS ON THE BOOKS 
  • ALLOW AGENTS TO DO THEIR JOB  
  • USE METRICS TO ANALYZE & ASSESS BORDER SECURITY
  • STREAM LINE POLICY – NO CATCH & RELEASE
  • NO UNLAWFUL HIRING – FINES / JAIL TIME FOR VIOLATORS
  • WORK EFFECTIVELY WITH BORDER PARTNERS
  • FLUID INTERAGENCY COOPERATION WITH TRANSPARENCY
  • ALL FAMILY CHAIN MIGRATION MUST END
  • TIMELY, ACCURATE AND ACCOUNTABLE QUARTERLY REPORTING TO CONGRESS AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Here’s some of the information I was referencing on the low percentage of ag workers. It’s interesting that only 4% of the unauthorized immigrants work in Farming/Fishing/Forestry.  It flies in the face of what we are told.  The chart below comes from the middle of the article as I’ve linked it below.  It’s a REALLY long article so the link below goes directly to the chart :

http://www.pewhispanic.org/2009/04/14/iv-social-and-economic-characteristics/

Not covered today but this is a must read. Russian hacking is fiction compared to these facts coming out of the investigation of the 3 Pakisani brothers working for Dems in the House of representatives.  Incredible that this was ever allowed to happen. The following links are an Investigative Group Series by Daily Caller

 
 

 

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WE THE PEOPLE RADIO

PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST 50 DAYS OF ACTION: ACHIEVING RESULTS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE

Office of the Press Secretary


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 10, 2017
 
PRESIDENT TRUMP’S FIRST 50 DAYS OF ACTION: ACHIEVING RESULTS FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
 
JUMPSTARTING JOB CREATION: President Donald J. Trump is looking out for the American workers who Washington has left behind.
  • President Trump has worked with the private sector to deliver tens of thousands of new jobs for Americans.
  • President Trump ordered the United States to withdraw from the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement and negotiations.
  • President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to clear roadblocks to construction of the Keystone XL Pipeline.
  • President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum declaring that the Dakota Access Pipeline serves the national interest and initiating the process to complete its construction.
  • President Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum to help ensure that new pipeline construction and repair work use materials and equipment from the United States.

CUTTING GOVERNMENT RED TAPE: President Trump has quickly taken steps to get the Government out of the way of job creation.

  • President Trump directed each agency to establish a Regulatory Reform Task Force to identify costly and unnecessary regulations in need of modification or repeal.
  • President Trump has required that for every new Federal regulation, two existing regulations be eliminated.
  • President Trump directed the Department of Commerce to streamline Federal permitting processes for domestic manufacturing and to reduce regulatory burdens on domestic manufacturers.
  • President Trump signed legislation, House Joint Resolution 38, to prevent the burdensome “Stream Protection Rule” from causing further harm to the coal industry.
  • President Trump ordered the review of the “Clean Water Rule: Definition of Waters of the United States,” known as the WOTUS rule, to evaluate whether it is stifling economic growth or job creation.

REFORMING WASHINGTON: President Trump has taken actions to reform the old Washington way of doing business and to ensure that his entire Administration are working for the American people.    

  • President Trump put in place a hiring freeze for Federal civilian employees to stop the further expansion of an already bloated government.
  • President Trump signed an Executive Order establishing new ethics commitments for all Executive branch appointees, putting in place a five-year lobbying ban and a permanent ban on lobbying for foreign governments, so that appointees serve the American people instead of their own interests.

PUTTING PATIENT HEALTHCARE FIRST: After years of false promises, rising costs, and shrinking accessibility, President Trump is championing reforms to put patients first.

  • President Trump has supported efforts by Republicans in Congress to repeal the worst parts of Obamacare and replace them with the American Health Care Act.
  • President Trump acted on his first day in office to instruct Federal agencies to minimize the burden of Obamacare on Americans.

PRIORITIZING AMERICAN NATIONAL SECURITY: President Trump has taken action to ensure the safety and security of the United States homeland, its borders, and its people.

  • Under President Trump’s leadership, the Department of the Treasury sanctioned 25 entities and individuals involved in Iran’s ballistic missile program.
  • President Trump implemented new protections against foreign terrorists entering our country.
  • President Trump has proposed increasing the military’s budget by $54 billion so that it can begin to rebuild.
  • As a result of a Presidential Memorandum President Trump signed on January 28, he has received a plan to defeat ISIS designed by the Secretary of Defense and other members of his Cabinet.
  • President Trump ordered a review of military readiness and made it the policy of the United States to rebuild the United States’ Armed Forces.
  • President Trump has negotiated to bring down the price of the F-35, saving millions of dollars.

DELIVERING ON IMMIGRATION REFORM: President Trump has made enforcing the Nation’s immigration laws a priority of his Administration.

  • President Trump signed an Executive Order to start work on a southern border wall.
  • President Trump signed an Executive Order to enhance the public safety of Americans through enforcement of immigration laws.
  • President Trump signed an Executive Order to halt funding to jurisdictions in the United States that do not comply with Federal immigration rules.
  • President Trump signed an Executive Order to begin the removal of illegal immigrants who have committed certain crimes.
  • Following through on President Trump’s direction, the Department of Homeland Security will hire 10,000 Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers and agents and 5,000 border patrol agents.

RESTORING PUBLIC SAFETY TO AMERICAN COMMUNITIES: President Trump is following through on his promise to restore public safety for all Americans. 

  • President Trump signed an Executive Order directing the Attorney General to develop a strategy to more effectively prosecute people who engage in crimes against law enforcement officers.
  • President Trump signed an Executive Order to establish a task force, led by the Attorney General, to reduce crime and restore public safety in communities across America.
  • President Trump signed an Executive Order re-focusing the Federal Government’s energy and resources on dismantling transnational criminal organizations, such as drug cartels.

HELPING WOMEN AND MINORITIES SUCCEED: President Trump knows the country cannot reach its potential unless every American has a chance to prosper.

  • President Trump signed an Executive Order strengthening and repositioning the Historically Black Colleges and Universities initiatives within the White House to foster better opportunities in higher education.
  • President Trump and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau launched the United States-Canada Council for Advancement of Women Entrepreneurs and Business Leaders?????.
  • President Trump signed into law the Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act to encourage the National Science Foundation’s entrepreneurial programs to recruit and support women to extend their focus beyond the laboratory and into the commercial world.
  • President Trump signed into law the Inspiring the Next Space Pioneers, Innovators, Researchers, and Explorers (INSPIRE) Women Act to encourage women to study science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), pursue careers in aerospace, and further advance the nation's space science and exploration efforts.

KEEPING HIS PROMISE TO DEFEND THE CONSTITUTION: President Trump promised a U.S. Supreme Court justice in the mold of late Justice Antonin Scalia selected from his previously announced list of 20 judges

  • President Trump nominated Judge Neil M. Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court because of his consistent record defending the Constitution.
     

The White House · 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW · Washington DC 20500 · 202-456-1111


Talking Points for President Trump's Speech 2/28/17

 AFTERNOON COMMUNICATIONS BRIEFING
Feb. 28, 2017

PRESIDENT’S ADDRESS TO A JOINT SESSION OF CONGRESS

The President is committed to keeping his promises to the American people.

  • He has already saved taxpayers millions of dollars by renegotiating promises, and will save billions more on contracts all across government.
  • We have undertaken a historic effort to roll back over-burdensome regulations.
  • The President has begun the process of draining the swamp of Washington corruption.
  • He has cleared the way for pipeline construction and withdrew the country from the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Looking forward, the President will lay out an optimistic vision for the nation with a focus on the government putting the interests of the American people first.

  • There is a renewed spirit of optimism sweeping the country.
  • We are thinking like Americans again – dreaming big, building and undertaking monumental tasks and solving enormous problems.
  • But we must work together – across party lines – to do it.

We must restart the engine of America’s economy.

  • American businesses are being crushed under an avalanche of taxes and regulations.
  • We must make it easier for companies to do business in America.
  • We will deliver historic tax reform so that American businesses can compete and thrive.
  • The middle class must get tax relief.
  • We must have fair trade for our workers – foreign countries can no longer be allowed to tax our exports while shipping goods into our country for free.
  • We must protect our workers by enforcing our immigration laws, and it is time to implement a merit-based immigration system.
  • We will be guided by two core rules: Buy American, and Hire American.

Our people must have access to quality, affordable healthcare of their choosing.

  • Congress must repeal Obamacare and replace it with a system that expands choice, increases access and lowers costs.
  • Americans with pre-existing conditions must have coverage, and we must smooth the transition for Americans currently in the exchanges.
  • Our governors must have flexibility and resources they need to ensure no one slips through the cracks.
  • Americans must have the freedom to purchase health insurance in a national marketplace – it is time for competition that benefits consumers.
  • We must eliminate the burdensome approval process for life-saving drugs so that more lives can be saved.

Every parent deserves a choice, and every child deserves a chance.

  • Education is a civil rights issue – every child must have access to a quality education, no matter their zip code.
  • Our disadvantaged youth, including millions of African-American and Latino children, deserve access to good schools and great teachers.
  • We want to help our children break the cycle of poverty, and education is the key.

Every family deserves the opportunity to live in peace and safety in their homes and communities.

  • We must break the cycle of violence in our cities.
  • To accomplish this, we must support our men and women in law enforcement. They deserve our respect and appreciation.
  • For our people to be truly safe, our men and women of the military must have the tools they need to prevent – and, if they must, win – a war.
  • And when our veterans come home, they must be taken care of.

Looking abroad, an America First policy calls for robust engagement with the world in areas of mutual interest.

  • We support NATO, but our partners must meet their financial obligations.
  • Our strategic partners around the world must play meaningful roles in operations and help cover the costs.
  • We must learn from the mistakes of the past that have led to so much destruction around the world.
  • We are prepared to forge new partnerships where our interests align. We are looking for partners in peace.

OTHER NEWS OF THE DAY

Legislation and Executive Orders Signed Today

H.R. 321 – The INSPIRE Act

  • This bill, which was passed unanimously by Congress, encourages NASA to have women and girls participate in science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and to pursue careers in aerospace, using existing programs and resources.
  • Specifically, the bill encourages the expansion of the missions of:
    • NASA Girls & NASA Boys
    • Aspire to Inspire
    • The Summer Institute in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Research.
  • Also requires NASA to produce a report in 90 days to detail how the agency can best support engagement for women and girls in aerospace and related fields.

H.R. 255 – The Promoting Women in Entrepreneurship Act

  • Similar to the INSPIRE Act, H.R. 255 encourages the National Science Foundation to use existing programs to recruit and support women in the sciences.
  • R. 255 was passed by unanimous consent in both the House and Senate and has no cost according to the Congressional Budget Office.
  • This bill is in part of the Innovation Initiative, launched jointly by Leader McCarthy and Representative McHenry

Executive Order on the Waters of the United States (WOTUS)

  • The Waters of the United States issue has had a long odyssey in the regulatory and legal world for the last 30 years, including 3 Supreme Court decisions and revised guidance from multiple administrations.
  • The last administration overturned previous guidance and instituted the Clean Water Rule, previously known as the Waters of the U.S. Rule, a massive power grab that vastly expands federal jurisdiction into state and local areas and decisions regarding their land use.
    • This rule is strongly opposed by farmers, ranchers, and agricultural workers all across our country because it prohibits them from doing their jobs as efficiently as possible and treats our small farmers as if they were major industrial polluters.
  • Past Supreme Court decisions have tried to make it clear that the jurisdiction of federal agencies who oversee this issue should be shrinking, not expanding.
  • This order directs the Army Corps of Engineers and the EPA to review and reconsider the Obama administration’s rule and provides instruction to the Attorney General for proceeding with current legal action regarding the rule.
  • By eliminating this rule, we will unleash our farmers and ranchers to freely, yet still safely, expand their operations, and allow more Americans to make their living off our great land.

Executive Order on the Historically Black Colleges and Universities Initiative

  • President Trump is making HBCUs a priority again by repositioning the HBCU initiative in the White House.
  • This repositioning will strengthen the initiative by:
    • Allowing it to function across all executive departments and agencies and utilize the full resources of the federal government
    • Establishing HBCUs as a strategic partner in the President’s urban agenda of creating jobs, revitalizing communities, and making inner cities safe again
    • Increasing the private sector’s role in supporting HBCUs
    • Strengthening HBCUs participation in federal programs that partner with outside groups or private organizations
  • Each President since Jimmy Carter has issued an executive order on HBCUs. These previous initiatives lost track because they did not have the full force of the White House behind them. That stops with President Trump.

The President’s Budget

  • The President’s first budget will be submitted to Congress on March 16th.
  • The American people elected the President to prioritize their security, and that is exactly what he will do.
    • This budget provides for one of the largest increases in defense spending without increasing the debt.
    • There will be a $54 billion increase in defense spending in Fiscal Year 2018, in addition to $30 billion in supplemental spending for the current fiscal year.
      • This funding is vital. We must devote this money to protect the country.
    • We will also increase funding for our veterans, secure our border, and fund our other priorities.
  • We are a nation that soon will be $20 trillion in debt, so prioritizing financial security is as important as protecting our nation’s physical security.  
    • Families all across America have made tough choice in recent years over tradeoffs about what they can and cannot afford, but the federal government has continued to spend taxpayer dollars without pause.
    • The President has instructed his Budget Director, Mick Mulvaney, to write a budget that rebuilds our nation’s military, while also making tough choices for the American people.
    • This budget will insist on $54 billion in cuts to nondefense programs. The so-called “firewall” that protects lesser priorities from being used to pay for defense increases must go.
    • Foreign aid to other countries will be cut deeply. It is time to prioritize the security of this country and ask the rest of the world to step up and pay their fair share.
  • Many government agencies will also experience cuts.
    • These cuts will be sensible, they will be rational, but they will be tough.
  • That is what the moment calls for, and the President looks forward to engaging the Congress in passing his first security budget.

ObamaCare

  • ObamaCare has delivered Americans an unsustainable health care system with out of control premiums, rising deductibles and dwindling choices.
  • Nancy Pelosi cited three critical fronts on which ObamaCare's success should be judged: lowering costs, expanding benefits, and increasing access. The law has completely failed all three.
    • Costs:
      • Under ObamaCare, the American people face rising premiums, unaffordable deductibles, fewer insurance choices, and higher taxes to pay for skyrocketing costs.
      • This year, the average premium for ObamaCare insurance plans in all four tiers (bronze, silver, gold, platinum) are facing a double-digit increase.
    • Expanding Benefits:
      • Obamacare's mandates have led to mass cancellations of coverage, soaring out of pocket costs, and enrollment figures declining as millions choose to pay a tax over buying government mandated insurance.
    • Increased Access:
      • As insurers leave the marketplace, Americans are left with fewer insurance choices, with 17% having only one insurer option available in their exchange.
      • The ObamaCare Co-Op program has failed, with 16 of 23 co-ops having failed and gone out of business.
  • We are confident that once Americans see the choice between this failed system that has had two terms under the last president to deliver but has been unable to and another choice for a patient-centered plan that will return choice to the American consumer, both with insurers and doctors, and bring back down costs from where they have skyrocketed to, they will support our effort to repeal and responsibly replace ObamaCare. 

POTUS SCHEDULE

  • Meeting with National Association of Attorneys General
  • Signs H.R. 321 and H.R. 255
  • Signs Executive Orders on WOTUS and HBCUs
  • Visit with Guests of First Address to the Joint Session of Congress
  • Addresses Joint Session of Congress

ADDITIONAL BACKGROUND ON RECENT NEWS

New Extreme Vetting EO

  • As the President said at his press conference, we’ll be issuing a new executive action that will comprehensively protect our country.
  • The new executive order is being finalized - what we are doing now is running it through the different departments and agencies to ensure that it is executed in a flawless manner.
    • This is not a matter of delaying, it’s a matter of getting it right.
  • The court which made the misguided decision on the President’s initial executive order had its decisions reversed by the Supreme Court a remarkable 79% between 2010 and 2015.

Anti-Semitic Attacks Against Jewish Community Centers and Cemeteries

  • The President is deeply concerned by the reports of further vandalism at Jewish cemeteries.
  • The cowardly destruction in Philadelphia this weekend comes on top of similar accounts from Missouri, and threats made to Jewish Community Centers across the country last week.
  • The President continues to condemn these and any other anti-Semitic and hateful acts in the strongest terms.
  • From our country’s founding, we have been dedicated to protecting freedom of religion. No one in America should feel afraid to freely and openly follow the religion of their choosing.

White House Relationship with the Media

  • Every time the media turns themselves into the story, the American people – among whom trust in the media remains near historical lows – roll their eyes.
  • The truth is that this was simply a gaggle – not a full briefing – in a smaller space, and the pool was there to share what was said with their peers. The entire gaggle was also transcribed.
    • Background: A press pool is a rotating group of journalists from subscribing news organizations that pool resources and produce reports for all members to draw from in their reporting.
    • Further, we actually allowed more press in than usual for pooled events.
    • We could have kept it to the smaller pool, but instead expanded it as much as allowed by the space in the Press Secretary’s office.
  • It’s completely false to suggest that outlets were “blocked.” The media was represented by the pool, as it is in all situations when space or other factors limit the amount of press able to access an event.

False CNN Reporting

  • The headlines and talking heads are completely ignoring the facts of this situation.
  • The conversation, which centered entirely around the false New York Times report and was not related to any investigation, was initiated by the FBI, not the White House.
  • Some reports have indicated communications between White House staff and the FBI might be inappropriate according to previous practice. However, those restrictions do not apply to conversations of public affairs.
  • The Deputy Director of the FBI reached out, on his own, to the White House Chief of Staff to let him know that the New York Times report regarding contact between Russia and the Trump campaign was inaccurate. There was no “pressure” exerted on the FBI to push back on the story.
  • It was the logical next step for the Chief of Staff to ask, once told that the story was false, what could be done to correct the record.
  • The FBI said it would be appropriate for the Chief of Staff to say publicly that he had been briefed by intelligence officials at the highest level regarding the inaccuracy of the report.
    • Quote from the Chief of Staff: “I have talked to the highest levels of intelligence officials, and they have assured me that the New York Times story about constant contacts is grossly overstated and inaccurate. So I wouldn't come on your show and say something like that if I didn't have a green light and approval to say it. It's not true.” – Fox & Friends (FNC), 2/17/17
  • Just because reporters and anchors say something over and over again doesn’t start to make it true. At some point, we get to a place where we have to move on and focus on the things that the American people actually care about. This has been asked and answered, let’s move forward.

Liberal Activists at Town Halls

  • Every American has a right to speak his or her mind at town halls or other events, and we respect that.
  • Reports of lawmakers distancing themselves from the President are overblown and exaggerated.
  • In a recent poll, 70% of Americans (including most Democrats) wanted Democrats in Washington to work with our Administration, not protest and oppose us at all turns. A vocal minority doesn’t represent the majority.

Reporting on the Yemen Raid

  • Every American owes Ryan Owens and his family a great deal of gratitude. He will always be remembered as an American hero who made the ultimate sacrifice in service of his country.
  • It is standard operating procedure at the Department of Defense that, anytime there is a fatality on an operation, an investigation known as a 15-6 is triggered. It can take several months to complete and a redacted version is available to the public under FOIA.

White House Correspondent’s Dinner

  • POTUS Tweet: I will not be attending the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year. Please wish everyone well and have a great evening!
  • The President’s tweet speaks for itself. He wishes everyone who is attending well but will not be attending himself.
  • The event was originally created for promoting scholarships for young journalists. It’s lost that focus entirely and become just another chance for the dishonest media and professional Washington to celebrate themselves.

DHS Implementation Memos

Top Line:

  • Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kelly issued two memoranda to the DHS workforce providing direction for implementing two of the President’s executive orders: “Border Security and Immigration Improvement” and “Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States.”
  • These memos ensure that all DHS employees are intimately familiar with how to implement the President’s executive orders, key stakeholders are in the loop and the public is well informed on the facts. 
  • These memos, along with fact sheets and Q&A documents, are easily accessible by both DHS staff and the general public at www.dhs.gov/executiveorders. This page will continue to be updated as appropriate.
  • Ultimately, these memos direct DHS staff to faithfully execute the immigration laws of the United States and provide them with the appropriate resources to do so.
  • Specific questions about these memos can be referred to DHS.

Border Security and Immigration Improvement Memo:

  • This memo outlines how DHS will comply with the President’s executive order by deploying all lawful means to secure the nation’s southern border, prevent further illegal immigration into the United States, and to repatriate illegal immigrations swiftly, consistently, and humanely.
  • This memo does not affect DACA recipients.
  • Key policies in this memo include:
    • Establishing operational control of the border, including a physical barrier
    • Detaining illegal immigrants at our near the border
    • Ending the practice of “catch and release”
    • Hiring 5,000 additional border agents
    • Empowering state and local law enforcement to support federal enforcement of immigration law
    • Ensuring prosecution guidelines place a high priority on crimes near our southern border

Enhancing Public Safety in the Interior of the United States Memo:

  • This memo addresses enforcement and removal of those who illegally enter or remain in the United States, particularly those who engage in criminal conduct while here.
  • Key policies in this memo include:
    • Establishing the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) Office within ICE to facilitate engagement with the victims and their families to ensure, to the extent permitted by law, they are provided with information about the offender, and that their additional questions and concerns regarding immigration enforcement efforts are addressed. 
    • Hiring 10,000 ICE agents and officers, as well as additional mission support and legal staff necessary
    • Establishing a program to collect all fines and penalties for which the Department is authorized 
    • Facilitating the collection and reporting of data on the apprehensions and release of illegal immigrations

Appointment of Lieutenant General Herbert Raymond “H.R.” McMaster to serve as Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs

Top Line:

  • General McMaster – known by his nickname, “The Iconoclast General” -- brings over three decades of experience to the post of National Security Advisor.
  • The President’s first duty is to keep the American people safe. General McMaster has the knowledge and foresight necessary to provide the President with expert advice as he protects America’s interests at home and abroad.
  • Bio:
    • General McMaster is a graduate of West Point and earned both his Masters of Arts and Ph.D degrees from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
    • During his over three decades in the United States Army, General McMaster gained renown for his roles in the Gulf War, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Enduring Freedom.
    • He was a Captain in the Battle of 73 Easting, a critical engagement during which outnumbered American forces took advantage of superior military equipment and the element of surprise to destroy over 80 Iraqi Republican Guard vehicles without a single loss.
    • While serving during the Iraq War, General McMaster ran the model for the successful “clear, hold, and build” counterinsurgency method in the town of Tal Afar, a strategy credited with turning the war around during the surge.
    • General McMaster earned the Silver Star for his valor during the Gulf War.

Quote from President Trump:

  • “General McMaster has served with distinction in the United States Army for over three decades and will now bring that tremendous experience with him to his new post as my National Security Advisor. My first duty as President is to keep the American people safe. General McMaster has the knowledge and foresight necessary to provide me with expert advice as we work to protect America’s interests at home and abroad. I am pleased to welcome him to our team.”

Quote from General McMaster:

  • “I am honored to serve as President Trump’s National Security Advisor. The safety of the American people and security of the American homeland are our top priorities. I will work tirelessly in this new role to assist the President as he addresses the complex and growing threats our country is facing around the globe.”

President Trump Inherited a Mess

  • During his press conference on Thursday, President Trump explained that he "inherited a mess... As you know, our administration inherited many problems across government, and across the economy." Here are the facts:
  • Economy
    • The economy grew by just 1.6 percent last year, and President Obama did not have a single year of 3+ percent economic growth.
    • President Obama was the first president since Herbert Hoover to not have at least one year of economic growth of 3 percent or higher.
    • Wage growth was stagnant under President Obama. The median U.S. hourly wage only increased by 34 cents, or 1.8 percent while he was in office. Salaries and benefits rose just 2.2 percent.
    • The nation lost over 200,000 manufacturing jobs under President Obama.
    • The homeownership rate decreased under President Obama and hit a five-decade low last year.
    • On President Obama’s watch, the national debt increased by over 88 percent, a total of $9.3 trillion.
  • Healthcare
    • Obamacare is a mess, with higher costs and fewer choices.
    • Premiums for Obamacare’s mid-level “Silver” plans are increasing by an average of 25 percent this year, coming on top of the 7.5 percent increase for 2016.
    • Lower level “Bronze” plans are facing premium increases of 21 percent this year. 
    • As many as 8.4 million Americans will see a sharp rise in premiums this year, according to HHS. 
    • Deductibles are rising, so consumers have to pay more before their insurance even kicks in. 
    • Taxpayers are paying billions for skyrocketing premium subsidies.
  • Foreign Policy
    • The Obama administration’s foreign policy left the world in disorder: from the disastrous nuclear deal with Iran to the failed Russian reset to the humanitarian crisis in Syria.
    • According to former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper, there are more safe havens for terrorists “than at any time in history.”
    • President Obama failed to foresee and counter the rise of ISIS, which he famously called a “JV Team.”
    • North Korea became a more dangerous threat to their region and the world.
  • Disunity
    • Race relations deteriorated under President Obama, with polls showing that “both blacks and whites believe race relations have deteriorated.” (AP)