PRESIDENT OBAMA DELIVERED ON HIS 2008 IOWA VICTORY NIGHT VISION

Four years ago, then-Senator Obama shared his vision with Iowa and the nation. He promised to finally make health care affordable and available to every single American. Then he stood up to the insurance industry and Washington Republicans and won something our leaders have been trying to get done for 70 years. He promised to put a tax cut into the pockets of middle-class Americans who work hard and play by the rules but have seen their economic security slip away over the last three decades. He got it done, quickly cutting taxes for 95 percent of working families. And he stared down a stubborn Republican Congress this year to cut taxes again. He promised to start freeing America from our dependence on foreign oil. He got it done by nearly doubling fuelefficiency standards on cars and light trucks, which will save billions of barrels of oil. Were breathing cleaner air, importing less oil and saving money at the pump. He promised to responsibly end the war in Iraq and finally bring back our troops. Many said he couldnt do it. But he got it done. He promised to take government back from the Washington lobbyists and special interests. He got it done. 2008: I'LL BE A PRESIDENT WHO FINALLY MAKES HEALTH CARE AFFORDABLE AND AVAILABLE TO EVERY SINGLE AMERICAN On March 23, 2010, President Obama Signed The Affordable Care Act Into Law, Ensuring Health Care Access And Affordability For Millions Of Americans. We are a nation that faces its challenges and accepts its responsibilities. We are a nation that does what is hard. What is necessary. What is right. Here, in this country, we shape our own destiny. That is what we do. That is who we are. That is what makes us the United States of America. And we have now just enshrined, as soon as I sign this bill, the core principle that everybody should have some basic security when it comes to their health care. [ Remarks by President Obama at the signing of the Affordable Care Act, 03/23/10] THE PATIENT PROTECTION AND AFFORDABLE CARE ACT EXPANDS HEALTH CARE ACCESS TO MORE THAN 30 MILLION AMERICANS By 2016, 32 Million Additional Americans Will Receive Health Insurance Under Health Care Reform. According to CBO and JCTs most recent estimates, PPACA and the Reconciliation Act will increase the number of nonelderly Americans with health insurance by about 32 million in 2016. [CBO Director Doug Elmendorf Committee Testimony, 03/30/11]

After Full Implementation, 95 Percent Of Nonelderly Americans Will Have Insurance Coverage,
Compared To 82 Percent Without The Legislation. About 95 percent of legal nonelderly residents will have insurance coverage in 2021, compared with a projected share of about 82 percent in the absence of that legislation (and an estimated 83 percent currently).[CBO Director Doug Elmendorf Committee Testimony, 03/30/11] In 2014, Millions Of Americans And Small Businesses Will Have Access To Affordable Private Insurance Through Health Insurance Exchanges. Starting in 2014, millions of individuals, families, and small businesses will have access to the same kind of affordable insurance choices as Members of Congress through the purchase of private health insurance through Affordable Insurance Exchanges (Exchanges). Exchanges will offer Americans competition, choice, and clout. Insurance companies will compete for business on a level playing field, driving down costs. Exchanges will make it easy for individual consumers and small businesses to compare qualified health plans. And Exchanges will give individuals and small businesses the same purchasing clout as big businesses. [Healthcare.gov, 08/12/11] Provisions Within The Affordable Care Act Could Decrease The Number Of Underinsured By At Least 70 Percent. If reforms extend more affordable and more protective insurance to all or most low- and modest-income families, we could expect to see at least a 70 percent drop in the number of underinsured people. [Health Affairs, 09/2011] Since The Policy Allowing Young Adults Under 26 To Remain On Their Parents Insurance Took Effect, 2.5 Million Young Adults Have Gained Health Coverage. Results released today by the National Center for Health Statistics demonstrate that the extension of dependent coverage up to age 26 has increased the number of young

adults with health insurance, by even more than prior analyses had suggested. These new estimates show that from September 2010 to June 2011, the percentage of adults 19 to 25 with insurance coverage increased from 64% to 73%, which translates into 2.5 million additional young adults with coverage. [Department of Health & Human Services, 12/14/11] An Estimated 12.1 Million Young Adults Will Gain Subsidized Health Care Coverage Once All Of The Affordable Care Acts Provisions Go Into Effect. Starting in 2014, of the 14.8 million uninsured adults ages 19 to 29, an estimated 12.1 million could gain subsidized coverage once all the laws provisions go into effect: 7.2 million may gain coverage under Medicaid and 4.9 million may gain subsidized private coverage through state insurance exchanges. [The Commonwealth Fund, 05/2011] 3.4 Million Uninsured Young Adults Are Eligible To Stay On Their Parents Plans Because Of The Affordable Care Act. [Families USA, 03/2011] When President Obamas Health Care Reform Law Is Fully Implemented In 2014, Nearly All Of The Estimated 27 Million Working-Age Women Who Didnt Have Health Insurance In 2010 Will Gain Affordable And Comprehensive Benefits. The Affordable Care Act is bringing change for women through required free coverage of preventive care services, small business tax credits, new affordable coverage options, and insurance market reforms, including bans on gender rating. When the law is fully implemented in 2014, nearly all the 27 million working-age women who went without health insurance in 2010 will gain affordable and comprehensive benefits. [The Commonwealth Fund, May 2011] THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT MAKES HEALTH CARE MORE AFFORDABLE TO ALL AMERICANS Beginning In 2014, Individuals And Families Can Take A New Health Care Premium Tax Credit To Help Them Afford Insurance Purchased Through An Affordable Insurance Exchange. Starting in 2014, individuals and families can take a new premium tax credit to help them afford health insurance coverage purchased through an Affordable Insurance Exchange. Exchanges will operate in every state and the District of Columbia. The premium tax credit is refundable so taxpayers who have little or no income tax liability can still benefit. The credit also can be paid in advance to a taxpayers insurance company to help cover the cost of premiums. [IRS, 11/30/11]

In Its First Year, Americans Will Receive $110.1 Billion In Financial Relief Through The Health Care
Premium Tax Credit. [Families USA, 09/2010] 95 Percent Of Americans Eligible For The Premium Tax Credit Will Be In Working Families. The vast majority of people who will be eligible for the premium tax credit95 percentwill be in working families. Nationally, nearly 24.8 million peoplethe majority of those who will be eligible for premium tax creditswill be in families with a worker who is employed full-time. Another 2.5 million people will be in families with a worker who is employed part-time. [Families USA, 09/2010] FAMILY SAVE MONEY UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT On Average, Each Household Will Be Benefit By $1,571 In 2019 Because Of The Provisions In The Affordable Care Act. On average, each household in the United States will be $1,571 better off in 2019 due to the provisions of the Affordable Care Act. [Families USA, 10/2011] Household With Income Of Less Than $100,000 Will Receive The Greatest Financial Benefit From The Provisions Found In Health Care Reform. [Families USA, 10/2011]

Under Health Care Reform, Households with income under $30,000 will be $3,384 better off.
[Families USA, 10/2011]

As A Result Of The Affordable Care Act, Households with income between $30,000 and $50,000
will be $1,907 better off. [Families USA, 10/2011]

 Under President Obamas Health Care Reform, Households with income between $50,000 and
$100,000 will be $1,027 better off. [Families USA, 10/2011] PREMIUM SAVINGS Under Health Care Reform, Families With Insurance Will Pay An Average Of $717 Less In Premiums In 2019. Under health reform, previously insured families will pay an average of $717 less in premiums in 2019. [Families USA, 10/2011] Previously Insured Lower- And Middle-Income Households Will Benefit From The Greatest Reductions In Premiums, Under Health Care Reform. [Families USA, 10/2011]

Households with income under $30,000 will pay $1,006 less in premiums Under The Affordable
Care ACt [Families USA, 10/2011]

Under Health Care Reform, Households with income between $30,000 and $50,000 will pay $903
less in premiums. [Families USA, 10/2011]

Households with income between $50,000 and $100,000 will pay $715 less in premiums. [Families
USA, 10/2011] THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT LOWERS OUT-OF-POCKETS COSTS On Average, Under the Affordable Care Act, Households Will Spend $207 Less Out Of Pocket Than They Would Without Reform. On average, households in the United States will spend $207 less out of pocket under the Affordable Care Act in 2019 than they would have without reform [Families USA, 10/2011] Lower- And Middle-Income Households Will Benefit From The Greatest Reductions In Out-Of-Pocket Spending, Under Health Care Reform. [Families USA, 10/2011]

Households with income under $30,000 will spend an average of $319 less out of pocket on health
care. [Families USA, 10/2011]

Households with income between $30,000 and $50,000 will spend an average of $308 less on outof-pocket costs. [Families USA, 10/2011]

Households with income between $50,000 and $100,000 will spend an average of $146 less on outof-pocket costs. [Families USA, 10/2011] SMALL BUSINESSES SAVE MONEY UNDER THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT The Affordable Care Act Provides Small Businesses Tax Credits In Order To Afford The Cost Of Covering Their Employees, Specifically Targeting Businesses With Low- And Moderate-Income Workers. This new credit helps small businesses and small tax-exempt organizations afford the cost of covering their employees and is specifically targeted for those with low- and moderate-income workers. The credit is designed to encourage small employers to offer health insurance coverage for the first time or maintain coverage they already have. [IRS.gov, 12/19/11] Currently, The Maximum Credit Is 35 Percent For Small Business Which Will Rise To 50 Percent Beginning In 2014. The tax credit, which is effective immediately, can cover up to 35 percent of the premiums a small business pays to cover its workers. In 2014, the rate will increase to 50 percent. [Whitehouse.gov, Accessed 12/19/11]

Small Businesses Could, On Average, Save Up To $350 Per Family Policy Because Of The Lower Costs Associated With Insurance Exchanges. Small businesses, on average, could save up to $350 per family policy due to lower costs in the Exchanges. [healthcare.gov, 01/28/11] For Small Firms, The Average Employer Premium Contribution Per Person Covered By EmployerSponsored Insurance Would Fall 7.9 Percent Because Of Health Care Reform. The average employer premium contribution per person covered by insurance sponsored by small firms would fall by 7.9 percent, a significant reduction in premiums. [The Urban Institute, 01/2011] Under The Affordable Care Act, It Is Estimated That Health Care Spending By Small Businesses Will Decrease 8.7 Percent. Health care spending by small firms (100 or fewer employees) would decline by 8.7 percent under the ACA. [The Urban Institute, 01/2011]

The Decline In Total Health Care Spending For Small Businesses Will Be Mainly Due To The
Savings From The New Employer-Sponsored Insurance Exchanges. Total spending by small firms would be 8.7 percent lower, mainly due to cost savings from the new ESI (SHOP) exchanges. [The Urban Institute, 01/2011]

A Decline In Total Small Business Premium Contributions Alone Accounts For 8.2 Percent In
Spending Reductions. Total premium contributions for small employers would be $105.3 billion after reform, a decline of 8.2 percent. [The Urban Institute, 01/2011]

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT INCLUDES CONSUMER PRICE PROTECTIONS Under Health Care Reform, Insurance Companies Must Justify Any Rate Increase That Is 10 Percent Or Greater. The Affordable Care Act creates a Rate Review program in your state to help protect individuals and small businesses from unreasonable health insurance rate increases. Starting on September 1, 2011, health insurers must justify any rate increase of 10% or more before the increase takes effect. [healthcare.gov, 10/07/11] Starting In 2014, States Will Be Able To Removes Insurance Companies Who Have A Demonstrated Pattern Of Excessive Price Hikes From Their Insurance Exchanges. Starting in 2014, states can recommend that health plans be excluded from participation in state-based insurance exchanges if they have demonstrated a pattern of excessive or unjustified premium increases. [Commonwealth Fund, 12/08/11] Healthcare Reform Will Prevent Insurers From Charging More To Cover Small Businesses With Sicker Workers. Ending Price Discrimination Based on Illness. Health reform will end this price discrimination. Starting in 2014, community rating rules will prohibit insurers from charging more to cover small businesses with sicker workers or raising rates when someone gets sick. [The White House, Accessed 11/11/11] 2008: I'LL BE A PRESIDENT WHO ENDS THE TAX BREAKS FOR COMPANIES THAT SHIP OUR JOBS OVERSEAS AND PUT A MIDDLE-CLASS TAX CUT INTO THE POCKETS OF WORKING AMERICANS WHO DESERVE IT. THE AVERAGE MIDDLE CLASS FAMILY HAS LOWER TAXES TODAY THAN WHEN PRESIDENT OBAMA TOOK OFFICE PolitiFact: The Average Middle Class Family Has Lower Taxes Today Than When President Obama Took Office. Every taxpayer is different, and some "middle-class" Americans may have seen their tax rate or their tax burden go up for one reason or another. But Obama was talking about "the average middle-class family." The changes to the tax code made under Obama and the analyses by the Tax Policy Center show that for the middle 60 percent of the income distribution, both the average tax paid and the average tax rate fell between 2008 and 2011. We rate Obamas statement True. [PolitiFact, 11/30/2011]

President Obama Gave A Tax Cut To 95 Percent Of Working Families Through The Recovery Act. During the campaign, the independent Tax Policy Center researched how Obama's tax proposals would affect workers. It concluded 94.3 percent of workers would receive a tax cut under Obama's plan based on the tax credit to offset payroll taxes. According to the analysis, the people who wouldn't get a tax cut are those who make more than $250,000 for couples or $200,000 for a single person. Obama said he intended to raise taxes on those high earners, a promise he reiterated during the State of the Union, and that revenue would offset the stimulus tax cut. Because the stimulus act did give that broad-based tax cut to workers, we rate Obama's statement True. [Politifact, 1/28/10]

The Making Work Pay Tax Credit, Included In The Recovery Act, Provided A Refundable Tax Credit
Of 6.2 Percent Of Earned Income Up To $400 For Individuals And $800 For Married Joint Filers. Making Work Pay" Tax Credit (Sec. 1001, Page 195). In tax years 2009 and 2010, the Making Work Pay provision will provide a refundable tax credit of 6.2 percent of earned income up to $400 for individuals and up to $800 for married taxpayers filing joint returns. [PolitiFact, 2/2/2010] USA Today Found That In 2009, Americans Paid The Lowest Level Of Taxes Since Harry Trumans Presidency. Amid complaints about high taxes and calls for a smaller government, Americans paid their lowest level of taxes last year sinceHarry Truman's presidency, a USA TODAY analysis of federal data foundFederal, state and local income taxes consumed 9.2% of all personal income in 2009, the lowest rate since 1950, the Bureau of Economic Analysis reports. That rate is far below the historic average of 12% for the last half-century. The overall tax burden hit bottom in December at 8.8.% of income before rising slightly in the first three months of 2010. [USA Today, 5/12/2010]

Federal, State, And Local Income Taxes Consumed The Lowest Percent Of All Personal Income
Since 1950. [USA Today, 5/12/2010] PRESIDENT OBAMA FOUGHT FOR AND DELIVERED A PAYROLL TAX CUT FOR WORKERS, SAVING 160 MILLION WORKERS A TOTAL OF $110 BILLION IN TAXES December 2010, President Obama Negotiated A Bipartisan Tax Compromise That Cut Workers Payroll Taxes By 2 Percent Through 2011. The House of Representatives gave final approval late Thursday night to the deal, negotiated by the White House and top Senate Republicans. The final vote of 277-148 had almost equal numbers of Democrats and Republicans in support. The package includes a two-year extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, which are set to expire December 31. It also would extend unemployment benefits for 13 months, cut the payroll tax by 2 percentage points for a year, restore the estate tax at a lower level and continue a series of other tax breaks. [CNN, 12/17/10]

The Center On Budget And Policy Priorities Estimated That The 2010 Payroll Tax Cut Provided 160
Million Workers With A Total Of $110 Billion In Tax Relief. [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 9/7/2011]

In Iowa, 1.7 Million Workers Received A Collective 1.1 Billion In Payroll Tax Cuts. [Center On Budget
And Policy Priorities, 9/7/2011] President Obamas 2010 Payroll Tax Cut Gives A Couple With $50,000 In Wages An Estimated $1,000 In Tax Relief For 2011. When taxpayers file their 2011 taxes next year, they will no longer receive the Making Work Pay credit. Instead, Congress has replaced Making Work Pay with a payroll tax reduction in 2011 of two percentage points. Most taxpayers will receive more from this payroll tax cut than they did from the Making Work Pay credit; for example, a couple with $50,000 in wages will receive $1,000 instead of $800. Lower-income people will receive less under this payroll tax cut than they did under the Making Work Pay credit; for example, a full-time, minimum wage worker will receive $300, compared to $400 from Making Work Pay. [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 4/15/11] Center On Budget And Policy Priorities: The Payroll Tax Cut Is Benefiting 121 Million Families This Year, Increasing Paychecks By 1.7 Percent Or $934 For The Average Family. According to the Tax Policy Center, the payroll tax cut is benefiting 121 million families this year, increasing their paychecks by an average of around 1.7 percent. For the average family, this works out to $934 in additional take-home pay over the course of the year. The Congressional Budget Office has reported that "the increase in take-home pay [spurs] additional spending by the households receiving the higher income, and that higher spending in turn increase[s] production and employment." [Center On Budget And Policy Priorities, 9/7/2011]

 NOTE: The payroll tax benefited exactly 158.6 million workers or 121 million families in 2011, according to
the Center On Budget And Obama Policy Priorities and the Tax Policy Center. PRESIDENT OBAMA CLOSED A CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLE TO PAY FOR LEGISLATION THAT SUPPORTED OVER A HUNDRED THOUSAND JOBS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS President Obama Signed Legislation To Provide Economic Aid And Prevent Layoffs In Public Schools During The 2010-2011 School Year. The Education Jobs Fund (Ed Jobs) program is a new Federal program that provides $10 billion in assistance to States to save or create education jobs for the 2010-2011 school year. Jobs funded under this program include those that provide educational and related services for early childhood, elementary, and secondary education. [Ed.gov, accessed 10/31/2011]

The Education Jobs Fund Supported 133,368 Educator Jobs Throughout The Country During The
2010-2011 School Year. [Education Jobs Fund, accessed 1/2/2012]

The Education Jobs Fund Supported 744 Educator Jobs In Iowa As Of December 14, 2011.
[Education Jobs Fund, accessed 1/2/2012] To Offset Costs Of This Legislation, President Obama Closed A Corporate Tax Loophole That Allowed Companies To Avoid U.S. Taxes On Foreign Profits While Receiving A Tax Credit From The U.S. Government For The Cost Taxes Paid To Foreign Governments. In 2010, Obama signed a bill into law that provided economic aid to states. So that the bill didn't add to the deficit, it also changed rules on foreign profits for companies.It's a bit complicated to explain these tax loopholes, so bear with us. Basically, the United States government taxes companies on foreign profits, which not all countries do. But companies don't have to pay taxes on foreign profits until they bring the profits back to this country. So companies tend to keep the money with their foreign subsidiaries as long as possible. But companies also get U.S. tax credits for taxes they pay to foreign governments. Some companies figured out how to game the system by keeping their profits overseas while still claiming a tax credit for taxes paid to foreign governments. The new rules say companies can't claim the foreign tax credit until bring the profits back to the United States. The tax experts we interviewed said the old situation was definitely a loophole. [PolitiFact, 9/7/2011] PRESIDENT OBAMA PROPOSED PAYING FOR JOB-CREATING MEASURES IN THE AMERICAN JOBS ACT BY ENDING CORPORATE TAX LOOPHOLES President Obama Proposed Paying For The American Jobs Act With Measures Including Cutting Tax Preferences For High-Income Households, Eliminating Tax Breaks For Oil And Gas Companies, Closing The Carried Interest Loophole For Investment Fund Managers, And Eliminating Benefits For Those Who Use Corporate Jets. The plan also realizes more than $1 trillion in savings over the next 10 years from our drawdowns in Afghanistan and Iraq. And the plan calls for the Congress to undertake comprehensive tax reform that lowers tax rates, closes loopholes, boosts job creation here at home, cuts the deficit by $1.5 trillion, and observes the Buffett Rulethat people making more than $1 million a year should not pay a smaller share of their income in taxes than middle-class families pay. To assist the Committee in its work, I also included specific tax loophole closers and measures to broaden the tax base. Together with the expiration of the high-income tax cuts from 2001 and 2003, these measures would be more than enough to reach this $1.5 trillion target. They include cutting tax preferences for high-income households, eliminating tax breaks for oil and gas companies, closing the carried interest loophole for investment fund managers, and eliminating benefits for those who use corporate jets. [Office Of Management And Budget, Joint Committee Report, Sept. 2011]

President Obamas Plan To Pay For Job-Creating Measures By Closing Tax Loopholes Drew
Immediate Blowback From Republican Leaders. Reporting from Washington President Obama would pay for his $447-billion jobs package by closing tax loopholes and wiping out deductions for wealthier families and specific industries, White House officials said, drawing immediate blowback from Republican leaders. [Los Angeles Times, 9/12/2011]

2008: I'LL BE A PRESIDENT WHO HARNESSES THE INGENUITY OF FARMERS AND SCIENTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS TO FREE THIS NATION FROM THE TYRANNY OF OIL ONCE AND FOR ALL. PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS TAKEN SIGNIFICANT STEPS TO REDUCE THE COUNTRYS DEPENDENCE ON OIL WITH POLICIES THAT WILL CUT U.S. OIL CONSUMPTION BY BILLIONS OF BARRELS Fuel Economy Standards Proposed By The Obama Administration Will Reduce Oil Consumption By An Estimated 12 Billion Barrels, Or About 2.2 Million Barrels A Day By 2025. When combined with other historic steps this administration has taken to increase energy efficiency, this proposal will save Americans over $1.7 trillion at the pump, more than $8,000 per vehicle by 2025.These combined actions also will reduce Americas dependence on oil by an estimated 12 billion barrels, and, by 2025, reduce oil consumption by 2.2 million barrels per day enough to offset almost a quarter of the current level of our foreign oil imports. Taken together, these actions will also slash 6 billion metric tons in greenhouse gas emissions over the life of the programs. [Environmental Protection Agency, 11/16/11]

Fuel Efficiency Standards Established By The Obama Administration For Model Year 2012-2016
Cars Will Conserve About 1.8 Billion Barrels Of Oil. Responding to one of the first major directives of the Obama Administration, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today jointly established historic new federal rules that set the first-ever national greenhouse gas emissions standards and will significantly increase the fuel economy of all new passenger cars and light trucks sold in the United States. The rules could potentially save the average buyer of a 2016 model year car $3,000 over the life of the vehicle and, nationally, will conserve about 1.8 billion barrels of oil and reduce nearly a billion tons of greenhouse gas emissions over the lives of the vehicles covered. [Joint NHTSA and EPA Press Release, 4/1/10]

Fuel Economy Standards Proposed By The Obama Administration For Model Year 2017-2025
Vehicles Will Save Approximately 4 Billion Barrels Of Oil. This second phase of the National Program is projected to save approximately 4 billion barrels of oil and 2 billion metric tons of GHG emissions over the lifetimes of those light duty vehicles sold in MY 2017-2025. [NHTSA Fact Sheet, accessed 1/2/12]

The Obama Administration Established Fuel Efficiency Standards For Medium- And Heavy-Duty
Trucks That Are Projected To Save 530 Million Barrels Of Oil. The new standards for trucks are expected to result in significant savings and benefits over the lifetime of vehicles built for model years 20142018, including: Saving a projected 530 million barrels of oil and reducing carbon pollution emissions by about 270 million metric tons. [NHTSA FACTSHEET: Paving the Way Toward Cleaner, More Efficient Trucks, 8/9/11] The Obama Administration Revised The Renewable Fuel Standard Program, Which Will Displace An Estimated 13.6 Billion Gallons Of Petroleum-Based Gasoline In 2022 By Increasing The Amount Of Renewables In Transportation Fuels. We estimate that the increased use of renewable fuels needed to reach the 36 billion gallons mandated by 2022 relative to market projections in the absence of the mandate will displace about 13.6 billion gallons of petroleum-based gasoline and diesel fuel. This represents about 7 percent of expected annual gasoline and diesel consumption in 2022. [Environmental Protection Agency, February 2010] Investments Made By The Obama Administrations Department Of Energy In Advanced Vehicles And Other Renewable Energy Projects Will Help To Save More Than 300 Million Gallons Of Gasoline A Year. The Department of Energys Loan Programs enable DOE to work with private companies and lenders to mitigate the financing risks associated with building out commercial-scale clean energy projects, thereby encouraging the broader and more rapid growth of the sector. Collectively, these projects plan to employ more than 60,000 Americans, create additional tens of thousands of indirect jobs, provide enough clean electricity to power three million homes, and save more than 300 million gallons of gasoline a year. [Department of Energys Loan Program Office, accessed 1/2/12] President Obama Launched The National Clean Fleets Partnership, A Public-Private Partnership Focused On Helping Large Companies Reduce Gasoline Consumption By Incorporating Electric Vehicles And Alternative Fuels. The National Clean Fleets Partnership, announced by President Obama in April, is a public-

private partnership that helps large companies reduce diesel and gasoline use in their fleets by incorporating electric vehicles, alternative fuels, and fuel-saving measures into their daily operations. [Department of Energys Energy Efficiency & Renewable Energy Office, 7/5/11]

Charter Members Of The Clean Fleets Initiative Have Pledged To Deploy More Than 20,000
Advanced Technology Vehicles And Displace More Than 7 Million Gallons Of Petroleum Each Year. The Partnership is announcing on Friday the commitments of five of its charter members: AT&T, FedEx, PepsiCo, UPS and Verizon. These charter members represent five of the nations 10 largest national fleets and collectively own and operate more than 275,000 vehicles. Their planned current and near-term petroleum reduction strategies will account for the deployment of over 20,000 advanced technology vehicles and annual petroleum displacement in excess of 7 million gallons. [FACT SHEET: National Clean Fleets Partnership, 4/1/11] President Obamas Cash For Clunkers Program Will Lead To A Reduction In Fuel Consumption Of An Estimated 824 Million Gallons. On June 24 2009, President Obama signed the Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save (CARS) Act of 2009. The Act directed the Secretary of Transportation, acting through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), to establish and administer a program in which owners of vehicles meeting statutorily specified criteria could receive a monetary credit for trading in their vehicle and purchasing or leasing a new, more fuel efficient vehicle. []The reduction in fuel consumption over the next twenty-five years is estimated to be 824 million gallons, with a saving roughly 33 million gallons annually. [National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, December 2009] In Accordance With President Obamas Call To Increase Sustainability In The Federal Government, The General Services Administration Is Replacing 5,603 Of The Least Fuel Efficient Vehicles In The Federal Fleet Which Will Reduce Petroleum Consumption By The Equivalent Of An Estimated 7.7 Million Gallons Of Gas. These steps are part of a broad effort to implement the Executive Order signed by President Obama in October which calls on agencies to cut the federal government's fleet petroleum use by 30 percent by 2020, among other goals. Using existing funds, GSA will replace 5,603 of the least fuel efficient cars and trucks in the Federal fleet with fuel efficient hybrids, doubling the number of hybrids in the federal fleet without increasing the total number of vehicles. The resulting improvement in fleet fuel efficiency will reduce petroleum consumption by the equivalent of an estimated 7.7 million gallons of gas, or 385,000 barrels of oil. [Department of Energy, 3/31/10] U.S. DEPENDENCE ON FOREIGN OIL IS FALLING AND EXPORTS ARE INCREASING THANKS, IN PART, TO INCREASED DOMESTIC OIL PRODUCTION AND FUEL EFFICIENCY According To The International Energy Agency, U.S. Oil Imports Are Expected To Decline Significantly Because Of New Fuel Efficiency Standards And Increased Domestic Oil And Gas Production, And By 2015, The U.S. Is No Longer Expected To Be The Worlds Biggest Oil Importer. The European Union is expected to overtake the United States as the worlds biggest oil importer in 2015, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday in its annual report. Oil imports to the United States are expected to decline significantly over the coming years because of new efficiency standards for cars and trucks and an increase in domestic oil and natural gas production, said Fatih Birol, chief economist of the agency. [New York Times, 11/9/11] In 2010, U.S. Dependence On Foreign Oil Fell Below 50% For The First Time Since 1997. But whichever way it is defined, U.S. dependence on imported oil has dramatically declined since peaking in 2005, continuing a trend that was beginning to emerge the last time This Week In Petroleum examined the issue. By the broadest measure, U.S. dependence on imported oil fell below the 50 percent mark last year for the first time since 1997. [Energy Information Administration, 6/2/11] For The First Time In History, Fuel Is The United States Top Export. For the first time, the top export of the United States, the world's biggest gas guzzler, is - wait for it - fuel. Measured in dollars, the nation is on pace this year to ship more gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel than any other single export, according to U.S. Census data going back to 1990. [Associated Press, 12/30/11] The United States Is A Net Exporter Of Fuel For The First Time Since 1949. The last time the U.S. was a net exporter of fuels was 1949, when Harry Truman was president. That year, the U.S. exported 86 million barrels and imported 82 million barrels. In the first ten months of 2011, the nation exported 848 million barrels (worth $73.4 billion) and imported 750 million barrels. [Associated Press, 12/30/11]

 Ten Years Ago, Fuel Wasnt Even One Of Americas Top 25 Exports. Just how big of a shift is this? A
decade ago, fuel wasn't even among the top 25 exports. And for the last five years, America's top export was aircraft. [Associated Press, 12/30/11] In Both 2009 And 2010 The U.S. Imported Less Oil And Petroleum Than In Any Year Since 2002. [Energy Information Administration, accessed 12/27/11] In 2010, Crude Oil Production In The U.S. Reached Its Highest Annual Level Since 2003. [Energy Information Administration, accessed 10/11/11] Natural Gas Production Is At Its Highest Level In More Than 30 Years. [Energy Information Administration, accessed 1/2/12] PRESIDENT OBAMA HAS MADE CRITICAL INVESTMENTS IN GROUNDBREAKING CLEAN ENERGY PROJECTS AND RESEARCH THAT BRING TOGETHER SCIENTISTS AND ENTREPRENEURS FROM THE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SECTOR The Obama Administration Launched The Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) And Provided The Programs Initial Funding Through The Recovery Act For Investments In Cutting-Edge Inventions And Accelerating Technological Advances In High-Risk Areas. President Barack Obama announced the launch of the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) on April 27 as part of a sweeping announcement about federal investment in research and development and science education. ARPAE will fund energy technology projects that translate scientific discoveries and cutting-edge inventions into technological innovations, and it will also accelerate technological advances in high-risk areas that industry is not likely to pursue independently. [EERE Network News, 4/29/09]

In Its First Year, ARPA-E Awarded Funding To 121 Groundbreaking Energy Projects In 30 States.
In its first year, ARPA-E awarded $363 million in Recovery Act funding to 121 groundbreaking energy projects based in 30 states, with approximately 39% of projects led by universities, 33% by small businesses, 20% by large businesses, 5% by national labs, and 3% by non-profits. [Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, 4/20/11]

In 2011, ARPA-E Awarded Funding To 60 Cutting-Edge Research Projects Focused On Accelerating

Clean Technology Innovation And Increasing Americas Competitiveness In Rare Earth Alternatives. Arun Majumdar, Director of the Department of Energys Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), today announced 60 cutting-edge research projects aimed at dramatically improving how the U.S. produces and uses energy. With $156 million from the Fiscal Year 2011 budget, the new ARPA-E selections focus on accelerating innovations in clean technology while increasing America's competitiveness in rare earth alternatives and breakthroughs in biofuels, thermal storage, grid controls, and solar power electronics. [Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, 9/29/11]

Since Receiving Funding From The Obama Administration, 11 Of ARPA-Es Projects Have Secured
More Than $200 Million In Private Capital Investment. Demonstrating the success ARPA-E has already seen, the program announced this year that eleven of its projects secured more than $200 million in outside private capital investment. [Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy, 9/29/11] The Obama Administration Established 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs) That Integrate Universities, National Labs, Nonprofit Organizations, And For-Profit Firms In Conducting Fundamental Research Into Grand Challenges Facing The Energy Economy. In August 2009, the Office of Basic Energy Sciences in the U.S. Department of Energys Office of Science established 46 Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRCs). These Centers involve universities, national laboratories, nonprofit organizations, and for-profit firms, singly or in partnerships, and were selected by scientific peer review and funded at $2-5 million per year for a 5year initial award period. These integrated, multi-investigator Centers will conduct fundamental research focusing on one or more of several grand challenges and use-inspired basic research needs recently identified in major strategic planning efforts by the scientific community. The purpose of these Centers will be to integrate the talents and expertise of leading scientists in a setting designed to accelerate research toward meeting our critical energy challenges. The EFRCs will harness the most basic and advanced discovery research in a concerted effort to

establish the scientific foundation for a fundamentally new U.S. energy economy. [Department of Energys Office of Science, 8/14/11] The Department Of Energy Awarded Nearly $300 Million In Recovery Act Funding To Support 25 Cost-Share Projects Under The Clean Cities Program To Put More Than 9,000 Alternative Fuel And Energy Efficient Vehicles On The Road And Establish 542 Refueling Locations Across The Country. Energy Secretary Steven Chu today announced the selection of 25 cost-share projects under the Clean Cities program that will be funded with nearly $300 million from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. These projects will speed the transformation of the nation's vehicle fleet, putting more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy efficient vehicles on the road, and establishing 542 refueling locations across the country.[Department of Energy, 8/26/09]

The Projects Will Help To Displace Approximately 38 Million Gallons Of Petroleum Per Year. These
projects will speed the transformation of the nation's vehicle fleet, putting more than 9,000 alternative fuel and energy efficient vehicles on the road, and establishing 542 refueling locations across the country. The Department of Energy also estimates they will help displace approximately 38 million gallons of petroleum per year. [Department of Energy, 8/26/09]

Every Federal Dollar Spent On The Projects Will Be Matched By Nearly Two Dollars From Project
Partners. The vehicles and infrastructure being funded include the use of natural and renewable gas, propane, ethanol, biodiesel, electricity, and hybrid technologies. And with the cost share contributions from the recipients, every federal dollar spent will be matched by nearly two dollars from the project partners. [Department of Energy, 8/26/09] The Obama Administration Has Proposed The Creation Of An Energy Innovation Hub Focused On Improving The Batteries Used In Electric Vehicles. Today's electrical energy storage approaches suffer from limited energy and power capacities, lower-than-desired rates of charge and discharge, calendar and cycle life limitations, low abuse tolerance, high cost, and poor performance at high or low temperatures. These performance deficiencies adversely affect the successful use and integration of renewable, intermittent power sources and limit broad consumer acceptance and market adaptation of hybrid and electric vehicles. The Batteries and Energy Storage Hub would be aimed at developing electrochemical energy storage systems that safely approach theoretical energy and power densities with very high cycle life. [Department of Energy, 8/1/10] 2008: I'LL BE A PRESIDENT WHO ENDS THIS WAR IN IRAQ AND FINALLY BRINGS OUR TROOPS HOME, WHO RESTORES OUR MORAL STANDING, WHO UNDERSTANDS THAT 9/11 IS NOT A WAY TO SCARE UP VOTES BUT A CHALLENGE THAT SHOULD UNITE AMERICA AND THE WORLD AGAINST THE COMMON THREATS OF THE 21ST CENTURY. PRESIDENT OBAMA ENDED THE WAR IN IRAQ President Obama Promised To End Combat Operations In Iraq By August 31, 2010. President Obama said Friday he plans to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq by the end of August 2010. Between 35,000 to 50,000 troops will remain in Iraq, he said. They would be withdrawn gradually until all U.S. forces are out of Iraq by December 31, 2011 -- the deadline set under an agreement the Bush administration signed with the Iraqi government last year. [CNN, 02/27/09]

President Obama Declared An End To Combat Operations In Iraq In August 2010. President Barack Obama has hailed the end of US combat operations in Iraq, saying his country has paid a a huge price to put Iraq's future in its people's hands The last US combat brigade left Iraq nearly two weeks ago, well ahead of the 31 August target set by President Obama to cut the number of US troops in Iraq below 50,000. [BBC News, 09/01/10] The Iraqi Government Has Taken Responsibility For The Security Of Their Country. This completes a transition to Iraqi responsibility for their own security. U.S. troops pulled out of Iraqs cities last summer, and Iraqi forces have moved into the lead with considerable skill and commitment to their fellow citizens. Even as Iraq continues to suffer terrorist attacks, security incidents have been near the lowest on record since the war began.

And Iraqi forces have taken the fight to al Qaeda, removing much of its leadership in Iraqi-led operations. [The White House, 08/31/10] On December 18, 2011, The Last Convoy Of US Troops Crossed The Border Out Of Iraq. The last convoy of American troops drove into Kuwait on Sunday morning, punctuating the end of the nearly nine-year war in Iraq... The crossing brought a close to a final troop withdrawal drawn out over weeks of ceremonies in Baghdad and around Iraq, including a formal if muted flag-folding ceremony on Thursday, as well as visits by Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, and a trip to Washington by Prime Minister Nuri Kamal al-Maliki. [NYT, 12/18/11]

As the number of U.S. troops in Iraq has continued to decrease since President Obama took office, the number of Iraqi security forces has increased to 670,000. [Brookings, 11/30/11] Secretary of Defense Panetta said that, while Iraq still faces challenges Iraq is equipped to deal with them. I believe Iraq is ready to handle security without a significant U.S. military footprint. Since this Administration came into office, we have removed more than 100,000 U.S. forces from Iraq and the Iraqis long ago assumed primary responsibility for internal security...To be sure, Iraq faces a host of remaining challenges, but I believe Iraq is equipped to deal with them. [Secretary Panetta, 11/15/11]
PRESIDENT OBAMA REFOCUSED AMERICAS EFFORTS IN TAKING THE FIGHT TO AL QAEDA As A Candidate, Then-Senator Obama Promised He Would Not Tolerate Terrorist Sanctuaries In Pakistan. The greatest threat to that security lies in the tribal regions of Pakistan, where terrorists train and insurgents strike into Afghanistan. We cannot tolerate a terrorist sanctuary, and as President, I wontAnd we must make it clear that if Pakistan cannot or will not act, we will take out high-level terrorist targets like bin Laden if we have them in our sights. [Senator Obama, 07/15/08] Upon Taking Office, President Obama Announced A Strategy To Refocus U.S. Efforts In Afghanistan And Pakistan And Disrupt, Dismantle And Defeat Al Qaeda. As President, my greatest responsibility is to protect the American peopleSo I want the American people to understand that we have a clear and focused goal: to disrupt, dismantle and defeat al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan, and to prevent their return to either country in the futureAnd to the terrorists who oppose us, my message is the same: We will defeat you. [President Obama, 03/27/09] More Key Al Qaeda Leaders Have Been Eliminated In The Past Two And A Half Years Than At Any Time Since September 11, 2001. In the past two and a half years, we have eliminated more key al-Qaida leaders in rapid succession than at any time since September 11, 2001, including Usama bin Laden, the only leader that alQaida had ever known. [President Obama, 06/28/11] In May, President Obama Directed The Operation That Killed Osama Bin Laden, The Most Significant Achievement To Date In The Fight Against Al Qaeda. Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, PakistanAfter a firefight, they killed Osama bin Laden and took custody of his body. For over two decades, bin Laden has been al Qaedas leader and symbol, and has continued to plot attacks against our country and our friends and allies. The death of bin Laden marks the most significant achievement to date in our nations effort to defeat al Qaeda. [President Obama, 05/02/11] Al Qaeda Is On The Ropes After The Removal Of Much Of Its Senior Leadership. On a steady slide. On the ropes. Taking shots to the body and head. Thats how White House counterterrorism chief John Brennan described al-Qaida on Wednesday The goal is to keep al-Qaida off balance, unable to replace the seasoned terrorists the U.S. campaign is taking out. If they're worrying about their security ... they're going to have less time to plot and plan," Brennan said of the militants. "They're going to be constantly looking over their shoulder or up in the air or wherever, and it really has disrupted their operational cadence and ability to carry out attacks. [AP, 08/01/11]

2008: YOU SAID THE TIME HAS COME TO TELL THE LOBBYISTS WHO THINK THEIR MONEY AND THEIR INFLUENCE SPEAK LOUDER THAN OUR VOICES THAT THEY DON'T OWN THIS GOVERNMENT -WE DO. AND WE ARE HERE TO TAKE IT BACK.

PRESIDENT OBAMAS ADMINISTRATION HAS BEEN WIDELY PRAISED ON REDUCING THE IMPACT OF LOBBYISTS AND INCREASING TRANSPARENCY The Hill: The Obama Administration Has Slowed The Revolving Door Between Government And The Private Sector. Since 2009, President Obama has sought to place several restrictions on lobbyists. Those moves won praise from watchdog groups, which said the White House was paying heed to the ethics and influence-peddling issues that Obama talked about on the campaign trail. The administration has slowed the revolving door between government and the private sector by forbidding lobbyists from taking jobs in the executive branch; banning individuals who have left the administration from then lobbying their ex-colleagues; and restricting lobbying on the stimulus package. [The Hill, 10/12/11] Good Government Groups Said The Obama Administrations Lobbying, Ethics And Transparency Rules And Policies Have Begun The Difficult Process Of Changing The Way Business Is Done In Washington. The cumulative effect of the Administration's actions has been to adopt the strongest and most comprehensive lobbying, ethics and transparency rules and policies ever established by an Administration to govern its own activities. The new rules and policies have begun the difficult process of changing the way business is done in Washington. President Obama deserves recognition and high praise for the ethics, lobbying and transparency rules put in place for the Executive Branch during his first year in office. [A Report Card on the Obama Administration's Executive Branch Lobbying, Ethics and Transparency Reforms in 2009 Issued by Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters and U.S. PIRG, 1/11/10] Good Government Groups Praised The Obama Administration For Unprecedented Steps Taken To Strengthen Ethics, Lobbying And Transparency Rules. Our organizations strongly praise President Obama for the unprecedented steps he has taken during the first hundred days of his Administration to strengthen ethics, lobbying and transparency rules for the Executive Branch. Equally important, we believe, is the larger effort by President Obama embodied in these initial actions to challenge the way business is done in Washington and the special interest, lobbying culture that influences government decisions at the expense of the American people.[Statement Issued by Common Cause, Democracy 21, League of Women Voters, Public Citizen and U.S. PIRG, 4/28/09] The Obama Administration Removed Lobbyists From Federal Advisory Panels In A FarReaching Lobbying Rule Change Intended To Curb K Streets Influence. Hundreds, if not thousands, of lobbyists are likely to be ejected from federal advisory panels as part of a little-noticed initiative by the Obama administration to curb K Street's influence in Washington, according to White House officials and lobbying experts. The new policy -- issued with little fanfare this fall by the White House ethics counsel -- may turn out to be the most far-reaching lobbying rule change so far from President Obama, who also has sought to restrict the ability of lobbyists to get jobs in his administration and to negotiate over stimulus contracts.[Washington Post, 11/27/09]
PRESIDENT OBAMA RESTRICTED LOBBYIST ACCESS AND BANNED LOBBYIST GIFTS IN ONE OF HIS FIRST ACTS AS PRESIDENT In One Of His First Acts As President, Obama Restricted Lobbyist Access In The Administration And Banned Lobbyist Gifts To Administration Officials. In one of his first acts as president, Barack Obama kept a campaign promise to toughen ethics rules, signing an executive order on Jan. 21, 2009. If you are a lobbyist entering my administration, you will not be able to work on matters you lobbied on, or in the agencies you lobbied

during the previous two years, Obama said at the signing ceremony. When you leave government, you will not be able to lobby my administration for as long as I am president. And there will be a ban on gifts by lobbyists to anyone serving in the administration as well. [Politifact, 1/21/09] Office of Government Ethics Proposed Rule to Institute Lobbyist Gift Ban for all Executive Branch Employees. On September 13, 2011, OGE issued in the Federal Register a proposed rule that would implement the lobbyist gift ban in Executive Order 13490 for all executive branch employees by imposing limits on the use of gift exceptions when a gift is from a registered lobbyist or lobbying organization. [Office of Government Ethics, Proposed Lobbyist Gift Ban Rule, 9/13/11]

Rule Would Expand President Obamas Executive Order on Ethics. The new rule would expand
President Obamas executive order on ethics, which banned accepting lobbyist gifts beyond political appointees to career federal employees as well. It also would keep the gift ban in place after Obama leaves office.[The Hill, 12/15/11] PRESIDENT OBAMA DOES NOT TAKE DONATIONS FROM FEDERALLY REGISTERED LOBBYISTS OR PACS AND IS THE SOLE CANDIDATE TO DISCLOSE ALL HIS BUNDLERS The Obama Campaign Does Not Take Contributions From PACs Or Federal Lobbyists. The Obama campaign on Monday said that one million people have donated to the president's reelection campaign. A ticker on the Obama campaign website showed the campaign moving past the one million markObama for America Press Secretary Ben LaBolt stressed that the campaign rejects donations from special interest PACs and Washington lobbyists in a statement to CBS News. Instead, we rely on contributions from Americans across the country, he said. [CBS News, 10/17/11] President Obama Is The Only Presidential Candidate To Have Disclosed His List Of Bundlers. In 2008, the major candidates, including Mr. Romney, disclosed the names of those responsible for bringing in enormous chunks of the money, and a quarter of his bundlers that year were old Bush bundlers. This year, every candidate except Mr. Obama has hidden the names. The Times tracked past bundlers personal preferences by analyzing records from the Federal Election Commission, Public Citizen and the Center for Responsive Politics. [Washington Times, 11/27/11] As In 2008, President Obamas 2012 Campaign Refuses Contributions From PACs And Federal Lobbyists. From the first day he announced he was running for President, Barack Obama hasn't accepted a dime from federal lobbyists or political action committees (PACs). He led the way in disclosing major volunteer fundraisers for his campaign, disclosing both the names of the individuals who raise money for the campaign as well as the levels of contributions that they raise. [BarackObama.com, 10/27/11]