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Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet NapolitanoU.S., Portugal, Spain Sign Agreements on Crime and Terrorism
Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano met with Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba July 1 and signed a Declaration of Principles formalizing the Immigration Advisory Program (IAP) — which allows for the identification of high-risk travelers at foreign airports before they board aircraft bound for the United States — at Madrid Barajas International Airport. The arrangement will help combat the use of fraudulent travel documents, prevent terrorists and other criminals from entering the United States, disrupt alien smuggling and promote cooperation between DHS and the Ministry of the Interior. The week before, she and Spanish Interior Minister Alfredo Pérez Rubalcaba signed a Letter of Intent to expand science and technology cooperation in order to enhance security and combat transnational threats. In Portugal on June 30, as part of her weeklong trip to Europe and Kuwait, Napolitano met with Portuguese Interior Minister Rui Pereira, Justice Minister Alberto Costa and Foreign Affairs Minister Luís Amado. They signed a Preventing and Combating Crime (PCC) Agreement that allows for the exchange of biometric and biographic data to bolster counterterrorism and law enforcement efforts in both nations while emphasizing privacy protections.


State Department ejournal on Energy Efficiency: The First FuelObama Announces Major Changes to Energy Conservation Standards for Lighting
President Obama and Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced June 29 several innovative actions that will promote energy efficiency while saving billions of dollars annually. This announcement highlights the fact that clean energy not only makes environmental sense, but it also makes smart economic sense. "[O]ne of the fastest, easiest, and cheapest ways to make our economy stronger and cleaner is to make our economy more energy efficient," President Obama said. The announcement, which takes effect in 2012, includes major changes to energy conservation standards for household and commercial lighting. It mainly focuses on General Service Fluorescent Lamps, commonly found in residential and commercial buildings, and Incandescent Reflector Lamps, commonly found in recessed and track lighting. "Now I know light bulbs may not seem sexy, but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all the energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses," the President said. "Between 2012 and 2042, these new standards will save consumers up to $4 billion a year, conserve enough electricity to power every home in America for 10 months, reduce emissions equal to the amount produced by 166 million cars each year, and eliminate the need for as many as 14 coal-fired power plants."


airplaneU.S. and EU Hold Talks on Air Services
"Delegations from the United States and the European Community and its Member States met in Brussels on 25-26 June for a third round of negotiations on a second stage agreement as provided in Article 21 of the Air Transport Agreement," says a joint statement issued on June 26. "The discussions followed constructive exchanges in the EU-U.S. Second Aviation Forum on Liberalisation and Labour ("Labour Forum") and EU-U.S. Joint Committee meeting, which also took place in Brussels, on 22-23 June and 24 June, respectively. Both delegations indicated their desire to conclude the talks before the end of 2010. The delegations discussed further proposals on investment, environment, and other commercial and regulatory matters for possible inclusion in a second stage agreement. A further round of negotiations will be held in Washington, D.C. In the week of 5 October 2009 to build on the progress already made. The two delegations shared the view that, in particular, the social dimension of transatlantic aviation relations should be addressed as part of the negotiations." (More)


U.S. President Barack Obama, right, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, talk in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington on June 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Guido Bergmann, Pool)Obama Praises Demonstrators’ “Enduring Pursuit of Justice” in Iran
President Obama says the bravery of Iranian demonstrators as they face brutality from their government is “a testament to their enduring pursuit of justice,” and he said if the Iranian government wants respect from the international community, it must respect the rights of its people.  “The violence perpetrated against them is outrageous. And despite the government’s efforts to keep the world from bearing witness to that violence, we see it, and we condemn it,” Obama said in remarks at the White House with German Chancellor Angela Merkel on June 26. The Iranian people will be the ultimate judge of their government’s actions, Obama said, and their rights to assemble and speak freely are “universal aspirations.” (Remarks by President Obama and German Chancellor Merkel; More)


Issue 3 – June 2009

On the Internet | To download a printable pdf version, please click here. (Subscribe | Unsubscribe)


Traveling to the U.S. this summer from a Visa Waiver Program Country?: Don't forget to fill out the mandatory Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before leaving

Updates for Travelers to the United States
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Passport Requirements for People Traveling Under the Visa Waiver Program
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The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is collecting biometrics-digital fingerprints-from non-U.S. citizens departing the United States from two airports as part of a pilot program. (Fact sheet)


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