THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________________________
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 30, 2009
DAILY GUIDANCE AND PRESS SCHEDULE FOR
WEDNESDAY, JULY 1, 2009
In the morning, the President will receive the Presidential Daily Briefing, the Economic Daily Briefing, and meet with senior advisors in the Oval Office. These meetings are closed press.
In the afternoon, the President will hold a national discussion on health care through an online town hall meeting at Northern Virginia Community College in Annandale. In addition to the live audience, questions will come from online communities such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter. Senior advisor to President Obama Valerie Jarrett will moderate the town hall. This event is open to pre-credentialed media; the deadline to apply for credentials has passed.
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation's data for 2006, single employees in Virginia pay the highest percentage of premiums (24%) through employer plans in the country. Virginia is tied with several other states for the third highest percentage (31%) paid for family coverage through employer plans. More detailed statistics about how Virginia families and businesses are struggling with the high cost of health care are available HERE.
Later, the President will sign S. 614, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots, in the Oval Office. Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP) was established during World War II. From 1942 to 1943, more than a thousand women joined, flying sixty million miles of non-combat military missions. Of the women who received their wings as Women Airforce Service Pilots, approximately 300 are living today. The bill signing is closed press, but a photo will be posted on the White House Flickr site.
In-Town Travel Pool
Wires: AP, Reuters, Bloomberg
Wire Photos: AP, Reuters, AFP
TV Corr & Crew: CBS
Print: Washington Examiner
Radio: CBS
Magazine Photo: New York Times
EDT
9:00AM Pool Call Time
9:30AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Presidential Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
9:50AM THE PRESIDENT receives the Economic Daily Briefing
Oval Office
Closed Press
10:30AM THE PRESIDENT meets with senior advisors
Oval Office
Closed Press
1:15PM THE PRESIDENT holds national discussion on health care through online town hall
Northern Virginia Community College
Open to pre-credentialed media (In-Town Travel Pool Gather Time 12:25PM - North Doors of the Palm Room)
4:45PM THE PRESIDENT signs S.614, a bill to award a Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots
Oval Office
Closed Press
Briefing Schedule
12:15PM Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs
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Lynn Sweet is a columnist and the Washington Bureau Chief for the 
I really hope progress is made with today's town hall. I will be all ears. If you're going to be at work during the town hall, the app I always use on my iPhone for White House updates will be streaming it, so you can listen to it conveniently here: www.iheartradio.com/whblive. Hoping for the best today.
Dear President:
We are with you on this health care reform.
I don't know how many lifes we loose every day due to non prescribed drugs, something picked up over the counter. Can't go to the hospital and see doctors due to fare of expense and ruining credit, if hospital bills can not be paid.
In addition to the live audience, questions will come from online communities such as Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.
I wonder how many people over 45 used these meduims regularly or familar with them?
I am not knocking it because I know technology must change and be advance even in the White House.
Just wondering how many age 45 and over know how to use Twitter?
What do you think Ms. Sweet? Do you tweet?
Why can't our heathcare be taken care of by the goverment like France? Their goverment pays for free Heathcare and College, as smart as our country leaders, Why haven't we came up with a system like theirs?
President Obama,
Yesterday I had the good fortune to meet a lady by the name of "Bee" Falk Haydu, current pilot and former WWII WASP. She had just been informed that she would be included in the Oval Office group when you sign the bill to award the Congressional Gold Medal to the Women Airforce Service Pilots this afternoon. It's a great thing you're doing, and long overdue. These women performed a heroic service for their nation with little fanfare or recognition. In today's environment they would have been fighter and bomber pilots, or flying heavy transports to trouble spots around the world, and they would have been proud to do it. Ms. Haydu was of extremely excited and honored to be included -- it will be one of the high points of her life. Thank you for taking the time to recognize them.
Sincerely,
Pat Bartness
http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2008/05/still_my_fallen_hero_fly_girl.html
Mabel Rawlinson was one of the 38 WASP that made the ultimate sacrifice and she definitely deserves the congressional medal.
It was at Camp Davis on the night of August 23, 1943, that Mabel lost her life when her airplane crashed and was consumed by flames. She became one of the very special women, numbering only thirty-eight, who served and died as pilots for the Air Force in World War II.
Since WASP were technically considered volunteer civilian pilots and not Air Force pilots, no monetary compensation was available to the Rawlinson family for her funeral expenses.
The other female pilots at Camp Davis pooled their extra money and assisted in the expense of transporting Mabel’s casket back to Kalamazoo for burial.
Read the whole story about this fallen hero here:
http://www.everydaycitizen.com/2008/05/still_my_fallen_hero_fly_girl.html