Administration of Barack Obama, 2011 Digest of Other White House Announcements December 31, 2011 The following list includes the President's public schedule and other items of general interest announced by the Office of the Press Secretary and not included elsewhere in this Compilation. January 1 In the morning, in Kailua, HI, the President had an intelligence briefing. January 2 In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, he signed H.R. 847, the James Zadroga 9/11 Health and Compensation Act of 2010. January 3 In the morning, the President had an intelligence briefing. In the evening, the President, Mrs. Obama, and their daughters Sasha and Malia returned to Washington, DC, arriving the following morning. January 4 In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President met with Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates. During the day, the President stopped by a meeting between National Security Adviser Thomas E. Donilon and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yang Jiechi of China. The White House announced that the President will welcome President Nicolas Sarkozy of France to the White House on January 10. January 5 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Joe Biden had an intelligence briefing. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with his senior advisers. In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President had a telephone conversation with Reps. Eric Cantor and Nancy Pelosi. Then, also in the Oval Office, he met with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton. The President announced his intention to nominate Allison A. Hickey to be Under Secretary for Benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The President announced his intention to nominate Jenni R. LeCompte to be Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs at the Department of the Treasury. The President announced his intention to nominate Steve L. Muro to be Under Secretary for Memorial Affairs at the Department of Veterans Affairs. The President announced his intention to nominate Virginia A. Seitz to be Assistant Attorney General in the Office of Legal Counsel at the Department of Justice. 1 The President announced his intention to nominate Lafe E. Solomon to be General Counsel at the National Labor Relations Board. The President announced his intention to nominate Terence F. Flynn to be a member of the National Labor Relations Board. January 6 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Joe Biden had an intelligence briefing. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with his senior advisers. In the afternoon, in the Private Dining Room, the President and Vice President Biden had lunch. Later, in the Oval Office, they met with Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner. January 7 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing followed by a meeting with his senior advisers. Later, he traveled to Landover, MD, where he toured Thompson Creek Window Company and met with employees. In the afternoon, the President returned to Washington, DC. January 8 In the afternoon, the President was briefed by Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser John O. Brennan and White House Deputy Chief of Staff James A. Messina on the shootings in Tucson, AZ. Later, he left a telephone message for Mark E. Kelly, husband of shooting victim Representative Gabrielle D. Giffords, and had separate telephone conversations with Governor Janice K. Brewer of Arizona, Speaker of the House of Representatives John A. Boehner, and Reps. Eric Cantor, Nancy Pelosi, Steny H. Hoyer, James E. Clyburn, and Edward Lopez Pastor regarding the shootings. Later in the afternoon, the President was briefed by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert S. Mueller III, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet A. Napolitano, Attorney General Eric H. Holder, Jr., White House Chief of Staff William M. Daley, White House Deputy Chief of Staff James A. Messina, Assistant to the President for Legislative Affairs Philip M. Schiliro, National Security Adviser Thomas E. Donilon, White House Senior Adviser David Axelrod, White House Communications Director H. Daniel Pfeiffer, and White House Scheduling and Advance Director Alyssa Mastromonaco on the ongoing investigation of the shootings in Tucson, AZ. January 9 During the day, the President was briefed several times by Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser John O. Brennan on the ongoing investigation of the shootings in Tucson, AZ. In the evening, the President was briefed by Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Robert S. Mueller III on the ongoing investigation of the shooting in Tucson, AZ. He also had separate telephone conversations with the families of Christina-Taylor Green and Gabriel M. Zimmerman, victims of the shootings, and Sens. Jon L. Kyl and John McCain. January 10 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing and was updated by Homeland Security and Counterterrorism Adviser John O. Brennan on the ongoing 2 investigation of the shootings in Tucson, AZ. Then, on the South Lawn, he and Mrs. Obama observed a moment of silence to honor the victims of the shootings. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with his senior advisers. In the afternoon, in the Old Family Dining Room, the President had a working lunch with President Nicolas Sarkozy of France. January 11 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing and met with his senior advisers. During the day, the President had a telephone conversation with Vice President Joe Biden. He also had a telephone conversation with King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud of Saudi Arabia to discuss Saudi Arabia-U.S. relations, the situation in Lebanon, and the King's recovery from medical treatment in the U.S. The White House announced that the President will travel to Tucson, AZ, on January 12. January 12 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with Prime Minister Sa'ad al-Din al-Hariri of Lebanon on the situation in Lebanon and Lebanon-U.S. relations. In the afternoon, the President and Mrs. Obama traveled to Tucson, AZ. Upon arrival they traveled to the University Medical Center, where they visited Representative Gabrielle D. Giffords and four other victims of the January 8 shootings, toured the facilities, and met hospital staffers. In the evening, the President and Mrs. Obama traveled to the McKale Center at the University of Arizona, where they met separately with the families of individuals killed in the January 8 shootings, shooting victims discharged from the hospital and their families, Rep. Giffords's staff and their families, and the first-responders and bystanders who rendered aid during the shootings. In the evening, the President and Mrs. Obama returned to Washington, DC. January 13 In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President met with his senior advisers. January 14 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing and met with his senior advisers. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with President Asif Ali Zardari of Pakistan to discuss Pakistan-U.S. relations, the promotion of regional stability, and ongoing counterterrorism cooperation. In the afternoon, at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the President and Vice President Joe Biden met with President Mikheil Saakashvili of Georgia to discuss Georgia's economic development, trade, the situation in the Caucasus, and Georgia's participation in military operations in Afghanistan. The White House announced that the President will travel to Schenectady, NY, on January 21. 3 January 17 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing. January 18 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had a telephone conversation with President Mohamed Hosni Mubarak of Egypt to discuss the January 1 terrorist bombings in Alexandria, the situations in Tunisia and Lebanon, and the Middle East peace process. He then had an intelligence briefing and met with his senior advisers. In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President had an economic briefing. Later, also in the Oval Office, he met with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates. In the evening, in the Old Family Dining Room, the President had a working dinner with President Hu Jintao of China. The President announced his intention to appoint Michael B. Coleman, Horace H. Foxall, Jr., and Bradford J. White as members of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. The President announced his intention to appoint Carole E. Goldberg, Theresa M. Pouley, and Ted Quasula as members of the Indian Law and Order Commission. The President announced his intention to appoint Norma Lee Funger as general trustee of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. January 19 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President and Vice President Joe Biden met with President Hu Jintao of China. Later, in the Cabinet Room, they met with expanded U.S. and China delegations. In the evening, on the North Portico, the President and Mrs. Obama greeted President Hu upon his arrival for a state dinner and reception. Then, on the Grand Staircase, they participated in a photograph with President Hu. January 20 In the morning, in the Oval Office, the President had an intelligence briefing and met with his senior advisers. He then had economic briefing. In the afternoon, in the Oval Office, the President met with Vice President Joe Biden. Later, in the Roosevelt Room, they met with a bipartisan group of mayors to discuss job creation and the economy. January 21 In the morning, in the East Room, the President hosted a reception for attendees of the United States Conference of Mayors.