Statement by the Press Secretary on the President’s Travel to Cuba and Argentina

Statement by the Press Secretary on the President’s Travel to Cuba and Argentina

President Obama and the First Lady will travel to Cuba on March 21^st and 22^nd and Argentina on March 23^rd and 24^th.  In Cuba, the President will work to build on the progress we have made toward normalization of relations with Cuba - advancing commercial and people-to-people ties that can improve the well-being of the Cuban people, and expressing our support for human rights. In addition to holding a bilateral meeting with Cuban President Raul Castro, President Obama will engage with members of civil society, entrepreneurs and Cubans from different walks of life.  This historic visit – the first by a sitting U.S. President in nearly 90 years – is another demonstration of the President’s commitment to chart a new course for U.S.-Cuban relations and connect U.S. and Cuban citizens through expanded travel, commerce, and access to information.

In Buenos Aires, the President and First Family will meet with the new Argentine President, Mauricio Macri, to discuss President Macri’s reform agenda and recognize his contributions to the defense of human rights in the region.  The President will deepen efforts to increase cooperation between our governments in a range of areas, including trade and investment, renewable energy and climate change, and citizen security.  It has been nearly two decades since the last bilaterally focused visit by a U.S. President to Argentina, Latin America’s third largest country.

重识亚洲 - 哈佛东亚研究论坛 2/20-21

重识亚洲 - 哈佛东亚研究论坛

时间： 2016年2月20-21日 

地点： 哈佛大学CIGS South building, 

1730 Cambridge St, Cambridge, MA 02138

本次会议对公众免费开放

哈佛大学中国学生学者联合会携手哈佛东亚学会，共同举办全世界最大的东亚学术研究论坛。本届论坛主题为“重识亚洲”，旨在为当代西方社会提供一个重新认识亚洲的渠道，也为全世界研究东亚的学术精英提供一个交流展示的平台。从世界各地赶来的近百位学者将带来全方位的对亚洲过去，现状和未来的畅所欲言，在为社会提供一个全新的认识亚洲的视角的同时，也将为亚洲将来的发展献言献策。论坛将分为22个板块，讨论内容将横跨亚洲地缘政治，历史，教育，当代经济等等重要话题。同时有知名的哈佛教授Ezra Feivel Vogel为开幕式致辞，Karen Laura Thornber为闭幕式致辞。

论坛板块

1. On the South Seas: Nanyang as Center and Periphery

2. Popular Culture and Media

3. Constructing Feminine Morality in Literature

4. Tools of Empire: Facets of Twentieth Century Japanese Colonialism

5. From the State to the Local: Chinese Public Policy through Modern Times

6. New Perspectives on Modern Japanese History

7. Early China: History and Text

8. Resistance and Revolution: Reimagining Post-1949 Chinese Society

9. Social Issues in Contemporary South Korea

10. Emerging Trends in North Korea

11. Ethnic Policy and Identity in Premodern China

12. Cross-Cultural Translation

13. Politicizing Spirituality: Religion and the State

14. Inner Asia: Centering the Periphery

15. Constructing the Nation through Gender, Education, and Geography

16. Exhibiting History: (Re)defining the Nation in Museums

17. East Asian International Relations

18. Culture and Tourism: Transnational Flow Between China, Taiwan, and Korea

19. The New Geopolitics of China

20. Narratives in Motion: City, Nation, and Sexuality in Cinematic (Re)Presentation

21. On New Lands: Diaspora Retold

22. Medicine and Society

会议议程手册 http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/heasconference/2016-panels 

招募志愿者、摄影师 https://goo.gl/6Q8Ps7

Harvard Chinese Students and Scholars Association (HCSSA) and Harvard East Asia Society (HEAS) are proud to present the 19th Annual HEAS Graduate Student Conference. The conference is an annual event which provides an interdisciplinary forum for graduate students to exchange ideas and discuss current research on topics related to East Asia and allows young scholars to present their research to both their peers and to renowned scholars in East Asian Studies.

The theme of this year's conference is "[Re]imagining Asia" and will be held February 20-21, 2016. We are very honored to have Professor Ezra Vogel and Professor Karen Thornber as our keynote speakers this year. There will be a total of 22 panels on topics ranging from female morality in Chinese literature to constructing the nation through gender, education and geography, with panelists from various universities in North America, East Asia and Europe.

A full schedule and descriptions of the panels and papers can be found on our conference website: http://projects.iq.harvard.edu/heasconference

Thank you and we look forward to seeing you!

What you need to know about the Supreme Court vacancy

What you need to know about the Supreme Court vacancy:

With the passing of Justice Antonin Scalia, there is now a vacancy that must be filled on the Supreme Court -- and President Obama has a Constitutional responsibility to nominate someone to take his place.

The Supreme Court is a vital institution of American democracy and, since the founding of our country, the President of the United States has had the responsibility to appoint a Justice to the Supreme Court every time -- and any time -- there is a vacancy on the bench. It then falls to the United States Senate to confirm that nominee before he or she can take her seat on our nation's highest court.

As President Obama said, "The Constitution is pretty clear about what's supposed to happen now." Watch his remarks:

The confirmation of a Supreme Court Justice is a solemn responsibility that the President and the Senate share under the U.S. Constitution. It is not a political opportunity that reflects "left" or "right," Democrat or Republican. It's a serious obligation to make sure that an indisputably qualified person of integrity is nominated and confirmed to sit on the highest court in the land.

The President plans to offer his nominee for the Supreme Court to the Senate -- and the Senate has more than enough time to confirm that nominee.

Here are the facts:

FACT: Six Justices have been confirmed in a presidential election year since 1900.

For more than two centuries, it has been standard practice for Congress to confirm a president’s Supreme Court nominee, whether in a presidential election year or not. Of the six justices confirmed since 1900, three have been Republicans. The most recent Justice to be confirmed in an election year was Justice Kennedy -- appointed by President Reagan -- who was confirmed by a Democratic-controlled Congress in February of 1988.

FACT: Every nominee has received a vote within 125 days of nomination.

Since 1975, the average time from nomination to confirmation is 67 days. In fact, since 1875, every nominee has received a hearing or a vote. The longest time before confirmation in the past three decades was 99 days, for Justice Thomas, and the last four Justices, spanning two Administrations, were confirmed in an average of 75 days.

The Senate has almost a full year -- more than 300 days -- to consider and confirm a nominee.

FACT: It will be harmful and create unsustainable uncertainty if Congress fails to act on the President's nominee.

The Supreme Court could go the better part of two Terms with a vacancy if the Senate rejects its Constitutional responsibility. It'd be unprecedented for the Court to go that long with an empty seat. Here's why it's harmful:

The Court’s 4-4 decisions have no value in establishing precedent on which future decisions can rely. They also cannot establish uniform nationwide rules. That means if multiple courts ruled differently on an issue before it arose at the Supreme Court, a 4-4 ruling would leave those different rules in place in different states. The result is an unsustainable uncertainty -- for the law, for individual liberties, and for our economy.

Learn more and stay up to date at wh.gov/SCOTUS.

ED SOX TO LAUNCH OFFICIAL RESALE TICKETING PLATFORM

ED SOX TO LAUNCH OFFICIAL RESALE TICKETING

PLATFORM FOR FANS TO BUY AND SELL RED SOX TICKETS

BOSTON, MA – The Red Sox today announced plans to launch a new online resale ticket platform where fans can buy and sell Red Sox tickets. “Red Sox Replay” will be available to all fans through their Red Sox “My Tickets” account. The platform is scheduled to go live on March 1 at redsoxreplay.com.

Red Sox Replay allows sellers to set the ticket price and even provides the option of automatically donating tickets to the Red Sox Foundation for a tax credit should they remain unsold by a certain date or time.

The new platform will have lower fees for buyers than competing sites, and because it is fully integrated with the Red Sox ticketing system, tickets will be sent electronically, eliminating the need for printing and shipping.

Red Sox season ticket holders will have added incentives to use the site, including lower fees and the option of a full fee reimbursement towards renewal of their season ticket account. The group will also earn Red Sox Rewards points with each sale. 

“Over the years, one of the requests we have heard most from our season ticket holders is to provide them with a safe, trusted, and convenient way to sell their unused Red Sox tickets,” said Red Sox President Sam Kennedy. “Creating our own secondary market platform enables us to provide an option that guarantees buyers the authenticity of their purchase and allows users to work directly with the Red Sox to resolve any customer service issues, which is not always possible with a third party vendor.”

Red Sox Replay is being created in partnership with MLBAM and Tickets.com, and will be available on mobile devices and through the free MLB.com Ballpark app.

中華民俗藝術工作坊捐款五千 賑濟台灣震災

臺灣2月6日凌晨地震，116人不幸罹難，波士頓各界僑胞發動賑災捐款。中華民俗藝術工作坊團長張昆與該團小朋友一行10餘人，2月17日前往駐波士頓辦事處，拜會處長賴銘琪，送上捐款5000美元，請賴處長代向台灣災民表達誠摯慰問。

賴銘琪稱許小朋友們年紀雖輕，愛鄉之情不落人後，主動發起賑災義舉尤其令人感動。賴銘琪除在代表政府接受捐款時，允諾儘速轉送災區，更期勉小朋友們勤學中華文化，努力用功讀書，待將來事業有成，擔當起為臺灣與美國合作搭橋樑，進一步為故鄉臺灣做貢獻的重任。

賴銘琪也希望工作坊小朋友們的義舉可以起示範作用，促使更多僑胞關懷故鄉，響應捐款一舉。

中華民俗藝術工作坊是由目前仍在中學及高中就讀的46名海外出生的臺灣僑民第二代所組成。他們雖旅居海外，仍心繫故鄉，平日勤練扯鈴、舞龍、舞獅及舞蹈等，經常應邀至各地巡迴表演，弘揚中華文化。
今年初，台灣南部大地震，小朋友們獲悉後，不但主動捐出農曆春節期間的演出所得，還在幾個表演場合發起募款賑災活動，以實際行動表達愛護家鄉心情。

迎春聯合揮毫 2/27

為慶祝中華民國105年，紐英崙中華公所、新英格蘭中文學校協會、紐英崙藝術學會、中華書法會、北美藝術家協會、駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處華僑文教服務中心，將聯合舉辦「迎春聯合揮毫」活動。歡迎各界人士踴躍參加，為鼓勵新生代使用毛筆，學生參加者將由主辦單位頒發紀念品。

參加者可自備筆墨，由主辦單位提供筆墨及揮春紅紙，於指定時間，前往特定地點書寫。書寫地點分兩個：（1）波士頓華僑文教服務中心， 2月27日（星期六）上午11時至下午2時， 90 Lincoln St. Newton Highlands, MA 02461 Tel: 617-965-8801（2）紐英崙中華公所，2月28日（星期日）上午10時至下午2時 。90 Tyler St. Boston , MA 02111 Tel: 617-542-2574。參加者可自由創作，亦可參照主辦單位準備之參考資料，書寫對句。

U.S. ATTORNEY ORTIZ ANNOUNCES CREATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS UNIT

U.S. ATTORNEY ORTIZ ANNOUNCES CREATION OF CIVIL RIGHTS UNIT

BOSTON – United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz announced today the creation of a Civil Rights Unit whose primary focus will be the civil enforcement of federal civil rights laws in Massachusetts.   The new unit, which will operate within the office’s Civil Division, will also collaborate with local community members, advocacy groups and other federal and state agencies in the area of civil rights. 

 

“As U.S. Attorney protecting the civil rights of the residents of Massachusetts has been a top priority,” said U.S. Attorney Ortiz.  “We are committed to ensuring a level playing field for all residents in the Commonwealth, advancing equal opportunity, and educating the public about their rights and responsibilities.  I can think of no better way to further this mission than by creating a unit comprised of attorneys and staff who are dedicated solely to enforcing and promoting federal civil rights.”

 

“U.S. Attorney Ortiz has demonstrated her office's firm commitment to vigorous and robust civil rights enforcement,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department's Civil Rights Division. “Institutionalizing this Civil Rights Unit will help enhance our shared mission to ensure equal opportunity and equal justice for all of the communities we serve.”

 

The Civil Rights Unit (CRU) is charged with enforcing federal civil rights statutes that protect the rights of the most vulnerable and underserved members of our community.  The unit will focus on enforcing those laws that prohibit discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, national origin, gender, religion and disability; prohibit police misconduct; protect the constitutional rights of institutionalized persons; protect the employment rights of servicemembers; and prohibit discrimination in housing and mortgage lending.  The unit will be led by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jennifer A. Serafyn.

 

Today, U.S. Attorney Ortiz hosted two civil rights-focused roundtables.  The first focused on fair housing issues and included key stakeholders from state and local advocacy organizations.  The second roundtable discussion, which featured Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Vanita Gupta, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, concentrated on community-police relations with law enforcement officials and representatives from faith-based institutions and organizations serving the community.

 

Since 2010, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has actively investigated and resolved civil rights cases involving disability discrimination, fair housing, fair lending, and Veterans’ rights, among others.  Several recent examples of the Office’s civil rights work include:

 

• An agreement with the City of Somerville resolving discrimination against a service member who was disadvantaged in his employment with the City’s Fire Department because of his military service;
• An agreement with Sage Bank, headquartered in Lowell, for engaging in a pattern or practice of discrimination on the basis of race and national origin in the pricing of its residential mortgage loans;
• Issued a Letter of Findings in the investigation into Massachusetts Department of Children and Families for denying opportunities, benefits, and services to a 21-year-old single mother who has a developmental disability;
• Filed Statement of Interest in private lawsuit alleging that Springfield Public Schools discriminated against hundreds of children with mental health disabilities by segregating them in a separate school;
• An agreement with edX, an online course provider, over the accessibility of its website;
• Initiated an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance review of restaurants in the Seaport and Fort Point sections of Boston and hotels in Copley Square;
• An agreement with the Town of Ware Police Department in a case involving effective communication for a deaf person at the police station;
• An agreement with Clarendon Hill Towers, a Somerville apartment building, for violating the fair housing rights of a couple and their three children; and
• An agreement with the owners of a North Attleboro apartment complex for discriminating against families with children.

 

In addition to the Office’s vigorous investigation and prosecution of civil rights matters, the Civil Rights Unit also has actively been reaching out to the community and providing training on civil rights matters.  For example, the Office commemorated the 25th anniversary of the ADA by hosting a roundtable discussion with disability rights advocates and celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by hosting a panel discussion on emerging voting rights issues.  In honor of Veterans’ Day, the Office hosted a training for employers on the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA), and U.S. Attorney Ortiz presided at a ceremony honoring the dozens of veterans and servicemembers who work in the Moakley Federal Courthouse. 

 

The Civil Rights Enforcement Team which U.S. Attorney Ortiz created in June 2010 will maintain responsibility for investigating and prosecuting criminal civil rights violations such as hate crimes, damage to religious property, deprivation and conspiring to deprive constitutional rights and human trafficking, including involuntary servitude, forced labor, and sex trafficking of children.  Assistant U.S. Attorney Ted Merritt will continue to oversee the work of the Team.

 

For more information on the Office’s civil rights efforts, please visit www.justice.gov/usao-ma/civil-rights.  For more information on the Department of Justice’s civil rights effort, please visit www.justice.gov/crt.

田偉寧 2/18 哈佛談“揚琴在中國的發展”

扬琴在中国的发展

主办：哈佛大学中国学生学者联合会

主题：扬琴历史悠久，是在世界各地迄今仍广泛使用和深受喜爱的乐器。从丝绸之路传入中国后，成为了中国民族乐器中的一员。20世纪下半叶以来，中国扬琴的形制、演奏、和曲目都有了革命性的发展，从一种伴奏和合奏乐器，发展成了曲目丰富的独奏乐器。一位中国国家级扬琴演奏家，愿意与大家分享他对扬琴发展身体力行的知识和经历，并现场演奏名曲，用他高超的技艺来演现这种古老乐器不断发展的魅力。讲座欢迎所有热爱音乐的朋友参加，并与大师共同探讨和交流中国民族器乐的发展前景。  

主讲：田伟宁，中国东方歌舞演艺集团（原国家歌舞团）首席扬琴演奏家，国家一级演员，中国扬琴专业委员会副秘书长。代表中国出演过数十个国家并获得各种奖项。文化部“德艺双馨演员”，和“民族音乐特别贡献奖”获得者。六岁开始习奏扬琴，三十多年来对扬琴的发展做出了创造性的贡献。

时间：2016年2月18日星期四，晚7点半至9点

地点：哈佛大学Larsen Hall楼下G08室，14 Appian Way，Cambridge，MA 02138 

地图链接：Map

本次讲座对公众开放，但谢绝未经邀请的媒体。

U.S. Chamber Recognizes 100 Small Businesses

U.S. Chamber Recognizes 100 Small Businesses for Exceptional, Innovative Business Practices

Award Winners to Be Honored at Annual Small Business Summit

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The U.S. Chamber of Commerce today announced the winners of its annual DREAM BIG Blue Ribbon Small Business Awards®, recognizing 100 companies for their success and their contributions to America’s economic growth and vitality. Winners were selected from a record number of applicants from communities across the nation. They were judged in four key categories: strategic planning, employee development, customer service, and community involvement. “Small businesses across America today face more economic and regulatory hurdles than ever before, but each of these outstanding companies is rising to the challenge,” said U.S. Chamber President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue. “These Blue Ribbon Award winners have worked hard, taken risks, and achieved success, helping strengthen their communities and local economies.” A complete list of this year’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners is available here. On March 9, the Chamber will announce seven regional finalists from among this year’s Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners. All of this year’s winners will be honored at the 12th annual America’s Small Business Summit, which will take place June 13-15 in Washington, D.C.  During the summit, one regional finalist will receive the DREAM BIG Small Business of the Year Award, sponsored by Sam’s Club®, and a $10,000 cash prize courtesy of the U.S. Chamber. All Blue Ribbon Small Business Award® winners are also eligible for the Community Excellence Award, which recognizes one business that has found notable success in the eyes of its community. The winner of that award will be decided through online public voting to take place February 18 through March 4, 2016. “Small businesses provide a powerful example of what’s possible in our free enterprise system. Day in and day out, these companies exemplify the strong American values of hard work, innovation, persistence, and entrepreneurship,” continued Donohue. “The Chamber is proud to recognize these tremendous small businesses for all of their achievements.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world’s largest business federation representing the interests of more than 3 million businesses of all sizes, sectors, and regions, as well as state and local chambers and industry associations.

SETTLEMENT REACHED WITH TUFTS ASSOCIATED HEALTH PLANS OVER RESTRICTING ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

SETTLEMENT REACHED WITH TUFTS ASSOCIATED HEALTH PLANS OVER RESTRICTING ACCESS TO TREATMENT FOR AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

Agrees to Reimburse Members and Providers, Revise Policies to Ensure Access to Autism Services

            BOSTON – In her continued efforts to ensure access to behavioral health services, Attorney General Maura Healey today announced a settlement with Tufts Associated Health Plans, Inc. (Tufts) to resolve allegations that it inhibited member access to coverage of Autism Spectrum Disorder treatments.

            “We can’t treat patients with behavioral health issues, including autism, differently from those with physical conditions,” said AG Healey. “Together, we need to break down the barriers that for too long have made the treatment of behavioral health secondary in our health care system. We appreciate that Tufts will take these actions to help ensure access to behavioral health treatment.”

The AG’s Office alleges that Tufts violated the state’s autism insurance, mental health parity and consumer protection laws when it inhibited member access to treatment for Autism Spectrum Disorder, specifically Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA) therapy. Tufts allegedly violated these laws by implementing policies that required parental presence at every ABA appointment to obtain coverage and prohibiting coverage for ABA therapy provided in daycare or preschool settings.

Under the terms of the Assurance of Discontinuance, filed on Tuesday in Suffolk Superior Court, Tufts will reimburse members who paid out-of-pocket for ABA therapy as a result of its policies and reimburse providers who refunded payments from Tufts as a result of these policies.

Tufts will also refrain from implementing future policies that require parents to be present at ABA therapy sessions and will revise its policies to reflect that ABA therapy is covered in daycare and preschool settings.

In addition, Tufts will pay $90,000 to the Commonwealth, including $5,000 in civil penalties, $20,000 in attorneys’ fees and costs, and $65,000 to be distributed to programs to improve care and treatment related to autism.

Since taking office, AG Healey has made ensuring access to behavioral health services a priority.

In June, the AG’s Office issued a report that indicated that current approaches to managing behavioral health care complicate efforts to better coordinate patient care over time and across settings. According to the report, health care benefits are categorized as either “behavioral health” or “medical,” a distinction that complicates efforts to better coordinate overall patient needs.

The AG’s Office also recently settled with two health insurance companies, the Insurance Company of the State of Pennsylvania and American Fidelity Assurance Company, to resolve allegations that they violated state consumer protection laws by excluding coverage of certain health services required by Massachusetts law, including behavioral health.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Shannon Choy-Seymour and Deputy Division Chief Eric Gold of the Health Care Division.

PTC Inc. Subsidiaries Agree to Pay More Than $14 Million to Resolve Foreign Bribery Charges

Two subsidiaries of Massachusetts software company PTC Inc. entered into a non-prosecution agreement and agreed to pay a $14.54 million penalty today to resolve the government’s investigation into whether the companies improperly provided recreational travel to Chinese government officials in violation of the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. 

According to admissions made in the resolution documents, Parametric Technology (Shanghai) Software Company Ltd. and Parametric Technology (Hong Kong) Ltd. (collectively, PTC China), through local business partners, arranged and paid for employees of various Chinese state-owned enterprises to travel to the United States, ostensibly for training at PTC Inc.’s headquarters in Massachusetts, but primarily for recreational travel to other parts of the United States, including New York, Los Angeles, Las Vegas and Hawaii.  PTC China paid a total of more than $1 million through its business partners to fund these trips, while during the same time period, PTC China entered into more than $13 million in contracts with the Chinese state-owned entities.  Company employees typically accompanied the Chinese officials on these trips.  PTC China admitted that the cost of these recreational trips was routinely hidden within the price of PTC China’s software sales to the Chinese state-owned entities whose employees went on the trips.  

As part of the non-prosecution agreement, PTC China agreed to pay the criminal penalty, to continue to cooperate with the department, to enhance its compliance program and to periodically report to the department on the implementation of its enhanced compliance program.  The department reached this resolution based on a number of factors.  Among other factors, PTC China did not receive voluntary disclosure credit or full cooperation credit because, at the time of its initial disclosure, it failed to disclose relevant facts that it had learned in connection with a prior internal investigation and did not disclose those facts until the department uncovered additional information independently and brought them to PTC China’s attention.  By the conclusion of the investigation, however, the companies had provided to the department all relevant facts known to them, including information about individuals involved in the FCPA misconduct.

In a related matter, PTC Inc. reached a settlement today with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under which it agreed to pay $11,858,000 in disgorgement plus $1.764 million in prejudgment interest.  Thus, the approximately $28 million in combined penalty and disgorgement far exceeds the $13 million in contracts associated with the improper payments.

The FBI’s Boston Field Office investigated the case.  Trial Attorney Aisling O’Shea of the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section prosecuted the case.  The U.S. Attorney’s Office of the District of Massachusetts and the SEC also provided assistance during the investigation.