Obameter

PolitiFact tracked 533 campaign promises made by Barack Obama on our Obameter. Browse the library of promises below or see the final report card and special interactive report.

Obameter Scorecard

Promise Kept

0% 255 Promises

Compromise

0% 146 Promises

Promise Broken

0% 125 Promises

Stalled

0% 0 Promises

In the Works

0% 0 Promises

For more details, see the Principles of PolitiFact

Top Five Promise

Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center

Barack Obama

"As president, Barack Obama will close the detention facility at Guantanamo."

Obameter

Promise Broken

"Barack Obama opposed the Bush Administration's initial policy on warrantless wiretaps because it crossed the line between protecting our national security and eroding the civil liberties of American citizens. As president, Obama would update the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act to provide greater oversight and accountability to the congressional intelligence committees to prevent future threats to the rule of law."

Obameter

Compromise

Secure the borders

Barack Obama

Will support "additional personnel, infrastructure and technology on the border and at our ports of entry."

Obameter

Compromise

Reform mandatory minimum sentences

Barack Obama

"Will immediately review (mandatory minimum) sentences to see where we can be smarter on crime and reduce the ineffective warehousing of nonviolent drug offenders."

Obameter

Promise Kept

Sign a “universal” health care bill

Barack Obama

"I will sign a universal health care bill into law by the end of my first term as president … ."

Obameter

Compromise

Latest Obameter Promises

Barack Obama

Close the Guantanamo Bay Detention Center

41 prisoners remain at Gitmo as Obama leaves office | January 20, 2017

Barack Obama

Create a prison-to-work incentive program

Obama took some steps to help ex-offenders find jobs | January 5, 2017

Barack Obama

Create a National Health Insurance Exchange

Marketplace today is similar to original vision, but not identical | January 3, 2017

Barack Obama

Reduce the Veterans Benefits Administration claims backlog

Veterans benefits claim backlog dropped in Obama’s second term | December 29, 2016

Barack Obama

Expand eligibility for Medicaid

Supreme Court threw wrench in full Medicaid expansion | December 29, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a public “Contracts and Influence” database

The database was never developed | December 28, 2016

Barack Obama

Increase the supply of affordable housing throughout metropolitan regions

Housing promise only partially built out | December 27, 2016

Barack Obama

Establish regulations to secure chemical plants

Rules on chemical plants are not as strong as envisioned | December 27, 2016

Barack Obama

Direct the Secretary of Health and Human Services to conduct a study of federal cancer initiatives

Cancer Moonshot takes steps to unify federal agencies | December 22, 2016

Barack Obama

Fix problems of voter access such as long lines on Election Day and on early voting days

Wait times at the polls improve in 2016, but battle isn’t over | December 22, 2016

Barack Obama

Support improved weather prediction program

Key observatory was launched in 2014 and is operating smoothly | December 21, 2016

Barack Obama

Advance the biomedical research field

Despite big infusions from stimulus and Cures Act, annual funding is down compared to 2008 | December 20, 2016

Barack Obama

Provide at least $2 billion for services to Iraqi refugees

US spent $2.5 billion on displaced Iraqis over Obama’s two terms | December 20, 2016

Barack Obama

Phase out incandescent light bulbs

Through mix of federal standards and consumer actions, LED bulbs are growing fast | December 19, 2016

Barack Obama

Extend Production Tax Credit to encourage renewable energy

Extension through 2020 passed with bipartisan support in 2015 | December 19, 2016

Barack Obama

Reduce earmarks to 1994 levels

Earmarks aren’t just at 1994 levels — they’re officially gone | December 19, 2016

Barack Obama

Require more disclosure and a waiting period for earmarks

Disclosure, waiting periods are moot with all earmarks now on ice | December 19, 2016

Barack Obama

Require automatic enrollment in IRA plans

No federal law, but more states adopt auto-enrollment programs | December 15, 2016

Barack Obama

Make permanent the Research & Development tax credit

Late in Obama’s tenure, popular tax credit finally becomes permanent | December 15, 2016

Barack Obama

Begin removing combat brigades from Iraq

Conflict continues in Iraq | December 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a specialized military advisers corps

Army plans to develop adviser brigades | December 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Help victims of superstorm Sandy ‘rebuild their lives’

Obama (and Congress) make good on help for Sandy victims | December 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a new trade enforcement unit that will address China’s trade practices

Obama fulfills pledge with aggressive WTO actions | December 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Walk with picketers when collective bargaining rights are threatened

Obama never marched with union picketers | December 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Increase the number of high school students taking college-level courses

Students taking Advanced Placement courses up by well over 50 percent | December 13, 2016

Barack Obama

Mandate standards for securing personal data

Congress ignores Obama’s plan to standardize personal data protection | December 13, 2016

Barack Obama

Include environmental and labor standards in trade agreements

Trade deals protections not as stringent as promised | December 13, 2016

Barack Obama

Double federal funding for basic science research over 10 years

Obama falls short on basic research funding goal | December 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Require utilities to reduce electricity demand

Energy efficiency rules help reduce, but don’t demand, electricity use | December 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Invest $50 billion in auto manufacturing facilities for fuel efficient vehicles

Not much additional funding since 2009 | December 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Develop a comprehensive cyber security and response strategy

Obama makes progress on three-pronged cyber strategy | December 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Expand the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity

Facing congressional opposition, Obama leaves office without ENDA enacted | December 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Increase penalties against North Korea if it continues developing nuclear weapons

Obama followed through on sanctions promises, but nothing really moved the needle | December 9, 2016

Barack Obama

Make sure Iran does not get a nuclear weapon

Iran has no nuclear capability yet | December 9, 2016

Barack Obama

Make buildings more energy efficient

Buildings are more efficient, but not as much as Obama promised | December 9, 2016

Barack Obama

Oppose efforts to privatize Social Security

Social Security avoided privatization moves during Obama’s tenure | December 9, 2016

Barack Obama

Double American exports over the next five years

Exports didn’t double; they are barely keeping pace with 2012 | December 8, 2016

Barack Obama

Work to renew the assault weapons ban

Congress doesn’t zero in on assault weapons ban bills | December 8, 2016

Barack Obama

Better enforce gun laws

Obama used executive powers to augment existing laws | December 8, 2016

Barack Obama

Reduce oil consumption by 35 percent by 2030

Oil consumption continues to rise despite new regulations | December 8, 2016

Barack Obama

Ban racial profiling by federal law enforcement agencies

Without a new law, Justice Department updates racial profiling guidelines | December 8, 2016

Barack Obama

Train and equip the Afghan army

Afghan forces take the lead but still need U.S. help | December 8, 2016

Barack Obama

Overhaul the corporate tax code and reduce the rate for manufacturing companies

Corporate tax code resists change | December 7, 2016

Barack Obama

End tax deductions for companies that offshore

No traction for offshoring pledge | December 7, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a new tax credit for companies that bring jobs to the United States from overseas

Jobs tax credit idea dead upon legislative arrival | December 7, 2016

Barack Obama

Cut another $1 trillion to $1.5 trillion in spending

He presided over significant cuts, but not necessarily as high as promised | December 5, 2016

Barack Obama

Make the Veterans Administration a national leader in health reform

VA: Progress on some fronts but not all | December 5, 2016

Barack Obama

Require drilling on current oil and gas leases

Early proposals disappeared and never resurfaced | December 5, 2016

Barack Obama

Establish a small business initiative for rural America

Half of promise implemented, half not | December 1, 2016

Barack Obama

Set a standard for utilities that 80 percent of U.S. electricity comes from clean sources by 2035

Halted Clean Power Plan incentivizes renewables for power generation | December 1, 2016

Barack Obama

Work with UN on climate change

Paris agreement signed and ratified | December 1, 2016

Barack Obama

Invest $150 billion to encourage “green” business sector

‘Green business sector’ definition makes funding difficult to tally | November 30, 2016

Barack Obama

Safeguard the right to privacy

FCC limits broadband providers use of personal data | November 18, 2016

Barack Obama

Restrict warrantless wiretaps

Some limits on warrantless wiretaps but loopholes remain | November 18, 2016

Barack Obama

Lead the world in college graduates by 2020

Though improving, U.S. still lags South Korea | November 15, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a veterans job corps

Programs exist, just not the one Obama promised | November 15, 2016

Barack Obama

Create 1 million new manufacturing jobs by the end of 2016

Statistics fall short on manufacturing jobs | November 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Reduce energy consumption in federal buildings

Building promise gets an energy boost a little too late | November 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Require all schools of education to be accredited

Accreditation not the destination for all schools | November 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Increase the capital gains and dividends taxes for higher-income taxpayers

Tax rate increased, but not for promised tax bracket | November 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Create 5 million “green” jobs

No clear information on number of “green” jobs created | November 14, 2016

Barack Obama

Improve high school graduation rates

Graduation rates are up, but the United States still lags behind other countries | November 2, 2016

Barack Obama

Reduce federal aid to colleges that don’t keep costs down

No federal aid policy for schools that spend more | November 2, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a voluntary national performance assessment for educators

A gold star for keeping teacher preparation regulations promise | November 1, 2016

Barack Obama

Create Teacher Residency Programs that will send teachers to high-need schools

Recruitment numbers remain unclear … bring out the red pen | October 25, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a secretary of business and consolidate nine goverment agencies on business into one

Idea to create a secretary of business finally runs out of steam | October 21, 2016

Barack Obama

Increase protections for whistleblowers

Gains for ordinary workers, mixed bag for intel staffers | October 13, 2016

Barack Obama

Mandate insurance coverage of autism treatment

Autism coverage mandate varies across states and health plans | October 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Give the White House’s Privacy and Civil Liberties Board subpoena power

Some changes but still no direct subpoena power | October 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Revise the Patriot Act to increase oversight on government surveillance

More oversight, but limits not ironclad | October 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Enact the Buffett rule

Millionaires still paying a smaller tax share than secretaries | October 6, 2016

Barack Obama

Support college credit initiatives

Funding increases had good starts but didn’t last | September 22, 2016

Barack Obama

Provide a path to citizenship for undocumented immigrants

Path to citizenship promise under Obama looks dead | September 21, 2016

Barack Obama

Cut the growth of college tuition and fees in half over the next 10 years

We’ll give college tuition promise partial credit | September 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Double funding for Federal Charter School Program and require more accountability

Increased funding for charter schools, but not doubled | September 12, 2016

Barack Obama

Fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

IDEA school funding bills are in detention | September 12, 2016

Barack Obama

End the war in Afghanistan in 2014

Obama increases U.S. troops to remain in Afghanistan past 2016 | July 6, 2016

Barack Obama

Recognize the Armenian genocide

In two terms, no mention of Armenian ‘genocide’ | May 11, 2016

Barack Obama

Create a tax credit of $500 for workers

On-and-off enactment of worker tax credit earns Obama a Compromise | January 11, 2016

Barack Obama

Crack down on employers who hire undocumented immigrants

Obama has mixed record on immigration worksite enforcement | January 6, 2016

Barack Obama

Help restore Gulf Coast wetlands that protect against hurricanes

Unexpected aid from Deepwater Horizon | August 20, 2015

Barack Obama

Restore housing in New Orleans

Demand for rental property has not been met | August 20, 2015

Barack Obama

Direct revenues from offshore oil and gas drilling to increased coastal hurricane protection

A campaign promise long since abandoned | August 20, 2015

Barack Obama

Improve transportation in New Orleans

Transportation isn’t better, state partly to blame | August 20, 2015

Barack Obama

Establish special crime programs for the New Orleans area

COPS money and a consent decree for New Orleans police | August 20, 2015

Barack Obama

Strengthen the levees in New Orleans

Improved, but not Category 5 level protection | August 19, 2015

Barack Obama

Rebuild hospitals in New Orleans

Some setbacks, but more progress | August 19, 2015

Barack Obama

Rebuild schools in New Orleans

Ten years later, billions from FEMA for New Orleans schools | August 19, 2015

Barack Obama

Support repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)

SCOTUS ruling means last vestige of DOMA falls | June 29, 2015

Barack Obama

Urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws

Obama has promoted marriage equality, adoption rights | June 29, 2015

Barack Obama

We will crush al-Qaida

Islamic State and al-Qaida affiliates still growing | April 2, 2015

Barack Obama

Sign a “universal” health care bill

5 years later, Medicaid opt-outs create holes in ‘universal’ bill | March 25, 2015

Barack Obama

Support network neutrality on the Internet

FCC approves Obama’s net neutrality proposal | February 26, 2015

Barack Obama

Grant Americans unrestricted rights to visit family and send money to Cuba

Historic agreement expands visiting rights and more | December 18, 2014

Barack Obama

No signing statements to nullify instructions from Congress

After ignoring provision on notifying Congress of Guantanamo transfers, this moves to Promise Broken | June 4, 2014

Barack Obama

Encourage videotaping of interrogations in capital cases

Obama administration goes beyond its original promise | May 30, 2014

Barack Obama

Give annual “State of the World” address

Six years after promise, still no ‘State of the World’ address | October 31, 2013

Barack Obama

Fund a major expansion of AmeriCorps

Big increases envisioned in law never materialized | May 1, 2013

Barack Obama

Offer states waivers to No Child Left Behind if they meet requirements

Obama administration has approved waivers for many states | April 10, 2013

Barack Obama

Equip troops to respond to new tactics

Pentagon streamlines response to troops’ equipment needs | January 21, 2013

Barack Obama

Extend the American Opportunity Tax Credit

Fiscal cliff deal includes five-year extension | January 21, 2013

Barack Obama

Create loan sanctions to stop private creditors from lending to repressive regimes

White House has yet to implement new type of loan sanction | January 16, 2013

Barack Obama

Prevent corporate cyber-espionage

New laws, more money support this promise | January 16, 2013

Barack Obama

Ensure New Orleans locals can get recovery jobs

Local firms doing better in contracting, but unclear if administration deserves credit | January 15, 2013

Barack Obama

Shake loose federal money for rebuilding the Gulf Coast

Added funding, new arbitration process advanced recovery goals | January 15, 2013

Barack Obama

Work to end NATO restrictions on forces in Afghanistan

U.S. had some success in curbing restrictions, but point is mostly moot now | January 14, 2013

Barack Obama

Require that health plans utilize disease management programs

Health care law expands requirements for disease management | January 14, 2013

Barack Obama

Include humanitarian international missions in long-term budgeting

Obama boosts military’s humanitarian aid budget | January 11, 2013

Barack Obama

Increase participation in cancer-related clinical trials

Provision on clinical trials is in health care law | January 11, 2013

Barack Obama

Accelerate the development of new medicines, vaccines, and production capabilities

New center at NIH is taking up the challenge | January 10, 2013

Barack Obama

Toughen enforcement for Internet exploitation of children

Justice Department moves on a number of fronts | January 10, 2013

Barack Obama

Provide incentives to draw employers into areas hardest-hit by Katrina

For years, “GO Zones” pumped money into storm-damaged areas | January 9, 2013

Barack Obama

Help low-income areas get phone and Internet service

FCC enacted most of what candidate Obama promised | January 4, 2013

Barack Obama

Encourage community service through online outreach and social networking

The federal website serve.gov is serving this purpose | January 4, 2013

Barack Obama

Prioritize security investments in refineries, pipelines and power grids

First steps being taken in long effort to fortify critical infrastructure | January 3, 2013

Barack Obama

Eliminate all oil and gas tax loopholes

Obama has no luck getting tax proposals past Congress | January 3, 2013

Barack Obama

Require publicly traded financial partnerships to pay the corporate income tax

No change to tax rules for publicly traded partnerships | January 3, 2013

Barack Obama

Expand the earned income tax credit

Past expansions of Earned Income Tax Credit are extended for five more years | January 3, 2013

Barack Obama

Close loopholes in the corporate tax deductibility of CEO pay

Rules for taxing corporate executive pay remain unchanged | January 3, 2013

Barack Obama

Extend child tax credits and marriage-penalty fixes

Variety of child and family tax cuts extended or made permanent in fiscal cliff bill | January 3, 2013

Barack Obama

Extend the Bush tax cuts for lower incomes

Lower rates are permanent, thanks to fiscal cliff | January 2, 2013

Barack Obama

Repeal the Bush tax cuts for higher incomes

Tax rates rise for incomes over $450,000 | January 2, 2013

Barack Obama

Tax carried interest as ordinary income

Effort to increase taxes on ‘carried interest’ falls short again | January 2, 2013

Barack Obama

Freeze the 2009 estate tax law

Obama, Republicans split the difference on estate tax rates | January 2, 2013

Barack Obama

Extend and index the 2007 Alternative Minimum Tax patch

Congress permanently indexes the AMT for inflation | January 2, 2013

Barack Obama

Phase out exemptions and deductions for higher earners

‘Fiscal cliff’ bill limits tax breaks for higher-income taxpayers | January 2, 2013

Barack Obama

Restructure and streamline USAID

Obama better coordinates foreign aid, but restructuring stalls | December 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Fully fund debt cancellation for heavily indebted poor countries

Obama funds debt relief for heavily indebted poor countries | December 26, 2012

Barack Obama

Better integrate efforts of federal agencies with the military through new Mobile Development Teams

Military-civilian teams have operated in far-flung corners of Afghanistan | December 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Revise regulations for export of aerospace technology

At last moment, Senate, House approve bill changing regulations | December 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve communications systems for first responders

$7 billion for broadband network on its way, but challenges persist | December 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Modernize ships and invest more in small vessels

Smaller ships being prioritized, but questions plague key vessel | December 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Expedite oil and gas drilling from domestic shale formations

Supporters, critics of drilling both find data to support their case | December 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Enforce pay-as-you-go (PAYGO) budget rules

President signed a PAYGO bill, but GOP House changed key Democratic rule | December 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve port security through better radiation detection

Mutiple failures on multiple fronts | December 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Limit Guard and Reserve deployments to one year for every six years

Changes have been made | December 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Spend $5 billion over three years on cooperative programs with foreign intelligence agencies

Partnership up and running, but funding is unclear | December 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Review weapons programs

Reviews undertaken; hard slog of shifting military priorities is a work in progress | December 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Make security part of new infrastructure design

A deliberate move toward “resilience” in infrastructure | December 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Eliminate caps on damages for discrimination cases

No change in law eliminating caps | December 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Establish standards of care for traumatic brain injury treatment

Treatment of traumatic brain injury: better, but still flawed | December 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a rural revitalization program

Obama administration’s rural strategy has experts ‘hopeful’ | December 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Increase commercialization benefits from technology

Partnerships aplenty at NASA | December 18, 2012

Barack Obama

Seek more information sharing on security between feds and localities

“Fusion centers” widespread, but questions about their effectiveness persist | December 17, 2012

Barack Obama

Hold hospitals and health plans accountable for disparities in care

Significant progress stops short of full data, accountability | December 14, 2012

Barack Obama

Partner with landowners to conserve private lands

“Great Outdoors” initiative inspires movement on several fronts | December 14, 2012

Barack Obama

Modernize the nation’s electricity grid and use “smart grid” practices

Stimulus included a significant down payment on upgrading the nation’s grid | December 13, 2012

Barack Obama

Restore habeas corpus rights for “enemy combatants”

Many enemy combatants still lack habeas rights | December 13, 2012

Barack Obama

Set a national goal to provide re-screening for all 2-year-olds for developmental disorders

Big move forward on developmental screening, still long way to go | December 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Cut federal contracts

Contract spending on the decline | December 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Work to persuade the European Union to end credit guarantees to Iran

EU clamps down on Iran but Obama’s role is minor | December 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Work for the release of international dissidents

U.S. has helped many dissidents, though not all, go free | December 11, 2012

Barack Obama

Call for a consultative group of congressional leaders on national security

“Consultative” foreign policy group never named | December 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Invest in transitional jobs and career pathway programs

A variety of programs established in several cabinet departments | December 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Require full disclosure of company pension investments to employees

No new pension investments disclosures required for participants, but transparency improves on other fronts | December 7, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve recruitment of public health workers

Affordable Care Act invests in public health workforce | December 7, 2012

Barack Obama

Create clean coal partnerships

Despite notable hurdles, plants that sequester carbon are advancing | December 6, 2012

Barack Obama

Send first-time nonviolent drug offenders to rehab if appropriate

Clear emphasis on drug treatment approaches | December 6, 2012

Barack Obama

Enhance drug courts

Drug courts are expanding, though not in federal system | December 6, 2012

Barack Obama

Attract more doctors to rural areas

Obama administration initiatives add doctors in rural areas | December 6, 2012

Barack Obama

Press China to end its support for regimes in Sudan, Burma, Iran and Zimbabwe

Progress on Sudan, Iran, Burma, but not so much in Zimbabwe | December 5, 2012

Barack Obama

Provide easy-to-understand comparisons of the Medicare prescription drug plans

Drug plans are easier to compare | December 5, 2012

Barack Obama

Reform the Small Business Administration’s ability to respond after disasters

A streamlined loan application, but continuing administrative problems | December 5, 2012

Barack Obama

Offer prizes for advances in consumer technology

Challenge.gov doles out prize money for myriad ideas | December 4, 2012

Barack Obama

Close loopholes to discourage energy speculation

Dodd-Frank law upheld pledge, but key regulation held up in court | December 4, 2012

Barack Obama

Phase in requirements for health information technology

Requirements for health IT are now in place | December 4, 2012

Barack Obama

Sign the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

38 Republicans vote against ratification, but treaty could get another vote next year | December 4, 2012

Barack Obama

End the use of extreme rendition

Extraordinary rendition officially ruled out, but secrecy makes its elimination hard to prove | December 4, 2012

Barack Obama

Phase out highly enriched uranium (HEU) from the civil sector

Myriad efforts aimed at phasing out highly enriched uranium | December 3, 2012

Barack Obama

Amend the Medicare “homebound” rule to allow some travel without loss of benefits

Obama administration hasn’t changed Medicare’s ‘homebound’ rule | November 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Ensure that stem cell research is conducted ethically and with vigorous oversight

2009 guidelines on embryonic stem cell research provide detailed oversight | November 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Modernize public health buildings

Health care law boosts funding to equip and modernize public health labs | November 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Secure nuclear weapons materials in four years

Impressive progress, but Russia set to quit key agreement | November 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen federal environmental justice programs

EPA makes environmental justice high priority, but key settlement disappoints advocates | November 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Invest in electronic health information systems

Electronic health systems got stimulus help, but not much else | November 29, 2012

Barack Obama

Limit subsidies for agribusiness

Limits included in Senate’s farm bill, but not House’s | November 29, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty

Successful 2010 treaty review conference, Iran sanctions bolster promise | November 29, 2012

Barack Obama

Support wetlands protection

Partial progress on several elements of wetlands protection | November 29, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a national catastrophe insurance reserve

No action on catastrophe fund | November 28, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen anti-monopoly laws to favor independent farmers

Regulations with teeth opposed in Congress, then withdrawn | November 28, 2012

Barack Obama

Give tax incentives to new farmers

No tax incentives for new farmers, and less spending on conservation incentives than authorized | November 28, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand the YouthBuild program, a youth education and housing program.

YouthBuild is bigger, but not as big as the goal | November 28, 2012

Barack Obama

Promote lifelong retraining

Mixed record for implementing a five-part promise | November 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Reduce dependence on foreign oil

Fuel efficiency standards projected to meet campaign goals | November 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Increase research opportunities for college students

Many agencies are partnering on science, technology, engineering and math education programs | November 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Work with Latin American leaders to develop a hemispheric crime strategy

Lots of bilateral, regional accords, but not as much ‘hemispheric’ | November 26, 2012

Barack Obama

Require companies to disclose personal information data breaches

Data breach disclosure requirement has yet to materialize | November 26, 2012

Barack Obama

Dedicate more resources to fight employment discrimination against military reservists

Obama administration puts focus on employment discrimination against military reservists | November 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Enact measures to prevent nuclear fuel from becoming nuclear bombs

One fuel bank up and running, another on the way | November 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Regulate pollution from major livestock operations

EPA flip-flops on key proposed regulation | November 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Seek treaty to control fissile materials

Despite U.S. efforts, treaty remains stymied | November 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Seek safe disposal of nuclear waste

Blue-ribbon panel points the way, but little concrete action yet | November 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand service-learning in schools

After an initial boost, service learning lost federal support | November 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Stop al Qaida prison recruitment

A slow expansion of policies begun under George W. Bush | November 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Double U.S. spending on foreign aid to $50 billion a year by 2012

An increase, but nowhere close to double | November 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen the African Growth and Opportunity Act

Expiring provision extended, but little to ‘strengthen’ the law | November 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Establish a Global Education Fund

No sign of $2 billion bump for alternatives to madrassas | November 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Encourage diversity in media ownership

Federal policy did nothing to boost diversity in media ownership | November 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve emergency response plans

Administration seems to be following new framework after Sandy | November 17, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve and prioritize student science assessments

State science testing didn’t get federal push | November 16, 2012

Barack Obama

Simplify the application process for financial aid

Tax data simplified, but the FAFSA lives on | November 16, 2012

Barack Obama

Fully fund the Combating Autism Act and Federal Autism Research Initiatives

More funding for autism aid, but short of stated goal | November 16, 2012

Barack Obama

Encourage contests and programs to interest students in science

Competitions for science are racing along | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Appoint a Chief Financial Officer to oversee the rebuilding following national disasters

No CFO for national disasters, but duties addressed | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Help students and their families become aware of college readiness

Federal money supported states’ push for college readiness standards and testing | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Direct rebuilding efforts from the White House after a catastrophe

After Sandy, White House taps Shaun Donovan for coordinator role | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Convene a summit on preventing nuclear terrorism

Two summits on preventing nuclear terrorism held, one scheduled for 2014 | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen Proliferation Security Initiative aimed at stopping spread of weapons of mass destruction

Rhetorical support for WMD-prevention program, but progress hard to document | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

With the G-8, launch Health Infrastructure 2020

Obama administration didn’t launch G8 global health infrastructure effort | November 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Issue a “best practices” report for states on reducing domestic violence

‘Best practices’ reports to combat domestic violence are specialized, not comprehensive | November 14, 2012

Barack Obama

Create scholarships to recruit new teachers

New teacher service scholarships never came to be | November 13, 2012

Barack Obama

Fully fund the COPS program

COPS got full funding once in four years | November 13, 2012

Barack Obama

Work with schools to create more healthful environments for children

Action to support healthy schools through health care, food and physical education | November 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Establish a Global Energy Corps to promote green energy in developing countries

No evidence that Global Energy Corps has seen the light of day | November 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Commission a study on students with disabilities and their transition to jobs or higher education

U.S. Education Department launches disability study | November 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Clarify legal status for defense contractor personnel

Clarifying legal status of defense contractors requires new law, which hasn’t happened | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Require 25 percent renewable energy by 2025

Cap-and-trade bill died, though other trends may achieve goal without a law | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen the State Department’s ability to respond to conflict

Stabilization efforts continue, but not “fully funded” | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Increase the size of the foreign service

Hiring has increased, but not fast enough to keep up with demand | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a Civilian Assistance Corps that would organize private sector professionals to help

Corps exists, but uses government employees for now | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a system of incentives and penalties for defense contracts

Progress on defense contracts, but still room for improvement | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Set standards for when the government should hire defense contractors

Standards are there, but not always applied | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Fund proposals to help fish and game survive climate change

Not as much money as promised for climate change programs | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Launch a new ‘America’s Voice Corps’

America’s Voice Corps still unsung | November 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Educate business about the benefits of flexible work schedules and telecommuting

A new law, new money and a pilot program made telecommuting more common | November 2, 2012

Barack Obama

Create an office to help improve nonprofits

Two programs were created, but only one remains | November 2, 2012

Barack Obama

Streamline the Social Security disability approval process

Obama’s stimulus program sped up the Social Security claims process, but the gains may not last | November 2, 2012

Barack Obama

Institute electronic record-keeping for the Veterans Benefits Administration

Benefit claims are going digital, slowly | October 22, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen international rules against commercial whaling

Obama’s leadership on whaling: progress but no sea change | October 9, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and double its budget in the next 4 years

Obama’s support of nuclear security agency fell short of campaign promise | October 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand Early Head Start and Head Start

Early learning programs grew, but not to promised size | September 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Launch a Children’s First Agenda

No agenda, but some progress | September 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Address the dropout crisis by giving schools incentives for more dropout prevention

Obama funded middle school dropout prevention | September 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a Presidential Early Learning Council

President’s early learning council exists as an interagency board | September 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Restore the Great Lakes

Bill fizzled, but carp problem addressed | September 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Bring Democrats and Republicans together to pass an agenda

Record-setting partisan divide | August 31, 2012

Barack Obama

Secure the borders

Border is more secure, but not to everyone’s satisfaction | August 31, 2012

Barack Obama

Cut the cost of a typical family’s health insurance premium by up to $2,500 a year

No cut in premiums for typical family | August 31, 2012

Barack Obama

Require production of more biofuels

No new 60 billion-gallon requirement | August 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Devote federal resources to promote cellulosic ethanol

Far, far behind 2 billion-gallon target | August 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Provide tax credits for automakers to build fuel-efficient cars

Tax credits and loans exceed $4 billion promise | August 6, 2012

Barack Obama

Cap interest rates on payday loans and improve disclosure

After long wait, new agency takes up role overseeing payday loans | August 3, 2012

Barack Obama

Require new federal fleet purchases to be half plug-in hybrids or electric vehicles

Nowhere near half | August 3, 2012

Barack Obama

Upgrade nation’s infrastructure through new partnership with state and local government

Funding amounted to a fraction of the need | August 2, 2012

Barack Obama

Establish a low carbon fuel standard

No national standard in sight | August 2, 2012

Barack Obama

Provide $50 billion by 2013 for the global fight against HIV/AIDS

Spending is less than promised, but more people receive medical treatment and care | July 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Sign the Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act into law

Bill remains stuck in committee | July 25, 2012

Barack Obama

Double federal program to help “reverse” commuters who go from city to suburbs

Program is eliminated, but projects’ future less clear | July 23, 2012

Barack Obama

Speed up development of the next-generation space vehicle

Private companies forge ahead on cargo transport, but timeline for human flight slips | July 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Sign the Responsible Fatherhood and Healthy Families Act

More money for fatherhood programs, but no new law | July 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Support tax deduction for artists

No new tax deduction for value of artwork | July 19, 2012

Barack Obama

Expose Special Interest Tax Breaks to Public Scrutiny

Obama never fought for a tax earmark database as president | July 16, 2012

Barack Obama

Establish transparency standards for military contractors

Contracting reforms are in place, but not transparency standards | July 16, 2012

Barack Obama

Seek independent watchdog agency to investigate congressional ethics violations

Ethics commission never got a presidential push | July 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Conduct regulatory agency business in public

President called for transparency, but agencies haven’t always followed through | July 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Make White House communications public

Visitor logs are public, emails and phone calls are not | July 9, 2012

Barack Obama

Push for a college football playoff system

A new playoff is coming | June 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Require energy conservation in use of transportation dollars

Obama has encouraged energy conservation, but not required it | June 26, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a fund for international small and medium enterprises (SME)

Delivered on seed money, but not on technical support | June 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Set goals and timetables for implementing Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act

Goals, timetables on the way | June 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Support funding and reform for Amtrak

On board with money and reforms | June 20, 2012

Barack Obama

Create youth service corps

Putting money into the “5-E” promise | June 18, 2012

Barack Obama

Pressure Sudan to end violence in Darfur

Some progress, but violence continues | June 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Work to ban the permanent replacement of striking workers

Still no sign of action | June 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Restore collective bargaining rights to federal employees

Some expansion but not full bargaining rights | June 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Increase funding for organic and sustainable agriculture

Funding for organics is up, but insurance overhaul is a work in progress | June 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Create an international tax haven watch list

Law passed in 2010 goes even further than promise | June 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Vigorously pursue hate crimes and civil rights abuses

A new law and more enforcement | June 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Sign the Freedom of Choice Act

Nothing to sign; bill has fizzled | June 1, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a Homeowner Obligation Made Explicit (HOME) score for mortgage comparisons

New standards included in Dodd-Frank | May 24, 2012

Barack Obama

Increase non-military aid to Afghanistan by $1 billion

Administration meets goal of boosting non-military funding in Afghanistan | May 15, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a $60 billion bank to fund roads and bridges

Road bank didn’t get much traction | May 7, 2012

Barack Obama

Increase funding for progams that conserve lands, habitat for species like Osceola turkey

Sage grouse has nothing to grouse about | May 7, 2012

Barack Obama

Lift the payroll tax cap on earnings above $250,000

Payroll tax cap unchanged | April 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a retirement savings tax credit for low incomes

New retirement savings credit is a no-go | April 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Require health care providers to report preventable medical errors

Affordable Care Act encourages health providers to report ‘hospital acquired conditions’ | April 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Require providers to report measures of health care costs and quality

Affordable Care Act ramps up carrots and sticks for health providers to collect, report data | April 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Create a mortgage interest tax credit for non-itemizers

Still no mechanism for non-itemizers | April 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Support regional innovation clusters

Cluster spending exceeds Obama’s goal | April 27, 2012

Barack Obama

Provide option for a pre-filled-out tax form

No movement on bill to create form | April 25, 2012

Barack Obama

Allow Medicare to negotiate for cheaper drug prices

Action unlikely before end of administration | April 25, 2012

Barack Obama

Make military deployments predictable for troops and families

Deployment has become more standardized | April 25, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand broadband’s reach

Expansion, but not yet to every community | April 23, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve water quality

Stimulus money pays for water programs | April 18, 2012

Barack Obama

Attract more students to science and math

Lots of programs from Race to the Top | April 18, 2012

Barack Obama

Update copyright and patent law

Progress on patents | April 11, 2012

Barack Obama

If you want new insurance, you’ll be able to choose a new plan on a health insurance exchange

Meet basic requirements, shop on a health care exchange | March 28, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand public/private partnerships between schools and arts organizations

Funding and partnerships have increased | March 26, 2012

Barack Obama

Attract foreign art talent

Problems remain but processing has improved | March 26, 2012

Barack Obama

Improve climate change data records

Stimulus bill funded grants for climate-change data | March 13, 2012

Barack Obama

Open new consulates “in the tough and hopeless corners of the world”

None shuttered and two opened where life is hard | March 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand teacher mentoring programs and provide incentives for more planning time

There have been incentives and expansion | March 12, 2012

Barack Obama

Prevent drug companies from blocking generic drugs

Legislation unlikely to be enacted this year | March 9, 2012

Barack Obama

Centralize ethics and lobbying information for voters

More than three years in, combined website emerges | March 9, 2012

Barack Obama

Implement and fund proven health intervention programs

Many provisions of health care law fulfill promise | March 9, 2012

Barack Obama

Promote innovative ways to reward good teachers

Federally funded programs are underway | February 22, 2012

Barack Obama

Reduce the number of middle managers in the federal workforce

No data to demonstrate it was done | February 21, 2012

Barack Obama

Create White House performance team and chief performance officer

Chief Performance Officer has been busy | February 17, 2012

Barack Obama

Work to build natural gas pipeline from Alaska

Pipeline project faces hurdles, but Obama’s kept promise to keep pushing for it | February 17, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen the Age Discrimination in Employment Act

Efforts to reverse Supreme Court ruling have fallen by wayside | February 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Seek to negotiate a political agreement on Cyprus

Settlement talks are continuing, but they’re struggling | February 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Require automatic enrollment in 401(k) plans

Promise was overtaken by events | February 10, 2012

Barack Obama

Mandate flexible fuel vehicles by 2012

Flex-fuel vehicles are nowhere near universal | February 8, 2012

Barack Obama

Require more flex-fuel cars for the federal government

Federal government’s flex fuel vehicle purchases actually down since 2009 | February 7, 2012

Barack Obama

Promote more pre-school education

Money, guidelines dedicated to pre-school | February 2, 2012

Barack Obama

Provide $30 billion over 10 years to Israel

Administration is keeping to terms of agreement | February 1, 2012

Barack Obama

Launch a supportive services-housing program for veterans to prevent homelessness

Homeless prevention program launched | January 30, 2012

Barack Obama

Make National Guard leader a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Now it’s a fact | January 18, 2012

Barack Obama

Strengthen antitrust enforcement

Antitrust enforcement has picked up | January 17, 2012

Barack Obama

Require Cabinet officials to host Internet town hall meetings

Cabinet officials frequently talk to citizens online | January 11, 2012

Barack Obama

Expand Veterans Centers in rural areas

More Veterans Centers in rural areas | December 9, 2011

Barack Obama

Increase special operations forces and civil affairs

Special operations have seen personnel, budget increases | November 16, 2011

Barack Obama

End the use of torture

Wide agreement that Obama’s torture ban has held | November 14, 2011

Barack Obama

Urge China to stop manipulation of its currency value

Some diplomatic effort, but not much success | November 11, 2011

Barack Obama

Reform the patent system

New patent law now in place | November 11, 2011

Barack Obama

Increase the size of the Army and Marine Corps

Obama keeps troop increase on track | November 8, 2011

Barack Obama

Launch robust diplomatic effort with Iraq and its neighbors

Diplomacy continues in region with some compromise | November 7, 2011

Barack Obama

End the “Stop-loss” program of forcing troops to stay in service beyond their expected commitments

“Stop-loss” stopped in early 2011 | November 4, 2011

Barack Obama

Restore the government’s ability to manage contracts by rebuilding our contract officer corps

Some progress, but much work remains | November 3, 2011

Barack Obama

Expand federal bioforensics program for tracking biological weapons

Main facility is now operational | November 3, 2011

Barack Obama

Expand housing vouchers program for homeless veterans

Vouchers increasing by fits and starts | November 3, 2011

Barack Obama

Provide the CDC $50 million in funding to determine effective approaches for cancer patient care

Funding nowhere near $50 million | November 3, 2011

Barack Obama

Modernize air traffic system

Progress made on air traffic system, controllers’ morale | October 27, 2011

Barack Obama

Provide a $1.5 billion fund to help states launch programs for paid family and medical leave

Congress isn’t going for family leave funding | October 25, 2011

Barack Obama

Increase efforts to reduce unintended pregnancy

Significant action in all three areas of promise | October 24, 2011

Barack Obama

Create a consumer-friendly credit card rating system

Consumer advocates say Obama exceeded his credit card promise | October 17, 2011

Barack Obama

Protect American intellectual property abroad

Anti-counterfeiting trade agreement gets it done | October 13, 2011

Barack Obama

Reform No Child Left Behind

Major overhauls of “No Child” under way | October 10, 2011

Barack Obama

Double federal funding for cancer research

Cancer research funding gets small increases, but not doubled | October 7, 2011

Barack Obama

Expand the Family Medical Leave Act to include leave for domestic violence or sexual assault

Domestic violence recovery still not covered | October 7, 2011

Barack Obama

Require employers to provide seven paid sick days per year

No indication that Congress will pass the Healthy Families Act | September 30, 2011

Barack Obama

Reduce the threshhold for the Family and Medical Leave Act

Family and Medical Leave Act expansion a no-go in Congress | September 30, 2011

Barack Obama

Double funding for Manufacturing Extension Partnership, a program for manufacturing efficiency

Funding for manufacturing program is up, but not double | September 30, 2011

Barack Obama

Create a best practices list for private businesses in accommodating workers with disabilities

White House has delivered information to the federal and private sectors on hiring | September 29, 2011

Barack Obama

Launch educational initiative for employers on tax benefits of hiring employees with disabilities

Numbers of individuals certified has increased | September 29, 2011

Barack Obama

Develop an alternative to President Bush’s Military Commissions Act on handling detainees

No end in sight for military commissions | September 21, 2011

Barack Obama

Create incentives for tree planting and promote carbon sequestration

Tree-planting incentives taking root | September 2, 2011

Barack Obama

Reproductive health care will be “at the heart” of health care reform.

Insurance companies required to cover preventive care | September 1, 2011

Barack Obama

Increase the minimum wage to $9.50 an hour

No possibility of a minimum wage increase | August 29, 2011

Barack Obama

Secure ratification of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT)

Ratification remains elusive | August 29, 2011

Barack Obama

Fully fund federal contribution to the preservation of the Everglades

Federal Everglades funding on track | August 22, 2011

Barack Obama

Use revenue from cap and trade to support clean energy and environmental restoration

No cap-and-trade, no revenue | August 16, 2011

Barack Obama

Promote economic development in Mexico

Not much direct economic development, but big jump in law enforcement is a necessary precursor | August 12, 2011

Barack Obama

Work with Russia to move nuclear weapons off hair-trigger alert

U.S. had the chance in the Nuclear Posture Review but didn’t take it | August 11, 2011

Barack Obama

Stop the development of new nuclear weapons

Administration keeps rehab policy for old weapons, but conflict not over yet | August 10, 2011

Barack Obama

Organize successful Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference in 2010

Challenging conference went off successfully | August 10, 2011

Barack Obama

Create a community college partnership program

Administration directs $2 billion to community colleges that partner with industry | August 9, 2011

Barack Obama

Require more energy-efficient appliances

Rules reforms made, funding secured | August 1, 2011

Barack Obama

Repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy

“Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to end Sept. 20 | July 22, 2011

Barack Obama

Require 10 percent renewable energy by 2012

10 percent renewable electricity achieved | July 15, 2011

Barack Obama

Restore Superfund program so that polluters pay for clean-ups

No sign of action from Congress | July 1, 2011

Barack Obama

Release oil from Strategic Petroleum Reserve

Amid unrest in Libya, U.S. agrees to release oil from reserves | June 23, 2011

Barack Obama

We will kill bin Laden

Osama bin Laden dead | May 2, 2011

Barack Obama

Sign the Employee Free Choice Act, making it easier for workers to unionize

Change in control of the House probably dooms any chance of passage | April 20, 2011

Barack Obama

Create a foreclosure prevention fund for homeowners

Foreclosure prevention fund a “colossal failure,” special inspector says | March 31, 2011

Barack Obama

Enact windfall profits tax for oil companies

Three budget plans, no proposals for windfall profits tax, promise broken | March 16, 2011

Barack Obama

Appoint federal-level coordinator to oversee all federal autism efforts

Administration acts on autism, but not on a single federal coordinator | January 25, 2011

Barack Obama

Allow workers to claim more in unpaid wages and benefits in bankruptcy court

No progress on promise regarding unpaid wages | January 25, 2011

Barack Obama

Forbid companies in bankruptcy from giving executives bonuses

No sign of action on promise about executive bonuses | January 25, 2011

Barack Obama

Reinstate special envoy for the Americas

Administration engages Latin America, but not with a special envoy | January 18, 2011

Barack Obama

Open “America Houses” in Islamic cities around the globe

Jakarta center is first of a new generation | January 18, 2011

Barack Obama

Form international group to help Iraq refugees

Iraq refugee aid more unilateral than international | January 17, 2011

Barack Obama

Limit term of director of national intelligence

No progress on changing the DNI’s term | January 14, 2011

Barack Obama

Create a National Commission on People with Disabilities, Employment, and Social Security

No commission on the horizon | January 14, 2011

Barack Obama

Create a military families advisory board

Administration follows through on a panel with a different name, same mission | January 14, 2011

Barack Obama

Require plug-in fleet at the White House

Efforts continue, but one-year clock for creating all-plug-in White House fleet expired a year ago | January 12, 2011

Barack Obama

Eliminate capital gains taxes for small businesses and start-ups

A compromise extended | January 12, 2011

Barack Obama

Help states and localities address sprawl

Administration keeps promise with programs to curb sprawl | January 7, 2011

Barack Obama

Consider “smart growth” in transportation funding

Obama administration factors “sustainability” principles into transportation funding | January 6, 2011

Barack Obama

Seek verifiable reductions in nuclear stockpiles

New START ratified by the Senate | January 5, 2011

Barack Obama

Support airline service in small towns

Administration fulfills goals on rural access to air, train service | January 5, 2011

Barack Obama

Will seek more accommodations of bicycles and pedestrians

Obama keeps promise on promoting bicycle, pedestrian projects | January 4, 2011

Barack Obama

Extend monitoring and verification provisions of the START I Treaty

Senate ratifies New START Treaty | December 22, 2010

Barack Obama

Expand the child and dependent care credit

No expansion for the child care tax credit | December 21, 2010

Barack Obama

Change rules so small businesses owned by people with disabilities get preferences for contracts.

No sign of progress toward small business boost for Americans with disabilities | November 20, 2010

Barack Obama

Implement “Women Owned Business” contracting program

Contracting program for women-owned businesses finally ready | November 20, 2010

Barack Obama

Create cap and trade system with interim goals to reduce global warming

Obama abandons cap and trade as Republicans take over the House | November 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Invest $10 billion per year in early intervention educational and developmental programs

Mixed record on early intervention educational programs | September 21, 2010

Barack Obama

End the abuse of supplemental budgets for war

Money in budgets, but supplementals aren’t going away | September 16, 2010

Barack Obama

Introduce a comprehensive immigration bill in the first year

No big push in first year | August 13, 2010

Barack Obama

Eliminate disparity in sentencing for crack and cocaine

Congress reduces disparity | August 13, 2010

Barack Obama

Provide an annual report on “state of our energy future”

Still no report | August 13, 2010

Barack Obama

Re-establish the National Aeronautics and Space Council

Idea to revive National Aeronautics and Space Council appears dead | August 2, 2010

Barack Obama

Seek code of conduct for space-faring nations

U.S. seeks international code of conduct for space, but modifies position on weapons ban | August 2, 2010

Barack Obama

Reinstate order to hire 100,000 more federal employees with disabilities within five years.

Obama reinstates executive order on disability hiring | July 30, 2010

Barack Obama

Create new financial regulations

Barack Obama signs financial reform law | July 21, 2010

Barack Obama

Reimburse employer health plans for a portion of catastrophic costs

Limited reimbursements in the final health care bill | July 2, 2010

Barack Obama

Force non-competitive insurers to pay out a reasonable share of their premiums for patient care

Health bill requires insurers to pay minimums to patient care | July 1, 2010

Barack Obama

Require health plans to disclose how much of the premium goes to patient care

Health insurance plans must disclose how much goes to patient care | June 30, 2010

Barack Obama

Change standards for determining broadband access

Broadband map started | June 29, 2010

Barack Obama

Weatherize 1 million homes per year

Stimulus program to weatherize homes is falling short | June 25, 2010

Barack Obama

Fully fund the Veterans Administration

New law for Veterans Administration mandates advanced appropriations; more money in budgets | June 24, 2010

Barack Obama

Fully fund the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Obama’s budgets reverse attempts at cutting block grant funding | June 23, 2010

Barack Obama

Require economic justification for tax changes

Law sets rule to prevent tax dodges | June 10, 2010

Barack Obama

Create a $3,000 tax credit for companies that add jobs

Tax credit for companies differs in details | June 4, 2010

Barack Obama

Expand the Nurse-Family Partnership to all low-income, first-time mothers

Program included in health care reform bill | May 20, 2010

Barack Obama

Expand the Veterans Administration’s number of “centers of excellence” in specialty care

An increase in funding | May 19, 2010

Barack Obama

Establish ‘Promise Neighborhoods’ for areas of concentrated poverty

$10 million appropriation gets program underway | May 17, 2010

Barack Obama

Promote cultural diplomacy

An increase over 2009 | April 23, 2010

Barack Obama

Fully fund the Violence Against Women Act

Significant increases fulfill the promise | April 23, 2010

Barack Obama

Strengthen antitrust laws to prevent overcharging for malpractice insurance

New health care law takes steps toward reining in malpractice excesses | April 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Allow imported prescription drugs

No new rules for drug imports in health care law | April 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Establish an independent health institute to provide accurate and objective information

Comparative effectiveness institute makes it into final health care bill | April 8, 2010

Barack Obama

No family making less than $250,000 will see “any form of tax increase.”

Smokers, tanning aficionados, the happily uninsured: More taxes coming at ya! | April 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Eliminate the higher subsidies to Medicare Advantage plans

Health care law eliminates extra payments for Medicare Advantage | April 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Require large employers to contribute to a national health plan

Health care law targets large employers with penalties if they don’t offer insurance | April 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Increase the Veterans Administration budget to recruit and retain more mental health professionals

Funding bill signed into law | April 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Reduce subsidies to private student lenders and protect student borrowers

President signs bill to eliminate payments to private lenders | April 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Raise fuel economy standards

It’s official | April 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Expand Pell grants for low-income students

Pell Grant boost is now in federal law | March 31, 2010

Barack Obama

Stand down nuclear forces to be reduced under the Moscow Treaty

Terms of new START treaty would supersede these limits | March 31, 2010

Barack Obama

Create a small business tax credit to help with health premiums

A qualified tax credit for small businesses to buy health insurance is enacted | March 26, 2010

Barack Obama

Give tax credits to those who need help to pay health premiums

Health reform bill includes tax credits to help middle and lower income people buy insurance | March 26, 2010

Barack Obama

Require insurance companies to cover pre-existing conditions

Ban on denying insurance because of a pre-existing condition is achieved | March 26, 2010

Barack Obama

Close the “doughnut hole” in Medicare prescription drug plan

Health care bill will gobble up doughnut hole — eventually | March 26, 2010

Barack Obama

Create a public option health plan for a new National Health Insurance Exchange.

It’s official: The public option is dead | March 26, 2010

Barack Obama

Require children to have health insurance coverage

Mandate for all; young adults on parents’ plans | March 26, 2010

Barack Obama

Double the Peace Corps

President’s budget continues lower trendline for Peace Corps funding | February 18, 2010

Barack Obama

Support human mission to moon by 2020

Obama budget abandons moon-by-2020 goal | February 15, 2010

Barack Obama

Work with international allies on space station

Obama budget would extend life of International Space Station | February 15, 2010

Barack Obama

Support commercial access to space

Obama budget promotes commercial space efforts | February 15, 2010

Barack Obama

Conduct robust research and development on future space missions

Obama would direct larger share of space budget to R&D | February 15, 2010

Barack Obama

Increase spending to prepare for longer space missions

Obama budget would boost space exploration | February 15, 2010

Barack Obama

Establish school programs to highlight space and science achievements

Obama would use NASA funds to improve science education | February 15, 2010

Barack Obama

Send two additional brigades to Afghanistan

Obama goes beyond his campaign pledge, sending more troops to Afghanistan | January 21, 2010

Barack Obama

Initiate a grant and training program for law enforcement to deter cyber crime

Legislation for grants passed, funded | January 13, 2010

Barack Obama

Pay for the national service plan without increasing the deficit

Bill signed, but no budget offsets | January 11, 2010

Barack Obama

Increase funding for land-grant colleges

Funding rises for all universities, including land-grant institutions | January 11, 2010

Barack Obama

Double federal spending for research on clean fuels

Research money has more than doubled | January 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Restore funding to EEOC and Labor Department’s Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs

Funding levels restored | January 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Create job training programs for clean technologies

Obama comes through on both parts of this promise | January 8, 2010

Barack Obama

Create a ‘Green Vet Initiative’ to promote environmental jobs for veterans

Two programs accomplish the goal | January 7, 2010

Barack Obama

Spend $25 million a year on programs to raise awareness of college financial aid

No program yet, but other initiatives get budget boost | January 7, 2010

Barack Obama

Create clean technology venture capital fund

Venture capital fund? No. Loan guarantees? Yes. | January 7, 2010

Barack Obama

Allow bankruptcy judges to modify terms of a home mortgage

House rejects “cramdown” amendment on bankruptcy modifications of home mortgages | January 7, 2010

Barack Obama

Make greater investment in advanced military air technology

More money for UAVs, high-tech satellites and the C-17 | January 6, 2010

Barack Obama

Provide affordable, high-quality child care

Stimulus provided $2 billion in new funding for child care | January 6, 2010

Barack Obama

Establish program to convert manufacturing centers into clean technology leaders

Obama used the stimulus bill to advance this goal | January 6, 2010

Barack Obama

End no-bid contracts above $25,000

No sign of action | January 6, 2010

Barack Obama

More controlled burns to reduce wildfires

More fires, to prevent burning down the house | January 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Encourage more public service by college students

Progress, but not as much as promised | January 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Create a Social Investment Fund Network

Program launched with $50 million | January 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Increase funding for local emergency planning

More money in budget for first responders | January 5, 2010

Barack Obama

Create more public-private business incubators for poor communities

Administration funds business incubators, but with less money than promised | January 4, 2010

Barack Obama

Protect forest service lands from more roads

Obama’s forest protection record is a mixed bag | January 4, 2010

Barack Obama

Seek more funding for transportation security

Administration boosts transit security, but not by as much as promised | January 2, 2010

Barack Obama

Create a national declassification center

Executive order creates national declassification center | December 30, 2009

Barack Obama

Create a national cyber adviser to coordinate security of electronic infrastructure

Coordinator named, but does not report directly to the president | December 30, 2009

Barack Obama

Require states to provide incentives for utilities to reduce energy consumption

A decoupling mandate was included in the stimulus bill | December 30, 2009

Barack Obama

Create a rapid response fund for emerging democracies

Appropriations act created emerging democracies fund | December 29, 2009

Barack Obama

Encourage farmers to use more renewable energy and be more energy efficient

Obama encourages farmers to use renewable energy | December 28, 2009

Barack Obama

Ensure the Guard and Reserves can meet their homeland security missions

Congress compromises on equipment budget | December 22, 2009

Barack Obama

Significantly increase funding for the National Endowment for Democracy (NED)

Funding for NED goes up, but not by much | December 22, 2009

Barack Obama

Create a real National Infrastructure Protection Plan

Protection plan was updated | December 21, 2009

Barack Obama

Allocate Homeland Security funding according to risk

Grants to be awarded based on risk | December 21, 2009

Barack Obama

Launch an international Add Value to Agriculture Initiative (AVTA)

Obama has dropped the acronym, but the goals remain the same | December 21, 2009

Barack Obama

Ask people and businesses to conserve electricity

Obama’s request is in the fine print | December 18, 2009

Barack Obama

Repeal law that limits the sharing of gun-tracing data

Tiahrt amendment modified, not repealed | December 17, 2009

Barack Obama

Encourage water-conservation efforts in the West

Obama gives out grants for water treatment | December 17, 2009

Barack Obama

Double funding for afterschool programs

Administration backs off pledge to double afterschool program funding | December 16, 2009

Barack Obama

Expand access to places to hunt and fish

Administration advances land program created under Bush | December 16, 2009

Barack Obama

Provide more funds to educate young hunters and anglers

Obama gets part of what he wants on programs for young hunters and anglers | December 15, 2009

Barack Obama

Improve relations with Turkey, and its relations with Iraqi Kurds

Diplomatic effort delivered | December 15, 2009

Barack Obama

Strengthen and expand military exchange programs with other countries

New military-to-military exchanges with Russia and China | December 11, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint a White House Coordinator for Nuclear Security

White House nuclear security coordinator was installed in January | December 10, 2009

Barack Obama

Equalize tax breaks for driving and public transit

Stimulus bill equalizes tax breaks for parking, transit | December 8, 2009

Barack Obama

Expand the Senior Corps volunteer program

Serve America Act includes expansion of senior program | December 8, 2009

Barack Obama

Recruit math and science degree graduates to the teaching profession

Race to the Top grants would boost math, science teaching | December 8, 2009

Barack Obama

Work toward deploying a global climate change research and monitoring system

Stimulus funding advances climate change research, monitoring | December 8, 2009

Barack Obama

No permanent bases in Iraq

Defense Authorization Act puts it in writing | December 8, 2009

Barack Obama

Create an Advanced Manufacturing Fund to invest in peer-reviewed manufacturing processes

White House provides funding for advanced manufacturing technologies | December 4, 2009

Barack Obama

Bolster the military’s ability to speak different languages

Foreign language skills a priority | December 3, 2009

Barack Obama

Champion the importance of arts education

Administration pushing arts education | December 3, 2009

Barack Obama

Increase minority access to capital

Economic stimulus sends money to minority-owned business | December 2, 2009

Barack Obama

Share enviromental technology with other countries

International coalitions advance Obama’s promise | December 2, 2009

Barack Obama

Create an artist corps for schools

Artist program included in Kennedy Serve America Act | December 1, 2009

Barack Obama

Give Al Gore a key role on global warming

Gore involved, but not officially | December 1, 2009

Barack Obama

Reform mandatory minimum sentences

Defense bill includes review of sentencing guidelines | November 23, 2009

Barack Obama

Pursue a wildfire management plan

Interior Department bill delivers on Obama’s wildfire promises | November 11, 2009

Barack Obama

Provide grants to early-career researchers

NIH gives early-career scientists grant money funded by stimulus | November 9, 2009

Barack Obama

Increase funding for national parks and forests

National parks and forests get more government dollars | November 4, 2009

Barack Obama

Increase funding for the Environmental Protection Agency

EPA gets a funding boost | November 4, 2009

Barack Obama

Increase funding for the Land and Water Conservation Fund

Obama keeps his promise on land and water conservation | November 4, 2009

Barack Obama

Push for Matthew Shepard Act, which expands hate crime law to include sexual orientation

Obama signs hate crimes bill | October 28, 2009

Barack Obama

Assure that the Veterans Administration budget is prepared as ‘must-pass’ legislation

Bill signed by Obama makes sure vets get money on time | October 23, 2009

Barack Obama

Allow all veterans back into the Veterans Administration

Strides, yes; executive order, no | October 20, 2009

Barack Obama

Make U.S. military aid to Pakistan conditional on anti-terror efforts

Pakistan aid package comes with strings | October 19, 2009

Barack Obama

Partner to enhance the potential of the International Space Station

NASA reaches out to industry, academia for space station projects | October 5, 2009

Barack Obama

Create new criminal penalties for mortgage fraud

Fraud Enforcement and Recovery Act gives new power to prosecute mortgage fraud | October 5, 2009

Barack Obama

Use the International Space Station for fundamental biological and physical research

Newly launched space station crew members to continue scientific research | September 30, 2009

Barack Obama

Explore whether International Space Station can operate after 2016

Space panel urges longer life for space station | September 24, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint a special adviser to the president on violence against women

Lynn Rosenthal named adviser on violence against women | September 18, 2009

Barack Obama

Raise the small business investment expensing limit to $250,000 through the end of 2009

Stimulus raised the expensing limit | September 16, 2009

Barack Obama

Invest in public transportation

Stimulus money boosts public transportation | September 4, 2009

Barack Obama

Use the private sector to improve spaceflight

Stimulus funding boosts private-sector spaceflight | September 2, 2009

Barack Obama

Enhance earth mapping

Obama seeks funding for satellites | August 31, 2009

Barack Obama

Add another Space Shuttle flight

Obama works to add one more space shuttle flight | August 27, 2009

Barack Obama

Establish an Energy Partnership for the Americas

Obama has launched an energy partnership with Canada and South America | August 19, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint the nation’s first Chief Technology Officer

Chopra confirmed as CTO | July 28, 2009

Barack Obama

Negotiate health care reform in public sessions televised on C-SPAN

Obama said he’d televise health reform negotiations on C-SPAN | July 10, 2009

Barack Obama

Increase funding to expand community based prevention programs

Stimulus money goes to community health centers | July 7, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint an American Indian policy adviser

Obama appoints adviser to American Indian policy | June 17, 2009

Barack Obama

Tougher rules against revolving door for lobbyists and former officials

Grassley demands waivers and recusals on former lobbyists in the Obama administration | June 12, 2009

Barack Obama

Allow five days of public comment before signing bills

Credit card bill of rights passed without five-day break | May 26, 2009

Barack Obama

Establish a credit card bill of rights

Obama signs credit card bill of rights | May 22, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint experienced disaster official to head FEMA

Obama appoints a seasoned pro but doesn’t change status of job | May 19, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint an assistant to the president for science and technology policy

Obama appoints Holdren as science adviser | May 13, 2009

Barack Obama

End income tax for seniors making less than $50,000

No proposal to end taxes for seniors making less than $50,000 | April 15, 2009

Barack Obama

Provide grants to encourage energy-efficient building codes

Stimulus includes energy efficiency block grants for building codes | April 14, 2009

Barack Obama

Get his daughters a puppy

A dog named Bo | April 13, 2009

Barack Obama

Allow penalty-free hardship withdrawals from retirement accounts in 2008 and 2009

Penalty-free 401(k) penalty withdrawals still not on the agenda, and taxes are due next week | April 10, 2009

Barack Obama

Give a speech at a major Islamic forum in the first 100 days of his administration

Obama says in Turkey that U.S. not at war with Islam | April 10, 2009

Barack Obama

Expand funding to train primary care providers and public health practitioners

Health training money in the stimulus bill | April 6, 2009

Barack Obama

Restore funding for the Byrne Justice Assistance Grant (Byrne/JAG) program

Byrne grants get $2 billion from stimulus | April 3, 2009

Barack Obama

Enact tax credit for consumers for plug-in hybrid cars

Stimulus includes tax credit for plug-in hybrids | March 23, 2009

Barack Obama

Expand loan programs for small businesses

Obama announces incentives for small business loans | March 18, 2009

Barack Obama

Support high-speed rail

High-speed rail gets stimulus money | March 11, 2009

Barack Obama

Reverse restrictions on stem cell research

Obama signs executive order on stem cells | March 9, 2009

Barack Obama

Go “line by line” over earmarks to make sure money being spent wisely

Very different results for stimulus and Omnibus | March 3, 2009

Barack Obama

Remove more brush, small trees and vegetation that fuel wildfires

Stimulus sends millions to fighting wildfires | February 25, 2009

Barack Obama

Set a three-month moratorium on foreclosures

Voluntary freezes on foreclosures underway | February 23, 2009

Barack Obama

Invest in all types of alternative energy

Stimulus provides money for alternative energy research | February 20, 2009

Barack Obama

Create a White House Office on Urban Policy

Obama creates office, appoints director | February 19, 2009

Barack Obama

Extend unemployment insurance benefits and temporarily suspend taxes on these benefits

Obama signs stimulus, extending unemployment | February 19, 2009

Barack Obama

Support increased funding for the NEA

Obama signs stimulus bill with NEA funding | February 17, 2009

Barack Obama

Create the American Opportunity Tax Credit to offset college costs

Tax credit for college not as much as Obama promised | February 17, 2009

Barack Obama

Expand eligibility for State Children’s Health Insurance Fund (SCHIP)

Obama signs SCHIP | February 4, 2009

Barack Obama

Work to overturn Ledbetter vs. Goodyear

Obama signs Ledbetter Act | January 29, 2009

Barack Obama

Release presidential records

Obama signs executive order on presidential records | January 22, 2009

Barack Obama

Direct military leaders to end war in Iraq

Obama orders ‘responsible’ withdrawal from Iraq | January 22, 2009

Barack Obama

Require new hires to affirm their hiring was not due to political affiliation or contributions

Obama bans hires based on politics | January 21, 2009

Barack Obama

Ban lobbyist gifts to executive employees

Obama signs executive order on lobbyists and gifts | January 21, 2009

Barack Obama

Appoint at least one Republican to the cabinet

One, maybe two | January 14, 2009