Tangible Accomplishments

• Acted to remove registered lobbyists from federal advisory commitees.
• Abandoned Bush administration plan to build antiballistic missile shield in Eastern Europe
• Imposed tariffs on tires imported from China
• Expanded retirement savings options through IRS changes
• Annonunced that it will release White House visitor logs with some exceptions
• Renominated Ben Bernanke to second four-year term as chairman of the Federal Reserve
• Announced $12 billion initiative to reform community colleges
• Nominated Regina Benjamin as surgeon general
• Extended executive order to freeze assets of Liberian ruler Charles Taylor
• Announced two-year pause on new mining claims near Grand Canyon (Interior Secretary Salazar)
• Signed bill appropriating $7.65 billion to respond to H1N1 flu epidemic
• Reached agreement with American Hospital Association to cut Medicare reimbursements and payments by $155 billion over 10 years
• Joined international declaration on energy and climate change
• Announced regulatory changes underway to improve food safety standards resulting from Cabinet-level working group
• Issued Department of Energy rule for increased energy efficiency standards
• Signed supplemental appropriations bill and signing statement including funding for wars in Iraq and Afghanistan as well as for preparation for a HINI flu pandemic
• Hosted White House reception honoring contributions of gay and lesbian Americans
• Signed act granting FDA regulatory authority over tobacco products and mandating addition tobacco regulation
• Announced plan for regulatory reform of financial system and creation of new Consumer Financial Protection Agency
• Extended Federal benefits for same-sex partners and urged Congress to overturn Defense of Marriage Act to enable additional extensions of benefits
• Created White House Office of Olympic, Paralympic, and Youth Sport
• Recommended Medicare and Medicare changes intended to save $300 billion over 10 years
• Proposed to Congress that future non-emergency tax cuts or entitlement expansions be offset by revenue increases or spending reductions ("PAYGO")
• Negotiated new agreement with Russia to reduce and limit offensive weapons
• Signed bill to create commission to honor Ronald Reagan upon 100th anniversary of his birth
• Nominated Judge Sonia Sotomayor as Supreme Court Justice to succeed Justice David Souter
• Signed mortgage reform legislation intended to prevent fraud and enable homeowners unable to pay their mortgages to refinance 
• Signed bill to permit Pentagon to abandon projects when costs significantly exceed projections
• Signed credit card bill of rights to benefit consumers
• Announced national policy on fuel economy and greenhouse gas emission for cars and trucks for 2012-2016 model years
• Issued one-year extension of sanctions against Burma for repression
• Blocked release of photos documenting abuse of detainees held abroad by U.S. authorities
• Signed Serve America Act to expand AmeriCorps program to 250,000 volunteers by 2017
• Upheld Department of Defense use of military commissions to try detainees held for suspected terrorism while promising them expanded rights
• Appointed John Holdren to advise president on science and technology
• Issued executive order to protect and restore Chesapeake Bay
• Authorized use of force to rescue American captain held by Somali pirates
• Directed release of confidential memos on torture and shielded officials who conducted torture from prosecution
• Encouraged legislation to direct credit card issuers to provide clear disclosure of lending terms and limit penalties and fees
• Removed restrictions for travel, and sending money, to Cuba for people with family members in that country
• Created White House Office of Health Reform
• Established a White House Council on Women and Girls
• Dedicated $75 billion in funding to a Treasury Department program to prevent mortgage foreclosures
• Ordered executive officials to consult with Attorney General before bypassing statutes based on authority of Bush administration signing statements
• Issued memorandum directing development of a strategy for restoring scientific integrity to government decision-making.
• Revoked restrictions on stem cell research imposed by the Bush administration 
• Committed administration to budget requests that will reduce annual deficits by half by end of current presidential term
  
• Revoked Bush amendments to Clinton era executive order effectively reinstating previously greater transparency in regulatory planning and review
• Created urban affairs office within White House
• Extended Hurricane Katrina relief aid
• Modified and ordered a panel to review the faith-based initiatives program
• Ordered the Department of Energy to expedite energy efficiency standards for appliances
• In signing ARRA bill, fulfilled campaign promise to extend and index fix for Alternative Minimum Tax inflation inequity
• Shepherded and signed the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (aka: "economic stimulus package")
• Signed S-CHIP bill authorizing expanded health care coverage for children
• Expressed opposition to bonuses for executives of Wall Street companies receiving bailouts
• Ordered military to begin planning withdrawal of troops from Iraq
• Established right of first refusal for employees displaced under Federal contracts
• Placed limits on activities that may be funded with Federal funding
• Reinforced compliance with Federal labor laws in procurement
• Appointed task force on middle-class working families
• Allocated up to $20 million for relief to Gaza residents
• Signed bill expanding time frame during which workers can sue for discrimination
• Issued memoranda to promote environmental standards requesting the EPA review decision to prevent states from imposing stricter auto emissions standards and impose federal fuel efficiency standards more rapidly than previously scheduled
• Ordered review of detention for sole individual held within U.S. as enemy combatant
  
• Issued order mandating presumption of openness in responding to Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests
  
• Rescinded Republican expansion prohibiting aid to foreign governments for family planning that includes information on abortion
  
• Ordered closure of Guantanamo and secret CIA prisons
  
• Reversed a Bush policy to block release of presidential papers
  
• Instituted new limits on lobbyists in White House
  
• Froze salaries of White House employees earning over $100k
  
• Temporarily halted tribunals of Guantanamo captives
  
• Issued freeze on last-minute Bush administration regulations
• Acknowledged nonbelievers in inauguration address
  
• Committed to publishing all non-emergency legislation to the White House website for public review for five days before signing.
  

• "Reset" relationship with Islamic world with landmark speech
• Established posture of candor and openness in working with world leaders 
• Instituted a new approach to managing foreign affairs decisionmaking that combines decisive action with an openness to White House staff input
• Inspired a new sense of hope and responsibility among African-Americans
• Established new tone for U.S. policy on Middle East
  
• Reinstated concept of due process for terrorism detainees