Presidential Message on Antibiotic Awareness Week, 2020

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 18, 2020 Presidential Message on Antibiotic Awareness Week, 2020   When safely and appropriately prescribed, antibiotics are critical tools used to save lives in the United States and around the world.  During Antibiotic Awareness Week, we reaffirm our commitment to responsible antibiotic stewardship and acknowledge the contributions of American medical professionals.   Antibiotics play a powerful role in modern medicine.  They are instrumental in treating countless Americans with serious bacterial infections and preventing infection among others who are at-risk.  Over the years, however, antibiotics have been overprescribed and overused.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), at least 47 million antibiotic prescriptions are written needlessly every year.  This practice can lead to harmful side effects for patients from these drugs and an overall decrease in long-term effectiveness of antibiotics with the potential to drive the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.   Overuse of antibiotics can be deadly.  Each year, there are more than 2.8 million antibiotic-resistant infections, resulting in more than 35,000 deaths in our country.  In addition, there were 223,900 hospitalized cases of Clostridioides difficile, a pathogen that is driven by antibiotic use, in 2017, which killed at least 12,800 people.  Addressing the threat of antibiotic overuse is a public health priority.  Fortunately, our efforts have shown promising results.  Since 2013, deaths attributable to antibiotic resistance have fallen 18 percent. My Administration has taken several steps to build on this progress.  In March, I signed a memorandum re-establishing the Presidential Advisory Council on Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria to develop a comprehensive approach for infection prevention and control.  In October, agencies across the United States Government joined together for the release of the new National Action Plan for Combating Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria, which lays out the next 5 years of aggressive actions the United States will take to combat antibiotic resistance.  As part of this effort, CDC’s Antibiotic Resistance Solutions Initiative is ensuring adequate educational resources on infection prevention and control and antibiotic stewardship are available to healthcare professionals and the public while encouraging advanced research to guarantee the right antibiotic is used at the right time, dose, and duration. During Antibiotic Awareness Week, we urge all Americans to be good stewards of this critical resource and commit to supporting the discovery of new therapeutic strategies and evidence-based prescribing practices to slow the emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans, plants, and animals.

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint the Following Individuals to Key Administration Posts

 

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE November 17, 2020

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate and Appoint the Following Individuals to Key Administration Posts   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:   Brian P. Brooks, of Colorado, to be Comptroller of the Currency for a term of five years.   Brian P. Brooks is Acting Comptroller of the Currency.  He previously served as Chief Legal Officer of Coinbase Global, Inc., a digital asset exchange and custodian.  Earlier in his career, he served as Executive Vice President and General Counsel of Fannie Mae; Vice Chairman of OneWest Bank, N.A.; and managing partner of the Washington, D.C. office of the global law firm O’Melveny & Myers LLP.    Mr. Brooks also served on the boards of directors of Fannie Mae and Avant, Inc., and was an advisor to several financial technology startups.  He received a Bachelor of Arts degree cum laude in Government from Harvard University and a Juris Doctor degree with honors from the University of Chicago.   Scott Francis O’Grady, of Texas, to be an Assistant Secretary of Defense (International Security Affairs).   Scott Francis O’Grady is a successful author, speaker, spokesperson, investor, and entrepreneur, having served 12 years as an officer in the United States Air Force.  O’Grady’s incredible story of how he survived in hostile territory for 6 days during the Bosnian War is chronicled in his book, Return With Honor.   Mr. O’Grady has flown more than 1,000 hours as an F-16 Senior Pilot. His operational assignments include 4 years overseas in Korea, Germany, and Italy. He flew 67 combat missions over Iraq and Bosnia where he participated in NATO’s first military combat mission in history.  He is the recipient of the Bronze Star for Valor and the Purple Heart.   Mr. O’Grady graduated from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Arizona.  He has a Master’s Degree from Dallas Theological Seminary and was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Public Service by the University of Portland in Oregon.  He is the recipient of the Ronald Reagan Distinguished Service Award and the Daughters of the American Revolution Medal of Honor.     ---     Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key positions in his Administration:   Basil Parker, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Office of Electronic Government, Office of Management and Budget.   Mark C. Hendricks, of Utah, to be a Member of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee.   Richard Pluta, of Virginia, to be a Member of the National Infrastructure Advisory Committee.   Henry Boland Howard, of Florida, to be a Member of the National Security Education Board for a term of four years.   Jack Brewer, of Florida, to be a Member of the Commission on the Social Status of Black Men and Boys for a term of four years.   Jackie Gingrich Cushman, of Georgia, to be a Member of the Adams Memorial Commission.   Dr. Darren Jeffrey Beattie, of Colorado, to be a Member of the Commission for the Preservation of America’s Heritage Abroad.   Richard Rigdon, of Florida, to be a Member of the President’s Export Council.   Barron L. Hetherington, of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the President’s Export Council.   Deborah Maestas, of New Mexico, to be a Member of the President’s Export Council.   Michael Stumo, of Massachusetts, to be a Member of the President’s Export Council.   Robert Samuel Carl, Jr., of Pennsylvania, to be a Member of the President’s Export Council.   Roddey Dowd Jr., of North Carolina, to be a Member of the President’s Export Council.