Page 5 - ATD19DEC2015

U.S. NEWS A5
Saturday 19 December 2015

Obama says he won’t fade away in final year in office

President Barack Obama speaks during a news conference in the White House Brady Press tremists, Obama pushed ture, Congress passed a
back against critics ques- major bipartisan budget
Briefing Room in Washington, Friday, Dec. 18, 2015. Obama sought to lay the groundwork Friday tioning his strategy for package that staved off
overcoming the Islamic a potential government
for his last year in office by vowing not to fade in the background but instead use his remaining State group in Iraq and shutdown and extended
Syria. “There’s only so tax cuts for both fami-
months to push longstanding goals to fruition. (AP Photo/Pablo Martinez Monsivais) much bombing you can lies and businesses. The
do,” he said, though he White House has indicated
JULIE PACE his agenda, pointing to the president, who has insisted anew, “We will de- Obama will sign it.
Associated Press diplomacy with Iran and one year left to try to finish feat ISIS.” Obama said lawmakers
WASHINGTON (AP) — Cuba, Asia-Pacific trade as many of his projects as He also affirmed his long- had ended the year on a
President Barack Obama agreement and an un- possible. He won’t be roll- standing position that Syr- “high note” with addition-
sought to lay the ground- precedented global cli- ing out sweeping new pol- ian President Bashar Assad al legislation on transpor-
work Friday for his last year mate treaty as big wins for icy proposals that would must leave power for Syria tation and education. He
in office by vowing not to his administration. He also be unlikely to get serious to resolve its civil war, even noted optimistically that
fade in the background praised a Supreme Court consideration amid the though his administration by averting a funding crisis
but instead use his remain- ruling legalizing gay mar- focus on electing his suc- has recently said it could for the next nine months,
ing months to push long- riage.. cessor. The White House accept an unspecified Congress had cleared a
standing goals to fruition. Still, he said, he plans to do is promising Obama will transition period during path for cooperation with
“In 2016, I’m going to leave much more in 2016. deliver a “non-traditional” which Assad stayed. him next year on areas of
it all out on the field,” he “I said at the beginning of State of the Union address Still, Obama contended common ground.
said. “Wherever there’s an this year that interesting in January laying out an about Syria, “Five years “Congress and I have a
opportunity, I’m going to stuff happens in the fourth agenda that includes fur- later, I was right.” long runway to get some
take it.” quarter — and we are only ther executive steps on Calling attention to his sig- things done for the Ameri-
In his annual year-end halfway through,” Obama climate change and gun nature legislative achieve- can people,” he said. He
news conference, Obama said. control. ment, Obama announced pointed to a potential
portrayed 2015 as one The end of 2015 marks a Amid widespread fears that 6 million people had criminal justice overhaul
of significant progress for major transition point for about terrorism and ex- signed up for health care and congressional consid-
so far this year under the eration of the Trans-Pacific
Affordable Care Act, a Partnership trade pact as
surge that officials say illus- areas ripe for cooperation.
trates the program’s dura- Obama said he’d present
bility. a long-delayed plan to
After the news confer- close the detention cen-
ence, Obama was to ters at Guantanamo Bay,
depart for San Bernardi- Cuba, to Congress early
no, California, where he next year, then wait for
planned to meet with lawmakers’ reaction be-
families of the 14 victims fore determining whether
of the recent mass shoot- to take action on his own
ing. He then will fly to Ha- to shut it. He predicted the
waii where he’ll spend two prison population would
weeks on vacation with dwindle by early next year
his wife and daughters in to less than 100, a thresh-
what has become a fam- old his administration has
ily Christmas tradition be- been pushing for to bolster
fore returning to the White its argument that keeping
House in January. the facility open isn’t cost
Hours before his depar- effective.q