Politics Scene

WHITE HOUSE

Obama salutes WNBA champion Mercury

President Obama is saluting the champions of women’s professional basketball and calling them role models for the nation’s girls.

Mr. Obama welcomed the Phoenix Mercury to the White House after their second WNBA championship. He thanked the players for setting a good example, saying he lives with “three tall, good-looking women who are quite competitive and push me around” at times.

Some of the players towered over Mr. Obama in their heels as he shook their hands and posed for pictures in the State Dining Room.

The president said he wants his daughters, Malia and Sasha, to know there is nothing contradictory about women being beautiful, healthy, athletic and competitive.

The players later conducted a workshop as part of first lady Michele Obama’s effort to make American children healthier.

WHITE HOUSE

Obama launches policy to protect oceans

The Obama administration is announcing a new national policy for strengthening the way the U.S. manages its oceans, coasts and the Great Lakes.

Officials say the framework is needed now more than ever following the massive Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

The policy calls for the creation of a new National Ocean Council that will coordinate the work of the myriad of federal agencies involved in conservation and marine planning. But it creates no new restrictions or regulations and is not expected to have any short-term impact on offshore oil drilling.

Nancy Sutley, chairwoman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said the new policy recognizes that use of the ocean is expanding at a rate that challenges the ability to manage competing demands.

SENATE

Lawmakers back libel help for U.S. writers

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