It has been the risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things—some celebrated, but more often men and women obscure in their labor—who have carried us up the long rugged path towards prosperity and freedom.

I express my deepest condolences for the lives lost in the fire.

we are closer than ever to reaching an AIDS-free generation.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the surviving players and staff of Brazil's Chapecoense soccer team as well as to all of the others touched by this tragedy.

I am transmitting an alternative plan for pay increases for civilian Federal employees covered by the General Schedule and certain other pay systems in January 2017.

Civilian Federal employees made significant sacrifices as a result of the 3-year pay freeze that ended in January 2014.

Nothing in this order shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect the authority granted by law to an executive department, agency, or the head thereof.

I find that conditions of good administration make necessary an exception to the competitive hiring rules for certain positions in the Federal civil service.

A person appointed under this order shall become a career conditional employee.

We cannot afford to return to the days of deregulation and lax oversight.

However, we must maintain efforts to keep our Nation on a sustainable fiscal course.

Use of the Limited Non-Career Appointment hiring authority will provide flexibility to address both this increased demand and recurring institutional and national needs.