In this week’s address, the President discussed the significant progress we have made in our economy since the financial crisis seven years ago this week, and the steps we can take to build on that momentum and strengthen the economy for the long term. Thanks to the hard work and resilience of folks around the country, our businesses have created over 13 million jobs over the past 66 straight months, housing is bouncing back, manufacturing is growing again, and the …
Category: White House
White House: What We’re Doing for the Next Few Days
Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize: Just five years before we moved into the White House, Michelle and I were still paying off our student loans. Which means that, as a student, I knew how it felt both to dream of a fine education and to worry about paying for it. Decades later, as President, I know that our country can’t afford for talented young Americans to miss out on a higher education. College is one of the …
White House Weekly Address: Meeting the Global Threat of Climate Change
In this week’s address, the President spoke about his upcoming trip to Alaska, during which he will view the effects of climate change firsthand. Alaskans are already living with the impact of climate change, with glaciers melting faster, and temperatures projected to rise between 6 and 12 degrees by the end of the century. In his address, the President spoke to ways in which we can address these challenges, including the transition away from fossil fuels to more renewable energy …
White House Weekly Address: It’s Time for Congress to Pass a Responsible Budget
In this week’s address, the President spoke to the economic progress that our country has made — from 13 million new jobs created over the past five and a half years, to 17 states raising the minimum wage. Congress needs to do its part to continue to help grow the economy, but instead left town last month with a great deal undone. Congress failed to reauthorize the Ex-Im Bank, which enjoys bipartisan support and is tasked solely with creating American …
White House Weekly Address: Continuing Work to Improve Community Policing
In this week’s address, the President spoke about the work the Administration is doing to enhance trust between communities and law enforcement in the year since the death of Michael Brown in Ferguson. In May, the President’s Task Force on 21st Century Policing released their final report setting out concrete proposals to build trust and enhance public safety. And across America, local leaders are working to put these ideas into action in their communities. The President noted that while progress …
White House Weekly Address: Reaffirming Our Commitment to Protecting the Right to Vote
In this week’s address, the President celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Voting Rights Act by underscoring the importance of one of the most fundamental rights of our democracy — that all of us are created equal and that each of us deserves a voice. The enactment of the Voting Rights Act wasn’t easy — it was the product of sacrifice from countless men and women who risked so much to protect every person’s right to vote. The President reminded …
White House Weekly Address: Celebrating 50 Years of Medicare and Medicaid
In this week’s address, the President celebrated the 50th birthdays of Medicare and Medicaid, which together have allowed millions to live longer and better lives. These programs are a promise that if we work hard, and play by the rules, we’ll be rewarded with a basic measure of dignity, security, and the freedom to live our lives as we want. Every American deserves the sense of safety and security that comes with health insurance. That’s why the President signed the …
White House Weekly Address: Wall Street Reform Is Working
In this week’s address, the President spoke to the progress we have made in making our financial system stronger, safer, and more fair in the years since financial crisis. Five years ago this week, our country enacted the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act — rules that have substantially reduced recklessness and abuse in our financial system that predated the crisis. As a result of Wall Street reform, our banks are less reliant on unstable funding and less …
White House Weekly Address: A Comprehensive, Long-Term Deal with Iran
In this week’s address, the President explained the comprehensive, long-term deal announced earlier this week that will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This agreement cuts off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon, implements unprecedented monitoring and inspections of Iran’s key nuclear facilities, and ensures that if Iran violates these terms, the strict sanctions previously imposed on the country will snap back into place. This is a good deal that demonstrates that American diplomacy …
White House: The Iran deal
Tuesday, after two years of negotiations, the United States — together with our international partners — has achieved what decades of animosity has not: A comprehensive, long-term deal that will verifiably prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon. This deal shows the real and meaningful change that American leadership and diplomacy can bring — change that makes our country and the world safer and more secure. We negotiated from a position of strength and principle — and the result is …
White House Weekly Address: Making Our Communities Stronger Through Fair Housing
In this week’s address, the President discussed a new rule announced by his Administration earlier this week to make it easier for communities to implement the Fair Housing Act. For nearly 50 years, the Fair Housing Act has prohibited landlords from turning away tenants because of race, religion, sex, national origin, or disability, and has made a big difference in this country. This week, the Administration announced new steps to provide communities with the tools they need to ensure that …
White House: Today’s decision
On March 23, 2010, I sat down at a table in the East Room of the White House and signed my name on a law that said, once and for all, that health care would no longer be a privilege for a few. It would be a right for everyone. Five years later, after more than 50 votes in Congress to repeal or weaken this law and multiple challenges before the Supreme Court, here is what we know today: This …
White House Weekly Address: Creating New Pathways of Opportunity for Americans Like You
In this week’s address, the President spoke to his priority of growing the economy and opening new avenues of opportunity for hardworking Americans. While the United States has already made economic progress, with more than 12 million new private-sector jobs created over the past five years, there’s still more to be done. That’s why the President has continued to press for strong, high-standard trade agreements that are good for American workers and good for American businesses. And it’s why his …
White House Weekly Address: Stand Up for American Workers and Pass TAA
WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, the President reiterated that his top priority is to grow the American economy and ensure that every hardworking American has a fair shot at success. It’s because of this commitment that the President has worked to enact smart new trade agreements that level the playing field for our workers, open new markets for our businesses, and hold other countries to the kinds of high standards that Americans are proud to hold ourselves to …
White House Weekly Address: Pass the USA Freedom Act
In this week’s address, the President addressed critical pieces of national security business that remained unfinished when the Senate left town. This Sunday at midnight, key tools used to protect against terrorist threats are set to expire. The USA Freedom Act strikes a balance between security and privacy, reauthorizing important measures that give our national security professionals the authorities they use to keep us safe, while also implementing reforms that enhance the privacy and civil liberties of our citizens. But …
White House Weekly Address: Honoring Our Fallen Heroes this Memorial Day
In this week’s address, the President commemorated Memorial Day by paying tribute to the men and women in uniform who have given their lives in service to our country. The President will spend the first Memorial Day since the end of the war in Afghanistan at Arlington Cemetery, remembering the more than 2,200 American patriots who gave their lives in that conflict, as well as all of our fallen soldiers. The President asked that all Americans spend Monday honoring the …
White House Weekly Address: Creating Opportunity for All
In this week’s address, the President highlighted the importance of expanding opportunity for all Americans — a principle that has guided his work throughout the past six years. This past week, the President attended a summit at Georgetown University where he discussed issues like poverty and inequality, and what we can do to ensure everyone gets a fair shot. We’ve seen real results in this area, but there is still more that can be done. And lack of opportunity is …
White House Weekly Address: Honoring the 70th Anniversary of V-E Day
In this week’s address, the President honored the 70th anniversary of V-E Day. On this occasion, we commemorate the Allied victory in Europe during World War II. It is a day to pay tribute to the men and women who decades ago served and sacrificed for the cause of freedom. This was the generation that, by ending the war, literally saved the world, laying a foundation for peace. The President asked that in addition to commemorating this important anniversary, we …
White House Weekly Address: Ensuring Every Child Gets a Great Education
In this week’s address, the President reiterated his commitment to expanding access to education, and to spreading the joy of reading to more children and young adults. Earlier this week, the President announced two new efforts that, building on the progress already made by his ConnectED initiative, will do just that: a challenge to mayors, libraries, and school leaders to help every student get a library card; and commitments from libraries and major publishers to provide more than $250 million …
President Obama on Baltimore: “This Is Not New”
While speaking in the Rose Garden today, President Obama shared his thoughts on the recent protests following the death of Freddie Gray — a 25-year-old Baltimore native who died while in police custody. The President noted that the events in Baltimore called attention to the urgent need throughout the country to build trust between communities and their police. “This has been going on for a long time,” he said. “This is not new, and we shouldn’t pretend that it’s new… …