In this week’s address, the President laid out why new, high-standards trade agreements are important for our economy, our businesses, our workers, and our values. These new trade deals are vital to middle-class economics — the idea that this country does best when everybody gets their fair shot, everybody does their fair share, and everybody plays by the same set of rules. The President has been clear: Any deal he signs will be the most progressive trade agreement in our …
Category: White House
White House Weekly Address: Climate Change Can No Longer Be Ignored
In this week’s address, the President spoke about his commitment to combating the threat of climate change and to keeping ourselves and future generations safe. The effects of climate change can no longer be denied or ignored — 2014 was the planet’s warmest year recorded, and 14 of the 15 hottest years on record have happened this century. Climate change poses risks to our national security, our economy, and our public health. The President has already taken historic steps to …
White House: Here’s Where Your Taxes Are Going:
In his 2011 State of the Union address, President Obama promised that American taxpayers would be able to go online and see where their federal tax dollars are going. That’s why, for the fifth year in a row, we’ve released a taxpayer receipt calculator on WhiteHouse.gov — an easy-to-use tool that breaks down how your tax dollars will be spent. From funding for our schools to funding for our veterans, it’s important to know how your taxes are being used …
White House MAP: How Two Tax Plans Would Impact You
President Obama’s budget helps working families make ends meet. This is an essential part of middle-class economics — the idea that the economy works best when it’s working for everyone. Unfortunately, House Republicans have a different idea for America. Their budget gives an average tax cut of more than $3 million to 5,400 of America’s wealthiest households — costing taxpayers $270 billion over the next 10 years. Under the President’s budget, 44 million middle-class families would get an average tax …
White House Weekly Address: Tuition-Free Community College
In this week’s address, the Vice President laid out his and the President’s plan to make two years of community college free for responsible students. Access to higher education has a tangible impact on a student’s success: Those with an associate’s degree earn 25% more than folks who graduated high school, and those with a four-year degree make 70% more. Not only that, but a better educated citizenry is necessary to ensure that the United States continues to out-compete the …
White House Weekly Address: Reaching a Comprehensive and Long-Term Deal on Iran’s Nuclear Program
In this week’s address, the President described the historic understanding the United States — with our allies and partners — reached with Iran, which, if fully implemented, will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon and will make our country, our allies, and our world safer. The deal, announced on Thursday, meets our core objectives of cutting off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon. It is both comprehensive and long-term, and includes robust and intrusive …
White House: Preventing Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon
Yesterday, the United States, together with our allies and partners, reached a historic understanding with Iran. If fully implemented, this framework will prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, making our nation, our allies, and our world safer. For decades, Iran has been advancing its nuclear program. When I took office, Iran was operating thousands of centrifuges — which can produce the materials for a nuclear bomb — and was concealing a secret nuclear facility. I made it clear that the …
White House Weekly Address: Protecting Working Americans’ Paychecks
In this week’s address, the President highlighted the progress made protecting American consumers since he signed Wall Street reform into law five years ago, including an important new step taken by the independent Consumer Financial Protection Bureau earlier this week toward preventing abuses in payday lending. The President emphasized his commitment to fighting to advance middle-class economics and ensure everybody who works hard can get ahead, while opposing attempts by Republicans both to weaken the CFPB and give large tax …
White House: Ensuring the Highest-Quality Health Care
The Affordable Care Act has been crucial to increasing the quality of health care for Americans. Over the past five years, the law has worked to make sure that Americans are: Healthier after hospital stays Getting more time with their doctor when they need it Paying less in health care premiums Seeing their tax dollars go toward better investments in education, roads, bridges, and lower taxes See how the Affordable Care Act is improving health care for you, and learn …
White House Weekly Address: It’s Time to Confirm Loretta Lynch
In this week’s address, the President called on Republicans in Congress to stop playing politics with law enforcement and national security and confirm Loretta Lynch as Attorney General of the United States. Loretta is an independent, career prosecutor who deserves to be confirmed as soon as possible. She has proven herself time and again throughout her 30-year career, yet come Monday, the amount of time her nomination will have languished on the floor of the Senate will total more than …
White House Recapping St. Patrick’s Day: A Green Fountain, Shamrocks, and the Prime Minister of Ireland
Tuesday, President Obama brought the Irish spirit to the White House in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day. In their Oval Office meeting, President Obama congratulated Prime Minister Enda Kenny on the economic progress made in Ireland over the last several years. The President also recognized the tremendous investments made by both American and Irish companies that continue to improve our economy through trade. In celebration of St. Patrick’s day, the Prime Minister gave the President a pot o’ shamrocks and …
White House Weekly Address: A Student Aid Bill of Rights
In this week’s address, President Obama laid out his vision for quality, affordable higher education for all Americans. Today, a college degree is the surest ticket to the middle class and beyond, but it has also never been more expensive. Everyone, from elected officials to universities to business leaders, has a part to play in making college affordable for all students. The President has already made historic investments in college education affordability, and earlier this week, he announced a Student …
How the White House Celebrated Black History Month
During Black History Month, the White House hosted a number of events and activities to celebrate the contributions and accomplishments of African Americans, both past and present. From honoring the women of the Civil Rights Movement, to telling the untold stories of African Americans in STEM, to talking with faculty and alumni from our nation’s Historically Black Colleges and Universities, it was an eventful month here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Watch the wrap-up video from this year’s Black History Month …
White House: A Free and Open Internet
Earlier Thursday, the FCC voted in favor of a strong net neutrality rule to keep the Internet free and open. That happened, in part, because millions of Americans stood up and made their voices heard — by adding their names to petitions, submitting public comments, and talking with other people about why this matters. The FCC just voted in favor of a strong net neutrality rule to keep the Internet open and free. That happened because millions of Americans across …
White House: If you’re saving for retirement
What’s the difference between a doctor, a lawyer, and a financial adviser? It may sound like a bad joke, but it’s a dead serious question. When you go to a doctor or a lawyer, you expect that the advice you get is in your best interest. That’s because lawyers and doctors have an obligation to look out for what’s best for you. Right now, the same simply doesn’t always hold true when it comes to saving for your retirement. That’s …
White House Weekly Address: We Should Make Sure the Future Is Written by Us
In this week’s address, the President underscored the importance of continuing to grow our economy and support good-paying jobs for our workers by opening up new markets for American goods and services. While America’s businesses, ranchers, and farmers are already exporting goods at record levels, there’s more room for growth with 95 percent of the world’s customers living outside our borders. In order to pursue new trade agreements, the President called on Congress to pass trade promotion authority so that …
President Obama on the Causes and Antidotes to Violent Extremism
“I witnessed horrible crimes committed by ISIS. It’s not a revolution or jihad … it’s slaughter … I was shocked by what I did. This isn’t what we came for, to kill other Muslims. I’m 28 — is this the only future I’m able to imagine?” So said one of the many former terrorists in the world who have come to reject such violence. What is violent extremism? When we think of the issue, many immediately imagine the terrorists who …
White House Weekly Address: Giving Every Child, Everywhere, a Fair Shot
In this week’s address, the President laid out his plan to ensure more children graduate from school fully prepared for college and a career. Our elementary and secondary schools are doing better, as demonstrated by the news this past week that our high school graduation rate has hit an all-time high, but there is still more that can be done to ensure every child receives a quality education. That’s why the President wants to replace No Child Left Behind with …
“We Are Stronger as a Nation” When We Work Together
Wednesday, the President submitted a draft proposal to Congress that would authorize the continued use of military force against ISIL. While the President already has the legal authority needed to take action against ISIL, he noted that we are strongest as a nation when the President and Congress work together. A bipartisan authorization of the use of military force (AUMF) against ISIL would provide a clear and powerful signal to the American people, our allies, and enemies that the U.S. …
White House: Here’s what 10 people told the President about their health care
As House Republicans are voting to repeal the Affordable Care Act — today actually marks more than 50 times they’ve voted to repeal or undermine it — the law continues to help and save the lives of millions of Americans. Thanks to ACA, countless people have been able to get regular checkups at the doctor, fix life-threatening health problems, and not experience financial ruin as a result. A number of people who have benefited from the law have written the …