In this week’s address, the President reminded Americans that Affordable Care Act open enrollment begins this weekend. In the past year more than 10 million people have gained health insurance, including more than seven million who enrolled in Health Insurance Marketplace coverage. They are proof that the Affordable Care Act is working, making health care more affordable, accessible, and of higher quality for millions of people. The President encouraged all Americans to take advantage of open enrollment, and remind their …
Category: White House
White House: U.S. and China Climate Protection Actions
Tuesday night, President Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping jointly announced crucial new actions to protect our climate. And because of American leadership, China is making critical new commitments. Building on the progress we’ve already made, the U.S. will set a new target of cutting our net greenhouse gas emissions 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025. And President Xi announced new plans to increase the share of renewable energy and nuclear power that China uses to roughly 20% …
White House: A Free and Open Internet
The Internet has unlocked possibilities that we could just barely imagine a generation ago. A big reason why we’ve seen such incredible growth and innovation is “net neutrality” — the principle that says Internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all Internet traffic equally. That’s why, today, President Obama asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality. The President’s plan would reclassify consumer broadband services under what’s known as Title II of the …
White House Weekly Address: This Veterans’ Day, Let’s Honor Our Veterans
In this week’s address, in advance of Veterans’ Day, the President paid tribute to the men and women in uniform who have given so much in service of America. Veterans have risked their lives to protect our freedom, and we need to be there for them when they return from duty by ensuring they get the care they need and the opportunities they deserve. The President asked every American to thank and welcome home the veterans in their lives who, …
White House: Here’s what’s next
Tuesday, millions of Americans cast their ballots. Republicans had a good night, and I congratulate all the candidates who won. But what stands out to me is that the message Americans sent yesterday is one you’ve sent for several elections in a row now. You expect the people you elect to work as hard as you do. You expect us to focus on your ambitions — not ours — and you want us to get the job done. Period. I …
White House Weekly Address: It’s Time to Help Women and Working Families
In this week’s address, the President highlighted the progress our economy is making, and the commonsense policies that could make it even stronger by ensuring that everyone who works hard has the opportunity to get ahead, especially women and working families. This commitment has been a core part of the President’s Year of Action and a priority since the start of his administration, which is why he has put forth a range of policies that would help women and working …
White House Weekly Address: Focused on the Fight Against Ebola
In this week’s address, the President discussed the measures we are taking to respond to Ebola cases at home, while containing the epidemic at its source in West Africa. This week, we continued to focus on domestic preparedness, with the creation of new CDC guidelines and the announcement of new travel measures ensuring all travelers from the three affected countries are directed to and screened at one of five airports. The President emphasized that it’s important to follow the facts, …
White House Weekly Address: What You Need To Know About Ebola
In this week’s address, the President discussed what the United States is doing to respond to Ebola, both here at home and abroad, and the key facts Americans need to know. There is no country better prepared to confront the challenge Ebola poses than the U.S. and although even one case here at home is too many, the country is not facing an outbreak of the disease. Our medical professionals tell us Ebola is difficult to catch, and is only …
White House: Ebola – What you need to know
Ebola: What you need to know At a time when Ebola is all over the news and it’s easy for misinformation to get interpreted as truth, make sure you have the clear-cut facts. Here’s what our public health officials are saying about the Ebola virus — get informed, and share this information where everyone can see it. 1. You CAN’T get Ebola through: Casual contact with someone who has no symptoms of the disease Air Water Food in the U.S. …
White House Update: Our Response to Ebola in the U.S.
After meeting with his Cabinet officials and Dr. Tom Frieden of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the President updated the country on our comprehensive strategy to contain the Ebola disease, prevent its spread in the U.S., and combat it at its source in West Africa. “The dangers of a serious outbreak are extraordinarily low” in the U.S., the President said. “But we are taking this very seriously at the highest levels of government.” Get the facts on …
White House: Within These Hills Lies Millennia of History
Last Friday, President Obama designated the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains in California as our newest national monument. “It’s not just the natural beauty of the San Gabriels that makes it invaluable. Within these hills lies millennia of history, including the ancient rock art of Native peoples — the first Americans,” he said. Protecting the San Gabriel Mountains also benefits area residents: More than 15 million people live within 90 minutes of the mountains, which provide residents with 70 percent of …
White House Weekly Address: America Is a Place Where Hard Work Should Be Rewarded
In this week’s address, the President made the case for why it’s past time to raise the minimum wage. Increasing the national minimum wage to $10.10 an hour would benefit 28 million Americans, and make our economy stronger. While Republicans in Congress have blocked this commonsense proposal, a large and growing coalition of state and local leaders and owners of businesses large and small have answered the President’s call and raised wages for their residents and employees. This progress is …
White House: A Look at the Millennial Generation
Today, the Council on Economic Advisers released a new report that looks at the so-called “Millennial” generation. The report takes an in-depth look at the trends and circumstances that have helped shape this generation. And while you might think that this group of Americans — mostly in their mid-20s — is all about smartphones and fresh-pressed juices, you’d be wrong. Millennials are a generation shaped by transformation — they came of age during the Great Recession and are more diverse …
White House $10.10: It’s Time to Raise the Minimum Wage
Yesterday, Vice President Biden talked with Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and local business owners at the L.A. Baking Company about the importance of raising the national minimum wage to $10.10 per hour. “No one in America should be working 40 hours a week and living below the poverty level,” the Vice President said. “No one.” In his remarks, the Vice President also highlighted the “virtuous cycle” that raising the minimum wage would create. Raising the wage would put $19 …
White House: Our Response to Ebola
Yesterday, the President met with his senior health, homeland security, and national security advisors to review the United States’ Ebola response. They discussed the Ebola case in Dallas, the United States’ broader preparedness plans, and both domestic and international efforts to contain and end the epidemic. President Obama made it clear that Ebola is a top national security priority, but reiterated that the chance of an Ebola outbreak in the U.S. is extremely low. “It is important for Americans to …
White House Weekly Address: We Do Better When the Middle Class Does Better
In this week’s address, the President highlighted that six years after the Great Recession, thanks to the hard work of the American people and the President’s policies, our economy has come back further and faster than any other nation on Earth. With 10.3 million private-sector jobs added over 55 straight months, America’s businesses have extended the longest streak of private-sector job gains on record. But even with this progress, too many Americans have yet to feel the benefits. The President …
White House: Did You Miss the President’s Speech on America’s 21st Century Economy?
President Obama just spoke to entrepreneurs at Northwestern University in Illinois. In his remarks, he made the case for what has always fueled America’s leadership: America’s economic greatness. Our economy is stronger now than when the President took office during the Great Recession. Businesses are creating more jobs, our manufacturing sector is booming, and our nation is more energy independent than ever before. And while we’ve made great strides, we aren’t there yet — to build an economy that works …
White House Weekly Address: America Is Leading the World
In this week’s address, the President reiterated the forceful and optimistic message of American leadership that he delivered in his speech before the United Nations General Assembly earlier this week. America is leading the world against the most pressing challenges, including the fight to degrade and destroy ISIL, the effort to stop the Ebola epidemic, and the movement to confront the threat from climate change. The world looks to America and its commitment to freedom in the face of uncertainty, …
White House President Obama: “We Choose Hope Over Fear”
Wednesday morning, President Obama addressed the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The President spoke about the problems that demand the urgent attention of the international community — from the Ebola outbreak in parts of West Africa, to Russian aggression in Ukraine, to the senseless brutality of ISIL terrorists threatening innocent lives. “We choose hope over fear. We see the future not as something out of our control, but as something we can shape for the better through concerted …
White House Weekly Address: The World Is United in the Fight Against ISIL
In this week’s address, the President thanked Congress for its strong bipartisan support for efforts to train and equip Syrian opposition forces to fight ISIL. This plan is part of the President’s comprehensive counter-terrorism strategy to degrade and destroy the terrorist group, and does not commit our troops to fighting another ground war. America, working with a broad coalition of nations, will continue to train, equip, advise, and assist our partners in the region in the battle against ISIL. In …