Category: White House

On September 15, 2008, a day that rocked the American economy to its core, Lehman Brothers — then one of the nation’s largest investment banks — filed for bankruptcy. In the following months before the President took office, Americans watched as the private sector cut 800,000 jobs a month, the housing market crashed, and the American auto industry threatened to collapse. But six years later, thanks to hardworking American workers and businesses, our economy has added 10 million jobs and …

In this week’s address, the President reiterated his comprehensive and sustained counter-terrorism strategy to degrade and ultimately destroy the terrorist group ISIL. His plan brings together a campaign of targeted airstrikes, increased support for Iraqi and Kurdish forces already taking on terrorists, assistance from allies and partners, expanded efforts to train and equip the Syrian opposition, and ongoing humanitarian aid for those displaced by ISIL. The President expressed his immense appreciation for the military men and women who make these …

Thirteen years ago today, our nation was irrevocably changed by horrific acts of terror that took the lives of thousands of innocent people. Across the country, Americans pay tribute to their memories and honor all those who have made great sacrifices in service to our country. At 8:46 a.m. ET this morning — the time that the first plane hit the World Trade Center — President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and Vice President Joe Biden joined Americans in observing …

In this week’s address, the Vice President discusses our continued economic recovery, with 10 million private-sector jobs created over the past 54 months. Yet even with this good news, too many Americans are still not seeing the effects of our recovery. As the Vice President explains, there’s more that can be done to continue to bolster our economy and ensure that middle-class families benefit from the growth they helped create, including closing tax loopholes, expanding education opportunities, and raising the …

Yesterday marked the 50th anniversary of the Land and Water Conservation Fund Act and the Wilderness Act — two landmark pieces of conservation legislation. Using revenues from offshore oil and gas development, the Land and Water Conservation Fund has increased access to the outdoors, protected iconic places like National Parks and Civil War battlefields, and advanced more than 40,000 local projects. And thanks to the Wilderness Act, more than 109 million acres of wildland have received our country’s strongest protections. …

In this week’s address, the President wished Americans a happy Labor Day weekend, highlighted the important economic progress we’ve made, and reaffirmed his commitment to accelerate our progress and ensure that our growing economy fuels a strong middle class. To do this, the President reiterated that Congress should do right by hardworking Americans across the country and raise the minimum wage, and he praised the 13 states and Washington, D.C. as well as employers large and small who have heeded …

Good news: Our economy is still growing. According to a new report from the Bureau of Economic Analysis today, U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) increased at an annual rate of 4.2 percent in the second quarter of 2014. The report affirms that second-quarter economic growth was strong — consistent with the recent string of solid job growth and improvements across other economic indicators. But we still have to do more to build on this momentum. That’s why the President is …

In this week’s address, the President highlighted the progress made towards rebuilding our economy, including the creation of nearly 10 million new private sector jobs in the past 53 months and the rise in the number of American exports to an all-time high. That growth is in part thanks to the actions of the U.S. Export-Import Bank, an organization that creates American jobs by helping to take American businesses global. The charter of the Export-Import Bank is slated to expire …

Wednesday afternoon, President Obama spoke about the killing of journalist James Foley by the terrorist group ISIL. “The entire world is appalled by the brutal murder of Jim Foley,” he said. “Jim was a journalist, a son, a brother, and a friend. He reported from difficult and dangerous places, bearing witness to the lives of people a world away.” The President made clear that Foley’s life “stands in stark contrast to his killers” — and reiterated that the U.S. will …

Yesterday, President Obama delivered a statement on the latest developments in Iraq and in Ferguson, Missouri. The President discussed how U.S. operations in Iraq have stopped the terrorist group ISIL from advancing on the city of Erbil, and helped Iraqi forces recapture Mosul Dam — the country’s largest dam, which had fallen under terrorist control. He also noted that the U.S. is building an international coalition to address the humanitarian crisis in northern Iraq. President Obama then gave an update …

In this week’s address, with schools getting ready to open their doors again over the next few weeks, the President talked directly to students and parents about the importance of preparing for an education beyond high school. In today’s economy, some higher education continues to be the surest ticket to the middle class, but for too many families across the country, paying for higher education is a constant struggle. The President and First Lady know this first hand — they …

Monday afternoon, President Obama gave an update about the situation in Iraq. He noted that U.S. forces have “successfully conducted targeted airstrikes to prevent terrorist forces from advancing on the city of Erbil, and to protect American civilians there.” He also addressed our ongoing humanitarian efforts to help those who are stranded on Mount Sinjar, adding that we’ve deployed a USAID Disaster Assistance Response Team to help. The President reiterated that “the only lasting solution is for Iraqis to come …

On Saturday morning, President Obama delivered an update on the situation in Iraq from the South Lawn of the White House. The President detailed the progress of current American operations in Iraq, and spoke about what the operations mean for our country. Last week, U.S. forces began conducting targeted airstrikes against terrorist forces who were advancing on the city of Erbil, in addition to conducting humanitarian airdrops to Iraqi men, women, and children stranded in northern Iraq. Our forces have …

In this week’s address, the President detailed why he authorized two operations in Iraq—targeted military strikes to protect Americans serving in Iraq and humanitarian airdrops of food and water to help Iraqi civilians trapped on a mountain by terrorists. This week, the President hosted about 50 African Heads-of-State for the first-ever U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit, signed a bill to improve care for America’s veterans, and expanded flexibility for cell phone users.

The President discusses the new monthly jobs report and the fact that our economy created over 200,000 new jobs in July for the sixth straight month – the longest streak since 1997. To ensure this momentum can be sustained, the President is pressing Congress to act to create jobs and expand opportunity from raising the minimum wage, to helping people pay back their student loans, to fair pay and paid leave. These are steps that would continue to make things …

Monday, President Obama headed to Los Angeles Trade Technical College, where he’s calling for a kind of “economic patriotism” that’s based on investing in the things that we know grow the economy for everyone (like education and job training) — not protecting wasteful loopholes for a few at the top. And he’s calling attention to one kind of corporate merger deal in particular — called an “inversion” — a word you might be seeing in a lot of news headlines …

In this week’s address, the President continued his call for our nation to rally around an economic patriotism that says rather than protecting wasteful tax loopholes for a few at the top, we should be investing in things like education and job training that grow the economy for everybody. The President highlighted the need to close one of the most unfair tax loopholes that allows companies to avoid paying taxes here at home by shifting their residence for tax purposes …

In this week’s address, the President discussed the importance of ensuring that the economic progress we’ve made is shared by all hardworking Americans. Through his opportunity agenda, the President is focused on creating more jobs, educating more kids, and working to make sure hard work pays off with higher wages and better benefits. This week, the President will visit a community college in Los Angeles to highlight the need to equip our workers with the skills employers are looking for …

In this week’s address, the President recapped his visits with folks who have written him letters about their own American stories — their successes and struggles. While congressional Republicans are blocking meaningful measures that would strengthen the middle class, the President continues looking for ways to grow the economy and expand opportunity for more hardworking Americans. The President again urged Congress to join him, as they were elected to do, in working on behalf of everyday Americans — including those …