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Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player."I'm happy to be here. I’m more happy than you can imagine," said the Vice President, a noted rail enthusiast, before introducing the President for the release of his strategic plan for high speed rail in America. Revolving around the $8 billion in the Recovery Act and the $1 billion per year for five years requested in the President’s budget to get these projects off the ground, the President painted the picture that will become a reality as a result of these investments:What we're talking about is a vision for high-speed rail in America. Imagine boarding a train in the center of a city. No racing to an airport and across a terminal, no delays, no sitting on the tarmac, no lost luggage, no taking off your shoes. (Laughter.) Imagine whisking through towns at speeds over 100 miles an hour, walking only a few steps to public transportation, and ending up just blocks from your destination. Imagine what a great project that would be to rebuild America.Now, all of you know this is not some fanciful, pie-in-the-sky vision of the future. It is now. It is happening right now. It's been happening for decades. The problem is it's been happening elsewhere, not here.In France, high-speed rail has pulled regions from isolation, ignited growth, remade quiet towns into thriving tourist destinations. In Spain, a high-speed line between Madrid and Seville is so successful that more people travel between those cities by rail than by car and airplane combined. China, where service began just two years ago, may have more miles of high-speed rail service than any other country just five years from now. And Japan, the nation that unveiled the first high-speed rail system, is already at work building the next: a line that will connect Tokyo with Osaka at speeds of over 300 miles per hour. So it's being done; it's just not being done here.There's no reason why we can't do this. This is America. There's no reason why the future of travel should lie somewhere else beyond our borders. Building a new system of high-speed rail in America will be faster, cheaper and easier than building more freeways or adding to an already overburdened aviation system –- and everybody stands to benefit.The inclusion of high speed rail in the Recovery Act was one of many symbols of the new vision for America and its economy that guided the plan. As the Vice President explained in his introduction, joined by Transportation Secretary LaHood, in addition to putting Americans to work across the country it went towards several the Recovery Act’s key goals:And we're making a down payment today, a down payment on the economy for tomorrow, the economy that's going to drive us in the 21st century in a way that the other -- the highway system drove us in the mid-20th century. And I'm happy to be here. I'm more happy than you can imagine -- (laughter) -- to talk about a commitment that, with the President's leadership, we're making to achieve the goal through the development of high-speed rail projects that will extend eventually all across this nation. And most of you know that not only means an awful lot to me, but I know a lot of you personally in this audience over the years, I know it means equally as much to you.With high-speed rail system, we're going to be able to pull people off the road, lowering our dependence on foreign oil, lowering the bill for our gas in our gas tanks. We're going to loosen the congestion that also has great impact on productivity, I might add, the people sitting at stop lights right now in overcrowded streets and cities. We're also going to deal with the suffocation that's taking place in our major metropolitan areas as a consequence of that congestion. And we're going to significantly lessen the damage to our planet. This is a giant environmental down payment.The report formalizes the identification of ten high-speed rail corridors as potential recipients of federal funding. Those lines are: California, Pacific Northwest, South Central, Gulf Coast, Chicago Hub Network, Florida, Southeast, Keystone, Empire and Northern New England. Also, opportunities exist for the Northeast Corridor from Washington to Boston to compete for funds to improve the nation’s only existing high-speed rail service:
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We mentioned once before that the EPA is collecting videos and photos in honor of Earth Day, so for the next week we'll pick one we happen to like to tease you with here on WhiteHouse.gov. For starters, here's "Valley View Farm Sunset 2008," courtesy of user Goddess of Green:
Think you can beat that? Head over to the Photo Project. -
As another demonstration of the President’s commitment to openness and transparency, today the White House issued the following releases making the President and Vice President’s tax returns public:For the President:THE WHITE HOUSEOffice of the Press SecretaryFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 15, 2009President and First Lady Release 2008 Income Tax ReturnsToday, the President released his 2008 federal income tax returns. He and the First Lady filed their income tax returns jointly and reported an adjusted gross income of $2,656,902. The vast majority of the family’s 2008 income is the proceeds from the sale of the President’s books. The Obamas paid $855,323 in federal income tax.The President and First Lady also reported donating $172,050 – or about 6.5% of their adjusted gross income – to 37 different charities. The largest reported gifts to charity were $25,000 contributions to CARE and the United Negro College Fund.The President and First Lady also released their Illinois income tax return and reported paying $77,883 in state income taxes.Copies of the returns are available below:For the Vice President:THE WHITE HOUSEOffice of the Vice PresidentFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEApril 15, 2009The Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden Release 2008 Income Tax ReturnsToday, the Vice President and Dr. Jill Biden released their 2008 federal and state income tax returns. He and Dr. Biden filed their income tax returns jointly and reported an adjusted gross income of $269,256 and an after-tax income of $183,315. The family’s primary sources of income were salaries from the United States Senate, Widener University, Delaware Technical & Community College, as well as royalties from the audio rights to the Vice President’s book. The Bidens paid $46,952 in federal income taxes; $11,164 in Delaware state income taxes; and donated $1,885 to charity. The charitable donations claimed by the Bidens on their tax returns are not the sum of their annual contributions to charity. They donate to their church, and they contribute to their favorite causes with their time, as well as their checkbooks.Copies of the returns are available below:
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Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.The Wrights from Marrietta, Pennsylvania, and the Kirkwoods from Lynchburg, Virginia supported then-candidate Obama during the campaign as he was touting his promise of a Making Work Pay tax credit. Chris and Guenna Wright just bought a new home with their four-year-old son after seven years in their previous house. Kelly Kirkwood is a part time Nursery School teacher at Randolph College in Lynchburg, and her husband Scott is a graphic designer for a small local company – together they are living paycheck-to-paycheck during this economic downturn. Today all of them came to the White House to meet with now-President Obama on tax day, with the President having made good on his pledge.Clark Harrison from Preston, Maryland and Latoya Malone from West Hempstead, New York both made good on the $8,000 home-buyers tax credit. For Clark it was exactly the breathing room he needed to be able to settle bills and make the fixes to the house, allowing him to get out on his own. For Latoya, who moved from the Virgin Islands to New York City to be close to her mother, the home-buyers tax credit helped put a house that had seemed just out of reach under contract for her.Those stories, and others like them, were what the President heard in his meeting today with families from across the country. He asked them to join him on stage afterwards when he spoke to the press:Good morning. I decided not to bring Bo today -- because he stepped on my economic speech yesterday. (Laughter.)Good morning. I know that April 15th isn't exactly everyone's favorite date on the calendar. But it is an important opportunity for those of us in Washington to consider our responsibilities to the people who sent us here and who pay the bills. And I've brought some friends of mine who sent me here and pay the bills.Across America, families like the people who join me have had tough choices forced upon them because of this economic downturn. Many have lost a job; many are fighting to keep their business open. Many more are struggling to make payments, to stay in their home, or to pursue a college education. And these Americans are the backbone of our economy, the backbone of our middle class. They're the workers, the innovators, the students who are going to be powering our recovery. So their dreams have to be our own. They need a government that is working to create jobs and opportunity for them, rather than simply giving more and more to those at the very top in the false hope that wealth automatically trickles down.And that's why my administration has taken far-reaching action to give tax cuts to the Americans who need them, while jump-starting growth and job creation in the process. We start from the simple premise that we should reduce the tax burden on working people, while helping Americans go to college, own a home, raise a family, start a business and save for retirement. Those goals are the foundation of the American Dream, and they are the focus of my tax policy.The President went through the tax changes enacted just in these past few months, including: 1) The Making Work Pay credit for 95% of American families; 2) allowing small businesses to offset their losses during this downturn against the income they’ve earned over the last five years; 3) a $2,500 tax credit for all four years of college; 4) the $8,000 for credit for first-time home buyers. He also made clear that while the tax code is being made right, the federal government will also do its part to tighten its belt, reiterating that his Administration has identified two trillion dollars in deficit-reductions over the next decade: "That’s why we’re cutting programs that don’t work, contracts that aren’t fair, and spending that we don’t need."He stood by his long-standing intentions to end tax breaks for companies shipping jobs overseas, and for people like himself who have made enough money not to need them. Lastly, he pledged as a long-term goal to greatly simplify the tax code and filing process, recognizing that this can be a hardship in itself at this time of year. He closed explaining that his tax policies are guided not by ideology but by the real experiences of people like those he met with today:Now, I just had a conversation with these wonderful Americans, and like people I talked to all across the country, they're not looking for a free ride. Every single person here is working hard and deserves a chance to get ahead. And they're a family like -- families like the Kirkwoods, who just want to own their own business and put away some money away for their kids' college tuition. And they're workers like Clark Harrison, behind me, who has worked hard and wants to be able to purchase that first home. They're business owners like Alan Givens, who wants his company to sustain itself through bad times as well as the good. And I was encouraged to hear that Alan's business is going strong on a whole bunch of clean energy measures that he's helping to promote in his area.For too long, we've seen taxes used as a wedge to scare people into supporting policies that actually increased the burden on working people instead of helping them live their dreams. That has to change, and that's the work that we've begun. We've passed tax cuts that will help our economy grow. We've made a clear promise that families that earn less than $250,000 a year will not see their taxes increase by a single dime. And we have kept to those promises that were made during the campaign. We've given tax relief to the Americans who need it and the workers who have earned it. And we're helping more Americans move towards their American Dream by going to school, owning a home, keeping their business and raising their family.
(President Barack Obama is joined by taxpaying citizens as he gives remarks Wednesday, April 15, 2009 at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C., on the tax cut for 95 percent of American workers. White House Photo/Chuck Kennedy) -
Dipnote, the State Department blog, gives us the details:Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will conduct Digital Town Hall of the Americas, a live web-based discussion, from the Dominican Republic on Friday, April 17, 2009, in anticipation of the Fifth Summit of the Americas to be held April 17-19 in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. The event will provide an opportunity for Secretary Clinton to launch a conversation with citizens from across the Western Hemisphere to discuss the Summit’s themes of securing our citizens’ future by promoting human prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability, as well as the situation in Haiti, where she will visit and attend meetings on Thursday, April 16.The State Department has their Social Media Hub dedicated to the Summit, which will host 34 democratically elected leaders from the Western hemisphere. Catch the webcast there on Friday and go over and get engaged with the questions in the meantime.
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(The First family and Bo, their new Portuguese water dog, walk on the South Lawn of the White House, April 14, 2009. White House Photo/ Chuck Kennedy)
(The First family and Bo, their new Portuguese water dog, run on the South Lawn of the White House, April 14, 2009. White House Photo/ Lawrence Jackson) -
Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.The past three months have seen a storm of activity from the White House, with initiatives on housing, the markets, the auto industry, small businesses, international financial cooperation, and job creation through the Recovery Act. Today the President made it his central purpose of to explain the vision that has served as the foundation for every major initiative on the economy thus far:So today, I want to step back for a moment and explain our strategy as clearly as I can. This is going to be prose, and not poetry. I want to talk about what we've done, why we've done it, and what we have left to do. I want to update you on the progress we've made, but I also want to be honest about the pitfalls that may still lie ahead.
Most of all, I want every American to know that each action we take and each policy we pursue is driven by a larger vision of America's future -- a future where sustained economic growth creates good jobs and rising incomes; a future where prosperity is fueled not by excessive debt, or reckless speculation, or fleeting profits, but is instead built by skilled, productive workers, by sound investments that will spread opportunity at home and allow this nation to lead the world in the technologies and the innovation and discoveries that will shape the 21st century. That's the America I see. That's the America that Georgetown is preparing so many of you for. That is the future that I know that we can have.He explained that in order to understand where we have to go from here, we also have to understand how we got here:Now, this is when the crisis spread from Wall Street to Main Street. After all, the ability to get a loan is how you finance the purchase of everything from a home to a car to, as you all know very well, a college education. It's how stores stock their shelves, and farms buy equipment, and businesses make payroll. So when banks stopped lending money, businesses started laying off workers. When laid-off workers had less money to spend, businesses were forced to lay off even more workers. When people couldn't get a car loan, a bad situation at the auto companies became even worse. When people couldn't get home loans, the crisis in the housing market only deepened. Because the infected securities were being traded worldwide and other nations also had weak regulations, this recession soon became global. And when other nations can't afford to buy our goods, it slows our economy even further.
So this is the situation, the downward spiral that we confronted on the day that we took office. So our most urgent task has been to clear away the wreckage, repair the immediate damage to the economy, and do everything we can to prevent a larger collapse. And since the problems we face are all working off each other to feed a vicious economic downturn, we've had no choice but to attack all fronts of our economic crisis simultaneously.The President spoke at length addressing a sentiment he said he hears most often in letters from people across the country, namely outrage about the government support for banks teetering on failure. As he did throughout the speech, he took time to address opposing arguments and perspectives. To those who take the intuitively and emotionally understandable position that we should simply let the banks fail – "where’s my bailout?" in short – he argued that in truth a dollar in credit can have an immense multiplier effect that will produce a much greater gain in terms of jobs and the broader economy. And in turn, the failure of those banks would have a vastly disproportionate impact on every American. To those who urge the preemptive takeover of banks, "the nationalization argument" as he called it, he gave assurance that his reticence to engage in that strategy was not born of ideological rigidity or moral obligation to shareholders, but rather a belief that this strategy would cause even bigger losses for taxpayers.Perhaps the heart of the speech was focused on the core weaknesses of the economy that led to the crisis we see now, and the pillars of the new economy the President envisions to ensure such a crisis will be kept at bay in the future:It is simply not sustainable to have a 21st-century financial system that is governed by 20th-century rules and regulations that allowed the recklessness of a few to threaten the entire economy. It is not sustainable to have an economy where in one year, 40 percent of our corporate profits came from a financial sector that was based on inflated home prices, maxed-out credit cards, over-leveraged banks and overvalued assets. It's not sustainable to have an economy where the incomes of the top 1 percent has skyrocketed while the typical working household has seen their incomes decline by nearly $2,000. That's just not a sustainable model for long-term prosperity.For even as too many were out there chasing ever-bigger bonuses and short-term profits over the last decade, we continued to neglect the long-term threats to our prosperity: the crushing burden that the rising cost of health care is placing on families and businesses; the failure of our education system to prepare our workers for a new age; the progress that other nations are making on clean energy industries and technologies while we -- we remain addicted to foreign oil; the growing debt that we're passing on to our children. Even after we emerge from the current recession, these challenges will still represent major obstacles that stand in the way of our success in the 21st century. So we've got a lot of work to do.Now, there's a parable at the end of the Sermon on the Mount that tells the story of two men. The first built his house on a pile of sand, and it was soon destroyed when a storm hit. But the second is known as the wise man, for when "the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house, it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock."
It was founded upon a rock. We cannot rebuild this economy on the same pile of sand. We must build our house upon a rock. We must lay a new foundation for growth and prosperity -- a foundation that will move us from an era of borrow and spend to one where we save and invest; where we consume less at home and send more exports abroad.It's a foundation built upon five pillars that will grow our economy and make this new century another American century: Number one, new rules for Wall Street that will reward drive and innovation, not reckless risk-taking -- (applause); number two, new investments in education that will make our workforce more skilled and competitive -- (applause); number three, new investments in renewable energy and technology that will create new jobs and new industries -- (applause); number four, new investments in health care that will cut costs for families and businesses; and number five, new savings in our federal budget that will bring down the debt for future generations. (Applause.)
That's the new foundation we must build. That's our house built upon a rock. That must be our future -- and my administration's policies are designed to achieve that future.Towards the end of his speech, he noted that in addition to the fundamental weaknesses of the economy, there is also a fundamental weakness in the political system that must be confronted. He talked about how the prospects for long-term, bold, necessary solutions often give way to 24-hour news cycles and fluctuating poll numbers.This can’t be one of those times. The challenges are too great. The stakes are too high. I know how difficult it is for Members of Congress in both parties to grapple with some of the big decisions we face right now. It’s more than most congresses and most presidents have to deal with in a lifetime.But we have been called to govern in extraordinary times. And that requires an extraordinary sense of responsibility – to ourselves, to the men and women who sent us here, and to the many generations whose lives will be affected for good or for ill because of what we do here.Having been forthright about the challenges ahead, he expressed confidence: America will have that house upon the rock. -
Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.download .mp4 (656.9 Mb) | read the transcriptToday Press Secretary Robert Gibbs was joined by Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council Dan Restrepo -- who spoke in Spanish -- in announcing a change in US policy towards Cuba at the Daily Press Briefing:MR. GIBBS: Good. Before we do our regularly scheduled program, I’ve got a short announcement. And I am joined for the bilingual portion of this announcement by Dan Restrepo, a Special Assistant to the President and a Senior Director for Western Hemisphere Affairs at the National Security Council.Today, President Obama has directed that a series of steps be taken to reach out to the Cuban people to support their desire to enjoy basic human rights and to freely determine their country’s future. The President has directed the Secretaries of State, Treasury and Commerce to carry out the actions necessary to lift all restrictions on the ability of individuals to visit family members in Cuba, and to send them remittances. He’s further directed that steps be taken to enable the freer flow of information among the Cuban people and between those in Cuba and the rest of the world, as well as to facilitate the delivery of humanitarian items directly to the Cuban people.In taking these steps to help bridge the gap among divided Cuban families and to promote the increased flow of information and humanitarian items to the Cuban people, President Obama is working to fulfill the goals he identified both during his presidential campaign and since taking office.All who embrace core democratic values long for a Cuba that respects the basic human, political and economic rights of all of its citizens. President Obama believes the measure he has taken today will help make that goal a reality. He encourages all who share it to continue their steadfast support for the Cuban people.MR. RESTREPO: Thanks, Robert.Buenas tardes.Hoy, el Presidente Obama ha ordenado que se tomen ciertas medidas, ciertos pasos, para extender la mano al pueblo cubano, para apoyar su deseo de vivir con respeto a los derechos humanos y para poder determinar su destino propio y el destino de su país.El Presidente ha dado instrucciones a los secretarios de Estado, Comercio y Tesoro para que pongan en marcha las acciones necesarias para eliminar todas las restricciones a individuos para que puedan visitar a sus familiares en la isla y mandar remesas. Además ha dado instrucciones para que se tomen pasos para permitir el flujo libre de información entre el pueblo cubano y entre quienes están en Cuba y el resto del mundo, y para facilitar la entrega de recursos humanitarios enviados directamente al pueblo cubano.Al tomar estas medidas para ayudar a -- cerrar la brecha -- la brecha entre familias cubanas divididas y promover el flujo libre de información y artículos de ayuda humanitaria para el pueblo cubano, el Presidente Obama está esforzándo por cumplir los objetivos que fijó durante la campaña y desde el asumio del cargo.Todos aquellos que creen en los valores democráticos básicos anhelan una Cuba que respeta los derechos humanos, políticos, económicos, básicos de todo su pueblo. El Presidente Obama considera que estas medidas ayudarán a hacer realidad ese objetivo. El Presidente - El Presidente alenta a todos quienes comparten este deseo, que sigan cometidos a su firme apoyo para el pueblo cubano.Read the fact sheet for all of the specifics, or see the memorandum sent by the President (pdf) to the Secretaries of State, Treasury, and Commerce.
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The first two meetings of the Middle Class Task Force were focused on Green Jobs and the Recovery Act, both of which will create a fundamental shift in our economy and the way it affects and lifts up the middle class here in America. The Green Jobs meeting featured experts explaining how what was once an abstract concept is now being translated into bread on the kitchen table, while the Recovery Act meeting discussed how that legislation will help middle class families, town by town and community by community.For any family that has sent a child off to college and faced tuition costs that rivaled the total costs of their mortgage, the topic of the third meeting needs much less explanation. On Friday April 17th, the Task Force will hold its next meeting at the University of Missouri St. Louis. The meeting, titled "Making College More Affordable for our Families," will also be attended by Dr. Jill Biden, who has been an educator for 28 years and is currently at Northern Virginia Community College with a focus on English and writing. It's an issue that often gets overlooked in the midst of staggering job losses and stock prices plummeting – but it’s a critical one to the middle class and it will get its proper attention this Friday.
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Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.Saying that "the road to recovery must, quite literally, be repaved," Vice President Biden introduced the President at an event marking the 2,000th approved project under the Recovery Act. The President began his remarks on a different note, however:Before I discuss the purpose of my visit to the Department of Transportation today, I want to take a moment to say how pleased I am about the rescue of Captain Phillips and his safe return to the USS Boxer this weekend. (Applause.) His safety has been our principal concern, and I know this came as a welcome relief to his family and his crew.I had a chance to talk to his wife yesterday and, as she put it, she couldn't imagine a better Easter than seeing his safe return. And I am very proud of the efforts of the U.S. military and many other departments and agencies that worked tirelessly to resolve this situation. I share our nation's admiration for Captain Phillips' courage and leadership and selfless concern for his crew.Pledging a renewed international effort to stem the rise of piracy in that region, he then turned back to the ongoing concern of most Americans: the state of the economy and the President’s plan to address it, starting with the Recovery Act:Today, I think it's safe to say that this plan is beginning to work. We see it in the clean energy companies rehiring workers; in police departments cancelling planned layoffs; in health care clinics planning to expand to care for more folks in need. We see it in the 120 million families who are already taking home larger paychecks because of our Making Work Pay tax cut.And we see it particularly in the work of this department --in the plans underway to rebuild crumbling roads and bridges, modernize our airports and shipyards, develop high-speed rail networks and restore aging public transit systems. All told, we are making the largest new investment in America's infrastructure since President Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System back in the 1950s.But what is most remarkable about this effort -- and what I'm here to talk about today -- isn't just the size of our investment, or the number of projects we're investing in -- it's how quickly, efficiently, and responsibly those investments have been made.Today, because these projects are getting approved more quickly than we thought, thanks to in large part the outstanding work of the TIGER team and folks here at the Department of Transportation, and because these projects are costing less than we thought, we can utter a sentence rarely heard in recent years: This government effort is coming in ahead of schedule and under budget. (Applause.)
Giving a nod to construction workers from Maryland and Virginia in the audience, he applauded their hard work rebuilding the country in more ways than one. He then concluded with a smile: "We don't want to keep them too long. They've already got their hard hats. (Laughter.) They are going to go straight into their cars and they're going to go back to work."
(President Barack Obama is joined by Vice President Joe Biden and U.S. Secretary of Transportation
Ray LaHood, right, as he gives remarks on the economy Monday April 13, 2009, during a visit
to the Department of Transportation in Washington, D.C. White House Photo/Pete Souza) -
If you have not been watching, be sure to check in on our coverage of the White House Easter Egg Roll. You can watch some of the best artists, story-tellers, chefs, and egg-rollers around on four separate live-streams, carrying on and expanding on the tradition established by President Bush.President Obama and the First Lady spoke to the happy crowd this morning:Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.download .mp4 (24.8 Mb) | also available hereTHE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody -- that's Malia, our technical advisor. (Laughter.)It is wonderful to see all of you today. Welcome. I hope everybody had a wonderful Easter. This is one of the greatest White House traditions because it reminds us that this is the people's house. And to see so many children out here having a great time just fills Michelle and myself and the entire family with a whole lot of joy.So I'm not really in charge here today. My sole job, in addition to thanking Fergie for that wonderful rendition of our National Anthem and thanking my buddy, the Easter Bunny, for being here, is to introduce my First Lady, your First Lady, Michelle Obama. (Applause.)MRS. OBAMA: All right -- okay, it's working. Welcome everybody. I don't have much to say. I want to welcome you all to the 2009 White House Easter Egg Hunt. Yay!Our goal today is just to have fun. We want to focus on activity, healthy eating. We've got yoga, we've got dancing, we've got storytelling, we've got Easter egg decorating. Oh, we've got basketball -- (applause) -- a little soccer, as well. And we want everybody to think about moving their bodies, get out -- we don't have tennis; it's on the tennis court -- the peanut gallery back here. (Laughter.)So the goal today is to have fun, to get out and play. And let's get things started with the Easter Egg Roll. Thank you all for coming today. Have fun. Thanks so much. (Applause.)
(President Barack Obama smiles up at a young child in bunny ears as he shakes the hands of guests attending the White House Easter Egg Roll Monday, April 13, 2009, on the South Lawn of the White House. White House Photo/Pete Souza) -
In case anybody is wondering, Bo is a boy.
(The Obamas welcome Bo, a six-month old Portuguese water dog and a gift from Senator and Mrs. Kennedy to Sasha and Malia, recently at the White House. White House photos by Pete Souza.) -
This week the President discusses the multitude of problems and opportunities before the world through the prism of Passover and Easter: "These are two very different holidays with their own very different traditions. But it seems fitting that we mark them both during the same week. For in a larger sense, they are both moments of reflection and renewal. They are both occasions to think more deeply about the obligations we have to ourselves and the obligations we have to one another, no matter who we are, where we come from, or what faith we practice.Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.
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This morning, having made progress on an international response to the financial crisis in Europe, the President met with Treasury Secretary Geithner, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, FDIC Chair Sheila Bair, SEC Chair Mary Shapiro and Comptroller of the Currency John Dugan to start working on next steps here at home.
President Barack Obama confers with Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke following their meeting at the White House, April 10, 2009. White House Photo/Pete Souza)Meanwhile, the Recovery Act continues to pick up steam…"Building repairs are underway on public housing in Imboden, Ark., and Cumberland, Ill., states across the country are receiving money to weatherize the homes of low-income residents, and the Silver Star Construction Co. is about to start work on two road-resurfacing projects in south-central Oklahoma with a total cost of $12 million. ‘We were thrilled to get some work,’ said Steve Shawn, president of the company. ‘Some of the work had started slowing down from the economy. The new work came in just around the right time.’ Slowly but surely, the $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act -- better known as the economic stimulus package -- is beginning to percolate nationwide, six weeks after President Obama signed the legislation.""Stephen Lieber, president and CEO of the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society, looked tired but sounded pleased with the outcome of the trade association’s annual convention in Chicago… Offsetting the economy was the American Recovery and Reconciliation Act of 2009, signed into law by President Barack Obama in February, which by some estimates contains as much as $35 billion in federal dollars directed toward healthcare information technology spending. ‘We had more provider organizations represented here than we’ve ever had,’ Lieber said. ‘What else could you attribute it to? It’s the stimulus… They (providers) knew they had to pick up whatever intelligence they could this week.’ And that understanding of what the stimulus act held in store for them came not just from the educational sessions—government officials were somewhat limited in what they could say, since Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, HHS secretary nominee, has not yet passed through Senate vetting and been sworn in—but by ‘sitting across the coffee table’ at breaks during the show, exchanging ideas and information with IT industry peers, Lieber said.""The Denver area will have at least 38 active road construction projects this summer totaling $234.4 million, 14 of which are being paid for with federal stimulus money, the Colorado Department of Transportation said Wednesday. "With the funds we are receiving from [the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act], we will now be able to have a construction season similar to those of recent years," CDOT Executive Director Russell George said in a statement. "We will be able to resurface roadways, replace poor bridges and improve safety all across the Denver metro area.""Kansas will get $18.4 million for child care and disease prevention for children, and $2.1 million for children’s vaccines, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Web site. Nationwide, $2 billion in stimulus money for the Child Care and Development Fund will help states support child-care services for working families, those seeking employment or those receiving job training or education.""Lieutenant Governor John D. Cherry, Jr. today announced that 67 communities in 27 Michigan counties will benefit from a total of $47.3 million in transportation enhancement (TE) funding. This total includes 22 projects funded through the federal American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (Recovery Act). The funding will complete 176 miles of bike paths and paved shoulders; enhance local roadways in communities statewide with lighting, landscaping, sidewalks, crosswalks and other improvements; preserve a historic bridge and two historic rail facilities. The projects are planned for the 2009 and 2010 construction seasons and will create or retain more than 1,300 jobs. ‘This is a positive step for Michigan’s economy,’ said Cherry. ‘These enhancement projects will create jobs and improve communities so they are more attractive to residents, businesses and visitors.’""Within a couple of years, Kansas City could become a green model for turning around some of its poorest neighborhoods, officials said Thursday. Up to $200 million in federal stimulus money will weatherize every home that needs it in a 150-block area, upgrade bus services and provide much more help, they said. ‘I’m so excited, I'm trying to calm down,’ said U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, a Kansas City Democrat who came up with the idea for a Green Impact Zone. ‘This is a perfect storm of opportunity.’ Kansas City is taking the lead in the nation by funneling as much stimulus money as possible over two years into rebuilding one area of the city, Cleaver said. Local, state and federal governments have agreed to work together on the plan. ‘The key is we are investing federal money wisely and building an inclusive green economy strong enough to create jobs for residents,’ said Cleaver, who met with more than 50 neighborhood and community leaders Thursday.""Over the next three years, New Hampshire will receive more than $23 million in federal stimulus money designed to create jobs and increase energy conservation by funding a major boost in home weatherization projects. The program is one piece of the job creation puzzle presented by the more than $900 million targeted for New Hampshire through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act passed by Congress in February…’This is great, exciting stuff,’ said Charlie Wolfe, weatherization manger for the Dover-based Strafford County Community Action Committee. ‘We’ve talked before what we could do if we had more money, and now we will have a chance to make a big difference.’ According to the Department of Energy, the low- and moderate-income participants in the Weatherization Assistance Program on average see a 32 percent reduction in heating bills – cutting a $2,000 annual heating bill, for example, to about $1,400.""The state of New Mexico has awarded contracts for four highway reconstruction projects to be funded through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, Gov. Bill Richardson said this week. Construction on the projects, worth a total of nearly $50 million, is scheduled to start within 30 days. Among the projects is U.S. 491, the main north-south thoroughfare through the New Mexico portion of the Navajo Nation. The highway, which has earned a variety of notorious nicknames, is among the most dangerous in the United States. Construction began on the road formerly called U.S. 666, or the ‘Highway to Hell,’ almost a year ago. The ground-breaking ceremony occurred last May, signaling a $100 million collaboration between the state and the Navajo Nation to widen the two-lane corridor to four lanes. The agreement came after a nearly four-year struggle over rights-of-way and state funding. A compromise calling for the Nation to contribute $10 million in cash and in-kind donations was reached in January 2008, just months before construction began. Stimulus money, however, will not be used for the widening project. The state Department of Transportation awarded $8.9 million for rehabilitation of a portion of the two-lane highway, spokesman S.U. Mahesh said.""The 1,776 jobs expected to be created by the federal stimulus money earmarked for roads and bridges in the Rochester region give this spending package a patriotic ring. But in announcing the job-creation number in Canandaigua on Thursday, Gov. David Paterson noted that the projects must meet federal standards…To date, Paterson has certified projects for about $24 million of the $74 million that the seven-county region is scheduled to receive. The funds are slated to go to 115 projects.""Take, for instance, what Oregon's Housing and Community Services Department needs to do to secure its $82 million. It has already applied for $38 million to weatherize low-income residents' homes, and just received the first 10 percent of that, but still needs approval from the state legislature to spend it. It is awaiting guidelines for applying for $27 million in tax credits for affordable housing development. It just received the guidelines for applying for $8 million to help prevent homelessness, and expects that it will not spend that money before July. And Oregon will not apply until July for ‘neighborhood stabilization’ funding that will be distributed on a competitive basis for states to renovate or demolish abandoned homes. In fact, it is still getting ready to spend $19.6 million that it received for a similar purpose from a housing recovery bill President George W. Bush signed in late July. It is a lot of hoops to jump through, but officials say it is worth it. ‘This is a huge investment for us,’ said Rick Crager, Oregon's deputy housing director. The process ‘is not an issue for us. It's important that we're accountable.’""U.S. Rep. Lloyd Doggett today announced that $2.4 million in federal funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will be used for flood control projects along Plum Creek in Hays County. ‘Upgrading flood control along Plum Creek will protect people and property along the rapidly growing Kyle-Buda corridor,’ said Rep. Doggett, a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and House Budget Committee. ‘This recovery funding will create jobs, promote future construction in Hays County, and reduce the danger from any future flooding.’""United States Senators Robert C. Byrd and Jay Rockefeller, both D-W.Va., along with Congressman Nick Rahall, W.Va.-3, today announced that West Virginia is slated to receive more than $1,643,000 in federal funding as part of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The monies will be distributed through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of a $197 million spending program across the country… The funds will be used for overseeing the assessment and cleanup of leaks from underground storage tanks or directly paying for assessment and cleanup of leaks from federally regulated tanks where the responsible party is unknown, unwilling, unable, or the clean up is an emergency response. ‘Many West Virginia families rely on groundwater as a source of their safe drinking water,’ said Byrd. ‘This funding will help to eliminate the backlog of more than 950 underground tank clean-up projects in West Virginia. And through this funding we will both create jobs and improve the health and safety of West Virginia communities.’ ‘The protection of West Virginia's drinking water is essential. West Virginia families should be able to trust that the water coming from their faucet is safe," said Senator Rockefeller.""A Teton County pathway project will receive $300,000 to complete a route from Jackson to the Gros Ventre River in Grand Teton National Park. On Thursday, the Wyoming Department of Transportation Commission approved $300,000 of federal economic stimulus money for the first phase of the pathway along Highway 89 north of Jackson. Tim Young, director of Friends of Pathways, said the stimulus money likely will provide the final funding needed to finish the path. Teton County has won competitive federal grants totaling $3 million, but Young said that money was just shy of what it will take to finish the project. ‘This stimulus funding helps bridge the gap,’ he said." -
(President Obama hosts a traditional Seder dinner in the Old Family Dining Room of the White House on Thursday night, April 9, 2009. Some friends and White House employees and their families joined the Obama family. Official White House photo by Pete Souza) -
Today the First Lady hosted Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and students from Bancroft Elementary, in the White House Kitchen Garden on the South Lawn of the White House to plant the garden and highlight healthy eating. The same school participated in the groundbreaking of the Garden on March 20 and will return later this year for harvesting and cooking with the food grown.
(First Lady Michelle Obama and White House Chef Sam Kass show students from the Bancroft Elementary how to plant a garden. The White House Vegetable Garden was officially planted today.) -
The President’s schedule has picked back up today tackling issues from the mortgage crisis to veterans' care, but was light on Wednesday -- and for good reason. Over the previous week, the rigorous pace of his tour of Europe fleshed out a new image and new role for America in the world. Over that week we published perhaps a dozen photos capturing that image, some more of which are peppered throughout this post. But now the White House Photo Office also gives us a slideshow that provides a more intimate glimpse behind the scenes at the President as he made this pivotal trip (best viewed full size).play
In Europe
The G-20 Summit, NATO meetings, and more.
1 of 27Even more importantly, read a compilation of key messages delivered by the President at various stops, which taken together speak to the new role America will play under his leadership. Find full video for most of the events by clicking through the links.Well, I think if you pulled quotes from 10 years ago, 20 years ago, 30 years ago, from previous news reports, you might find similar contentions that America was on decline. And somehow it hasn't worked out that way, because I think that there is a vibrancy to our economic model, a durability to our political model, and a set of ideals that has sustained us through even the most difficult times.
(President Barack Obama walks the grounds at Winfield House in London, April 1, 2009, with White Housee staff members Senior Advisor David Axelrod and Press Secretary Robert Gibbs. White House Photo/ Lawrence Jackson)As I've said in the past, I think that over the last several years the relationship between our two countries has been allowed to drift. And what I believe we've begun today is a very constructive dialogue that will allow us to work on issues of mutual interest, like the reduction of nuclear weapons and the strengthening of our nonproliferation treaties; our mutual interest in dealing with terrorism and extremism that threatens both countries; our mutual interest in economic stability and restoring growth around the world; our mutual interest in promoting peace and stability in areas like the Middle East.Today, we've learned the lessons of history. I know that in the days leading up to the summit, some of you in the press, some commentators, confused honest and open debate with irreconcilable differences. But after weeks of preparation, and two days of careful negotiation, we have agreed on a series of unprecedented steps to restore growth and prevent a crisis like this from happening again... To prevent future crises, we agreed to increased transparency and capital protections for financial institutions. We're extending supervision to all systemically important institutions, markets and products, including hedge funds. We'll identify jurisdictions that fail to cooperate, including tax havens, and take action to defend our financial system. We will reestablish the Financial Stability Forum with a stronger mandate. And we will reform and expand the IMF and World Bank so they are more efficient, effective and representative.
(President Barack Obama meets with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during a bilateral meeting
at the G-20 Summit in London, April 2, 2009. White House Photo/Pete Souza)We also know that the pollution from cars in Boston or from factories in Beijing are melting the ice caps in the Arctic, and that that will disrupt weather patterns everywhere. The terrorists who struck in London, in New York, plotted in distant caves and simple apartments much closer to your home. And the reckless speculation of bankers that has new fueled a global economic downturn that's inflicting pain on workers and families is happening everywhere all across the globe. The economic crisis has proven the fact of our interdependence in the most visible way yet.This effort cannot be America's alone. All of NATO understands that al Qaeda is a threat to all of us, and that this collective security effort must achieve its goals. And as a signal of that commitment, I am pleased that our NATO allies pledged their strong and unanimous support for our new strategy. Keep in mind it was only just a week ago that we announced this new approach. But already with Secretary Clinton's work at The Hague and with the success at today's summit we've started to match real resources to achieve our goals. We're leaving Strasbourg and Kehl with concrete commitments on NATO support. Our allies and partners have already agreed to provide approximately 5,000 troops and trainers to advance our new strategy, as well as increased civilian assistance. To support critical elections for August 20th, NATO will fully resource our election support force to maximize security. And our allies have committed additional funds to an Afghan elections trust fund that will provide the necessary resources for free and fair elections.But no alliance can afford to stand still… The existence of thousands of nuclear weapons is the most dangerous legacy of the Cold War… Some argue that the spread of these weapons cannot be stopped, cannot be checked – that we are destined to live in a world where more nations and more people possess the ultimate tools of destruction. Such fatalism is a deadly adversary, for if we believe that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable, then in some way we are admitting to ourselves that the use of nuclear weapons is inevitable. Just as we stood for freedom in the 20th century, we must stand together for the right of people everywhere to live free from fear in the 21st century. (Applause.) And as nuclear power – as a nuclear power, as the only nuclear power to have used a nuclear weapon, the United States has a moral responsibility to act. We cannot succeed in this endeavor alone, but we can lead it, we can start it. So today, I state clearly and with conviction America's commitment to seek the peace and security of a world without nuclear weapons. (Applause.) I'm not naive. This goal will not be reached quickly – perhaps not in my lifetime. It will take patience and persistence. But now we, too, must ignore the voices who tell us that the world cannot change. We have to insist, "Yes, we can." (Applause.)
(President Barack Obama waves as he and First Lady Michelle Obama walk out to address a cheering crowd, April 5, 2009, in Prague's Hradcany Square. White House Photo/Chuck Kennedy)I enjoyed visiting your parliament. I've had productive discussions with your President and your Prime Minister. But I also always like to take some time to talk to people directly, especially young people. So in the next few minutes I want to focus on three areas in which I think we can make some progress: advancing dialogue between our two countries, but also advancing dialogue between the United States and the Muslim world; extending opportunity in education and in social welfare; and then also reaching out to young people as our best hope for peaceful, prosperous futures in both Turkey and in the United States… And as I said in my opening remarks, I think the most important thing to start with is dialogue. When you have a chance to meet people from other cultures and other countries, and you listen to them and you find out that, even though you may speak a different language or you may have a different religious faith, it turns out that you care about your family, you have your same hopes about being able to have a career that is useful to the society, you hope that you can raise a family of your own, and that your children will be healthy and have a good education -- that all those things that human beings all around the world share are more important than the things that are different.And so just as we thank you for what you've already accomplished, I want to say thank you because you will be critical in terms of us being able to make sure that Iraq is stable, that it is not a safe haven for terrorists, that it is a good neighbor and a good ally, and we can start bringing our folks home. (Applause.) So now is not the time to lose focus. We have to be even more focused than we've been in order to achieve success. The last point I want to make is I know how hard it's been on a lot of you. You've been away from your families, many of you for multiple rotations. You've seen buddies of yours injured and you remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice. [AUDIENCE: Ooh-ah.] There are probably some people here who have seen children born and have been missing watching them grow up. There are many of you who have listened to your spouse and the extraordinary sacrifices that they have to make when you're gone. And so I want you to know that Michelle and myself are doing everything -- (applause) -- are doing everything we can to provide additional support for military families. The federal budget that I have introduced increases support for military families. We are going to do everything required to make sure that the commitment we make to our veterans is met, and that people don't have to fight for what they have earned as a consequence of their service. The main point I want to make is we have not forgotten what you have already done, we are grateful for what you will do, and as long as I am in the White House, you are going to get the support that you need and the thanks that you deserve from a grateful nation. (Applause.)
(President Barack Obama receives a fist-bump from a U.S. soldier as he greets hundreds of U.S. troops
during his visit Tuesday, April 7, 2009, to Camp Victory, Iraq. White House Photo/Pete Souza) -
Days after visiting our troops in Iraq, today the President unveiled a step to make sure that the gratitude he expressed to them – and to all who served before them – would not ring hollow. Before an audience of Wounded Warriors, he began his remarks commending Specialist Jake Altman and Sergeant Nathan Dewitt, two soldiers he met in Iraq who refused to let severe injuries stand between them and returning to their units. He singled out Tammy Duckworth, his nominee for Assistant Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs, who lost her legs in Iraq and came home to continue service as a vibrant advocate for veterans care. Having told the audience of his inspiration, he then went on to announce the policy at hand:It's time to give our veterans a 21st-century VA. Over the past few months we've made much progress towards that end, and today I'm pleased to announce some new progress.Under the leadership of Secretary Gates and Secretary Shinseki, the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs have taken a first step towards creating one unified lifetime electronic health record for members of our armed services that will contain their administrative and medical information -- from the day they first enlist to the day that they are laid to rest.Currently, there is no comprehensive system in place that allows for a streamlined transition of health records between DOD and the VA. And that results in extraordinary hardship for a awful lot of veterans, who end up finding their records lost, unable to get their benefits processed in a timely fashion. I can't tell you how many stories that I heard during the course of the last several years, first as a United States senator and then as a candidate, about veterans who were finding it almost impossible to get the benefits that they had earned despite the fact that their disabilities or their needs were evident for all to see.And that's why I'm asking both departments to work together to define and build a seamless system of integration with a simple goal: When a member of the Armed Forces separates from the military, he or she will no longer have to walk paperwork from a DOD duty station to a local VA health center; their electronic records will transition along with them and remain with them forever. (Applause.)He went on to discuss his proposed budget, which includes the largest single-year increase in VA funding in three decades; an attempt to ensure veterans funding is never again caught up in appropriations politics; a dramatic expansion of coverage; an unprecedented effort to address Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury; funding for a pilot program with not-for-profit organizations to make sure that veterans at risk of losing their homes have a roof over their heads; and finally, the implementation of the new GI Bill to ensure veterans can return to broad opportunity earned by their sacrifices.
(President Barack Obama presents new proposals to care for veterans to an audience of Wounded Warriors in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. White House Photo, 4/9/09, Lawrence Jackson.)Yesterday the Vice President spoke at the Welcome Home Ceremony for the XVIII Airborne Corps in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, and captured the sentiment of today’s announcement well:Ladies and gentlemen, if we only have $10 to spend in the entire federal government, then we are convinced that we have to spend six of it caring for those who come home in need. We will spend all six before we spend it on anything else -- on the elderly, on children, on the poor, on our roads, on our security -- because this is the only genuinely sacred obligation this nation has. The service that you and thousands and thousands of others who went before you in Iraq over the last six years -- the services you've performed have come at great cost for some. Some of our warriors and their families have paid a much steeper price than others. Some had given their lives, the ultimate sacrifice, and we honor their memory.But the best way to honor their memory, of those thousands -- over 14,000 seriously injured coming home from the wars which we are engaged in and have been engaged in -- we owe them the obligation to -- we know we can never fully repay it, but we know we owe them the obligation to provide them the absolute best medical care and service they need. Some will need that for the rest of their lives. Their life expectancies will be 35 to 40 years, and some will need care for the entirety of those lives.
(Vice President Joe Biden inspects the 18th Airborne Corps with CSM Allen and Lt. General Austin at the units' welcome home ceremonies at Fort Bragg in North Carolina, Wednesday, April 8, 2009. Official White House Photo by David Lienemann) -
During the recent online town hall, the President answered several of the top questions submitted and voted upon through our Open for Questions tool by around 100,000 people across the country. Naturally, though, there were a great many questions he could not get to, including many that garnered significant support. Last week we had Kareem Dale, Special Assistant to the President for Disability Policy, address one of the best video questions the President could not get to. Today Jared Bernstein, who facilitated the original event and is the Vice President's Chief Economist and Economic Policy Advisor, answers three more of the top questions on the economy that fell just short of the #1 spots in their categories:
1. "what is the US doing to bring back a solid manufacturing infastructure? the US used to be one of the most self sufficient countries in the world, now we can't get the basics without importing. clothes,steel,cars,toys,food,oil. all imports"-- Scottg, PAThanks, Scott for this important question.It’s a timely question too, because we’ve been thinking and doing a lot on the issue of manufacturing since we got here, both in terms of the auto sector and infrastructure.It is obviously the case that we live in a more interdependent world today compared to yesterday. Back in the 1970s, imports were less the 10% of our economy (of gross domestic product, or GDP). Today they’re almost twice that. And, of course, our exports have grown too.As the President stressed in the online town hall, this expansion of global trade yields great benefits for us, in terms of greater supply of goods and better prices. But—and he stressed this too—there are obviously considerable costs, and they fall disproportionately on folks in certain industries and communities. Our administration is committed to tackling the downsides of this competition by helping people get a leg up in the new economy. This means developing jobs in non-tradable sectors, including health care and the new energy sectors, as well as the skills to compete effectively in the global economy.You, however, raise another question: Is there a tradeoff between global interdependence and self-sufficiency? I don’t think so. We need to do both: be full participants in the global economy while we, in your words, "bring back a solid manufacturing infrastructure."That’s why the President has aggressively supported a viable, competitive auto sector. It’s why he and our economic team believe strongly in the creation of green jobs—good jobs that can’t be outsourced.What exactly are green jobs? See our middle-class taskforce staff report on this (pdf) for more info, but they are generally jobs that provide products and services that use renewable energy resources, reduce pollution, and conserve energy and natural resources. Investing in the clean energy economy at a time when good jobs at good wages are harder and harder to come by, we must find new, innovative opportunities.The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act makes unprecedented investments in clean energy and job training, and along with our budget will spur job creation in manufacturing, construction, research, and management, both in the public and private sectors. These are the kinds of jobs that will take us closer to energy independence, and are the kinds of jobs that will rebuild and strengthen our infrastructure in a competitive 21st century economy.2. "Do you have any plans to reduce military spending in favor of, say, infrastructure? I'm concerned that we're prioritizing our operations in other countries over providing for the basic needs (education, healthcare, etc.) of the people in this one."-- Phoenix, Santa Cruz, CaliforniaThis question has good timing, Phoenix, because Defense Secretary Gates just announced our defense budget, and it reflects significant changes that I think you would view favorably in the spirit of your question.I’ll get to those in a minute, but the larger point is this: we need to devote ample resources toward a strong, efficient military that can continue to protect our nation and our citizens. And just as importantly, we need to make the investments in health care, education, energy, and other areas that will improve the quality of life for our citizens, enable them and their children to realize their potentials, and preserve the environment.In other words, we need to invest in both and cannot shortchange either.And I think we’re making great progress in both areas. Regarding the military budget, we’re committed to ending our pursuit of costly systems poorly suited for the threats we face, or turning a blind eye to cost overruns on military contracts. Under Secretary Gates, you will see extremely rigorous fiscal stewardship of military spending that will elevate efficiency without sacrificing safety.But you will also see, if you look at our budget that this administration is done kicking the can down the road when it comes to investments in the areas you ask about. We devote deep and lasting resources to health care reform, energy reform, and education.3. "How does the White House plan to put our country on track to paying down our national debt and ensure the long-term stability of the American dollar?"-- Nick Troiano, Washington, DCNick, thank you for your question.When we arrived here a few months ago, we inherited some tough challenges: a budget deficit over $1 trillion, an economy in recession, and a financial market that was pretty much frozen.That meant we had a dual job: we had to quickly move legislation that would meet the economic challenges head on, and do so in the context of a budget that was fiscally responsible.In fact, our budget not only funds the Recovery Act and other critical investments. It also cuts the deficit in half by the end of President Obama’s first term. It will reduce the deficit by $2 trillion over the next decade.At the same time, we can’t afford to avoid responsibility for addressing an inefficient healthcare system, an under-funded education system, and a growing dependence on foreign oil. By once and for all addressing these issues, we’ll not only shrink the deficit, but build a strong sustainable 21st century economy.All of these measures address your dollar stability question. The President has often said that the value of our currency in the international market ultimately reflects the strength of our economy and the soundness of our policies. The fact that the dollar remains the dominant currency amidst the economic turmoil both here and abroad is, in this regard, a real vote of confidence in our economy and our policies. In the same spirit, United States Treasury Bonds continue to be among the safest investments in the world.
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Continuing in the transparent tradition of the White House Forum on Health Reform and the Regional Forums that followed, watch another discussion with key stakeholders streamed at WhiteHouse.gov/live. It will be a diverse group of stakeholders, from businesspeople to insurers to health professionals, sharing their views with Counselor to the President and Director of the White House Office of Health Reform Nancy-Ann DeParle.
- Watch the live-stream >> [UPDATE: The event has concluded]
Rebecca Adelman of HHS live-blogs the event below:
12:20: Nancy-Ann DeParle, who has spent the entire meeting listening to the diverse constituencies gathered at the White House, closes the meeting and urges all present to stay involved and stay in touch. She says, "we will need all of you" as the health reform details are fleshed out in the coming days.11:58: Trevor Fetter from Tenet highlights the problems many insured Americans have when they need treatment in hospitals, but don't understand their insurance plans well enough to know of the financial burdens they may take on from their hospital stays. He says we often talk about the uninsured, but we can't forget about those who are insured but who still struggle to afford their medical treatment.
11:40: Brook Lehmann with Family Voices is speaking about health care for children. She makes the point that the CHIP law is a phenomenal achievement, but it doesn't stop there. She is concerned that if children don't have adequate access to care, then the insurance card is meaningless. She suggests that underserved children are best reached at their schools.
11:25: The meeting is tackling complicated issues at an impressive clip. Several participants have brought up the importance of educating patients about their choices for end of life care. Hospice care is being cited frequently as an option that would help reduce costs for the government and for families.
11:07: Dr. Susan Kelly, President of Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, is giving a passionate presentation about the state of the health care system in southern Los Angeles. She notes that for over 1.5 million people there is one hospital, and that the average person in southern LA spends under a dollar each year on health care because so few people receive treatment. She is urging that the health reform conversation speak to the shortage of affordable care in communities like these.
10:53: There is a consensus at the meeting that we need to find ways to prevent illness before people even step into a health clinic. Ken Thorpe from the Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease says the case for health reform is obvious. He says we need to redesign the delivery model for the treatment of chronic disease and implement innovative prevention programs for schools and communities.
10:33: Electronic medical records are a hot topic at the meeting as a way to reduce costs. One participant says that a lot of America does not understand what "wiring" health care means. Dr. Mayer with the Society of Thoracic Surgeons says there is a big appetite for this to be developed in a way that is best for the patient. He points to his pen and says, this instrument still controls much of what we do in medicine, and we can do better.
10:23: Now the participants are going around the table to introduce themselves. It's a diverse crowd with a lot of valuable insights on this complicated issue. Nancy-Ann first calls on two small business owners who both are struggling to pay the health care premiums for their employees, some of whom have chronic illnesses that require expensive treatment. They both say that the costs are unsustainable for their businesses.
10:14: Nancy-Ann DeParle opens the meeting by citing the President's promise at his Congressional Address in February - that health reform cannot wait, must not wait, will not wait another year. She says she wants to discuss the President's principles for the health reform plan, and hear how the leaders around the table agree or disagree with the ideas he has laid out.
10:02: Nearly 30 key stakeholders in the health reform effort are gathering around a large table on the third floor of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building. White House Office of Health Reform Director Nancy-Ann DeParle is going to arrive any minute and will facilitate a conversation with the group of insurance industry executives, business leaders, health professionals and advocates about the reform effort.
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