Ed. Note: Yesterday President Obama honored WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury at the White House. In his remarks, the President congratulated the team on winning their second WNBA title and thanked them for their extraordinary service. The team is committed to serving the Phoenix community -– from putting on basketball camps for children of veterans to collecting clothes for the homeless. Yesterday, the team continued that commitment at the White House by holding a clinic as part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move! initiative to help young people live healthy and active lives. We caught up with Phoenix Mercury point guard Temeka Johnson following her visit. Here is what she had to say:

Today’s experience at the White House is hard to put into words, but if I could use one word, it would be inspiring! My Phoenix Mercury teammates and I were honored by President Obama and his administration for winning the 2009 WNBA Championship. It was a great experience and a moment a lot of us have been waiting for. You play to win championships, but to be honored by our President is a dream come true. This is not a dream that we normally have, but it feels like the icing on the cake. We are all inspired to do it again and get back here this time next year!

Ed. Note: Read more from the Middle Class Task Force.

One of the first pieces of legislation the President signed was the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- watch the video of the historic signing below from just about a week into his term:

Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis gave a great update on the impact of that law on the one-year anniversary, but the Administration's work on women and the workplace has gone well beyond that as a prominent focus of the Council on Women and Girls established by President Obama.  Today, the President talks about next steps in a statement:

Don’t have time to check WH.gov everyday?  That’s ok – we’ve got a new feature to make staying current even easier. Starting today, the White House will offer a brand new weekly email with updates and latest news on the economy and job creation in America.  Each week, we’ll send you the latest economy and jobs related posts from the White House blog as well as a look ahead to what’s on tap for next week. 

You can check out the first edition of the Economy and Jobs Agenda below and sign up to get the weekly updates in your inbox here.  We'll also launch a Energy and Climate Agenda later this week - sign up now.  Look for more topics coming soon.

Today the President and First Lady continue their White House music series with "A Broadway Celebration" to honor the arts and demonstrate the importance of arts education. The White House has consistently looked to support the arts even during these tough times. As the President has said, “the arts are not somehow apart from our national life, the arts are at the heart of our national life.” This evening’s event is the sixth in a series that showcases the music that has shaped and enriched our country – preceded by tributes to jazz, country, Latin, classical and the music of the Civil Rights Movement.

This afternoon, dance students from the local Duke Ellington School of the Arts and the Joy of Motion Dance Center will work with Tony Award winning choreographer Jerry Mitchell on a segment from the Broadway show Hairspray. The youth ensemble will come to the White House to perform in a special dress rehearsal for the First Lady, their parents and teachers, before joining the ranks of some of Broadway’s most prestigious performers.

Starting in September, insurance plans will be required to pay the entire cost of recommended, preventive services.  That means that, without paying a deductible, co-pay or coinsurance, many Americans will be able to take the preventive steps needed to keep themselves and their families healthy.  To help raise awareness about this important issue, The First Lady and Dr. Biden recorded this video message:  

The President blasts Republicans in the Senate who are blocking unemployment insurance and small business tax breaks to create jobs -- even as they push for permanent, massive tax cuts for the richest Americans.

Each year across America, more than 5,000 workers are killed on the job. Another four million are injured, and thousands more will subsequently become ill or die from present day occupational exposures.

Recent tragedies—like the explosions at the Upper Big Branch Mine in West Virginia and aboard the Deepwater Horizon off the Gulf Coast—make that clear.  The news coverage is certainly fostering public awareness of the hazards facing many workers, but every day, countless other workplace injuries and deaths go largely unnoticed.

Shortly after the Upper Big Branch explosion, the President made clear his personal commitment and that of the Administration to honor the victims of this disaster by ensuring justice is served on their behalf and that an accident of this magnitude never happens again.  He told the nation “we owe [those who perished in the UBB disaster] more than prayers.  We owe them action.  We owe them accountability.  We owe them an assurance that when they go to work every day, when they enter that dark mine, they are not alone.  They ought to know that behind them there is a company that’s doing what it takes to protect them, and a government that is looking out for their safety.”

When the President came into office, the scope of the challenges and the change needed to address them seemed overwhelming, and maybe more than Washington could handle.  But one by one, these monstrous challenges are being met, despite fierce opposition from hordes of lobbyists driven by a desire to protect a lucrative status quo and an opposition party driven by politics at any cost.  Indeed, as the President praised final passage of Wall Street Reform today, he was forced to point out that “Already, the Republican leader in the House has called for repeal of this reform.  I would suggest that America can’t afford to go backward and I think that’s how most Americans feel as well.”

With the final version of Wall Street Reform having passed the Senate this afternoon, and the House having passed it weeks ago, the bill now comes to the President’s desk.  The President thanked those in Congress who stood strong, and noted that first and foremost, “Because of this reform, the American people will never again be asked to foot the bill for Wall Street’s mistakes.”  But that is only a part of what reform means for the American people, and only part of what makes this almost universally described as the most sweeping reform of Wall Street since the great depression:

Tomorrow from 10:30 AM EDT to 1 PM EDT, the White House will host a Clean Energy Economy Forum focused on clean energy manufacturing.  Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke will kick off the event with opening remarks followed by two panel discussions focusing on  strategies to advance the development and commercialization of new clean energy technologies, support the creation and growth of emerging industries and small and medium enterprises, promote exports, and train workers for the clean energy economy.

You can watch the forum live tomorrow at WhiteHouse.gov/live.  During the question and answer portion of the panel discussions we’ll be taking some questions from the online audience so submit your questions via Facebook or our webform.