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Read all posts from August 2013
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This Wednesday will mark 50 years since Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic “I Have a Dream” speech at the base of the Lincoln Memorial; a moment which served to punctuate a movement that changed America.
To honor this occasion, President Obama will be joined Wednesday, August 28th, by President Jimmy Carter and President Bill Clinton, members of the King family and other civil rights leaders and luminaries at the Let Freedom Ring Commemoration and Call to Action event at the Lincoln Memorial, to commemorate Dr. King’s soaring speech and the 1963 March on Washington.
As we mark this important anniversary, we reflect on what the Civil Rights Movement has meant for the country, and perhaps most importantly, the hard work that lies ahead as we continue to pursue the ideals laid out by Dr. King, and sought by the hundreds of thousands of Americans who marched through our nation’s capital fifty years ago.
This event is open to the public. Doors open at 9:00 AM, for an 11:00 AM program start on Wednesday, August 28th at the Lincoln Memorial. Guests arriving after 12:00 PM are not guaranteed admittance. In order to access the venue, you must enter from the east side of the Reflecting Pool, on 17th street, near the World War II Memorial.
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Attorney General Eric Holder speaks at the National Action to Realize the Dream March, August 24, 2013. (Justice Department photo by Lonnie Tague)
Ed. note: This is part of a series of blog posts written by Administration officials in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the historic March on Washington. Read more here.
It was an honor to speak at the National Action to Realize the Dream March this morning to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the March on Washington.
Fifty years ago, Dr. King shared his dream with the world and described his vision for a society that offered, and delivered, the promise of equal justice under the law. He assured his fellow citizens that this goal was within reach - so long as they kept faith with one another, and maintained the courage and commitment to work toward it.
And he urged them to do just that. By calling for no more - and no less - than equal justice. By standing up for the civil rights to which everyone is entitled. And by speaking out - in the face of hatred and violence, in defiance of those who sought to turn them back with fire hoses, bullets, and bombs - for the dignity of a promise kept; the honor of a right redeemed; and the pursuit of a sacred truth that’s been woven through our history since this country’s earliest days: that all are created equal.
Those who marched on Washington in 1963 had taken a long and difficult road - from Montgomery, to Greensboro, to Birmingham; through Selma and Tuscaloosa. They marched - in spite of animosity, oppression, and brutality - because they believed in the greatness of what this nation could become and despaired of the founding promises not kept. Their focus, at that time, was the sacred and sadly unmet commitments of the American system as it applied to African Americans.
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In his weekly address, President Obama notes that while college education has never been more important, it has also never been more expensive, which is why he proposed major new reforms this week to make college more affordable for middle class families and those fighting to get into the middle class.
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President Obama went to Lackawanna College in Vice President Biden's hometown of Scranton, Pennsylvania for the final stop of his college affordability bus tour. After an introduction from the VP, the President talked about his plan to shake up the current system and make higher education more affordable for middle class families.
Rethinking how we pay for higher education isn't just an intellectual exercise. The President explained why:
If you get some kind of higher education -- whether it’s a 2-year degree, a 4-year degree, a technical college -- you’re more likely to have a job. You're more likely to see your income going up. More than ever before, some form of higher education is the surest path into the middle class, and the surest path that you stay there.
That's why ensuring that a good education stays within reach is a cornerstone of the President's better bargain for the middle class.
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August 23, 2013
06:40 PM EDTA Better Bargain for Students: President Obama hit the road on Thursday for a two-day bus tour in New York and Pennsylvania to share his plan to make college more affordable. The President stressed the importance of ensuring that higher education pays off for students and their families:
“Too many students are facing a choice that they should never have to make: Either they say no to college and pay the price for not getting a degree -- and that's a price that lasts a lifetime -- or you do what it takes to go to college, but then you run the risk that you won’t be able to pay it off because you've got so much debt.”
President Obama also shared his own story about college loans in an email to White House subscribers. If you didn’t receive it, be sure to sign up for future updates.
Meet Sunny: The Obamas welcomed home a new member of their family, a Portuguese water dog named Sunny! The new puppy is settling into the White House and is expected to take on many family projects, just like her big brother Bo has.
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Yesterday at the University of Buffalo, as part of his plan to offer a better bargain for the middle class, President Obama announced an ambitious new agenda to combat rising college costs, make college more affordable, and improve value for students and their families. As the President said in his speech, just tinkering around the edges won’t be enough. If we’re really serious about making sure that all qualified students have access to a quality and affordable college education, we have to fundamentally rethink how higher education is paid for in this country, shake up the system and build on innovation.
Reaching these goals will be a team effort with Congress, the President, colleges and universities, states and students all doing their part. And while the proposals the President laid out are bold and may not be popular with those who benefit from the status quo – we believe they are achievable. In fact many of the reforms the President put forth are built on innovative efforts already being put in place by university systems and campuses across the country, and many have bipartisan roots in the governors and lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who have been leaders in state efforts to promote competition and increase transparency.
Here’s a look at some of the initial reviews coming in from the higher education community and other stakeholders:
Muriel A. Howard, President of The American Association of State Colleges and Universities: “AASCU is very pleased that President Obama is continuing his commitment to the issue of college affordability, a concern of on-going relevance to us and our members… our goals are the same: to provide students with access to a quality, affordable education and to ensure that they succeed. Their success is America’s future.”
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association: “The Association Of State Higher Education Executive Officers is fully committed to increasing educational attainment in the United States and applauds the aims of the of the Obama Administration’s initiatives to improve the adequacy and effectiveness of federal student financial assistance programs and to foster innovation to enhance student learning.”
Peter McPherson, President, Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities: “I am pleased to see President Obama continue his commitment to strengthening our higher education system to help ensure that students and families get the best value for their tuition dollars.
National Council of La Raza President Janet Murguía: “We welcome the positive steps that the president has taken today to help rein in the cost of going to college… we look forward to working with the White House to implement some of the ideas discussed today, and we urge Congress—which also must act—to come to an agreement on legislation that will help mitigate the costs of obtaining higher education for our nation’s young people.”
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Today, the White House is meeting with a group of African leaders to discuss the benefits of commonsense immigration reform for African immigrant communities. The meeting coincides with this weekend’s festivities marking the anniversary of Dr. King’s historic March on Washington. 50 years later, his words still resonate with those fighting for more equitable, just treatment of immigrant families. This forum presents an opportunity to celebrate African immigrant communities and their contributions to this country while reaffirming a shared commitment to fixing our broken immigration system. Together, we acknowledge that there is still more work to be done in defense of the American Dream.
African leaders represent a vital part of the growing coalition in favor of immigration reform. Their support is crucial to the Administration’s efforts to improve the system and better meet the needs of immigrants from African countries, one of the fastest growing immigrant groups in the United States, with more than 1 million obtaining U.S. permanent residence since 2000. These immigrants use multiple pathways to enter the United States. From parents reuniting with children, to refugees fleeing persecution, to immigrant entrepreneurs creating jobs, these individuals make rich contributions to our Nation’s growth. That is why African immigrant communities would benefit from commonsense immigration reforms that would reunite families, strengthen protections under the refugee and asylum programs, legalize those who are living in the shadows, and increase avenues for employment for African graduate students and entrepreneurs.
To highlight the many other ways in which modernizing our immigration laws would positively impact the African immigrant community, I am pleased to announce that the White House is releasing a fact sheet on the benefits of immigration reform for African immigrants and refugees.
The Senate passed a bipartisan immigration reform bill in June that creates an earned path to citizenship, continues to strengthen border security, holds employers accountable, and streamlines the legal immigration system for families, workers, and employers. The Congressional Budget Office and other entities have found that providing earned citizenship for undocumented immigrant workers would increase their wages and, over 10 years, boost U.S. GDP by $1.4 trillion, increase total income for all Americans by $791 billion, generate $184 billion in additional state and federal tax revenue from currently undocumented immigrants, and add about 2 million jobs to the U.S. economy. The White House has also released a series of reports that make the economic case for immigration reform.
Now is the time for the House to act so immigrants from Africa and many other countries that make up this great nation can continue to contribute to our society and economy.
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President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, during the college affordability bus tour in Buffalo, N.Y., Aug. 22, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Yesterday, as part of his plan to deliver a better bargain for the middle class, President Obama kicked off a two-day bus tour across New York and Pennsylvania in which he announced an ambitious agenda to tackle rising college costs, make college more affordable, and improve value for students and families.
In his first stop at the University at Buffalo, the President laid out the three key steps that we need to take to ensure that college remains affordable and a viable ladder of economic opportunity for the middle class and those working to get there. First, connect financial aid to school performance, second support academic innovation and finally, keep the cost of higher education within the reach of all young Americans.
Here is a small sample of the coverage that the President’s plan has received across the country:
AL – The Birmingham News (Underwood): New Obama college affordability plan would tie federal aid to the school’s educational value -- A new plan being proposed by President Barack Obama Thursday would rate the educational value of colleges and tie their value to federal aid offered to students, essentially paying colleges for better performance, the White House revealed Thursday. The plan would address rising college tuition costs have increased over 250 percent in the past three decades. Under the proposal, borrowers would be allowed to cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of their monthly income. The college rating system would tie aid to the college’s affordability, the number of students on Pell grants, and the college’s ability to produce outcomes, such as graduates with degrees, earnings of graduates, and other factors. LINK
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August 23, 2013
01:40 PM EDTToday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan and Sal Khan, the founder of Khan Academy, joined a Google+ Hangout to discuss education in the United States. Secretary Duncan and Khan answered questions submitted via Facebook and tweets with the hashtag #DuncanKhan.
In the hangout, Secretary Duncan reinforced the importance of making higher education more affordable and accessible for American families.
“At a time when going to college has never been more important, unfortunately it has never been more expensive,” Duncan said. “And so we have to work together to drive down costs. We have to have much greater transparency and help young people and their families make better choices.”
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What a year it’s been! Since that first exciting day, we’ve opened up seven more code repositories on GitHub (usually called “repos”), as well as several projects on Drupal.org too. In addition to the software for We The People, we’ve open sourced the White House’s official mobile apps, several Drupal modules, and even our API standards documentation.
Of course one of the great things about open-source software is that anyone who wants to build something similar, or improve an existing application, can make a copy for themselves (known as “forking”) and even send us their improvements (called a “pull request”). And we really hope you’ll take advantage of that.
Get started at our developers page, where you can get information on how you can take part in all of our open source and open data initiatives.
And you won’t be alone. Over the past year, our repos have been forked more than 500 times, and we’ve taken nearly a dozen pull requests as we continuously work on improving the quality and re-usability of these applications as publicly and transparently as we can. In fact we’ve even hosted a couple of hackathons right here at The White House (hint: Follow @WHWeb on twitter to find out about future events like these).
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Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, Bo took on the important role of big brother, the President honored the undefeated, 1972 Miami Dolphins at the White House, and laid out fundamental reforms that would bring real change to the way that we pay for college education in this country during a two-day bus tour in New York. That's August 16th to August 22nd or "The Welcome Sunny, Back-to-School, Make College Affordable Edition."
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President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York, during the college affordability bus tour in Buffalo, N.Y., Aug. 22, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Today, President Obama traveled to the University at Buffalo, the State University of New York to announce his plan to combat the soaring costs of higher education. The speech, the first stop on a two-day college affordability bus tour, is a part of his broader initiative to secure a better bargain for middle class families.
In his remarks, the President Obama laid out three steps to ensure that college remains within reach for all young people: connect financial aid to school performance, support academic innovation and competition, and make college affordable. President Obama said:
At a time when a higher education has never been more important or more expensive, too many students are facing a choice that they should never have to make: Either they say no to college and pay the price for not getting a degree -- and that's a price that lasts a lifetime -- or you do what it takes to go to college, but then you run the risk that you won’t be able to pay it off because you've got so much debt.
In his speech, President Obama said we need to start rating colleges on their value to students. “It is time to stop subsidizing schools that are not producing good results, and reward schools that deliver for American students and our future,” he said.
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Today, President Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan are hitting the road to discuss a new plan to combat rising college costs and make college affordable for American families. Tomorrow from the White House, Secretary Duncan will join a virtual conversation with Sal Khan, founder of Khan Academy, to talk about the future of education and steps we can ensure all Americans have access to a high quality education.
Khan Academy is an organization on a mission with the goal of changing education for the better by providing a free world-class education for anyone anywhere. The website provides a library of free education resources, including more than 100,000 Math practice problems and over 4,500 videos covering topics from K-12 math to finance and history.
We hope you’ll join the conversation with Sal and Secretary Duncan. Here’s how you get involved:
- Right now, you can ask questions for Secretary Duncan on Twitter with the hashtag #DuncanKhan and on the Khan Academy facebook page.
- Tomorrow, Friday, August 23rd, watch the full interview on KhanAcademy.org and at WhiteHouse.gov
Learn more about the President’s plan to make college more affordable.
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President Barack Obama delivers remarks on interest rates on student loans at the University of Colorado Coors Event Center in Boulder, Colo., April 24, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
Ed. Note: At 11:05 a.m. ET tomorrow, the President will discuss his plan to make college more affordable at the University at Buffalo. You can watch his remarks live at wh.gov/a-better-bargain.
A college education continues to be the ticket to the middle class. More and more, well-paying jobs require education or training after high school. But, despite President Obama's historic investments in college affordability since taking office, the cost of college has been growing out of reach for decades, and students and their families are taking on more of the costs.
This week, President Obama will be on the road to talk about an ambitious new agenda to make college more affordable, tackle rising costs, and improve value for students and their families. Back at the White House, senior staff will be on hand to answer your questions on Twitter.
Have questions about the President's plan? Tomorrow, Thursday, August 22nd at 1:00 p.m. ET join us for a session of White House Office Hours with Deputy Communications Director Katie Beirne-Fallon and Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council James Kvaal. During a live Q&A on Twitter they will answer your questions about President Obama's plan to keep the cost of college within reach for middle-class families.
Here are the details:
- Ask your questions now and during the live event on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat
- Follow the Q&A live through the @WHLive and @Katie44 Twitter accounts
- If you miss the live Q&A, the full session will be posted on WhiteHouse.gov and Storify.com/WhiteHouse
Take a few minutes to learn more about the President's plan, and then join us for Office Hours on Twitter with Katie Beirne-Fallon and James Kvaal on Thursday, August 22nd at 1:00 p.m. ET.
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President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the National Conference on Mental Health in the East Room of the White House, June 3, 2013. Standing with the President, from left, are: Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Last June, the President hosted the National Conference on Mental Health to talk about how we can raise awareness of mental health issues and make it easier for Americans of all ages to reach out and get help. The President’s Fiscal Year 2014 Budget proposal includes a strong focus on mental health by investing in helping teachers and other adults recognize the signs of mental illness in students and referring them to help if needed; supporting innovative state-based programs to improve mental health outcomes for young people ages 16-to-25; and helping to train 5,000 additional mental health professionals with an emphasis on serving students and young adults.
Dr. Howard Koh, Assistant Secretary for Health for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; Christen Linke-Young, Director of Coverage Policy in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Office of Health Reform; Pamela Hyde, Administrator of the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; and Stephanie Valencia, Special Assistant to the President and Principal Deputy Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement discuss the Affordable Care Act and mental health at the White House, August 21, 2013.
But we know that it’s not enough. If we’re going to help more Americans seek treatment, we also need to make sure they have coverage when they do. That is why implementation of the Affordable Care Act is a major focus of our mental health agenda. Today, health care providers, mental health advocates, and individuals who have personally experienced mental illness came to the White House to talk about the intersection of two important Presidential priorities: the Affordable Care Act and mental health. The gathering focused on the mental health benefits in the health care law and what we all can do to help Americans get the affordable health care coverage – including mental health care coverage – they need.
The Affordable Care Act is already helping to make health care more accessible and affordable for American families. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act:
- 71 million privately insured people have gained improved coverage for preventive services
- 105 million Americans have had lifetime limits removed from their insurance
- 3.1 million young adults have gained insurance through their parents’ plans, and
- Over 6.6 million people with Medicare have saved over $7 billion in prescription drug discounts.
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August 21, 2013
01:50 PM EDTEd. note: This is crossposted from hhs.gov/healthcare. See the original post here.
Recently, I traveled to Oakland, California, to participate in a town hall about how the Affordable Care Act is improving health and strengthening communities - especially communities of color that have long faced disparities in health and health care.
As the event was coming to a close, a woman in the audience stood up and asked if she could read a letter from her daughter. Her daughter hadn't been able to attend the event, she told us, but wanted to share her story with everyone.
She had started college a few years later than most, at the age of 22. During her freshman year, she was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis - a devastating discovery. But there was one source of relief: thanks to the health care law's provision enabling young people to stay on their parents' health insurance until the age of 26, she was able to stay on her parents' health plan, access the treatment that she needed, and continue her studies. And even though she has since turned 26, the opening of the new Health Insurance Marketplace - and the law's ban on discrimination due to pre-existing conditions - will provide her with new opportunities to secure affordable coverage.
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August 21, 2013
10:27 AM EDTThis live event has concluded. Watch the "We the Geeks" Hangout below or on YouTube and stay tuned for upcoming Hangouts. You can join the conversation on Twitter with the hashtag #WeTheGeeks.
Right now, there are brilliant students from all over the world sitting in classrooms at our top universities. They’re earning degrees in the fields of the future, like engineering and computer science. But once they finish school, once they earn that diploma, there’s a good chance they’ll have to leave our country. Think about that…We’re giving them all the skills they need, then we’re going to turn around and tell them to start that business and create those jobs in China or India or Mexico or someplace else? That’s not how you grow new industries in America. That’s how you give new industries to our competitors. That’s why we need comprehensive immigration reform.
-President Obama at Del Sol High School, Las Vegas, NV, January 29, 2013
Diversity is one of America’s greatest assets. Attracting the broadest possible set of perspectives, skills, and ideas to our shores is critical to creating jobs, growing the economy, and keeping America on the cutting-edge of innovation. That’s why commonsense immigration reform is so important to the science, technology, and innovation community – and it’s why we need to ensure that “geeks” from around the world continue to make America their mothership.
Join us this Friday, August 23, at 12:00 pm EDT for a “We the (Immigrant) Geeks” Google+ Hangout on “Making the U.S. a Geek Magnet” – where you can meet extraordinary immigrant pioneers with backgrounds in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), who have made amazing discoveries, developed new inventions, founded high-growth companies, and conducted remarkable research. The individuals listed below will share their personal stories and perspectives on why paving the way for future foreign-born innovators is essential to keeping America globally competitive and keeping the Nation’s science and technology enterprise on the cutting-edge. And you can share your stories via Twitter using the hashtag #WeTheGeeks.
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August 20, 2013
05:15 PM EDT
President Barack Obama delivers remarks during a ceremony honoring the 1972 Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins in the East Room of the White House, Aug. 20, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
When the Miami Dolphins took to the field at the Los Angeles Coliseum on January 14, 1973, history was on the line. After winning every game so far in the season, that Super Bowl Sunday, the Dolphins swept past the Washington Redskins in Super Bowl VII with a 14-7 victory to clinch the championship. With two touchdowns and extra point conversions, the Dolphins became the first team in the NFL to have a perfect season. Now, 40 years after the Dolphins first donned their Super Bowl rings, they remain the only undefeated team in NFL history.
Today in the East Room, President Obama welcomed the 1973 Super Bowl Champion Miami Dolphins to the White House to celebrate their accomplishment. It did not become common practice for Super Bowl champions to visit the White House until after 1980, and President Obama was able to take advantage of past presidents’ missed opportunity.
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Today, President Obama sent the message below to the White House email list to explain why he'll be on the road this week talking about his plan to make college more affordable. If you didn't get the email, be sure to sign up.
Hello, everybody --
Michelle and I know exactly how tough it can be to pay for higher education. By the time we finished paying back the loans we took out to go to college and grad school, I was on my way to being a U.S. Senator.
I believe that anyone who works hard should have the same opportunities that our educations gave us. That's why, as President, I've made it a personal mission to make higher education more affordable -- and why I'm going to be visiting school campuses later this week.
Learn more about why this is the time to take action.
The facts are clear. Over the past three decades, the average tuition at a public four-year college has more than tripled. At the same time, many state governments are actually reducing their support for education, and many middle-class students are getting stuck with the tab. Today, the average student taking out loans to pay for education graduates with more than $26,000 in debt.
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August 20, 2013
04:00 PM EDTAmerica has always been a nation of immigrants, and throughout the nation’s history, immigrants and visitors from around the globe have kept our workforce vibrant, our businesses on the cutting edge, and helped to build the greatest economic engine in the world. However, America’s immigration system is broken and has not kept pace with changing times. Our outdated immigration system has hindered our ability to attract legitimate international travelers and the best foreign workers. This isn’t good for the economy or the country. This is why Congress needs to pass comprehensive reform to fix our broken immigration system: doing so would go a long way to grow our economy, create jobs and improve America’s ability to compete for the best global talent.
Today, we are highlighting another economic benefit of commonsense immigration reform: a boost to U.S. travel and tourism.
Travel and tourism, which is the number one service that we export and a key source of job creation, is reliant on a modern immigration system that allows us to efficiently welcome legitimate international visitors to America.
In 2012, international travel and tourism resulted in $165.6 billion in exports and the entire U.S. tourism and travel industry accounted for $1.4 trillion in economic activity and supported nearly 8 million jobs. That’s a contribution to the U.S. GDP and the job force that we should make every effort to grow.
In fact, this momentum has continued, the leisure and hospitality sector has created more than 450,000 jobs in the past twelve months. And tourism spending continues to be a key driver of economic growth for a number of regions throughout the country.
