The Final State of the Union
This is historical material “frozen in time”. The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.
Summary:
This week, the President cheered on and congratulated Team USA; we saw a promising jobs report; the President talked about planes, trains, and automobiles in a speech on infrastructure and the economy; and the Vice President reflected on the 50th anniversary of Civil Rights Act.
Happy Independence Day, everyone!
This week, President Obama cheered on and congratulated the U.S. men's soccer team; we saw a promising jobs report for June; the President talked about planes, trains, and automobiles in a speech on infrastructure and the economy; and the Vice President reflected on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act.
Check out what else you may have missed in this week's wrap up.
52 Months, 9.7 Million Jobs
Yesterday's jobs report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that private-sector employment has increased for 52 straight months — the longest such streak on record. Over that time, businesses have added 9.7 million jobs, and the 1.4 million jobs added in the first half of this year are the most in any first half since 1999.
Find out more about the latest jobs numbers here.
50 Years Later
In the latest installment of our audio series Being Biden, the Vice President reflected on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act, and shared a photo of himself with Representative John Lewis, Jesse Jackson, and other leaders of the civil rights movement.
Vice President Biden reminds us that, as we celebrate the Fourth of July, we must also celebrate and remember the struggles of a generation that pushed to make the Declaration of Independence's inalienable rights — of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" — a reality for all Americans.
"You guys did us proud."
Over the past few weeks, the U.S. men's national soccer team captured the attention of the nation during this year's World Cup. Their run came to a heartbreaking end on Tuesday, however, as they fell to Belgium in extra time.
President Obama got in on the action, watching the game against Belgium in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building with White House staff.
President Obama believes. #LetsWinThisThing #USA https://t.co/lzWxezTyno
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 1, 2014
The following day, President Obama called team captain Clint Dempsey and goalkeeper Tim Howard to commend them on their team's performance during the World Cup.
POTUS Talks Infrastructure and the Economy
The Highway Trust Fund — which helps build and repair roads, bridges, and other infrastructure projects across the country — is in danger of running out by the end of the summer. This would jeopardize nearly 700,000 American jobs, and hurt us on a global scale. Continuing to fund infrastructure projects should be a no-brainer, but House Republicans are refusing to act.
President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the economy at the Georgetown Waterfront Park in Washington, D.C. July 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)
"It’s not crazy, it’s not socialism. It’s not the imperial presidency -- no laws are broken. We’re just building roads and bridges like we’ve been doing for the last, I don’t know, 50, 100 years."
Watch the President's remarks on infrastructure and the economy.
"It's just politics. Plain and simple."
In the Rose Garden on Monday, President Obama reiterated his commitment to immigration reform and reproached House Republicans for their unwillingness to confront this important issue.
"Their argument seems to be that because the system's broken, we shouldn't make an effort to fix it. It makes no sense. It's not on the level. It's just politics. Plain and simple."
