WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Expanding Opportunity for All
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
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EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, March 1, 2014
WHITE HOUSE VIDEO MESSAGE: Expanding Opportunity for All
WASHINGTON, DC – In this week’s message, William A. Ramos, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the Department of Commerce discussed the President’s commitment to expanding opportunity for all Americans. This week, the President launched two new high-tech manufacturing hubs where businesses and universities will partner to turn ground breaking research intro real-world goods Made in America. The President also launched a new competition to build 21st century infrastructure in America to create good construction jobs right here in America. In this year of action, the President will do everything in his power to rebuild an economy where those who work hard can get ahead.
The audio of the address and video of the message is available online HERE.
Remarks of William Ramos
Spanish Weekly Address
The White House
March 1, 2014
Hi everybody, I am William Ramos, Director of Intergovernmental Affairs for Secretary Penny Pritzker at the Department of Commerce.
In the President’s State of the Union Address, he said that the best measure of opportunity is access to a good job. And after the worst recession of our lifetimes, our businesses have created eight and a half million new jobs in the last four years.
But we need to do more to make America a magnet for good jobs for years to come. And in this year of action, where Congress won’t do that, the President will do whatever he can to expand opportunity for more Americans.
Here’s why this is important. In the 2000s alone, we lost more than one-third of all American manufacturing jobs. One in three. And when the housing bubble burst, workers in the construction industry were hit harder than just about anybody. Today, our manufacturers have added more than 620,000 jobs over the last four years. But the economy has changed. If we want to attract more good manufacturing jobs to America, we’ve got to make sure we’re on the cutting edge of new manufacturing technologies and techniques.
That’s why, on Tuesday, the President launched two new high-tech manufacturing hubs – places where businesses and universities will partner to turn groundbreaking research into real-world goods Made in America.
On Wednesday, the President launched a new competition to build 21st century infrastructure – roads and bridges, mass transit, more efficient ports, and faster passenger rail. Rebuilding America won’t just attract new businesses; it will create good construction jobs that can’t be shipped overseas.
Congress could make an even bigger difference in both areas. Thanks to the leadership of a bipartisan group of lawmakers, there’s a bill in Congress right now that would create an entire network of high-tech manufacturing hubs across the country. And next week, the President will send Congress a budget that will rebuild our transportation systems and support millions of jobs nationwide.
There’s a lot we can do if we work together. And the President is going to keep doing everything in his power to rebuild an economy where everyone who works hard has the chance to get ahead – and restore our founding vision of opportunity for all.
Thanks, everybody, and have a great weekend.
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