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Weekly Wrap Up: Engage!

Summary: 
Here's a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov.

Watch the West Wing Week here.

Here's a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

President Obama Speaks to Troops at Fort Bliss: Last Friday, two years after his visit to Fort Bliss that marked the end of the combat mission in Iraq, President Obama returned to speak to the troops.

Now, when I was here last, I made you a pledge. I said that, as President, I will insist that America serves you and your families as well as you've served us. And there again, I meant what I said. Because part of ending wars responsibly is caring for those who fought in it. That’s why I wanted to come back to Bliss on this anniversary to reaffirm our solemn obligations to you and your families. You see, we may be turning a page on a decade of war, but America's responsibilities to you have only just begun.

Watch the video of President Obama speaking to troops at Fort Bliss, and read more about his visit.

President Obama Meets with Victims of Hurricane Isaac: On Monday, President Obama visited St. John’s Parish in Louisiana to understand the damage from Hurricane Isaac and meet with officials responding to the disaster. The President highlighted the “extraordinary work” done by local first responders who worked around the clock to rescue residents stranded by high water in a place that hadn't flooded in 17 years.

"Some of the folks that we just walked by literally had to be saved by boat. They were in their homes, trapped. The waters came in so quickly," he said. "But because of the great work of law enforcement, National Guard, Coast Guard, making sure that folks were out in rescue mode rapidly, even in some cases at risk of their own lives, no lives were lost."

Learn more about the President’s visit in Louisiana.

White House Beer Recipe: Over the weekend, Chef Sam Kass released the much anticipated White House beer recipes. After a lot of online buzz and a popular petition on We the People, the White House’s online petition platform, the White House decided to give America the White House Honey Ale and the White House Honey Porter recipes. Check out the behind the scenes of the home-brewing process.

White House Mobile App: On Tuesday, we announced some big changes to the way you connect with the White House. With the growing reliance on tablets and smart phones as well as demand for mobile access, we’ve relaunched the entire White House mobile program, making it even easier to see what's going on at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

First, we revamped the mobile version of WhiteHouse.gov, giving it a new look and making more than 99% of the site available to mobile users. We've also released new versions of the White House apps for the iPhone and Android, rebuilding them from the ground up and adding several new features. For the first time, these apps are also fully compatible with the iPad and Android tablets.

Read more about the White Houses’ revamped mobile program and watch a video about the White House app.

Inside the White House: Also this week, White House curator William Allman hosted Office Hours on Twitter, answering questions about the art and history of the White House. During the chat, he discussed who manages the art, the oldest piece in the building, the Obama family’s favorite, and more. Check out the full Q&A and take a tour of the White House yourself through the Google Art project.

3 Million Signatures Later: Recently, We the People crossed the 3 million signature threshold.  The White House launched We the People last year, offering a powerful and simple way to petition the Obama Administration to take action on a range of issues. If a petition gathers enough signatures, policy officials review it and publish an official response. Many times, petitions posted on We the People have a real impact on policy-making. To learn more, check out a couple key facts and figures about the We the People platform, and view a map of petition signatures by location