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 The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.

Search form

Weekly Wrap Up: Preparing for the State of the Union

Summary: 
Weekly Wrap Up: State of the Union Next Week, Call to Action to End Rape and Sexual Assault, The First Lady and Athletes Pile on the Veggies, Big Block of Cheese Day and Mayors Conference.

State of the Union Next Week: Next Tuesday, January 28 is President Obama’s 5th State of the Union address. This year, while the President is speaking at the Capitol, you can view an enhanced version of the speech on WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU, share exclusive graphics and tune in to hear White House official’s reactions immediately following the address.

In honor of the upcoming State of the Union address, President Obama’s speechwriter Cody Kennan, Valerie Jarrett, Senior Advisor to the President, and Director of the Domestic Policy Council Cecilia Muñoz  took over the White House Instagram account this week in order to give followers a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into the making of the speech.

Later next week, the President will take part in the first-ever Google+ virtual road trip to discuss the issues and policies he laid out in his speech. Want to be a part of this event? Click here to find out how you can submit a question to the President.

Call to Action to End Rape and Sexual Assault: On Wednesday, the President and Vice President spoke on the urgent need for new measures to protect students from sexual assault. Studies show that about one in five women is a survivor of attempted or completed sexual violence while in college. “This is a priority for me not only as President and Commander-in-Chief, but as a husband and a father of two extraordinary girls,” the President said. In order to address these alarming statistics, the President signed a Presidential Memorandum establishing the “White House Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault.”

I’ve often said in my travels around the world: You can judge a nation, and how successful it will be, based on how it treats its women and its girls. Those nations that are successful, they're successful in part because women and girls are valued. And I’m determined that, by that measure, the United States of America will be the global leader.

Read the President’s full remarks here.

The First Lady and Athletes Pile on the Veggies: The First Lady was joined by athletes and local children at a D.C. Subway restaurant on Thursday to announce Subways’ commitment to market healthier choices to kids. Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps, Olympic gymnast Nastia Liukin, and New York Giants player Justin Tuck were on hand to show kids that piling on the veggies doesn’t have to be a tough choice. “I don’t know how many kids are athletes here, or who are dancers, who are movers, who want to do something important with their bodies -- what you eat, what you put into it makes a huge difference,” the First Lady said.

On Tuesday, Let’s Move! released a PSA of the First Lady and members of the Miami Heat that highlights the importance of eating healthy and drinking water. Make sure to check out how LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, and Ray Allen eat healthy. If you haven’t already, check out this awesome gif and watch the video.

Big Block of Cheese Day: Fan of The West Wing? Next Wednesday, January 29th the White House will be hosting “Big Block of Cheese Day” – just like they did in President Jackson’s day. In homage to President Jackson keeping the White House “The People’s House,” we are hosting the first-ever virtual “Big Block of Cheese Day,” as a way to let citizens interact with White House officials in real-time on social media. Be sure to stay tuned for a complete schedule of events.

Mayors Conference: On Thursday, the President was joined by more 250 mayors from around the country who participated in the 82nd winter meeting of the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The President spoke on the importance of working together to impact people’s lives. “Hard work can transform communities block by block, neighborhood by neighborhood,” he said. “And to see the resilience and the strength of people, and the incredible vibrancy that cities bring to not just those who live within the boundaries of cities but entire regions, that's what you understand. And I want to make sure that I've got your back in everything that you do.