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 The website is no longer updated and links to external websites and some internal pages may not work.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:
From helping dedicate the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate in Boston, to making a historic announcement on Iran from the Rose Garden, the President had a productive week. See more in our Week in Review.
This week, the President made a historic announcement on Iran, helped dedicate the new Edward M. Kennedy Institute in Boston, granted 22 commutations for those impacted by unjust and outdated drug sentencing laws, traveled to Louisville to see a job training program in action, and held a roundtable in Utah about the importance of solar energy.
Find out more about the past week in our latest weekly wrap-up.
Preventing Iran from Acquiring a Nuclear Weapon
In November 2013, the P5+1 and Iran took an important first step toward that goal with the Joint Plan of Action (JPOA), which halted the progress of Iran’s program and rolled back it back in key areas for the first time in nearly a decade. The IAEA has verified that Iran has met all of its obligations under the JPOA.
On Thursday, after many months of principled diplomacy building on the JPOA, we have achieved a framework for a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
Full video: President Obama delivers a statement on #IranTalks: http://t.co/e94eTqLJNO
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) April 2, 2015
Learn more about the President's Iran deal.
Dedicating the Edward M. Kennedy Institute
On Monday, the President, Vice President, and First Lady traveled to Boston to celebrate the opening of the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the United States Senate. Calling Senator Kennedy a friend to whom he owed a lot, President Obama delivered a speech paying tribute to the late Senator's accomplishments. The President also acknowledged the many ways in which the Institute would impact future generations and carry on Sen. Kennedy’s legacy.
Granting Commutations to 22 Individuals
On Tuesday, President Obama granted 22 commutations to individuals serving time in federal prison. The President's action underscores his commitment to bring increased fairness and equality to our justice system. Had these people been sentenced under current laws and policies, many of them would have already served their time. However, they were convicted under outdated sentencing and served more years than would be required under current law. In addition to granting commutation, the President also penned a letter to each individual to encourage them to make good choices moving forward.
President Obama just sent 22 people this letter. Here's why he's giving them a 2nd chance → http://t.co/QO11L23x1j pic.twitter.com/3SmaP7vo7Q
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) March 31, 2015
Promoting Innovative Job Training Programs
President Obama traveled to Louisville, Kentucky yesterday to discuss how high-quality job-training programs are critical to the growth of our nation’s economy. In fact, more than half a million current job openings are in the tech industry. While in Louisville, the President toured InDatus, a technology company that supports innovative job training programs.
Watch the President’s remarks and learn more about InDatus:
Traveling to Utah to Talk Solar
Today, President Obama visited Hill Air Force Base in Salt Lake City, Utah to host a roundtable conversation on clean energy -- and to tour the solar installations located on the base. The President’s visit was focused on how we can continue to reduce carbon pollution, harness the power of clean energy, and create good-paying American jobs. To build on the progress that we've already seen, the President announced several new initiatives with a focus on veterans.
Watch the President's remarks from Utah and learn more about his new solar initiatives.
For more of the week's highlights, watch our special five-year anniversary edition of West Wing Week:
Want to stay up-to-date on what's going on at the White House on any given day? Make sure you're receiving our Daily Snapshot.
