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![<a href="/blog/2014/11/05/president-obama-its-time-take-care-business">President Obama: "It's Time for Us to Take Care of Business"</a>](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/dentonfracking/20141107023812im_/http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog_featured_content/imagecache/embedded_img_full/image/image_file/p110514ps-0666.jpg?itok=Hr6qF5MT "<a href=\"/blog/2014/11/05/president-obama-its-time-take-care-business\">President Obama: "It's Time for Us to Take Care of Business"</a>")
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President Barack Obama welcomes the Jackie Robinson West All Stars to the Oval Office, Nov. 6, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Earlier this afternoon, the Jackie Robinson West All Stars -- the U.S. champions in this year's Little League World Series -- stopped by the White House for a visit with the President and the First Lady.
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Five years ago, on October 28, 2009, President Obama signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. This landmark civil rights legislation was named after Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old student at the University of Wyoming who was gay, and James Byrd Jr., a 49-year-old African-American man living in Jasper, Texas. Both were brutally murdered in acts of unspeakable intolerance and hate.
The Shepard-Byrd Act, named in their honor, expanded federal hate crimes protections to include sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and disability. The act also removed unnecessary hurdles to prosecuting hate crimes committed because of race, color, or national origin. It also gave the Justice Department new tools for prosecuting criminals and directed new resources to law enforcement agencies so they could better serve their communities. And it has made it possible for more Americans to live freely and openly, reinforcing our nation’s sacred commitment to equality for all.
We were honored to have Matthew’s parents, Judy and Dennis Shepard, and James Byrd Jr.’s sister, Louvon Harris, join us at the White House today to recognize the fifth anniversary of the Shepard-Byrd Act. We were also honored to be joined by Rana Singh Sodhi, the brother of Balbir Singh Sodhi, a peace-loving member of the Sikh faith, believed to be the first murder victim of post-9/11 backlash. This event was an opportunity to recognize how the Shepard-Byrd Act has improved our ability to address hate crimes, and the tremendous amount of work that remains.
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November 06, 2014
06:01 PM ESTEarlier this afternoon, President Obama awarded the Medal of Honor to First Lieutenant Alonzo H. Cushing for his heroic acts of bravery while serving as an artillery commander during the Civil War.
On July 3, 1863, Lieutenant Cushing went above and beyond the call of duty when fighting against Confederate forces. Even after being struck twice, he refused to abandon his command. As a result, his gallant efforts helped open wide gaps in the Union’s line of command.
The Medal of Honor is typically awarded within a few years of the action, but as the President noted, “sometimes even the most extraordinary stories can get lost in the passage of time.” At today's ceremony, the President was joined by more than two dozen of Lieutenant Cushing's family members. Helen Loring Ensign, a cousin twice removed of the Lieutenant, accepted the award on his behalf.
“For this American family, this story isn’t some piece of obscure history -- it is an integral part of who they are. And today, our whole nation shares their pride, and celebrates what this story says about who we are.”
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The United States has allocated considerable resources to the Ebola response — more than any other country — but the President has made clear that we cannot take on this challenge alone. That’s why you’ve seen this Administration reach out to leaders across the globe to build an international coalition that has grown by the day. But beyond the important role that countries large and small play, we’ve been heartened to see the outpouring of support from the private and non-profit sectors.
Hundreds of millions of dollars from individuals, companies, and non-profits have complemented the more than $1.5 billion in contributions from countries around the globe. Just today, in fact, we learned of significant new commitments from two American technology companies: Google and Facebook.
Google today announced that both the company and the Larry Page Family Foundation will each make significant contributions to the Ebola response. For its part, Facebook will leverage the power of its 1.3 billion-strong global network to solicit donations for organizations on the front lines of this fight.
Beyond their monetary contributions, both companies are donating much-needed technology — from communications tools to medical supplies — to enable those on the front lines in the affected countries to mount a more effective response. Facebook’s announcement builds on prior Ebola contributions by the company and its founder, Mark Zuckerberg.
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Earlier today, President Obama sent this message to the White House email list about what's next for his Administration. Didn't get it? Make sure you sign up for email updates here.
Yesterday, millions of Americans cast their ballots. Republicans had a good night, and I congratulate all the candidates who won.
But what stands out to me is that the message Americans sent yesterday is one you've sent for several elections in a row now. You expect the people you elect to work as hard as you do. You expect us to focus on your ambitions -- not ours -- and you want us to get the job done. Period.
I plan on spending every moment of the next two years rolling up my sleeves and working as hard as I can for the American people. This country has made real and undeniable progress in the six years since the 2008 economic crisis. But our work will not be done until every single American feels the gains of a growing economy where it matters most: in your own lives.
While I'm sure we'll continue to disagree on some issues that we're passionate about, I'm eager to work with Congress over the next two years to get the job done. The challenges that lay ahead of us are far too important to allow partisanship or ideology to prevent our progress as a nation.
As we make progress, I'll need your help, too. Over the weeks and months ahead, I'll be looking to Americans like you, asking you to stay engaged.
I am optimistic about our future. Because for all the maps plastered across our screens today, for all the cynics who say otherwise, we are more than a simple collection of red and blue states. We are the United States.
And yesterday, millions of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans, women and men, young and old, black and white -- took the time out of their day to perform a simple, profound act of citizenship. That's something we shouldn't forget amid the din of political commentary. Because making progress starts with showing up.
Let's get to work.
President Barack Obama
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The current Ebola epidemic plaguing West Africa is the deadliest Ebola outbreak in human history.
Since the first cases were reported in March, the U.S. has mounted a large-scale and comprehensive effort to protect the American people here at home while fighting the disease at its source.
Today, the Administration asked Congress to help bolster America’s resources in the fight against Ebola by providing $6.18 billion toward our whole-of-government efforts. The emergency funds will help ensure that we meet both immediate and long-term needs, and that there are resources available to meet the evolving nature of the epidemic.
Here's what you need to know about this request and our response to Ebola:
1. What exactly will the funding be used for?
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Earlier this afternoon, President Obama addressed the White House press corps to discuss the midterm elections and his next steps forward.
"What stands out to me," he said, "is that the American people sent a message, one that they’ve sent for several elections now. They expect the people they elect to work as hard as they do. They expect us to focus on their ambitions and not ours. They want us to get the job done."
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November 05, 2014
06:09 PM ESTAt the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership Summit in Washington, D.C. last week, the Department of Commerce and 11 federal agencies with over $1.3 billion in economic development funding brought together more than 300 people from across the country to share best practices in building local competitiveness and to launch the second round of the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership competition.
The Obama administration launched the Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership initiative in 2013 to build on the momentum in manufacturing we have seen over the last several years. Since February 2010, the manufacturing sector has created over 700,000 jobs and has grown nearly twice as fast as the overall economy. And with weekly hours in manufacturing at their highest since World War II, the sector appears poised for more jobs and growth, helping make the United States more competitive today than it has been in decades.
The Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership is an initiative that aims to spur communities to develop integrated, long-term economic development strategies that sharpen their competitive edge in attracting global manufacturers and their supply chains to our local communities -- increasing investment and creating jobs. Specifically, the program brings together the resources of multiple federal departments and agencies to support strong local economic development plans.
At the first-ever Summit, the 12 communities designated "manufacturing communities" under the first Investing in Manufacturing Communities Partnership national competition shared best practices and an update on the hard work underway in their communities to strengthen manufacturing with other communities looking to grow their own manufacturing sectors.
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First Lady Michelle Obama took to Tumblr for the first time to answer your questions on education as part of her Reach Higher initiative, which aims to inspire every student to take charge of their future and complete their education past high school.
Yesterday, we posted her answers to your questions ranging from "what were some of your struggles as a first generation college student?" and "what do you believe is the most important thing to look for in a college or university?" to "how's Bo doing?"
Check out her answers below, and learn more about the First Lady's initiative and how you can reach higher at WhiteHouse.gov/Reach-Higher. And if you aren't following the White House on Tumblr yet, you can do that here.
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"Ebola is a terrible disease that is causing great devastation in West Africa, and that’s where the help is needed. It’s like fighting a fire. You have to spray the fire extinguisher at the base of the fire, not just at the top of the flames -- or you’ll never put the fire out."
-- Dr. Kent Brantly
Doctors. Engineers. Scientists. Soldiers. Whatever skill they can offer, whatever sacrifice they must make, Americans from across the country are putting themselves on the front lines of the fight against Ebola in West Africa in order to save lives. They’re heroes -- and the people in West Africa need more like them to help ensure we bring an end to this devastating outbreak at its source.
Listen as a few of our health care workers talk about why they're committed to America's mission in West Africa -- then share their voices of courage with your friends and family.
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President Barack Obama holds a women's roundtable discussion prior to remarks on the economy at Rhode Island College in Providence, Rhode Island, Oct. 31, 2014. Labor Secretary Thomas Perez attends at right. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)
Last week, in Providence, President Obama delivered remarks on the importance of empowering women and girls in our economy. “When women succeed, America succeeds, and we need leaders who understand that,” he told the audience at Rhode Island College (RIC).
But before delivering those remarks, I had the pleasure of joining the President and Labor Secretary Tom Perez, for a roundtable with the President of Rhode Island College, local woman business owners, working moms, and an RIC student to discuss what we need to do to ensure that 21st century workplaces meet the needs of our 21st century workforce -- which is increasingly being led by women.
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In this week’s address, the President highlighted the progress our economy is making, and the commonsense policies that could make it even stronger by ensuring that everyone who works hard has the opportunity to get ahead, especially women and working families.
This commitment has been a core part of the President’s Year of Action and a priority since the start of his administration, which is why he has put forth a range of policies that would help women and working families get ahead, from raising the minimum wage, to ensuring equal pay for equal work, to increasing access to high-quality child care and paid family leave. This week’s address follows remarks the President delivered on Friday at Rhode Island College, where he discussed the importance of harnessing our economy’s momentum by making policy choices that will help women and all working parents fully participate in and contribute to our economy.
Transcript | mp4 | mp3
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Today, the President headed to Rhode Island College in Providence to continue his focus on our economy’s progress and how we can build on it by expanding opportunity for women and working families. While there, he sat down with a few working parents, small business owners, students, and faculty for a roundtable discussion about policies that could help working families right now and continue to grow our economy -- and then he delivered remarks on campus.
Here are six quotes you need to read from what he had to say. Take a look, share your favorites, and read his full remarks here.
"Moms and dads deserve a great place to drop their kids off every day that doesn’t cost them an arm and a leg. In many states, sending your child to daycare costs more than sending them to a public university."
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October 31, 2014
04:41 PM ESTThis week at the White House, we explained what "78 cents for every dollar" means, spoke about America’s response to Ebola, and cooked with students in the White House Kitchen. To find out more about other events this week, be sure to check out the rest of the White House blog.
Photo of the Week:
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In September 2009, the President announced that -- for the first time in history -- White House visitor records would be made available to the public on an ongoing basis. Today, the White House released visitor records that were generated in July 2014. This release brings the total number of records made public by this White House to more than 4.05 million -- all of which can be viewed in our Disclosures section.
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Throughout our history, members of our military have put their lives on the line to defend our country and preserve our security. While this requires a tremendous personal sacrifice, it is also important to recognize the unyielding love and support that their families provide every step of the way to make this sacrifice possible. As a proud military mom myself, I know that when you have a family member who is in the military, the whole family serves too.
Last week, I visited the Center for the Intrepid at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, where I had the opportunity to see firsthand how state-of-the art rehabilitation equipment like the FlowRider and zero-gravity treadmills are being incorporated into an innovative rehabilitation process for our wounded soldiers — it is truly remarkable. I also met with service members and military spouses stationed in San Antonio to discuss the challenges that are an inherent part of military life, such as constant relocation and missing family milestones due to deployments.
We have asked a lot of service members and their families over the past decade. They have sacrificed so much on behalf of our country. I am proud to be part of an Administration that has supported our troops, veterans, and their families in historic ways. In April, First Lady Michelle Obama and I announced the unveiling of the Veterans Employment Center, an innovative tool to help veterans and spouses find career opportunities. As of this summer, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have adopted the Military Children’s Interstate Compact, which eases some of the burdens of transitions for military connected kids. And today, in honor of their service, President Obama signed a proclamation to establish November 2014 as Military Family Month.
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We live in a world where women play a foundational role in the strength and growth of our economy.
Today, women are the primary breadwinners in more households than ever before. They're graduating from college and graduate school at higher rates than men, and account for almost half of all students in law, businesses and medical school. From doctors and dentists to managers and scientists, women in today’s world are increasingly entering what were once male-dominated occupations.
And yet, despite decades of progress for women in the workplace, one unfortunate fact remains: Women still earn less than men for the same work. As the President said in Providence, Rhode Island today, "At a time when women are the primary breadwinners in more households than ever, that hurts the whole family if they’re not getting paid fairly."
On average, women who work full-time all year make 78 cents for every dollar a man earns. That gap is even larger for women of color. For African American women, it’s 64 cents, and for Hispanic women, it’s 56 cents.
Take a look at this week’s chart to see how unequal pay persists for hardworking American women:
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Five years ago this month, President Obama signed his Executive Order on Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance, setting new energy, climate, and environmental targets for federal agencies. The targets are aggressive, but under the President’s leadership, agencies have made significant progress in cutting carbon pollution, improving energy efficiency, and preparing for the impacts of climate change.
Through this initiative, federal agencies have already reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent – that’s the equivalent of taking 1.8 million cars off the road. And today, more than 9 percent of our energy comes from renewable sources, on our way to meeting a goal of 20 percent by 2020. We’ve also cut our potable water use by 19 percent, enough water to fill nearly 49,000 Olympic swimming pools.
This progress means we’re on track to meet the President’s goals. But with more than 360,000 buildings, 650,000 fleet vehicles, and $460 billion in annual purchasing power, the federal government is the largest energy consumer in the U.S. economy, so we can’t rest here.
That’s why, today, to coincide with the fifth anniversary of the Executive Order, federal agencies released new plans for reducing their greenhouse gas emissions and preparing for climate change impacts such as flooding, sea level rise, severe weather, and temperature extremes.
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Yesterday, the Administration announced new regulations to protect students at career colleges from ending up with student loan debt that they cannot pay. The new rules will ensure that career colleges improve outcomes for students -- or risk losing access to federal student aid.
To qualify for federal student aid, the law requires that most for-profit programs and certificate programs at private non-profit and public institutions prepare students for "gainful employment in a recognized occupation." The new rules are part of President Obama’s commitment to help reduce the burden faced by student loan borrowers and make postsecondary education more affordable and accessible to American families.
How are certain programs leaving borrowers with the burden of student loan debt?
Too often, students at career colleges -- including thousands of veterans -- are charged excessive costs, but don't get the education they paid for. Instead, students in many of these programs are provided with poor quality training, often for low-wage jobs or in occupations where there are simply no job opportunities. They frequently find themselves with large amounts of debt and, too often, end up in default. In many cases, students are drawn into these programs with confusing or misleading information. The situation for students at for-profit institutions is particularly troubling:
- Students who attend a two-year for-profit institution costs a student four times as much as attending a community college.
- Eighty-eight percent of associate degree graduates from for-profit institutions had student debt, while only 40 percent of associate degree recipients from community colleges had any student debt.
- Students at for-profit institutions represent only about 11 percent of the total higher education population but receive 19 percent of all federal loans and make up 44 percent of all loan defaulters.
How will the new rule help improve outcomes for students?
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This week, the President continued to address the ongoing federal response to Ebola, worked to spur the growth of manufacturing and boost preparedness for natural disasters, and invited some of our youngest scientists and oldest veterans to the White House.
