Change.gov - The Official Web Site of the The U.S. Presidential Transition

President-elect Barack Obama will meet this morning with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid on Capitol Hill.

Later this afternoon, Vice President-elect Joe Biden will join a meeting with Democratic and Republican congressional leadership, including Senate Majority Leader Reid and Speaker Pelosi, as well as Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Senate Assistant Majority Leader Dick Durbin, Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, House Minority Leader John Boehner, House Majority Whip Jim Clyburn. and House Minority Whip Eric Cantor.

President-elect Obama will also meet this afternoon at the Transition office in Washington, D.C. with top economi advisors, including Melody Barnes, Director-designate, Domestic Policy Council; Carol Browner, Assistant-designate to the President for Energy and Climate Change; Former Senator Tom Daschle, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate and Director-designate, White House Office on Health Reform;  Rahm Emanuel, Chief of Staff-designate; Timothy Geithner, Treasury Secretary-designate; Ron Klain, Chief of Staff-designate, Vice President-elect; Peter Orszag, Director-designate, Office of Management and Budget; Christina Romer, Director-designate, Council of Economic Advisors and Lawrence Summers, Director-designate, National Economic Council.

We’ll have pictures later today.

Earlier this morning, President-elect Barack Obama and Mrs. Michelle Obama helped their two daughters, Malia (10) and Sasha (7), get ready for their first day of school.

In this week's weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama lays out the challenges that face us in the new year, and his plan for taking them on.

"We need an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that not only creates jobs in the short-term but spurs economic growth and competitiveness in the long-term," he says. "And this plan must be designed in a new way -- we can’t just fall into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem. We must make strategic investments that will serve as a down payment on our long-term economic future. We must demand vigorous oversight and strict accountability for achieving results. And we must restore fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down. That is how we will achieve the number one goal of my plan -- which is to create three million new jobs, more than eighty percent of them in the private sector."

Watch the full address or read the text below.

As the holiday season comes to end, we are thankful for family and friends and all the blessings that make life worth living. But as we mark the beginning of a new year, we also know that America faces great and growing challenges -- challenges that threaten our nation’s economy and our dreams for the future. Nearly two million Americans have lost their jobs this past year -- and millions more are working harder in jobs that pay less and come with fewer benefits. For too many families, this new year brings new unease and uncertainty as bills pile up, debts continue to mount and parents worry that their children won’t have the same opportunities they had.

However we got here, the problems we face today are not Democratic problems or Republican problems. The dreams of putting a child through college, or staying in your home, or retiring with dignity and security know no boundaries of party or ideology.

These are America’s problems, and we must come together as Americans to meet them with the urgency this moment demands. Economists from across the political spectrum agree that if we don’t act swiftly and boldly, we could see a much deeper economic downturn that could lead to double digit unemployment and the American Dream slipping further and further out of reach.

That’s why we need an American Recovery and Reinvestment Plan that not only creates jobs in the short-term but spurs economic growth and competitiveness in the long-term. And this plan must be designed in a new way -- we can’t just fall into the old Washington habit of throwing money at the problem. We must make strategic investments that will serve as a down payment on our long-term economic future. We must demand vigorous oversight and strict accountability for achieving results. And we must restore fiscal responsibility and make the tough choices so that as the economy recovers, the deficit starts to come down. That is how we will achieve the number one goal of my plan -- which is to create three million new jobs, more than eighty percent of them in the private sector.

To put people back to work today and reduce our dependence on foreign oil tomorrow, we will double renewable energy production and renovate public buildings to make them more energy efficient. To build a 21st century economy, we must engage contractors across the nation to create jobs rebuilding our crumbling roads, bridges, and schools. To save not only jobs, but money and lives, we will update and computerize our health care system to cut red tape, prevent medical mistakes, and help reduce health care costs by billions of dollars each year. To make America, and our children, a success in this new global economy, we will build 21st century classrooms, labs, and libraries. And to put more money into the pockets of hardworking families, we will provide direct tax relief to 95 percent of American workers.

I look forward to meeting next week in Washington with leaders from both parties to discuss this plan. I am optimistic that if we come together to seek solutions that advance not the interests of any party, or the agenda of any one group, but the aspirations of all Americans, then we will meet the challenges of our time just as previous generations have met the challenges of theirs.

There is no reason we can’t do this. We are a people of boundless industry and ingenuity. We are innovators and entrepreneurs and have the most dedicated and productive workers in the world. And we have always triumphed in moments of trial by drawing on that great American spirit -- that perseverance, determination and unyielding commitment to opportunity on which our nation was founded. And in this new year, let us resolve to do so once again. Thank you.

As a new year begins, many Americans are reflecting on 2008 while looking ahead to the challenges and opportunities we'll face in 2009.

The past year brought change to our country. Millions of Americans participated in our political process for the first time. Folks came together to work for common goals, and the bonds of citizenship grew stronger in cities and towns across the country.

But alongside these accomplishments, many Americans also faced tremendous economic hardship.

Too many families are dealing with the strain and loss stemming from this financial crisis. In 2009, our nation must come together to forge solutions to the challenges we face.

To start off the new year, tell us your goals for 2009 in the discussion forum below:

Note: If you held a Health Care Community Discussion and have not reported back yet, please do so here!

On December 5th, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate Tom Daschle spoke at the Colorado Health Care Summit in Denver and announced that the Transition would host Health Care Community Discussions across the country over the holidays to help his Policy Team put together their final recommendations for the new administration. Daschle told the summit that “We have to make this as inclusive a process as possible,” and DeAnn Friedholm of Consumers Union observed that “This strategy of getting out of Washington and engaging real people will help overcome the vested interests that have stood in the way of reform for way too long.” President-elect Obama also made clear that the community discussions would form a central pillar in the development of any major reform:

“Providing quality affordable health care for all Americans is one of my top priorities for this country because our long-term fiscal prospects will have a hard time improving as long as sky-rocketing health care costs are holding us all down. Yet in order for us to reform our health care system, we must first begin reforming how government communicates with the American people. These Health Care Community Discussions are a great way for the American people to have a direct say in our health care reform efforts and I encourage Americans to take part if they are able. I am looking forward to hearing back from you and from Senator Daschle in the coming weeks.”

Now, with the Holidays winding down, thousands signed up to hold discussions and hundreds have already reported back. Yesterday Daschle attended a discussion in Dublin, Indiana, and even a glimpse of the coverage shows how powerful and important each of these meetings is.

Indianapolis Star:

Daschle spent most of the meeting, which lasted more than an hour, listening to the comments and concerns of area residents, firefighters, emergency medical technicians and physicians. He sometimes asked follow-up questions and took notes. Reid Hospital Chief Executive Officer Craig Kinyon facilitated the discussion.

Daschle was affected by hearing about the difficulties Jill King of Cambridge City had getting new medical insurance because she has had three past cancers, the decision Dolly Sweet of Cambridge City made to forgo a $35,000-a-year cancer medication because of its high cost, and how Dr. James Bertsch feels forced to make decisions about a patient's care based on what insurance will pay for, not what he thinks is best.

"These (stories) are really hard to listen to in many ways," Daschle said, adding that hearing them also is a necessary part of changing health care. "We need to change the paradigm from illness to wellness."

He quoted Nelson Mandela, who said, "Many things seem impossible until they are done," and then said, "I believe it is not impossible ... together it can be done."

WRTV 6News, Indiana:

With skyrocketing costs or no coverage at all, Fire Chief Bob French was one of several people who told Daschle that people are suffering.

"Older people, they either pay their rent or buy their medicine," French said. "We don't ask if they have insurance. We put them in the ambulance and we take them in the hospital and take care of them."

Sweet said her health problems have her down a bit, but not out.

"I've got a marvelous family. I've got a husband who has learned how to cook," she said.

Daschle said he plans to attend several more forums all over the country. He and a transition team will gather information and make reform recommendations to Obama.

Associated Press:

Deanna Russell of Cambridge City said her son, Kyle, was born with a heart condition that has required several surgeries and other treatment.

Hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical bills were covered by her health plan at the Visteon auto parts plant in Connersville, but the plant has closed and she is substitute teaching. She's concerned that when he begins working, his employer's medical insurance won't cover him because of the condition.

"In many cases, that could be deadly or fatal to him," she said.

Joe Fouts, office manager for a medical practice in Cambridge City, said he regularly has patients that come into the clinic with new insurance coverage only to discover it won't pay for pre-existing condition treatments.

"People leave crying," Fouts said.

Washington Post:

Even before taking office or introducing concrete policy proposals, the administration-in-waiting is moving to build public support around the broad notion that the U.S. health system needs an overhaul. To Washington veterans, the approach may seem backward, or even naive, but Obama is betting that the energetic, technology-savvy supporters who fueled his candidacy will act as a potent counterbalance to the traditionally powerful special interests that have defeated similar reform efforts.

New York Times:

After listening for nearly 90 minutes, Mr. Daschle said the system could be changed by citizens’ active participation.

“When we combine all the stories we heard in this small town of Dublin and multiply that by 300 million people, we can begin to imagine the scope of the problem,” he said. “But I’m hopeful that the country has come together to say: ‘Enough already. We have to fix this.’”

Again, the Transition’s health care team is going through each and every report we get back, so if you held a community discussion please let us know what you talked about and learned. We will also have video from the Indiana meeting and others within the next week, so check back, and in the meantime here are some photos from a discussion Secretary-designate Daschle attended today in Washington, DC.

During this brief transition period, we've rolled out important new tools to let users interact with our team in a transparent and meaningful way.

Our first run of Open for Questions was one such feature, with nearly 1,000,000 votes cast on questions from the Change.gov community.

In this round, you can still view all of the questions that have been submitted -- or you can break down the questions by category for easier navigation. For instance, you can read the top-ranking question regarding Energy and the Environment and browse through other questions on the same topic by clicking on that issue.

We think this change is valuable. It serves the other key purpose of features like Open for Questions: making your input easy to pass on to the members of our Transition team that are crafting solutions to these vital issues right now.

Check out the Open for Questions feature here. We'll close this round of questions and put together our responses in the new year.

For many people, this holiday season comes at a time of great hardship, but also of great hope: that we can come together as a nation and serve one another. Whether you’re celebrating at home, traveling to visit relatives or stationed overseas, tell us your stories about reaching out to friends and loved ones. And if you’re able to reach even farther than that – to neighbors, to local charities, to organizations that promote your most cherished ideals, then let us know about that, too. We look forward to reading your stories and ideas about how we can all come together to start a new chapter for our country.

Happy holidays from change.gov!

In this week's weekly address, President-elect Barack Obama calls on Americans to honor our service men and women and to think of those Americans being hurt by our sluggish economy.

"This season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship," he says. "Now more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans – that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. Now, we must all do our part to serve one another; to seek new ideas and new innovation; and to start a new chapter for our great country."

Watch the full address or read the text below.

Good morning. This week, Americans are gathering with family and friends across the country to celebrate the blessings of Christmas and the holiday season.

As we celebrate this joyous time of year, our thoughts turn to the brave men and women who serve our country far from home. Their extraordinary and selfless sacrifice is an inspiration to us all, and part of the unbroken line of heroism that has made our freedom and prosperity possible for over two centuries.

Many troops are serving their second, third, or fourth tour of duty. And we are reminded that they are more than dedicated Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guard – they are devoted fathers and mothers; husbands and wives; sons and daughters; and sisters and brothers.

This holiday season, their families celebrate with a joy that is muted knowing that a loved one is absent, and sometimes in danger. In towns and cities across America, there is an empty seat at the dinner table; in distant bases and on ships at sea, our servicemen and women can only wonder at the look on their child’s face as they open a gift back home.

Our troops and military families have won the respect and gratitude of their broader American family. Michelle and I have them in our prayers this Christmas, and we must all continue to offer them our full support in the weeks and months to come. .

These are also tough times for many Americans struggling in our sluggish economy. As we count the higher blessings of faith and family, we know that millions of Americans don’t have a job. Many more are struggling to pay the bills or stay in their homes. From students to seniors, the future seems uncertain.

That is why this season of giving should also be a time to renew a sense of common purpose and shared citizenship. Now, more than ever, we must rededicate ourselves to the notion that we share a common destiny as Americans – that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. Now, we must all do our part to serve one another; to seek new ideas and new innovation; and to start a new chapter for our great country.

That is the spirit that will guide my Administration in the New Year. If the American people come together and put their shoulder to the wheel of history, then I know that we can put our people back to work and point our country in a new direction. That is how we will see ourselves through this time of crisis, and reach the promise of a brighter day.

After all, that is what Americans have always done.

232 years ago, when America was newly born as a nation, George Washington and his Army faced impossible odds as they struggled to free themselves from the grip of an empire.

It was Christmas Day -- December 25th, 1776 – that they fought through ice and cold to make an improbable crossing of the Delaware River. They caught the enemy off guard, won victories in Trenton and Princeton, and gave new momentum to a beleaguered Army and new hope to the cause of Independence.

Many ages have passed since that first American Christmas. We have crossed many rivers as a people. But the lessons that have carried us through are the same lessons that we celebrate every Christmas season -- the same lessons that guide us to this very day: that hope endures, and that a new birth of peace is always possible.

Vice President-elect Joe Biden made the case for a bold economic recovery package in a meeting in Washington this morning with the Obama-Biden administration's top economic advisors.

"Economists rarely agree, but on this score there's overwhelming agreement that we need a robust and sustained economic recovery package," he said at the meeting. "There's virtually no disagreement on that point, with economists from left to right agreeing that the greater threat to our economy lies in doing too little."

Biden was flanked by Larry Summers, Director-designate of the National Economic Council, and Melody Barnes, Director-designate of the Domestic Policy Council, both of whom highlighted the areas the plan's job-creation initiatives will focus on: health care, schools, infrastructure, and energy.

"We think it's an opportunity to turn crisis into opportunity to make sure ... that mobility and opportunity are in fact the hallmark of this administration," Director-designate Barnes said.

Vice President-elect Biden also noted several times that though the package is likely to be very large, there will be strict accountability and no earmarks.

"I know it's Christmas but President-elect Obama and I are absolutely determined that this economic recovery package will not become a Christmas Tree," he said.

View photos from the meeting below.

Vice President-elect Biden is in Washington today to be briefed by Larry Summers, Director of the National Economic Council, and other White House economic advisors on new economic developments and the upcoming economic recovery package.

The meeting starts at 10:45 eastern.