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A year ago, the White House launched We the People, a new platform that allows anyone to create or sign petitions asking the Obama Administration to take action on a range of issues. In just one year's time, the platform has generated 3.4 million signatures by 2.8 million users. And what's even more exciting is that participation is growing across the board — with more users and signatures every month.
We really couldn't anticipate just how popular We the People would be, especially at the beginning. In the first week, nearly 8,000 petitions had been created, racking up more than 600,000 signatures by 375,000 users. Also, thirty petitions reached our original threshold of 5,000 signatures. This was a good problem to have, but we knew that this many petitions would challenge our ability to offer timely and meaningful responses to petitions in the long term. So we raised signature threshold to receive a response to 25,000.
From the beginning we’ve said that if a petition gathers enough online signatures, policy officials here at the White House and across the Administration will review it and issue an official response. In this first year we’ve had 116 petitions cross the threshold and 103 have already received a response. And, despite the fact that only a small percentage of the over 50,000 petitions have crossed the signature threshold, you’d probably be surprised to hear that 1.1 million people or 39% of users have received a response.
Its also worth noting that starting on May 15, 2012 we began surveying signers who received a response. Since then, we've found that 78% of survey responders said that even if they don’t agree with the Administration’s response, it was still helpful to hear our position on the issue, 54% of responders learned something new, and a full 88% would consider creating or signing another petition on We the People.
For an inside look at how we review petitions and develop responses, we put together a short video:
We the People is an online petitioning platform, not a referendum. We may not agree with the policy views expressed in every petition, and gathering enough signatures to cross the threshold for a response does not guarantee that the Administration will change our policy on a specific subject. But, in many cases, petitions posted on We the People have helped spur discussions of important policy issues here at the White House and across the Administration. You can read more about a few of these here.
During its first year we’ve worked to continually improve We the People, not only by raising the signature threshold to so we can provide more timely and meaningful responses, but also working to include engagement opportunities for petition signers to connect directly with the Administration officials who have written their response. We’ve also worked through some technical issues, and have made the process of creating and signing petitions easier than ever. We’ve even released the source code powering We the People so that anyone can contribute features and fixes or install the application on their website.
But there’s still more work to do—and we need your help figuring out how we can improve. You can submit your feedback here or on Twitter @WHWeb.
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September 24, 2012
12:30 PM EDTThe White House Photo Office just released the latest set of behind the scenes photos, including images from the first-ever Kids' State Dinner, President Obama visiting Fort Bliss in El Paso, Texas to thank the troops, and the First Lady speaking with community leaders at Oak Creek, Wisconsin following a deadly shooting at a Sikh temple. Check out a few of the images below, then head over to Flickr to see all 35 images in the gallery.
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Ed. Note: The speech has now concluded, but you can watch a video of the remarks below.
Tonight, First Lady Michelle Obama will deliver the keynote address at the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Phoenix Awards Dinner.
The Phoenix Dinner is the closing event for the CBC Foundation’s Annual Legislative Conference, and will honor four individuals for their contributions in addressing challenges facing the African-American community.
To watch the speech live, tune in tonight, September 22, 2012. The event begins at 6:00 p.m. Eastern Time and the First Lady is scheduled to speak at 7:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The dinner and speech will be livestreamed here.
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President Obama describes how the House of Representatives left town without finishing important work that would create jobs and strengthen our economy.
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September 21, 2012
05:00 PM EDTHere's a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:
Team USA Behind the Scenes: Last week, the President and the First Lady welcomed the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams to the White House to honor their participation and success in this year’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. On Tuesday, we released a new video that lets you go behind the scenes and hear from the athletes as they describe their visit. Check it out here.
We also released a video of Paralympian Champion Lt. Brad Snyder sharing his story with First Lady Michelle Obama. "Overcoming adversity is a decision that everyone makes," Brad said, "And you can let that beat you or you can make the decision to move forward." Watch the video here.
Celebrating the 2011 WNBA Champions: On Tuesday, President Obama welcomed the Minnesota Lynx to the White House, congratulating them on their successful season and thanking them for continuing to set an important example for young women across the country.
As the husband of a tall, good-looking woman and as the father of two tall, fabulous girls, it is just wonderful to have these young ladies as role models. There’s something about women’s athletics -- we know for a fact that when girls are involved in athletics, they do better across the board. They’re more confident. They do better in school.
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Early Wednesday morning, space shuttle Endeavour took its final flight atop a jumbo jet at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida. For three days, the shuttle rode piggyback to Los Angeles, California where it will begin its next mission as an educational display at the California Science Center.
Earlier this year, two other retired shuttles dazzled crowds below as they made their way from Florida to the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC and the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum in New York City. DC residents experienced a special treat as Space Shuttle Discovery did a lap across the nation’s capital.
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September 21, 2012
03:00 PM EDTLast week, as President and Mrs. Obama welcomed the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Teams to the White House, we were all reminded of the incredible talents and amazing journeys that these athletes shared with us, and how our summers were even more thrilling as we watched them on the world stage. It has long been a tradition for the President and First Lady to invite the Olympic teams to the White House, and as President and Mrs. Obama exclaimed last week, they, too, were fans just like the rest of us. The holdings of the Presidential Libraries of the National Archives offer a special look at Olympic memories of years past, and I hope you enjoy reliving not only the recent excitement of the London games, but also recall some wonderful memories from previous years.
This summer’s Olympics made household names out of a whole new group of dynamic athletes. Among them, of course, is the talented women’s gymnastics team. However, before the “Fab Five,” another U.S. Olympic gymnastics team captured the team gold medal, the hearts of the American public, and the attention of the First Family. President William J. Clinton, First Lady Hillary, and daughter Chelsea met with six members of the “Magnificent Seven” at the White House following the 1996 games. The William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum still holds pieces of Olympic history, including three Olympic torches—two from the 1996 games and one from the 1996 Paralympics, both held in Atlanta.
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One hundred fifty years ago Monday, on September 17, 1862, the Union army commanded by Major General George McClellan met a Confederate force under Robert E. Lee at Antietam Creek in western Maryland, outside the town of Sharpsburg.
For 12 hours, 87,000 Union soldiers launched a series of attacks against 45,000 Confederates. The result was a staggering loss of human life. When dark approached and the fighting ended, almost 25,000 were dead, wounded, or missing. Neither before nor since have more Americans been killed in a single day.
But when it was over, Lee's advance into Northern territory had been halted. Union forces held the field.
And in the space of that victory, President Abraham Lincoln issued the initial Emancipation Proclamation -- specifically joining the cause of the Union with the advancement of freedom.
President Lincoln signed that preliminary order five days after Antietam -- on September 22. When it went into effect on January 1, 1863 -- 100 days later -- the Proclamation freed all those held as slaves in the Confederate states.
And even though it would take two more years of combat and the Thirteenth Amendment to bring an end to the institution of slavery in all U.S. states and territories, President Lincoln’s Proclamation made possible what he would later call at Gettysburg "a new birth of freedom."
For six months in 2010, a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation signed by President Lincoln hung in the Oval Office above a bust of Martin Luther King, Jr.
On the day that it arrived in the White House, President Obama invited a small group of African-Americans with their grandchildren into his office to view the document.
One of those in attendance, Mabel Harvey, who was then 102, leaned over and whispered into the President's ear, "This must be the Lord’s doing because we’ve come a mighty long way."
To commemorate the 150th anniversary, the National Archives in Washington, DC will display the Emancipation Proclamation in its East Rotunda Gallery later this year -- for three days, from December 30, 2012 to January 1, 2013.
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Today, President Obama designated spectacular Chimney Rock in southwest Colorado as our nation’s newest national monument, an historic step honoring a place rich in beauty, history and Native American culture.
With the strong support of the people of Colorado, from the congressional delegation to Governor Hickenlooper to the Native American community and local residents, President Obama has ensured this extraordinary national treasure will be protected for generations to come.
A thousand years ago, Chimney Rock was home to Ancestral Pueblo People who built more than 200 homes and ceremonial buildings high above the valley floor. Many of the structures remain today, and are designed to perfectly align with lunar events such as seasonal solstices and equinoxes, drawing visitors from across the world.
Beyond protecting this special place, this designation also ensures Chimney Rock will be a source of economic opportunity in Colorado, attracting new business and tourism. According to a study commissioned by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the national monument designation is expected to double economic activity from tourism in the area over the next five years. Outdoor places like Chimney Rock provide us with opportunities for rest and respite, with a link to our Nation’s proud outdoor traditions and culture, and with jobs and economic opportunities across the country. In fact, outdoor recreation alone contributes an estimated $650 billion a year to our economy, according to the Outdoor Industry Association.
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Today, Friday, September 21, 2012 marks the commemoration of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, where the nation honors those service members who endured captivity and whose remains have yet to be recovered. The day serves as a stark reminder of the risks and sacrifices that American service members and their families make every day.
As President Obama said in his proclamation marking National POW/MIA Recognition Day, “As long as members of our Armed Forces remain unaccounted for, America will bring our fullest resources to bear in finding them and bringing them home. It is a promise we make not only to the families of our captured and our missing, but to all who have worn the uniform.” As the POW/MIA flag flies over the White House today, it is a reminder that this administration will never forget its commitment to care for our service members and their families.
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September 21, 2012
11:20 AM EDTClick here to view the gallery
In early August, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton embarked on an 11-day, nine country trip through Africa. She worked to strengthen alliances and advance the pillars of President Obama’s strategy for sub-Saharan Africa: supporting democratic institutions, spurring economic growth, advancing peace and security, and promoting opportunity and development. As she said to a group of African students in Dakar: “We want to advance your aspirations and our shared values…we want this to be our mutual mission. That is the work we are called to do in the 21st century.”
In addition to the speech that framed the trip in Senegal, she met President Sall and other national leaders and spoke about how Senegal's strong democratic institutions are a model for other nations.
She then traveled east to the world’s youngest country, South Sudan, where she and President Kiir discussed security, oil and economic opportunity.
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On Wednesday, the Vice President and Dr. Biden hosted an “End of Summer BBQ” at the Vice President’s Residence with emerging young leaders of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community. They were joined by senior Obama Administration officials, leaders of national LGBT organizations, and campus and community leaders from all over the country.
Guests at the event represented tremendous diversity and talent within the LGBT community. They included students and community organizers, advocates and artists, and veterans – all committed to the pursuit of equality, justice, and dignity for LGBT people.
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This week, the President, Vice President and Secretary of State attended the Transfer of Remains Ceremony for the four Americans killed in Libya, while the White House welcomed Olympians and Paralympians, WNBA champions the Minnesota Lynx, new foreign Ambassadors, and the Children's Miracle Network. That's September 14th to September 20th or "The Dignity and Freedom That Every Person Deserves."
Friday, September 14th:
- The President, Vice President, and First Lady welcomed the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams to The White House.
- The White House hosted a "Safety Datapalooza," which highlighted innovators from the private, nonprofit and academic sectors who have utilized freely available government data to build products, services, and apps that advance public safety in creative and powerful ways.
- Friday Afternoon, President Obama, Vice President Biden and Secretary Clinton attended a Transfer of Remains Ceremony at Andrews Air Force Base which marked the return to the United States of the remains of the four brave Americans who were killed this week in Benghazi, Libya.
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Earlier today, I had the opportunity to meet with a small group of openly gay and lesbian servicemembers, together with several of their partners and spouses. We celebrated the one year anniversary of the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
The servicemembers represented a range of ranks and services. All of them agreed that the most remarkable aspect about their post-repeal service is that, after just one year, serving in the military without DADT feels unremarkable because the transition has been so smooth.
It should come as no surprise to any of us that the men and women of our armed forces have handled the repeal of DADT with the professionalism and class that we have come to expect from the finest fighting force in the world. As a consequence, our national security has been strengthened.
As the President said in a statement issued today, “Gay and lesbian Americans now no longer need to hide who they love in order to serve the country they love. It is a testament to the professionalism of our men and women in uniform that this change was implemented in an orderly manner, preserving unit cohesion, recruitment, retention and military effectiveness.”
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Brad Snyder’s story is a remarkable one. Just one year ago, Lieutenant Snyder was blinded by an IED while serving in Afghanistan. This summer, he competed in the London Paralympics, bringing home two gold medals and a silver medal in swimming.
Moments after being honored at the White House alongside his fellow athletes, Brad shared his story with First Lady Michelle Obama. “Overcoming adversity is a decision that everyone makes,” Brad said, “And you can let that beat you or you can make the decision to move forward.”
Take a moment to watch, and then share this video on Twitter and Facebook with your friends:
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On this day in 2011, “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” was finally and formally repealed, allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly in our nation’s armed forces.
In a statement marking the anniversary, President Obama said that repealing the law "upheld the fundamental American values of fairness and equality."
"The ability of service members to be open and honest about their families and the people they love honors the integrity of the individuals who serve, strengthens the institutions they serve,” he continued, “and is one of the many reasons why our military remains the finest in the world."
President Obama signed repeal into law in December of 2010, and in July of 2011 the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certified that the Department of Defense had taken all the steps needed to prepare the military for repeal. Sixty days after that, at 12:01 a.m. on September 20, 2011, the era of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was over.
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September 20, 2012
11:00 AM EDTEd. note: This is cross-posted from Healthcare.gov.
Ashley Matthews, recent graduate of the University of Miami School of Law, considers herself very aware of what is going on the world. But she admits, “Because I am so young, health care never entered my universe.” That is, until she got into a car accident one evening. That’s when she realized she didn’t have health insurance.
As she recalls: “I’m laying on the hospital bed … my shoes were knocked off my feet, my tooth is chipped and my knee is bleeding and I thought about the fact that I had just graduated from undergrad [and] I had no health care insurance because I wasn’t on my parents’ plan and this is right before the Affordable Care Act.” Although the doctor wanted her to stay in the hospital for treatment, Ashley and her friends quickly left because she would not be able to afford the care without health insurance. “The threat of the bills was enough to send me running from the hospital,” she says.
Because of the Affordable Care Act, Ashley was later able to be added to her parents’ insurance. More than 3 million young adults have been able to gain health insurance through their parents’ health plans until they turn age 26 as a result of the new health care law. “When I found out that I could stay on my parents’ insurance, it was like a blessing,” she says.
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Yesterday, President Obama met with Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Nobel Laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy Party. The President expressed his admiration for her courage, determination and personal sacrifice in championing democracy and human rights over the years.
According to a readout of the meeting, President Obama reaffirmed the determination of the United States to support the “sustained efforts to promote political and economic reforms and to ensure full protection of the fundamental rights of the Burmese people," a process that offers them “the opportunity to take charge of their destiny and to shape a more peaceful, free, and prosperous future.”
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September 19, 2012
01:54 PM EDTThe Obama Administration's number one priority is to strengthen our economy, create jobs, and restore economic security for the middle class. One way to help strengthen the economy is to make the U.S. the top destination for international visitors. Since the President issued an Executive Order in January and the National Travel and Tourism Strategy was subsequently released by this Administration in May, the Departments of Commerce, Homeland Security, Interior, and State have put a priority on expanding travel to and within the U.S., while remaining vigilant in protecting our national security.
Today, we learned that these efforts are working. The U.S. Department of Commerce announced that international visitors spent an estimated $13.7 billion on travel to, and tourism-related activities within, the United States during the month of July--$350 million (3 percent) more than was spent in July 2011. Travel and tourism-related exports have increased, on average, more than $1.1 billion a month during the first seven months of 2012.
Also today, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) released estimates for the second quarter 2012 from their Travel and Tourism Satellite Accounts. These accounts present a detailed picture of travel and tourism activity and its role in the U.S. economy, including estimates of spending by travelers in six categories of goods and service as well as estimates of the employment generated by travel and tourism and related industries. Today's data reveal that real spending on travel and tourism increased at an annual rate of 2.1 percent in the second quarter of 2012 after increasing 4.9 percent (revised) in the first quarter of 2012, supporting 7.6 million jobs.
Recent visitors can access the newly redesigned recreation.gov, the federal government's one-stop shop for trip planning and reservations on public lands, such as national parks, wildlife refuges, waterways, forests and recreation areas. This year alone, more than 6 million people have visited the site to learn more about exploring America's great outdoors. A key feature of the new site is suggested travel itineraries to several top destinations for international visitors - Denver, Las Vegas, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco. These pre-planned circuits encourage travelers to expand their itineraries by one or more days to take in lesser-known destinations. Longer visits and more expansive itineraries will translate to more tourism dollars and more jobs in the leisure and hospitality industry throughout the U.S.
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President Obama today welcomed the Minnesota Lynx to the White House.
Two years ago, Minnesota was home to the worst team in the WNBA. Last year, they were the WNBA champions.
In describing their march to WNBA finals, President Obama told the story of their remarkable turnaround -- describing how they drafted Maya Moore, signed veteran players like Rebekkah Brunson and Lindsay Whalen, and hired Cheryl Reeve to be their coach.
"By the end of the season, Maya was Rookie of the Year, Lindsay led the league in assists, Cheryl was Coach of the Year," the President said. "The team had the best record in the league. They made their home games the hottest ticket in town. Then, just in case anyone doubted their dominance, they marched through the playoffs, losing only one game and sweeping their final two series."
This year, the Lynx are picking up where they left off -- they're leading the Western Conference, and they've already clinched homecourt advantage for the playoffs.
But more importantly, the President said, they're continuing to set an important example for young women across the country.
"As the husband of a tall, good-looking woman and as the father of two tall, fabulous girls, it is just wonderful to have these young ladies as role models," he said. "There’s something about women’s athletics -- we know for a fact that when girls are involved in athletics, they do better across the board. They’re more confident. They do better in school."
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