Cross-posted with The GSA Blog

Last week I saw firsthand two groundbreaking clean energy projects – the Midwest’s largest rooftop solar panel array at GSA’s Major General Emmett J. Bean Federal Center in Indianapolis and the country’s largest geothermal project at Ball State University.  These two Indiana projects are creating jobs that will form the backbone of our nation’s 21^st century economy while providing useful information that will inform decision-making nationwide.

GSA has invested in solar power technology to cut operating costs at federal buildings across the country, but what makes the Bean Center’s solar array special is its sheer size with over 6,000 panels, as well as the building’s solar test lab.  The lab will test how four different solar technologies perform under diverse Midwestern weather conditions.  The rooftop installation created over 100 high paying green collar jobs, and the data collected at the test lab will be widely shared to foster continued growth in the solar industry.

President Obama is proud to support the Respect for Marriage Act, which has been introduced by Senator Dianne Feinstein and Congressman Jerrold Nadler. This legislation would uphold the principle that the federal government should not deny gay and lesbian couples the same rights and legal protections as straight couples.

The President has long called for a legislative repeal of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which continues to have a real impact on the lives of real people -- our families, friends and neighbors.

Cross-posted with Ed.gov Blog

James Henderson, 12, holds up a letter from President Barack Obama. Henderson wrote to the President in May about cuts to education. July 18, 2011. (by Lodi News-Sentinel)

It’s no secret that schools around the country are facing deep budget cuts, often resulting in layoffs of staff and teachers and putting the burden on teachers to purchase much-needed supplies for their classrooms. The lack of school supplies caused one Lodi, California middle school student to take his case directly to President Obama in a letter.

In the President’s personal response, he thanked Henderson for sharing his ideas and commended him for his commitment to the community. “In America, each of us can write our own destiny,” the President wrote. “So long as you are willing to dream big and work hard, you can accomplish great things and help others to do the same.”

Democrats and Republicans agree that getting our fiscal house in order is one of the critical challenges facing America. To address it we are going to have to make tough choices, bringing to the table a commitment to examine every area of the budget and every loophole in the tax code without presumptively taking any of the options off the table. But it is critical that we not bring down our deficits and debt at the expense of economic growth, innovation and job creation, or place the greatest burden on older Americans and the most vulnerable. That is precisely what the House’s Cut, Cap and Balance plan would do – a proposal that White House Press Secretary Jay Carney described as “duck, dodge and dismantle.”

The House plan fails to achieve a balanced plan to reduce the deficit, which is precisely the approach that has worked successfully in America in the past and has recently been recommended by a number of different fiscal commissions.

Ed. Note: Champions of Change is a weekly initiative to highlight Americans who are making an impact in their communities and helping our country rise to meet the many challenges of the 21st century.

President Barack Obama talks with rural community leaders from across the country at a Rural Champions for Change Roundtable meeting in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House, July 6, 2011. With President Obama are Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, second from left, and Domestic Policy Council Director Melody Barnes. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza).

One of the most gratifying aspects of working in the White House is that you never know who you might see on a daily basis. A wonderful and diverse cadre of Americans pass through for meetings and events, including renowned scientists, members of the U.S. Armed Forces, and occasionally even entertainment celebrities. Often, these visitors represent the most talented leaders in their respective fields.

With this in mind, I was particularly pleased to recently participate in a Champions of Change roundtable with eighteen Rural Americans, representing the spectrum of excellence in Rural America. The group included farmers, ranchers, local educators, small business owners, and folks who are improving their communities through innovative actions. These rural champions represent the best of the best in their respective fields.

We were honored to be joined by President Obama, who shared his vision for economic growth and development in rural areas. The President highlighted the importance of exports in agricultural areas, and the critical nature of transportation issues. He emphasized the need for high-speed internet access and stated that rural areas should expect to have opportunities equivalent to those in other areas of the nation. The President also discussed the importance of identifying rural Americans’ success stories and sharing that knowledge across the country.

Today President Obama took a big step forward in his goal to strengthen the economy and strengthen the middle class with the nomination of Richard Cordray as Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

It has been one year since President Obama passed financial reform to help tackle the problems that created the financial crisis that pulled the economy into the worst recession we've seen since the Great Depression, As the President described today, the law did three things, "First, it made taxpayer-funded bailouts illegal, so taxpayers don’t have to foot the bill if a big bank goes under. Second, it said to Wall Street firms, you can’t take the same kind of reckless risks that led to the crisis. And third, it put in place the strongest consumer protections in history."

As part of financial reform, President Obama tasked one consumer watchdog with "looking out for regular people in the financial system."  The President got the idea from Elizabeth Warren:   

And that’s why I asked Elizabeth Warren to set up this new bureau.  Over the past year she has done an extraordinary job.  Already, the agency is starting to do a whole bunch of things that are going to be important for consumers -- making sure loan contracts and credit card terms are simpler and written in plain English.  Already, thanks to the leadership of the bureau, we’re seeing men and women in uniform who are getting more protections against fraud and deception when it comes to financial practices. And as part of her charge, I asked Elizabeth to find the best possible choice for director of the bureau. 

Ed. Note: In 2009, the United States joined the United Nations General Assembly in declaring July 18th Nelson Mandela International Day. Today, the global community honors Nelson Mandela through acts of service. You can find service opportunities in your community on Serve.gov.

"As the people of the world celebrate Nelson Mandela’s 93rd birthday on July 18, Madiba continues to be a beacon for the global community, and for all who work for democracy, justice and reconciliation," President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama said in a statement, "On behalf of the people of the United States, we congratulate Nelson Mandela, and honor his vision for a better world."

The President and First Lady continued:

Nelson Mandela said, ‘There is no passion to be found playing small - in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living.’ A man who devoted 67 years of his life to public service, Madiba sets the standard for service worldwide, whether we are students, shopkeepers or farmers, cabinet ministers or presidents. He calls on us to serve our fellow human beings, and better our communities.

This afternoon, the First Family gathered in the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House to cheer on the US women's soccer team in the World Cup Final. Here's a photo of the First Family enjoying the game (view the full size on Flickr here):

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and their daughters Sasha and Malia watch the World Cup soccer game between the U.S. and Japan, from the Treaty Room office in the residence of the White House. July 17, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama meets with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House. July 16, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Yesterday morning President Obama met with His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama in the Map Room of the White House. Here's the statement from the Press Secretary on their meeting:

The President reiterated his strong support for the preservation of the unique religious, cultural, and linguistic traditions of Tibet and the Tibetan people throughout the world. He underscored the importance of the protection of human rights of Tibetans in China. The President commended the Dalai Lama’s commitment to nonviolence and dialogue with China and his pursuit of the “Middle Way” approach. Reiterating the U.S. policy that Tibet is a part of the People’s Republic of China and the United States does not support independence for Tibet, the President stressed that he encourages direct dialogue to resolve long-standing differences and that a dialogue that produces results would be positive for China and Tibetans. The President stressed the importance he attaches to building a U.S.-China cooperative partnership. The Dalai Lama stated that he is not seeking independence for Tibet and hopes that dialogue between his representatives and the Chinese government can soon resume.