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Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.This morning the President met with Senate Budget Committee Chairman Kent Conrad and House Budget Committee Chairman John Spratt. After the meeting, the President spoke about the investments and hard choices his budget makes. He noted at the outset that it "will bring discretionary spending for domestic programs as a share of the economy to its lowest level in nearly half a century" over the next decade. But he also made clear that while the budget does not attempt to solve every problem, it does not walk away from the crucial investments that will ensure our economy is on a strong footing for the future.He committed to ending the era of the "bubble economy," and creating a solid foundation based on "investments that will lead to real growth and real prosperity." He talked about health reform that will ease the burden on businesses, budgets, and families. He talked about the need for investments and reform in education because "countries who out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow." He talked about shifting to a clean energy economy that will ensure that as the global economy changes, America stays ahead of the curve and creates the jobs of tomorrow here.For those who claim that the President’s goals are too big to accomplish, he had a ready response: "What I say is that the challenges we face are too large to ignore." In closing his remarks he also reached out to his critics, and encouraged them to come to the table with a constructive mindset:But the one thing I will say is this: With the magnitude of the challenges we face right now, what we need in Washington are not more political tactics -- we need more good ideas. We don't need more point-scoring -- we need more problem-solving. So if there are members of Congress who object to specific policies and proposals in this budget, then I ask them to be ready and willing to propose constructive, alternative solutions. If certain aspects of this budget people don't think work, provide us some ideas in terms of what you do. "Just say no" is the right advice to give your teenagers about drugs. It is not an acceptable response to whatever economic policy is proposed by the other party.The American people sent us here to get things done. And in this moment of enormous challenge, they are watching and waiting for us to lead. Let's show them that we're equal to this task before us. Let's pass a budget that puts this nation on the road to lasting prosperity. I know Kent Conrad is committed to doing that; John Spratt is committed to doing that; I'm committed to doing that. We're going to need everybody working together to get this thing done.
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The next stop in the drive for health reform is in Burlington, Vermont today, where another Regional Forum will be hosted by Gov Douglas of Vermont and Gov Patrick of Massachusetts. Again, it will focus on getting input from the American public and stakeholders from every side of the issue, from doctors to business owners to public officials.The local NPR station in Boston, WBUR, has a story up on the caravan up to Vermont from Massachusetts:Dozens of Massachusetts hospital, insurance, employment and health care advocacy leaders are on the road to Vermont to discuss national health reform.
The governors of Vermont and Massachusetts are co-leading today's event to highlight their states' efforts to cover the uninsured. They'll take questions and comments for about an hour and half.
Alliea Groupp, who will attend with the Greater Boston Interfaith Organization, says now, during an economic downturn, is the time to make sure Americans have coverage.
"We need to be able to strengthen the safety nets and one such safety net here in Massachusetts is our health reform," says Groupp. "And to be able to deliver that nationally could be a significant improvement in many people's lives."
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From the Vice President's speech to the International Association of Fire Fighters at the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Washington, DC:So I -- and I was in Philadelphia this morning. I'm there a lot. This morning my mom was operated on. She's 92 years old, and God love her, she came through. She broke her hip, and she came through the operation incredibly well. I told her that -- (applause) -- those of you who've met my mom, you know she's fairly politically astute -- (laughter) -- and she still runs the show. And so I said, "don't worry, Mom -- last night I went up to see her, and with, obviously, my brothers and my sister and my wife and my brother-in-law and sister-in-law and my daughter and my -- everybody is up, because Mom-Mom runs the show. You think I'm joking -- I'm not. (Laughter.)And I said, "Mom, don't worry, I'll be here when they take you up. And you were here for me, joking for every operation." My brother leaned down to her. He said, "Mom, you know how you always say, 'I'd rather be there than you?' He said, "Mom, I'm glad it's you instead of me." (Laughter.) And he has got this sense of humor, and he made her laugh.But, I said, "I cleared my schedule tomorrow." She said, "Valerie said you were talking to the fire fighters." I said, "Yes, Mom, but I'll get a chance to talk to them again." She said, "Joey, talk to the fire fighters." Then she turned to my sister, "And, Valerie, you're still doing that St. Patrick's Day speech in Scranton, aren't you, tomorrow?
(White House Photos, 3/16/09, David Lienemann) -
Today President Obama helped mark the 20th anniversary of the Department of Veterans Affairs as a Cabinet-level agency with remarks in Washington, DC.The President paid tribute to this department, which was formed in its first incarnation over 70 years ago under President Herbert Hoover, and today stands as the second-largest of the 15 Cabinet departments, by pointing to the original vision of Abraham Lincoln "to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan."In recalling his grandfather's service in Patton's army, President Obama expressed his profound gratitude to our nation's service members on behalf of the entire nation:And I think about my grandfather whenever I have the privilege of meeting the young men and women who serve in our military today. They are our best and brightest, and they're our bravest -- enlisting in a time of war; enduring tour after tour of duty; serving with honor under the most difficult circumstances; and making sacrifices that many of us cannot begin to imagine. The same can be said of their families. As my wife, Michelle, has seen firsthand during visits to military bases across this country, we don't just deploy our troops in a time of war -- we deploy their families, too.The President also expressed full support of Secretary of Veterans Affairs, Eric Shinseki, who is one of our nation's finest veterans -- having served a long and distinguished career in the U.S. Army. Under the leadership of Secretary Shinseki the Department of Veterans Affairs will be transformed for the 21st century.Over the next five years, the budget for the Department of Veterans Affairs will increase by over $25 billion (pdf). These funds will be used to expand the VA health care program so that in can serve an additional 500,000 veterans by 2013; to implement a GI Bill for the 21st century; to provide better health care; and to dramatically improve services related to mental health and injuries like Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and Traumatic Brain Injury. The funds will also be used for technology that will ease the transition from active duty to home for our nation's service members.For the entire Administration, the 20th anniversary of the Department of Veterans Affairs is a reminder of our debt of honor to the men of women who have fought to defend our freedom and for all involved it is an honor to undergo the work of transforming the Department for the 21st century.
(President Barack Obama speaks Monday, March 16, 2009 at the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Conference Room at the Department of Veterans Affairs to 70 seated guests and a group of 150 watching from the balcony. Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric Shinseki, whom President Obama praised for his distinguised career in the Army and his service to men and women in uniform, listens to the President's remarks, at left. White House Photo/Chuck Kennedy) -
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This morning the President discussed a sharp contrast. On the one hand, he invited hard working small business owners to the East Wing of the White House to discuss ways the government could help them stay above water. He lightheartedly lavished praise on the sandwich made for him by Marco Lentini, the owner of a small food company, and commended Cynthia L. Blankenship, a community bank owner who has not only been responsible, but has helped keep credit flowing to other small businesses even as it dries up elsewhere.
But the inspiration of the dozens of small business owners who joined the President stood against a backdrop of the greed and excess displayed in reports of tens of millions of dollars in bonuses being given out to employees of AIG, one of the largest recipients of taxpayer rescue dollars. Obama condemned this recklessness is no uncertain terms, and pledged to fight it:I've asked Secretary Geithner to use that leverage and pursue every single legal avenue to block these bonuses and make the American taxpayers whole. (Applause.) I want everybody to be clear that Secretary Geithner has been on the case. He's working to resolve this matter with the new CEO, Edward Liddy -- who, by the way, everybody needs to understand came on board after the contracts that led to these bonuses were agreed to last year.But I think Mr. Liddy and certainly everybody involved needs to understand this is not just a matter of dollars and cents. It's about our fundamental values. All across the country, there are people who are working hard and meeting their responsibilities every day, without the benefit of government bailouts or multi-million dollar bonuses. You've got a bunch of small business people here who are struggling just to keep their credit line open -- that they are foregoing pay, as one of our entrepreneurs talked about, they are in some cases mortgaging their homes, and doing a whole host of things just in order to keep things afloat. All they ask is that everyone, from Main Street to Wall Street to Washington, play by the same rules. And that is an ethic that we have to demand.And what this situation also underscores is the need for overall financial regulatory reform, so we don't find ourselves in this position again, and for some form of resolution mechanism in dealing with troubled financial institutions, so that we've got greater authority to protect American taxpayers and our financial system in cases such as this.Returning his focus to small business, he contrasted AIG bonuses with the ethos of small business entrepreneurs, saying, "This is America's story -- a place where we believe all things are possible; where we are limited only by our willingness to take a chance and work hard to achieve our dreams." The President emphasized what has already been done through the Recovery Act: raising the guarantees on SBA loans to 90 percent, eliminating costly fees for borrowers and lenders, and a series of tax cuts for small businesses and tax incentives to encourage investments in small businesses. He noted further that in his budget, he proposes permanently reducing to zero the capital gains tax for investments in small or startup businesses, as well as instituting tax credits for health care as part of his broader health reform effort.But he concluded that unless credit was unlocked for small businesses to grow, none of this would be successful, and said that he would have the Treasury Department begin purchasing up to $15 billion of SBA loans through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, or TARP. He explained that now "any lender that provides SBA small business loans will have a buyer for those loans." To illustrate who he was trying to help, the President told the story of John Wilson:That's what the small business owners in this room expect us to do. They're folks like John Wilson, the president and part owner of a small business in Raleigh, North Carolina. He wrote to me a few weeks ago and participated in the meeting we just held.And John's business, NC Design Group, sells cabinets and interior design services. And not surprisingly, it's been a tough year. Sales have fallen by half. And keep in mind, John had previously doubled what had started off as a very small business, to the point where he's providing a living for -- it was up to 40 -- 48 people. And John did all that he could to save loans. The owners, including John, have taken no compensation. But they had to reduce the size of their company from 48 employees to 34. And John just told the group of us that he personally took the time to speak to each and every person that he had to lay off. And I don't think he minds me sharing that he cried each time he did it, because it's a hard thing when somebody is working hard and committed to helping you build your business, you having to lay them off.And now, even though they've never been late on a payment to the bank, they're having trouble keeping a credit line. It's putting his small business –- and the 34 jobs left –- in jeopardy.Now, John is not looking for a handout. He's looking for the opportunity to succeed. And he said it best himself in his letter, and I'm quoting from the letter here: "Small business people are incredibly resilient and resourceful given half a chance," he said. "But we need the chance."Well, I want to say to John and to every American running a small business or hoping to run a small business one day: You deserve a chance. America needs you to have that chance.
(President Barack Obama, delivers remarks to small business owners, community lenders and members of Congress in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Monday, March 16, 2009. White House Photo, Chuck Kennedy) -
People have had a lot of good questions about the Recovery Act - this week's meeting of the Middle Class Task Force aims to address them.As mentioned here on Saturday, the meeting will be held as a town hall in St. Cloud, Minnesota on Thursday. Vice President Biden has now opened www.AStrongMiddleClass.gov for your questions, and the Task Force will be addressing some of them at the Town Hall on Thursday. Take your best shot.
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After minor delays, Space shuttle Discovery launched last night. From the Associated Press:
Launch controllers could see the shuttle for seven minutes, until it reached somewhere off the New York or New Jersey coast. "We were all rewarded with a beautiful, beautiful launch," said launch director Mike Leinbach.Watch video of the liftoff at NASA's site.
(Image Credit: Scott Andrews/NASA, Tom Farrar) -
Calling himself "a great admirer of the progressive, forward-looking leadership that President Lula has shown," President Obama opened up a joint press availability this afternoon after a meeting between the two heads of state. President Lula described the topics covered in the meeting, from stemming the global financial crisis, to addressing the unemployment around the world that results from it, to development in Africa and Latin America.
(President Barack Obama greets President Lula da Silva of Brazil on Saturday, March 14, 2009 in the Oval Office. White House Photo/Pete Souza)President Obama was also asked about Brazil’s almost unprecedented move towards biofuels, and whether that would create friction with biofuel producers in the United States, but both President Obama and President Lula struck a very positive, optimistic note:PRESIDENT OBAMA: Is that directed at me? Well, look, I think Brazil has shown extraordinary leadership when it comes to biofuels. And I've been a great admirer of the steps that have been taken by President Lula's government in pursuing biofuels and developing them. And this is an investment that Brazil has made for a very long time.My policies coming into this administration have been to redouble efforts here in the United States to pursue a similar path of clean energy development. And I think we have a lot to learn from Brazil.As I mentioned to President Lula, I think we have the potential to exchange ideas, technology to build on the biodiesel cooperation structure that we've already established. I know that the issue of Brazilian ethanol coming into the United States has been a source of tension between the two countries. It's not going to change overnight, but I do think that as we continue to build exchanges of ideas, commerce, trade around the issue of biodiesel, that over time this source of tension can get resolved.PRESIDENT LULA: This is the very first meeting that we have between the Brazilian administration and President Obama's administration to discuss this issue. Actually, my answer is built in your question. I can't also understand while the world is concerned with climate change and with carbon emissions that bring greenhouse effect, (inaudible) fuel gets tariffs, and clean fuel also gets tariffs. I have discussed this with Angela Merkel, with Tony Blair when he was Prime Minister, with President of France, Sarkozy, with former President Bush.I never expect an immediate answer. This is a process. As time goes by, Brazil is proving that biofuel is an extraordinary alternative. And slowly the countries will be convinced. And slowly other countries will join the biofuel effort. That's what I believe.A seminar will be held in New York City on Monday, where I will attend, and this will be a strong issue that will be discussed there. I talked with President Obama about the possibility for us to build partnerships with third-party countries, especially a joint project with the African continent. And things will move forward as people start changing. No one can change overnight, in terms of their energy matrix. Thank God for 30 years Brazil has already control -- technological control and know-how on this issue.And when President Obama comes to visit Brazil I'm going to ask him to get inside a car that is run by a flex-fuel engine and he will feel very comfortable.PRESIDENT OBAMA: I actually had a flex-fuel vehicle. But one of the problems here in the United States is, is that we don't have enough gas stations that have biofuels in them. So that's one of the areas that we need to change our distribution networks here in the United States. -
Having held an amazing first meeting in Philadelphia around green jobs, the Middle Class Task Force has announced their second official meeting. It will be held on March 19th in St. Cloud, Minnesota as a town hall, titled "Road to Recovery: Building a Strong Middle Class Starting with the Recovery Act."The town hall format will be a shift from the first meeting which focused on expert panels and presentations, and will have a focus on questions, concerns and ideas from average citizens. You will be able to submit your questions through www.AStrongMiddleClass.gov, and audience members coming together at the New Flyer Bus Company in St. Cloud –- a low-emission mass transit company that has flourished even as the economy declined -- will have their shot as well.
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March 14, 2009
05:30 AM ESTIn this week's address, President Barack Obama makes key announcements regarding the safety of our nation's food."We are a nation built on the strength of individual initiative. But there are certain things that we can't do on our own. There are certain things that only a government can do. And one of those things is ensuring that the foods we eat, and the medicines we take, are safe and don't cause us harm."Watch Your Weekly Address below to learn more about the President's measures to make the food that lands on America's dinner tables safer.Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player. -
Before beginning this installment of "Recovery in Action," a slightly different kind of story out of California courtesy of the LA Times:
Chris Schultz breaks down as he worries that his younger brothers will become homeless because his family is four months behind in rent.
Evelyn Aguilar's home was foreclosed, so her family is among a dozen people sharing a one-bedroom apartment.
Victoria Gonzalez may delay college for a year to support her family.
These students, all 17, and 14 of their classmates tell their tales in "Is Anybody Listening?", a nine-minute video made by students at Village Academy High School in Pomona. The production quality is minimal; students speak directly to the camera in front of a blue background, laced with footage of foreclosed homes, abandoned storefronts and others advertising going-out-of-business sales.
But the tales of families dealing with the economic crisis are deeply personal.
This week, in his first major speech on education since taking office, President Obama described the video and spoke directly to the Pomona students.
"I am listening. We are listening. America is listening," the president said. "And we are not going to rest until your parents can keep their jobs, your families can keep their homes, and you can focus on what you should be focusing on: your own education."
Although the subject is dispiriting, the story of how the documentary came to be made at a low-income yet high-achieving public school -- and ended up in a speech by the president -- is extraordinary.
Read the rest, or watch the video. Now for a glance around the country to see what the recovery act is doing to address stories like those:
Arizona [East Valley Tribune, 3/10/09]:
About $7 million in federal stimulus money will enable Maricopa Workforce Connections to help hundreds more displaced workers upgrade their skills for future employment. The U.S. Department of Labor this week announced state allotment levels for employment and training programs funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The work force investment system will use the $3.5 billion to help Americans get back to work through the national network of one-stop career centers. "It can be used to help folks who have been laid off through education and training programs," said Peggy Abrahamson, Department of Labor spokeswoman. "Primarily the states do this through the one-stop career centers, and there's well over 3,000 around the country."
Kansas [Topeka Capital Journal, 3/12/09]:
Money from the federal stimulus program may reduce the three-month wait time for an appointment at the Shawnee County Health Agency Clinic. Shawnee County commissioners authorized Anne Freeze, health agency director, to speed the process of preparing the application and sending it to Washington.
Maryland [Gazette.net, 3/11/09]:
Stimulus road workers happy to be back on job… When American Infrastructure won the contract to repave a section of New Hampshire Avenue, Bryan White, 47, of Aberdeen, was one of the employees who got the call to return to work. "It's wonderful," White said of the project, cited as the first in the nation under the $26.6 billion released by President Barack Obama from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to state and local governments to repair and build roadways and bridges. "It's going to create more jobs. I know I'm happy."
Massachusetts [The Boston Globe, 3/12/09]:
The city plans to put its first millions in federal stimulus cash to work as early as next month as part of the redevelopment of the Washington-Beech housing development in Roslindale, Mayor Thomas M. Menino said yesterday. Future phases of the redevelopment, which already have received significant federal funding, will mean a total of 342 new affordable housing units at Washington-Beech and in the surrounding area. Menino said yesterday that he believes the planned April 1 start date of construction on the Washington-Beech project made the city one of the first in the nation to use stimulus dollars aimed at housing. Other stimulus-funded projects slated to begin in 2009 include the installation of more energy-efficient lighting and heating at several housing developments ($5 million); upgrades to bathrooms in several of the housing authority's oldest developments ($10 million); heating and cooling system improvements ($5 million); and security camera installation ($1 million). "Washington-Beech is just the beginning," Menino said.
Mississippi [Biloxi Sun-Herald, 3/12/09]:
Gil Carmichael was as happy as a kid in a candy store that President Obama put $9.3 billion for high-speed rail transportation and upgrading Amtrak into the $785 billion economic recovery package. Carmichael, otherwise a Meridian businessman and former Republican leader, for 20 years since he served as Federal Railroad Administrator has been preaching a vision of a vastly expanded national system of passenger rail transportation he calls "Interstate II." In the Obama recovery package is $8 billion for some 30,000 miles of inter-city high-speed rail transportation and $1.3 billion for Amtrak whose ridership has risen since gas hit $4. The high-speed rail system would significantly benefit all states, even a rural state like Mississippi, as Carmichael will explain in a moment. He praised Obama's inclusion of the rail system in his package: "President Obama clearly understands this necessary new approach to meeting 21st century transportation needs."
Missouri [News-Leader, 3/11/09]:
Missouri will get about $525 million in federal funds for transportation -- a slice of which will be for road projects in the Ozarks. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act aims to create jobs and jump start the economy, Kirk Juranas, Missouri Department of Transportation district engineer for District 8, said Tuesday evening at a public meeting. "This is about jobs," he said. "Jobs, jobs, jobs." Stimulus funds invested in Missouri's transportation infrastructure will directly and indirectly support nearly 22,000 jobs statewide, according to MoDOT… "These projects all have to be delivered fast," Juranas said.
More than 275 jobs could be created or retained locally as a result of stimulus funds that should hit the area this summer. The Ohio-Kentucky-Indiana Regional Council presented its list of projects to potentially receive federal stimulus dollars during a public hearing Monday, March 9. The final list should be approved by the OKI board Thursday, said Brian Cunningham, spokesman for the agency. With an emphasis on "shovel-readiness," the OKI staff also selected projects for their ability at improving commerce or creating jobs, he said.
Pennsylvania [The Philadelphia Inquirer, 3/12/09]:
Under Gov. Rendell's proposal for spending federal education stimulus money, Philadelphia schools would stand to get $361 million in additional funding next school year, and suburban districts would get a total of $88 million in new funding. That money is part of $1.1 billion in stimulus money that Pennsylvania would spend on assorted education programs starting in July, according to a plan released yesterday by the state Department of Education. About a third of that money would go directly to a handful of programs targeted to low-income students and special education. Rendell wants to designate the rest of the money - totaling $728 million - to two broad programs. One would supplement the state's regular education funding, which otherwise could face cuts reflecting the poor state of economy. The other would represent new money that districts could use on a variety of programs, including classroom instruction, school renovations, and technology upgrades. It could also be used to make up for any lost school-tax revenue.
Virginia [Virginia Pilot, 3/12/09]:
The city will receive about $20 million from the federal stimulus package, and that's in addition to tens of millions of dollars the school system and Hampton Roads Transit will receive. The City Council received a breakdown Tuesday of funds the city has confirmed it will get, including $9.2 million to rehabilitate public housing and $6 million to improve roads. City Manager Regina V.K. Williams said the city has applied for added funds, including $16 million to improve sewer systems in some of the city's oldest neighborhoods…. "You put it all together, and construction firms will be hiring new people and paying overtime to some of their existing employees," she said.
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Today President Obama made clear that as great as the demands on our government are, accountability will never fall by the wayside.First, this morning leaders from across the country descended upon Washington with one mission in mind: implementing the Recovery Act. Vice President Joe Biden invited implementation ‘czars’ and representatives from all U.S. states and territories to take part in the White House Conference on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation. The conference was a chance for state officials to bring forward ideas and share best practices, as well as hear presentations from a number of Cabinet Secretaries and Administration officials, including Earl Devaney, Chairman of the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board."States have a huge responsibility in partnering with us to ensure that dollars spent as part of the Recovery Act are spent wisely, with transparency and accountability," said Vice President Joe Biden, who has been tasked by the President to oversee the implementation of the Recovery Act. "Our hope for this conference is to meet face-to-face with the state officials and streamline this implementation process so we can get our economy running again."During the conference, President Obama stopped by to share a few words of encouragement:So my main message to all of you is I think you're up to the task; I think you guys will do extraordinary work with using these precious tax dollars that the American people have given up in order to deliver on the kind of economic growth -- short-term and long-term -- and job creation that's going to be so important.
But we're going to need to work really hard and we're going to have to make sure that every single dollar is well spent. We've got to go above and beyond what I think is the typical ways of doing business in order to make sure that the American people get the help that they need and that our economy gets the boost that it needs.
The White House Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation Conference is part of a large effort to ensure that dollars invested and spent as part of the Recovery Act are effective, transparent, and efficient. To learn more about today’s event, read the President’s andVice President’s full remarks.Likewise, when the President spoke to the Business Roundtable at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington this afternoon, he had a similar message of accountability on the financial stability leg of the stool:[C]ritical to that solution is an honest and forthright assessment of the true status of bank balance sheets -- something that we've not yet had. And that's why the Treasury has asked bank regulators to conduct intensive examinations or "stress tests" of each bank.When that process is complete next month, we will act decisively to ensure that our major banks have enough money on hand to lend to people even in more difficult times. And if we learn that such a bank has more serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy.I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for any assistance they'll receive, and this time they'll have to clearly demonstrate how taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer.The crisis we face is the most severe in decades, and it will take an approach that addresses every facet of the crisis at once, but the scale of the problem only means accountability is more important than ever. -
Today President Obama made clear that as great as the demands on our government are, accountability will never fall by the wayside.First, this morning leaders from across the country descended upon Washington with one mission in mind: implementing the Recovery Act. Vice President Joe Biden invited implementation ‘czars’ and representatives from all U.S. states and territories to take part in the White House Conference on American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation. The conference was a chance for state officials to bring forward ideas and share best practices, as well as hear presentations from a number of Cabinet Secretaries and Administration officials, including Earl Devaney, Chairman of the Recovery Act Transparency and Accountability Board."States have a huge responsibility in partnering with us to ensure that dollars spent as part of the Recovery Act are spent wisely, with transparency and accountability," said Vice President Joe Biden, who has been tasked by the President to oversee the implementation of the Recovery Act. "Our hope for this conference is to meet face-to-face with the state officials and streamline this implementation process so we can get our economy running again."During the conference, President Obama stopped by to share a few words of encouragement:So my main message to all of you is I think you're up to the task; I think you guys will do extraordinary work with using these precious tax dollars that the American people have given up in order to deliver on the kind of economic growth -- short-term and long-term -- and job creation that's going to be so important.
But we're going to need to work really hard and we're going to have to make sure that every single dollar is well spent. We've got to go above and beyond what I think is the typical ways of doing business in order to make sure that the American people get the help that they need and that our economy gets the boost that it needs.
The White House Recovery and Reinvestment Act Implementation Conference is part of a large effort to ensure that dollars invested and spent as part of the Recovery Act are effective, transparent, and efficient. To learn more about today’s event, read the President’s andVice President’s full remarks.Likewise, when the President spoke to the Business Roundtable at the St. Regis Hotel in Washington this afternoon, he had a similar message of accountability on the financial stability leg of the stool:[C]ritical to that solution is an honest and forthright assessment of the true status of bank balance sheets -- something that we've not yet had. And that's why the Treasury has asked bank regulators to conduct intensive examinations or "stress tests" of each bank.When that process is complete next month, we will act decisively to ensure that our major banks have enough money on hand to lend to people even in more difficult times. And if we learn that such a bank has more serious problems, we will hold accountable those responsible, force the necessary adjustments, provide the support to clean up their balance sheets, and assure the continuity of a strong, viable institution that can serve our people and our economy.I intend to hold these banks fully accountable for any assistance they'll receive, and this time they'll have to clearly demonstrate how taxpayer dollars result in more lending for the American taxpayer.The crisis we face is the most severe in decades, and it will take an approach that addresses every facet of the crisis at once, but the scale of the problem only means accountability is more important than ever. -
See an exclusive photo from the White House Photo Office and the official readout of this closed press meeting below:
President Barack Obama welcomes China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to the Oval Office, Thursday, March 12, 2009, at the White House. (White House Photo/Pete Souza)Readout on the President's Meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang JiechiPresident Obama met with the Chinese Foreign Minister today in the Oval Office. Prior to the meeting, the Foreign Minister met with National Security Advisor Jones and also met yesterday at the State Department with Secretary of State Clinton.During today’s meeting, President Obama and Foreign Minister Yang discussed the overall state of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, emphasizing the desire of both sides to strengthen cooperation and build a positive and constructive U.S.-China relationship.The two also discussed other important global issues, including the international financial crisis, North Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the situation in Sudan. The President also stressed the importance of raising the level and frequency of the U.S.-China military-to-military dialogue in order to avoid future incidents. General Jones had also raised the recent incident in the South China Sea with the USNS Impeccable.On the international financial crisis, the two agreed that China and the U.S. must work closely and urgently, as two of the world’s leading economies, to stabilize the global economy by stimulating demand at home and abroad, and get credit markets flowing. The President also emphasized the need to address global trade imbalances.On human rights, the President noted that the promotion of human rights is an essential aspect of U.S. global foreign policy. The President expressed his hope there would be progress in the dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama’s representatives.On North Korea, the President expressed appreciation for the important role China has played as the Chair of the Six-Party Talks. He said we will continue to work with China and other partners in the Six-Party process to verifiably eliminate North Korea’s nuclear program. The President also highlighted the risks posed by North Korea’s missile program.On Darfur, President Obama expressed his deep concern about the unfolding humanitarian crisis and the Government of Sudan’s decision to expel major humanitarian organizations that had been providing lifesaving assistance to the people of Darfur. -
See an exclusive photo from the White House Photo Office and the official readout of this closed press meeting below:
President Barack Obama welcomes China's Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi to the Oval Office, Thursday, March 12, 2009, at the White House. (White House Photo/Pete Souza)Readout on the President's Meeting with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang JiechiPresident Obama met with the Chinese Foreign Minister today in the Oval Office. Prior to the meeting, the Foreign Minister met with National Security Advisor Jones and also met yesterday at the State Department with Secretary of State Clinton.During today’s meeting, President Obama and Foreign Minister Yang discussed the overall state of the U.S.-China bilateral relationship, emphasizing the desire of both sides to strengthen cooperation and build a positive and constructive U.S.-China relationship.The two also discussed other important global issues, including the international financial crisis, North Korea, Afghanistan and Pakistan, and the situation in Sudan. The President also stressed the importance of raising the level and frequency of the U.S.-China military-to-military dialogue in order to avoid future incidents. General Jones had also raised the recent incident in the South China Sea with the USNS Impeccable.On the international financial crisis, the two agreed that China and the U.S. must work closely and urgently, as two of the world’s leading economies, to stabilize the global economy by stimulating demand at home and abroad, and get credit markets flowing. The President also emphasized the need to address global trade imbalances.On human rights, the President noted that the promotion of human rights is an essential aspect of U.S. global foreign policy. The President expressed his hope there would be progress in the dialogue between the Chinese government and the Dalai Lama’s representatives.On North Korea, the President expressed appreciation for the important role China has played as the Chair of the Six-Party Talks. He said we will continue to work with China and other partners in the Six-Party process to verifiably eliminate North Korea’s nuclear program. The President also highlighted the risks posed by North Korea’s missile program.On Darfur, President Obama expressed his deep concern about the unfolding humanitarian crisis and the Government of Sudan’s decision to expel major humanitarian organizations that had been providing lifesaving assistance to the people of Darfur. -
Today is the first of five regional forums following up on the forum at the White House a week ago, hosted by Governors Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin. As the President explained in the announcement of the regional forums, they will be meant to foster the same kind of meaningful and open dialogue that occurred at the White House in communities across the country: "The forums will bring together diverse groups of people all over the country who have a stake in reforming our health care system and ask them to put forward their best ideas about how we bring down costs and expand coverage for American families."You can watch the first one streamed from Michigan at HealthReform.gov at 2pm ET, and in the meantime you can submit your own ideas and questions for the forums, find dates and locations, and learn what people in your own state had to say during the community discussions that took place during the Presidential TransitionDeb Price of the Detroit News describes Joyce Shilakes, a local social worker and breast-cancer survivor, who was involved in those discussions and who will speak at the forum today:"I deal with people on a daily basis trying to fund their health care," Shilakes said."They are not able to afford their treatments, their medications. They are juggling that with household bills -- heat, food," she added.The result, she says, is that people don't comply with physician-recommended doses of medication, because they can't afford it. One of her clients refused to have a lump checked in her breast -- despite a history of breast cancer in her family -- because she had no medical insurance.Shilakes and her husband Mark have seen the importance of good coverage.Her cancer treatment bills -- paid for by GM -- topped $100,000. Husband Mark, a General Motors staff research technician, who has both of them on his health care plan, was also diagnosed with cancer and needed treatment."With the state of things in the auto industry, we don't know whether he is going to have a job. If he loses his job, which provides our health care, we'll be without coverage," she said.Every community in the country has stories like hers, and these forums will give those stories a chance to be heard -- and even more importantly start the process of helping to fix what’s broken.
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Today is the first of five regional forums following up on the forum at the White House a week ago, hosted by Governors Jennifer Granholm of Michigan and Jim Doyle of Wisconsin. As the President explained in the announcement of the regional forums, they will be meant to foster the same kind of meaningful and open dialogue that occurred at the White House in communities across the country: "The forums will bring together diverse groups of people all over the country who have a stake in reforming our health care system and ask them to put forward their best ideas about how we bring down costs and expand coverage for American families."You can watch the first one streamed from Michigan at HealthReform.gov at 2pm ET, and in the meantime you can submit your own ideas and questions for the forums, find dates and locations, and learn what people in your own state had to say during the community discussions that took place during the Presidential TransitionDeb Price of the Detroit News describes Joyce Shilakes, a local social worker and breast-cancer survivor, who was involved in those discussions and who will speak at the forum today:"I deal with people on a daily basis trying to fund their health care," Shilakes said."They are not able to afford their treatments, their medications. They are juggling that with household bills -- heat, food," she added.The result, she says, is that people don't comply with physician-recommended doses of medication, because they can't afford it. One of her clients refused to have a lump checked in her breast -- despite a history of breast cancer in her family -- because she had no medical insurance.Shilakes and her husband Mark have seen the importance of good coverage.Her cancer treatment bills -- paid for by GM -- topped $100,000. Husband Mark, a General Motors staff research technician, who has both of them on his health care plan, was also diagnosed with cancer and needed treatment."With the state of things in the auto industry, we don't know whether he is going to have a job. If he loses his job, which provides our health care, we'll be without coverage," she said.Every community in the country has stories like hers, and these forums will give those stories a chance to be heard -- and even more importantly start the process of helping to fix what’s broken.
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Today President Obama signed the final version of last year’s budget, as posted here on Friday while it was making its way through Congress, in order to keep the government functioning. As he explained, there was much to speak well of in the bill:Now, yesterday Congress sent me the final part of last year's budget; a piece of legislation that rolls nine bills required to keep the government running into one, a piece of legislation that addresses the immediate concerns of the American people by making needed investments in line with our urgent national priorities.That's what nearly 99 percent of this legislation does -- the nearly 99 percent that you probably haven't heard much about.However, the President continued, "What you likely have heard about is that this bill does include earmarks." He made several points, noting that earmarks need not be inherently evil if they are simply transparent requests for help in areas of legitimate need, and that many who would focus all of their energies railing against earmarks often fight to the teeth for their own.But the President made clear that there have also been too many examples where earmarking led to corruption, and that while significant progress had been made in the last Congress there is still ample room for reform. He called on Congress to act this year on the principles he set forth, principles that Congressional analyst and historian Norm Ornstein called "a solid, practical and comprehensive set of new steps to take us much closer to the kind of meaningfully balanced system the American people deserve," adding that "The president's proposal is real reform." President Obama laid the principles out clearly:In my discussions with Congress, we have talked about the need for further reforms to ensure that the budget process inspires trust and confidence instead of cynicism. So I believe as we move forward, we can come together around principles that prevent the abuse of earmarks.These principles begin with a simple concept: Earmarks must have a legitimate and worthy public purpose. Earmarks that members do seek must be aired on those members' websites in advance, so the public and the press can examine them and judge their merits for themselves. Each earmark must be open to scrutiny at public hearings, where members will have to justify their expense to the taxpayer.Next, any earmark for a for-profit private company should be subject to the same competitive bidding requirements as other federal contracts. The awarding of earmarks to private companies is the single most corrupting element of this practice, as witnessed by some of the indictments and convictions that we've already seen. Private companies differ from the public entities that Americans rely on every day –- schools, and police stations, and fire departments.When somebody is allocating money to those public entities, there's some confidence that there's going to be a public purpose. When they are given to private entities, you've got potential problems. You know, when you give it to public companies -- public entities like fire departments, and if they are seeking taxpayer dollars, then I think all of us can feel some comfort that the state or municipality that's benefitting is doing so because it's going to trickle down and help the people in that community. When they're private entities, then I believe they have to be evaluated with a higher level of scrutiny.Furthermore, it should go without saying that an earmark must never be traded for political favors.And finally, if my administration evaluates an earmark and determines that it has no legitimate public purpose, then we will seek to eliminate it, and we'll work with Congress to do so.
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Today President Obama signed the final version of last year’s budget, as posted here on Friday while it was making its way through Congress, in order to keep the government functioning. As he explained, there was much to speak well of in the bill:Now, yesterday Congress sent me the final part of last year's budget; a piece of legislation that rolls nine bills required to keep the government running into one, a piece of legislation that addresses the immediate concerns of the American people by making needed investments in line with our urgent national priorities.That's what nearly 99 percent of this legislation does -- the nearly 99 percent that you probably haven't heard much about.However, the President continued, "What you likely have heard about is that this bill does include earmarks." He made several points, noting that earmarks need not be inherently evil if they are simply transparent requests for help in areas of legitimate need, and that many who would focus all of their energies railing against earmarks often fight to the teeth for their own.But the President made clear that there have also been too many examples where earmarking led to corruption, and that while significant progress had been made in the last Congress there is still ample room for reform. He called on Congress to act this year on the principles he set forth, principles that Congressional analyst and historian Norm Ornstein called "a solid, practical and comprehensive set of new steps to take us much closer to the kind of meaningfully balanced system the American people deserve," adding that "The president's proposal is real reform." President Obama laid the principles out clearly:In my discussions with Congress, we have talked about the need for further reforms to ensure that the budget process inspires trust and confidence instead of cynicism. So I believe as we move forward, we can come together around principles that prevent the abuse of earmarks.These principles begin with a simple concept: Earmarks must have a legitimate and worthy public purpose. Earmarks that members do seek must be aired on those members' websites in advance, so the public and the press can examine them and judge their merits for themselves. Each earmark must be open to scrutiny at public hearings, where members will have to justify their expense to the taxpayer.Next, any earmark for a for-profit private company should be subject to the same competitive bidding requirements as other federal contracts. The awarding of earmarks to private companies is the single most corrupting element of this practice, as witnessed by some of the indictments and convictions that we've already seen. Private companies differ from the public entities that Americans rely on every day –- schools, and police stations, and fire departments.When somebody is allocating money to those public entities, there's some confidence that there's going to be a public purpose. When they are given to private entities, you've got potential problems. You know, when you give it to public companies -- public entities like fire departments, and if they are seeking taxpayer dollars, then I think all of us can feel some comfort that the state or municipality that's benefitting is doing so because it's going to trickle down and help the people in that community. When they're private entities, then I believe they have to be evaluated with a higher level of scrutiny.Furthermore, it should go without saying that an earmark must never be traded for political favors.And finally, if my administration evaluates an earmark and determines that it has no legitimate public purpose, then we will seek to eliminate it, and we'll work with Congress to do so.
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Viewing this video requires Adobe Flash Player 8 or higher. Download the free player.A little while ago the President signed an Executive Order to ensure there is always an eye kept on how every government agency is addressing the challenges confronted by women of all ages. The White House Council on Women and Girls will be chaired by Senior Advisor Valerie Jarrett, with Director of Public Liaison Tina Tchen serving as Executive Director, and will made up of Cabinet Secretaries and other top White House staff. It will begin its work immediately by asking each agency to analyze their current status and ensure that they are focused internally and externally on women.During its first year, the Council will also focus on formulating comprehensive, coordinated policies in the following areas:
- Improving women’s economic security by ensuring that each of the agencies is working to directly improve the economic status of women.
- Working with each agency to ensure that the administration evaluates and develops policies that establish a balance between work and family.
- Working hand-in-hand with the Vice President, the Justice Department’s Office of Violence Against Women and other government officials to find new ways to prevent violence against women, at home and abroad.
- Finally, the critical work of the Council will be to help build healthy families and improve women’s health care.
President Obama opened his remarks speaking about the women in his life, before signing the Executive Order to put it all in motion:I sign this order not just as a President, but as a son, a grandson, a husband, and a father, because growing up, I saw my mother put herself through school and follow her passion for helping others. But I also saw how she struggled to raise me and my sister on her own, worrying about how she'd pay the bills and educate herself and provide for us.I saw my grandmother work her way up to become one of the first women bank vice presidents in the state of Hawaii, but I also saw how she hit a glass ceiling -- how men no more qualified than she was kept moving up the corporate ladder ahead of her.I've seen Michelle, the rock of the Obama family -- (laughter) -- juggling work and parenting with more skill and grace than anybody that I know. But I also saw how it tore at her at times, how sometimes when she was with the girls she was worrying about work, and when she was at work she was worrying about the girls. It's a feeling that I share every day.And he closed his remarks on the same note:So now it's up to us to carry that work forward, to ensure that our daughters and granddaughters have no limits on their dreams, no obstacles to their achievements -- and that they have opportunities their mothers and grandmothers and great grandmothers never dreamed of. That's the purpose of this Council. Those are the priorities of my presidency. And I look forward to working with all of you to fulfill them in the months and years to come.All right, so I'm going to go sign this thing. Thank you very much.Read more, including the full list of initial members, in the official release.
First Lady Michelle Obama joins in the applause at the Executive Order signing ceremony Wednesday, March 11, 2009 in the East Room of the White House, creating the White House Council on Women and Girls. White House Photo/Pete Souza)
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