The Final State of the Union
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Summary:
This week, the White House celebrated National Jewish American Heritage Month with the Adas Israel congregation and honored our troops on Memorial Day. The First Lady inspired graduates at Oberlin College, while the President reminded us why #CleanWaterRules and answered your climate questions on Twitter.
This week, the President honored our troops on Memorial Day, reminded us why #CleanWaterRules, and answered your climate questions on Twitter -- while the First Lady inspired graduates at Oberlin College.
Check out what you may have missed in this week’s wrap up.
Honoring Our Fallen Heroes
President Obama traveled this Memorial Day to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia to commemorate those members of our armed forces who made the ultimate sacrifice. Keeping with tradition, President Obama laid a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier before making remarks to the audience gathered at the site.
"The Americans who rest beneath these beautiful hills, and in sacred ground across our country and around the world -- they are why our nation endures," the President said. "Each simple stone marker, arranged in perfect military precision, signifies the cost of our blessings. It is a debt we can never fully repay."
Big Plans for Small Streams
On Wednesday, the Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Army announced a finalized Clean Water Rule, protecting streams and wetlands that provide clean drinking water for 117 million Americans. From recreation to agriculture, clean water is of vital importance to all Americans -- which is why we think that #CleanWaterRules.
1 in 3 Americans get water from streams & wetlands that lacked clear protections - until yesterday. #CleanWaterRules pic.twitter.com/gMvNw9howt
— Gina McCarthy (@GinaEPA) May 27, 2015
“Rise above the noise”
On Monday, the First Lady gave a commencement address to the Class of 2015 at Oberlin College in Ohio. Oberlin won the First Lady’s Reach Higher initiative’s “Near-Peer Mentoring College” Challenge, which encouraged institutes of higher education to share the ways they are helping high school students in their area through videos.
“Play your part in our great American story.” —The First Lady to @OberlinCollege graduates: http://t.co/FGcWSDfZNo pic.twitter.com/RXgpCZUc0A
— The First Lady (@FLOTUS) May 26, 2015
In other FLOTUS news, Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza dubbed the First Lady the “Hugger-in-Chief” this week, recalling how she has greeted everyone with a hug since day one. Check out go.wh.gov/HuggerInChief for a series of huggable photos like this one:
The #HuggerInChief? Move over @POTUS. @FLOTUS takes the title: http://t.co/pDAkZtwbDS pic.twitter.com/A9FswXfBCh
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 27, 2015
@POTUS Answered Your Climate Questions
On Thursday, President Obama was briefed on the upcoming hurricane season at the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida. Immediately after, @POTUS took to Twitter to answer your questions on climate change using #AskPOTUS. After answering questions from engaged citizens on topics including climate, trade, and basketball, President Obama ended his first-ever Twitter Q&A asking followers how they plan to #ActOnClimate.
Check out some highlights:
.@NathenVieira jr smith having a great season but the heart of the Cavs is Lebron. And no one can outshoot Curry - maybe Korver if wide open
— President Obama (@POTUS) May 28, 2015
.@arianastover Kids instinctively understand importance of environment, impact on animals, health. Weave it into science and social studies
— President Obama (@POTUS) May 28, 2015
To see more of this week’s events, watch the latest episode of the West Wing Week below:
