President Barack Obama announces the nominations of Penny Pritzker as Secretary of Commerce, and Mike Froman as U.S. Trade Representative, in the Rose Garden of the White House, May 2, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama today began a three day trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, where he will meet with leaders to discuss ways the U.S. can deepen our economic and trade relationships across Latin America –- relationships that create jobs and growth here at home, and offer our businesses growing markets where they can sell more American-made goods and services abroad.  

Before he left the country, the President spoke in the Rose Garden and announced his intention to nominate two "outstanding individuals" to his Cabinet. 

Penny Pritzker is President Obama's choice for Secretary of Commerce. The President praised the Chicago businesswoman, who was a member of his Jobs Council. "Penny is one of our country’s most distinguished business leaders," he said.

She's got more than 25 years of management experience in industries including real estate, finance, and hospitality. She’s built companies from the ground up. She knows from experience that no government program alone can take the place of a great entrepreneur. She knows that what we can do is to give every business and every worker the best possible chance to succeed by making America a magnet for good jobs.

And Penny understands that just as great companies strengthen the community around them, strong communities and skilled workers also help companies thrive.  

President Obama's pick for U.S. Trade Representative, a Cabinet-level position, is Mike Froman, one of his top national security and economic advisors for several years. The President highlighted the work Froman has done organizing international trade summits. "He's been a key negotiator alongside Ron Kirk on those trade agreements for South Korea, Colombia, and Panama, which support tens of thousands of American jobs," said President Obama.

"He has won the respect of our trading partners around the world, the President continued. "He has also won a reputation as being an extraordinarily tough negotiator while doing it. He does not rest until he’s delivered the best possible deal for American businesses and American workers. He’s fought to make sure that countries that break the rules are held accountable."  

And Mike believes, just as I believe and just as Penny believes, that our workers are the most competitive in the world, so they deserve a level playing field. And Mike's going to continue to fight for that level playing field in his new role, as he helps to move forward trade negotiations with both the Asia-Pacific region and Europe, and will also continue to advise me on a broad range of economic issues. 

The President also thanked Acting Commerce Secretary Rebecca Blank and outgoing U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk for their service. 

Learn more:

• President Obama nominates Jacob Lew as Treasury Secretary
• President Obama nominates Denis McDonough as Chief of Staff
• Read about President Obama's nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA.
• President Obama has tapped John Kerry to serve as Secretary of State.
• Read about President Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense
• President Obama nominates Mary Jo White to run the SEC
• President Obama nominates Sally Jewell to Lead the Department of the Interior
• President Obama nominates OMB Director, EPA Administrator and Secretary of Energy
• President Obama nominates Anthony Foxx as Secretary of Transportation
• President Obama nominates Rep. Melvin Watt as FHFA Director and Tom Wheeler as FCC Chair

Watch this video on YouTube

In Costa Rica, President Chinchilla will host a meeting with President Obama and heads of state of the other Central American countries and the Dominican Republic, where the leaders can discuss our collective efforts to promote economic growth and development in Central America and our ongoing collaboration on citizen security.

We asked Ben Rhodes, Deputy National Security Advisor for Strategic Communications, to preview the upcoming trip and some of the issues the President would be discussing in his meetings. Check it out below or watch the video on YouTube: 

Learn more about President Obama's trip to Mexico and Costa Rica, and see the full schedule

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks at the White House Forum on Military Credentialing and Licensing, in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building South Court Auditorium, April 29, 2013. The First Lady announces the IT Training and Certification Partnership, a new public-private partnership that will enable thousands of service members to earn industry-recognized information technology (IT) certifications before they transition from military service. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

In the ongoing effort to help our servicemembers and veterans transition from active duty service to the civilian job market, the White House today invited leaders from the private sector, the military services, industry trade associations, unions, educational institutions, state legislatures, veteran service organizations, and state licensing boards for a forum on military credentialing and licensing.

At the event, First Lady Michelle Obama announced the launch of the IT Training and Certification Partnership, a new public-private program that addresses an issue that can prevent our troops from gaining employment in the private sector: Active military personnel typically do not have the industry-recognized certifications that reflect the IT skills and expertise they gained through their military service.

Today’s announcement is the second major partnership developed through the Military Credentialing and Licensing Task Force, which was established last June by the Department of Defense at President Obama’s direction. The new Partnership will provide opportunities for up to 161,000 service members to gain industry-recognized, nationally portable certifications necessary for 12 high-demand technology professions, including computer programmers, quality assurance engineers, and IT security analysts. The targeted professions are expected to generate more than 1.8 million job opportunities by 2020, and have an average annual salary of more than $81,000. Their high-quality military training assures that our veterans have the skill sets that employers demand to fill these positions

In her remarks, Mrs. Obama praised the leaders who created the Partnership, saying  their efforts will "make the world of difference to hundreds of thousands of veterans and military families across this country."

The First Lady also explained that hiring exiting servicemen and women isn't just the right thing to do, it's also a smart business decision:  

[Our veterans] do everything. They are medics and engineers, they're drivers, welders... And they are eminently qualified to do the very jobs that employers across this country are desperate to fill.

But too often, because of red tape, or outdated rules, or simple lack of coordination, our men and women in uniform come home only to find that the training and experience they’ve gotten during their time in uniform simply doesn’t count.  Or they discover that the credits that they’ve earned in military courses don’t actually transfer when they enroll in college, so they’re turned away from jobs that they’re more than qualified to do. Or they wind up paying to do the same coursework over again, and all that training, all that education, all that expertise that they have devoted their lives to attain, it all goes to waste.

And this is unfair to the men and women who have served this country so bravely. They deserve a fair shot at a good job when they come home. But it’s also unfair to their families who have sacrificed probably more in some instances so that these men and women can do their job. And they deserve some financial security once they return to civilian life.

It is also unfair to this country, because when we don’t take advantage of the skills and talents of our veterans and military spouses, jobs go unfilled and, far worse, human potential goes untapped. And that’s bad for our economy, as we all know.

Today's event also featured four roundtables where plans were discussed to launch additional public-private initiatives that will streamline the ability of service members and veterans to earn the civilian certifications and licenses required for high-demand jobs in emergency medical services, healthcare, and transportation sectors as well as streamline the ability for service members and veterans to translate military experience into academic credit.  

Learn more about the Obama Administration's efforts to help our exiting servicemen and women transition to the civilian workforce through Joining Forces.

Read the Fact Sheet about the IT Certification and Training Partnership

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the National Academy of Sciences on its 150th anniversary, in Washington, D.C., April 29, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In March of 1863, President Lincoln and Congress established the National Academy of Sciences as an independent and nonprofit institution charged with providing the government with the scientific advice that it needed. Today President Obama joined the current members of that body to celebrate the advances in science, engineering, infrastructure, innovation, education and environmental protection that can be attributed to the 150 years of work by the brilliant and committed scientists who have been elected and volunteered to serve their country.

While the National Academy of Sciences was created during the Civil War to help the Union understand the challenges new iron-clad battleships would create for the Navy, President Obama praised President Lincoln's wisdom in looking forward and recognizing that finding a way to harness the highest caliber scientific advice for the government would serve a whole range of long-term goals for the nation. And he highlighted the Academy's legacy of answering big questions and solving tough problems for the benefit of the nation:

When you look at our history, you’ve stepped up at times of enormous need and, in some cases, great peril. 

When Woodrow Wilson needed help understanding the science of military preparedness, he asked the Academy’s eminent scientists to lay it out for him. When George W. Bush, more recently, wanted to study the long-term health effects of traumatic brain injuries suffered by soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan, he set your scholars to the task. Today, my administration relies on your expertise to answer critical questions like: How do we set our priorities for research? How can we get the most out of the nanotechnology revolution? What are the underlying causes of gun violence?

And more important than any single study or report, the members of this institution embody what is so necessary for us to continue our scientific advance and to maintain our cutting-edge, and that’s restless curiosity and boundless hope, but also a fidelity to facts and truth, and a willingness to follow where the evidence leads.

Learn more about the Obama Administration's efforts to encourage scientific advances:

Find out about the Brain Initiative

See coverage of the 2013 White House Science Fair

Read about the Educate to Innovate initiative

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., April 27, 2013. First Lady Michelle Obama attended the dinner with the President. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama last night joined Conan O'Brien onstage at the Washington Hilton for the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner, and gave his fifth address to the organization of journalists who cover the White House. In his remarks, the President poked at himself, as well as some of the news organizations and politicians in the room. He also showed a spoof promo for Steven Spielberg's followup to "LIncoln," a biopic called "Obama."

But while everyone had a good laugh during the speech, President Obama closed his speech on  a more serious note, reminding the audience of the important role the media plays in American society, especially during times of crisis like the Boston Marathon bombings and the explosion that killed so many first responders in West, Texas.  

You can watch the entire speech below or on YouTube:

Speech Slides

President Barack Obama and King Abdullah II of Jordan make statements to the press prior to a bilateral meeting, in the Oval Office, April 26, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama today welcomed His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan to the White House, where the two leaders once again discussed the very urgent issues impacting that country, and the rest of the world.

President Obama met with the Jordanian leader last month on his trip to the Middle East, and this afternoon he thanked the King for his "extraordinary" hospitality, and praised his efforts to foster democratization, entrepreneurship and economic development inside Jordan. In remarks to the press before their bilateral meeting, the President said that he believes Jordan can be an "extraordinary model for effective governance in the region."

But the main topic on today's agenda was the ongoing crisis in Syria, including the impact it is having on Jordan, which has seen more than half a million refugees cross their border to escape the violence in their own country. The President addressed the reports that chemical weapons may have been used on the citizens of Syria and promised that the U.S and our partners in the region would pursue a "very rigorous investigation" of the evidence:

We have to act prudently. We have to make these assessments deliberately. But I think all of us, not just in the United States but around the world, recognize how we cannot stand by and permit the systematic use of weapons like chemical weapons on civilian populations. 

So this is going to be something that we’ll be paying a lot of attention to -- trying to confirm, and mobilize the international community around those issues.

You can watch a video of the President and King Abdullah speaking to the press below or on YouTube:

President Barack Obama stands with former Presidents George W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George H.W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter, at the opening of the George W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum in Dallas, Tex., April 25, 2013. Former First Ladies Laura Bush, left, and Hillary Rodham Clinton, right, are also pictured. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

President and Mrs. Obama were in Dallas today for the dedication of the George W. Bush Presidential Library. It was an historic occasion that brought all the living former Presidents --  Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush -- together for the first time since right before President Obama took office in 2009. They were joined by former First Ladies Roslyn Carter, Barbara Bush, Hillary Clinton (also a former Secretary of State, as President Obama noted) and Laura Bush.

In his remarks, President Obama highlighted the special bond that connects our past presidents, and said that despite disagreement on matters of foreign policy, all of the men on the stage with him shared "a profound respect and reverence for the men and women of our military and their families. And we are united in our determination to comfort the families of the fallen and to care for those who wear the uniform of the United States."

The President praised his predecessor's resolve following the attacks on 9/11, and complimented his commitment to educating all American children and to immigration reform. He also shared a story that illustrated President Bush's appreciation for the challenges that President Obama, like all American presidents, would face in office:  

The first thing I found in that desk the day I took office was a letter from George, and one that demonstrated his compassion and generosity. For he knew that I would come to learn what he had learned -- that being President, above all, is a humbling job. There are moments where you make mistakes. There are times where you wish you could turn back the clock. And what I know is true about President Bush, and I hope my successor will say about me, is that we love this country and we do our best.  

In remarks following the bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, the President praised  Qatar as "a center of innovation" and said the country has shown enormous progress ranging from education to health care under the Amir's leadership. 

But President Obama said that most of the leaders' conversation was focused on security issues in that region, relating to U.S. interests and those of the entire world:

"We had a conversation about the situation in Syria. And obviously we've been cooperating closely with Qatar and other countries in seeking to bring about an end to the slaughter that's taking place there; the removal of President Assad, who has shown himself to have no regard for his own people; and to strengthen an opposition that can bring about a democratic Syria that represents all people and respects their rights regardless of their ethnicity or their religious affiliations. And I'm very pleased that we are going to be continuing to work in coming months to try to further support the Syrian opposition, and we'll be closely coordinating our strategies to bring about a more peaceful resolution to the Syrian crisis.

We also had an opportunity to discuss the situation in Egypt, where we both very much want to see success on the part of Egyptian democracy. And both of our countries are committed to trying to encourage not only progress in this new democracy, but also economic progress that can translate into actual prosperity for the people there.

We had an opportunity to discuss the situation with respect to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and we both agree that peace is in the interest of everyone -- a secure Israel side-by-side with a sovereign Palestinian state. And we exchanged ideas about how we can advance those negotiations, and I've shared the importance of providing support to President Abbas and the Palestinian Authority so that they can be in position to have fruitful negotiations with the Israelis that can bring about, in a timely fashion, a two-state solution.

And I had an opportunity to thank the Amir for the strong support that his country has provided to our efforts in Afghanistan, including the efforts that he has personally been involved with in getting a dialogue between the Afghan government and the Taliban that might potentially result in some sort of political reconciliation. 

These are all very difficult issues and neither of us are under any illusions that they will be solved overnight.  But what we agree with is that if our two countries are communicating frankly and constructively, and pursuing common strategies, that we can be a force for good for the entire region and for a vision of a Middle East that is democratic, that is prosperous, that is tolerant, that is representative of all peoples, and that is a force for good around the world."

President Barack Obama holds a bilateral meeting with Amir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani of Qatar, in the Oval Office, April 23, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Barack Obama delivers remarks at an interfaith prayer service at the Cathedral of the Holy Cross in Boston, Mass., April 18, 2013. The service was dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed in the bombings in Boston. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama today were at Boston's Cathedral of the Holy Cross to attend Healing Our City, an interfaith service dedicated to those who were gravely wounded or killed in Monday’s bombing near the finish line of the Boston Marathon. 

In his remarks, the President paid tribute to those whose lives were taken by the bomb blasts on Boylston Street -- to Krystle Campbell, 29, who was "always smiling." And to Lingzi Lu, a 23-year-old graduate student from China who had come to "experience all this city has to offer." And finally to Martin Richard, the 8-year-old boy from Dorchester whose mother and sister remain in the hospital, fighting to recover from their own injuries. Martin, said President Obama, leaves us with two enduring images, 'forever smiling for his beloved Bruins, and forever expressing a wish he made on a blue poster board: 'No more hurting people. Peace.'"

President Obama also praised the people of Boston, a city both he and the First Lady once called home. Like thousands every year, the two lived there as students -- just one of the many reasons, the President said, that Boston has a hold on so many hearts. "Every fall, you welcome students from all across America and all across the globe, and every spring you graduate them back into the world -- a Boston diaspora that excels in every field of human endeavor," he said. "Year after year, you welcome the greatest talents in the arts and science, research -- you welcome them to your concert halls and your hospitals and your laboratories to exchange ideas and insights that draw this world together."

In fact, the President said, whichever terrorists are behind the attack on Monday picked the wrong city as a target, because Boston will not be terrorized or intimidated:

You’ve shown us, Boston, that in the face of evil, Americans will lift up what’s good. In the face of cruelty, we will choose compassion. In the face of those who would visit death upon innocents, we will choose to save and to comfort and to heal. We’ll choose friendship. We’ll choose love. 

Scripture teaches us, “God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” And that’s the spirit you’ve displayed in recent days. 

When doctors and nurses, police and firefighters and EMTs and Guardsmen run towards explosions to treat the wounded -- that’s discipline. 

When exhausted runners, including our troops and veterans -- who never expected to see such carnage on the streets back home  -- become first responders themselves, tending to the injured -- that’s real power. 

When Bostonians carry victims in their arms, deliver water and blankets, line up to give blood, open their homes to total strangers, give them rides back to reunite with their families -- that’s love.

That’s the message we send to those who carried this out and anyone who would do harm to our people.  Yes, we will find you.  And, yes, you will face justice. We will find you. We will hold you accountable.  But more than that; our fidelity to our way of life -- to our free and open society -- will only grow stronger. For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but one of power and love and self-discipline.

After the service, President and Mrs. Obama stopped by Boston's Cathedral High School to thank some of Boston's first responders and volunteers for their tireless efforts over the past few days, and then the President visited patients, their families and hospital staff at Massachusetts General Hospital, while the First Lady stopped by Boston Children’s Hospital and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

You can watch President Obama's remarks below or on YouTube:

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the explosions that occurred in Boston, in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room of the White House, April 16, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Following a briefing from FBI Director Mueller, Attorney General Holder, Secretary Napolitano, and homeland security advisor Lisa Monaco, President Obama went to the Brady Press Briefing Room to update Americans on developments in Boston, following two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday afternoon. 

"We continue to mobilize and deploy all appropriate law enforcement resources to protect our citizens, and to investigate and to respond to this attack," the President said in a televised address. "Obviously our first thoughts this morning are with the victims, their families, and the city of Boston. We know that two explosions gravely wounded dozens of Americans, and took the lives of others, including a 8-year-old boy.

"This was a heinous and cowardly act. And given what we now know about what took place, the FBI is investigating it as an act of terrorism.  Any time bombs are used to target innocent civilians it is an act of terror. What we don’t yet know, however, is who carried out this attack, or why; whether it was planned and executed by a terrorist organization, foreign or domestic, or was the act of a malevolent individual."

The President assured the American people that while it will take time to determine what happened, "we will find whoever harmed our citizens. And we will bring them to justice."

In addition to highlighting the tremendous acts of heroism by the men and women of the FBI, the Boston Police Department, and other agencies and first responders yesterday, the President praised the kindness, generosity and love that was on display throughout the city of Boston in the aftermath of the bombings. "if you want to know who we are, what America is, how we respond to evil -- that’s it. Selflessly. Compassionately. Unafraid."

You can watch the President's complete statement below or on YouTube:

Learn more:

• See President Obama's statement following the explosions in Boston
• President Obama speaks at an Interfaith Prayer Service in Boston

In his 2011 State of the Union Address, President Obama promised that, for the first time ever, American taxpayers would be able to go online and see exactly how their federal tax dollars are spent. And for the third year in a row, he’s keeping that promise. As long as he’s in office, every hardworking taxpayer will be able to jump online to see exactly how their tax dollars are being spent.

Just enter a few pieces of information below, and the Taxpayer Receipt will give you a breakdown of how your tax dollars are spent on priorities like education, veterans benefits, or health care. The online tool has been updated to reflect current spending. 

The President believes the economy grows best from the middle out, not from the top down.  That’s why he fought to make the middle class income tax cuts permanent. Additionally, millions of folks continue to be able to take advantage of things like the American Opportunity Tax Credit, and the expansions to the Earned Income Tax Credit and the Child Tax Credit. There’s more work to be done to strengthen the economy, the President will continue to do everything he can to make investments that’ll grow the economy and strengthen the middle class while taking a balanced approach to reduce the deficit to ensure every American has a shot at the American dream.

Understand how and where your tax dollars are being spent

Now that the Senate has agreed that commonsense gun safety reforms deserve a vote, they must finish the job and pass those reforms to protect our children and our communities. Now is the time for all Americans to help make this a moment of real change.

Transcript | Download mp4 | Download mp3

Learn more about President Obama's plan for commonsense gun safety reforms.

You can make your voice heard by joining the White House call for action on social media. Here's how it works:

1. Sign on to share a tweet or Facebook message through our action page here: wh.gov/nowisthetime/action
2. We'll gather as many voices as we can, then post all the messages and tweets simultaneously for maximum impact
3. The more people who sign up, the louder our collective voice will be, so after you sign on, encourage your friends and family to participate. 

President Barack Obama examines the helmet given to him by the United States Naval Academy football team during the ceremony to present the Commander-in-Chief Trophy to the team in the East Room of the White House, April 12, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

The Navy Midshipmen were at the White House today, marking eight visits in ten years that the U.S. Naval Academy's football team has won the Commander-in-Chief Trophy against the other service academies. Last year, Vice President Biden was there to award the Trophy when the Midshipmen triumphed in the 113th annual Army-Navy game to win the title. 

In his remarks, President Obama highlighted the team's excellent record, but he talked more about their ethic of teamwork and discipline and unselfishness, and praised their focus on academics -- the Naval Academy’s graduation rate has been in the top 10 of the NCAA for the eighth straight year. But most of all, the President paid tribute to the work these champions will be doing in the future, on behalf of this country:

I have no greater honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief. You’re there for each other and you are there for our country. In just a few weeks when I visit you all for commencement -- and I always have to get ready because Midshipmen, they got strong handshakes, some of them give me chest bumps, I’ve got to just make sure I don’t tip over -- 18 of you will be commissioned as ensigns in the Navy, and 10 more as second lieutenants in the Marine Corps. 

And in the years to come, you will all follow their footsteps. You’ll be leading your peers in some of the most complex, dangerous missions on the planet. You’ll be teaching them to pull together, to keep their mission in focus, to always remember that “it’s not about me.”  And together, your victories will not simply be about football trophies -- as impressive as that trophy is -- but it will be about our security and our values and protecting our freedom. 

So I want you to know that I could not be prouder to have each of you representing this great country of ours. Americans all across the country feel the very same way. And every single day, we will stand behind you and support you, and do the very best that we can in our own lives to reflect the courage and the honor and the character of the men and women of the United States Naval Academy. So God bless you.

You can watch the whole ceremony below or on YouTube: 

President Barack Obama embraces Ray Kapaun after presenting him with the Medal of Honor awarded posthumously to his uncle, Chaplain (Captain) Emil J. Kapaun, during a ceremony in the East Room of the White House, April 11, 2013. Chaplain Kapaun was awarded the medal for his extraordinary heroism while serving with the 3d Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division during combat operations against an armed enemy at Unsan, Korea and as a prisoner of war from November 1-2, 1950. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Today in the East Room, President Obama told the story of Emil Kapaun, an Army Chaplain from Kansas who served in the US Army during the Korean War. It's a powerful story, and probably best told in the President's own words: 

"After the Communist invasion of South Korea, [Father Kapaun] was among the first American troops that hit the beaches and pushed their way north through hard mountains and bitter cold. In his understated Midwestern way, he wrote home, saying, “this outdoor life is quite the thing” and “I prefer to live in a house once in a while.” But he had hope, saying, “It looks like the war will end soon.”

That’s when Chinese forces entered the war with a massive surprise attack -- perhaps 20,000 soldiers pouring down on a few thousand Americans. In the chaos, dodging bullets and explosions, Father Kapaun raced between foxholes, out past the front lines and into no-man’s land -- dragging the wounded to safety.

When his commanders ordered an evacuation, he chose to stay -- gathering the injured, tending to their wounds. When the enemy broke through and the combat was hand-to-hand, he carried on -- comforting the injured and the dying, offering some measure of peace as they left this Earth.

When enemy forces bore down, it seemed like the end -- that these wounded Americans, more than a dozen of them, would be gunned down. But Father Kapaun spotted a wounded Chinese officer. He pleaded with this Chinese officer and convinced him to call out to his fellow Chinese. The shooting stopped and they negotiated a safe surrender, saving those American lives.  

Then, as Father Kapaun was being led away, he saw another American -- wounded, unable to walk, laying in a ditch, defenseless. An enemy soldier was standing over him, rifle aimed at his head, ready to shoot. And Father Kapaun marched over and pushed the enemy soldier aside. And then as the soldier watched, stunned, Father Kapaun carried that wounded American away.   

This is the valor we honor today -- an American soldier who didn’t fire a gun, but who wielded the mightiest weapon of all, a love for his brothers so pure that he was willing to die so that they might live. And yet, the incredible story of Father Kapaun does not end there.  

He carried that injured American, for miles, as their captors forced them on a death march. When Father Kapaun grew tired, he’d help the wounded soldier hop on one leg. When other prisoners stumbled, he picked them up. When they wanted to quit -- knowing that stragglers would be shot -- he begged them to keep walking.

In the camps that winter, deep in a valley, men could freeze to death in their sleep. Father Kapaun offered them his own clothes. They starved on tiny rations of millet and corn and birdseed. He somehow snuck past the guards, foraged in nearby fields, and returned with rice and potatoes. In desperation, some men hoarded food. He convinced them to share. Their bodies were ravaged by dysentery. He grabbed some rocks, pounded metal into pots and boiled clean water. They lived in filth. He washed their clothes and he cleansed their wounds.

The guards ridiculed his devotion to his Savior and the Almighty. They took his clothes and made him stand in the freezing cold for hours. Yet, he never lost his faith. If anything, it only grew stronger. At night, he slipped into huts to lead prisoners in prayer, saying the Rosary, administering the sacraments, offering three simple words: “God bless you.” One of them later said that with his very presence he could just for a moment turn a mud hut into a cathedral.

That spring, he went further -- he held an Easter service. As the sun rose that Easter Sunday, he put on [his] purple stole and led dozens of prisoners to the ruins of an old church in the camp. And he read from a prayer missal that they had kept hidden. He held up a small crucifix that he had made from sticks. And as the guards watched, Father Kapaun and all those prisoners -- men of different faith, perhaps some men of no faith -- sang the Lord’s Prayer and “America the Beautiful.” They sang so loud that other prisoners across the camp not only heard them, they joined in, too -- filling that valley with song and with prayer.

That faith -- that they might be delivered from evil, that they could make it home -- was perhaps the greatest gift to those men; that even amidst such hardship and despair, there could be hope; amid their misery in the temporal they could see those truths that are eternal; that even in such hell, there could be a touch of the divine. Looking back, one of them said that that is what “kept a lot of us alive.”

Yet, for Father Kapaun, the horrific conditions took their toll. Thin, frail, he began to limp, with a blood clot in his leg. And then came dysentery, then pneumonia. That’s when the guards saw their chance to finally rid themselves of this priest and the hope he inspired. They came for him. And over the protests and tears of the men who loved him, the guards sent him to a death house -- a hellhole with no food or water -- to be left to die.

And yet, even then, his faith held firm. “I’m going to where I’ve always wanted to go,” he told his brothers. “And when I get up there, I’ll say a prayer for all of you.” And then, as he was taken away, he did something remarkable -- he blessed the guards. “Forgive them,” he said, “for they know not what they do.” Two days later, in that house of death, Father Kapaun breathed his last breath. His body was taken away, his grave unmarked, his remains unrecovered to this day. 

The President was speaking to an audience that included several of Father Kapaun's relatives, as well as a number of the American heroes who served alongside him—veterans and former POWs from the Korean War. They came to the White House to witness President Obama bestow our nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, on Emil Kapaun six decades after his death.  As one of Father Kapaun’s comrades said when he heard the news, “it’s about time.”

*** Photo of Father Emil Kapaun celebrating Mass during the Korean War using the hood of a Jeep as his altar, Oct 7, 1950. Less than a month later, Kapaun would, without regard for his own life, save a fellow Soldier from certain death/Courtesy US Army

Watch a video of the entire ceremony below or on YouTube:

President Barack Obama delivers remarks on the FY 2014 budget, in the Rose Garden of the White House, April 10, 2013. Acting Director of Office of Management and Budget Jeffrey Zients accompanies the President. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama said that we must invest in the true engine of America’s economic growth – a rising and thriving middle class.  He said that every day, we must ask ourselves these three questions:  "How do we attract more jobs to our shores? How do we equip our people with the skills needed to do those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living?"

This morning the President sent Congress his Budget for Fiscal Year 2014, which presents his plan to address each of these questions. He also spoke to the press about his proposal in the Rose Garden, and said that while our economy is poised for progress, we need to get smarter about our priorities as a nation. And that’s what his 2014 Budget represents -- a fiscally-responsible blueprint for middle-class jobs and growth:

To make America a magnet for good jobs, this budget invests in new manufacturing hubs to help turn regions left behind by globalization into global centers of high-tech jobs.  We’ll spark new American innovation and industry with cutting-edge research like the initiative I announced to map the human brain and cure disease. We’ll continue our march towards energy independence and address the threat of climate change. And our Rebuild America Partnership will attract private investment to put construction workers back on the job rebuilding our roads, our bridges and our schools, in turn attracting even more new business to communities across the country.

To help workers earn the skills they need to fill those jobs, we’ll work with states to make high-quality preschool available to every child in America. And we’re going to pay for it by raising taxes on tobacco products that harm our young people. It’s the right thing to do.  

We’ll reform our high schools and job training programs to equip more Americans with the skills they need to compete in the 21st century economy. And we’ll help more middle-class families afford the rising cost of college.

To make sure hard work is rewarded, we’ll build new ladders of opportunity into the middle class for anybody who is willing to work hard to climb them. So we’ll partner with 20 of our communities hit hardest by the recession to help them improve housing, and education, and business investment. And we should make the minimum wage a wage you can live on -- because no one who works full-time should have to raise his or her family in poverty.  

President Obama's budget also replaces the across-the-board spending cuts known as the sequester with smarter ones, making long-term reforms, eliminating actual waste and programs that are no longer needed. 

And finally, because he is willing to make tough choices and serious about finding common ground to further reduce the deficit, President Obama's budget incorporates his compromise offer he made to House Speaker Boehner that achieves another $1.8 trillion in deficit reduction in a balanced way. When combined with the deficit reduction already achieved, this will exceed the goal of $4 trillion in deficit reduction, while growing the economy and strengthening the middle class.  

Watch President Obama discuss his 2014 Budget below or on YouTube:

You can read President Obama's Budget for Fiscal Year 2014

First Lady Michelle Obama hosts an interactive student workshop event: “Soulsville, USA: The History of Memphis Soul,” in the State Dining Room of the White House, April 9, 2013. Joining the First Lady on stage, from left, are: Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Justin Timberlake, Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

As First Lady Michelle Obama noted earlier today, "You never know what's going to happen at the White House!"

Mrs. Obama was talking to a group of students who had come from California, Tennessee, New York, Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Washington, D.C to participate in an interactive workshop called “Soulsville, USA: The History of Memphis Soul.” And while her guests were excited to be in the State Dining Room for the event, the presence of Justin Timberlake on the panel increased their enthusiasm. 

Timberlake, Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper are all participating in the "In Performance at the White House: Memphis Soul" event later tonight, and the First Lady invited them to join the students for a conversation about this truly American art form, and the hard work involved in being a successful musician or artist. 

Mrs. Obama talked about how she had learned to play the piano when she was younger, and her personal regret that she did not stay with it. But as she told the students, she took something from that experience that has helped her throughout her life. "I still remember the hours that it would take to learn just one section of a song," she said. "The discipline, the patience, the diligence I learned through the study of music -- those are all skills that I apply every single day in my life. I applied them as a student, as a lawyer, as a First Lady, and definitely as a mother. So every moment of every day, you have the chance to commit yourselves to your craft. And stick with it especially when those times -- it gets a little hard. Just stick with it."

The First Lady then encouraged the students to take full advantage of being at the White House, and to learn everything they could ask from the musicians on the panel:

You’re going to have a chance to hear some stories and songs from these folks up here on stage who have so graciously given their time.

But, look, as you listen, I want you all to keep one thing in mind -- and I try to say this to every young person that I encounter that walks through those doors -- but realize that none of these folks up here arrived here on the basis of talent alone. They’re here because they’ve been working hard to perfect their craft since they were at least your age and many of them even younger. 

Justin TImberlake, center, shares a laugh with other musicians on the stage during First Lady Michelle Obama's interactive student workshop event: “Soulsville, USA: The History of Memphis Soul,” in the State Dining Room of the White House, April 9, 2013. Pictured with Timberlake, from left, are : Sam Moore, Mavis Staples, Charlie Musselwhite and Ben Harper. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

First Lady Michelle Obama delivers remarks during the "42" film workshop in the State Dining Room of the White House, April 2, 2013. Workshop participants included, from left, Brian Helgeland, Chad Boseman, Harrison Ford, Rachel Robinson, and moderator Paulette Aniskoff. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

First Lady Michelle Obama today hosted 80 high school and college students from across the country for a screening of "42," followed by an interactive workshop with the cast and crew of the movie. "42" tells the story of Jackie Robinson, the very first African American to play major league baseball. The panel was moderated by Paulette Aniskoff, Director of the White House Office of Public Engagement, and featured Harrison Ford, Chadwick Boseman and Brian Helgeland.

The discussion focused on the inspirational themes from Robinson's life that students -- who came from Thurgood Marshall Academy in Washington, DC; Watkins Mill High School in Gaithersburg, MD; TC Williams High School in Alexandria, VA and Amino Jackie Robinson Charter High School in Los Angeles, CA -- can apply to their own.  

Also joining the conversation was Rachel Robinson, Jackie Robinson's widow and his partner throughout his incredible life's journey. And as Mrs. Obama explained to the young crowd, Mrs. Robinson's example can be their guide. "Jackie and Rachel Robinson weren't destined for greatness -- they prepared themselves for greatness, which meant that they could make a difference outside of baseball, as well. And that is the only thing that is important for you to understand. You can be great in your profession, you can earn a lot of money, you can be famous, but the question is what are you doing for others."

In fact, the First Lady told the students that they are a lot of lessons they can take away from this film (which, she noted, both she and President Obama found "very powerful" when they watched it over the weekend):

This isn’t just about watching a wonderful movie about an important moment in history, this is about helping all of you believe that you can write your own history.

And I can't say this enough to enough young people -- you might not be able to hit a ball like Jackie Robinson, but you can get your education. In fact, you must get your education and demand more of yourself every single day. You have to do that, and you have to pick up yourself when somebody knocks you down -- because you will get knocked down. But to do all of that, you have to put the work in...

All of this is about hard work. And you have to be willing to face any obstacle you might encounter along the way.  That's what Jackie and Rachel Robinson did, and the same could be said for all the folks on this stage, quite frankly. 

Before he became an actor, Harrison Ford had to overcome a crippling fear of speaking in front of an audience. So he’s terrified right now. And it took Chadwick 10 years of hard work before landing his first starring role. So this stuff doesn't come easy. And then Brian sits down to create a script, and that means hundreds of hours of writing and rewriting, painful doubting and rewriting -- oh, you can see the pain -- before he comes up with a finished product. And that's really the secret. 

And I want all young people to understand -- what does it take?  What does it take? What’s the secret? The secret is that no one comes out a finished product. None of us are finished products. There is no magic that makes someone an actor or a director or a doctor or a lawyer or a President or First Lady. There is no magic. That is the one thing I want you all to understand. If you gain nothing from this movie or any of our lives, there is no magic. It takes grit. It takes determination and a whole lot of hard work. And as you know in the movie, it takes guts. 

So as you think about the obstacles you face in your own life, as you hear someone telling you that you’re not good enough, or that you don't belong, I want you to think about how Jackie Robinson got up and played after he got spiked in the leg. I want you think about that. I want you to think about how Rachel Robinson is still working to make this world a better place at 90 years old. She’s still not stopping....  

And then I want you all to put your heart and soul into everything you do -- every single thing you do.

You can watch the entire workshop below or on youtube:

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia, and Marian Robinson listen to Jessica Sanchez sing the National Anthem on the South Portico at the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll, April 1, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

The First Family today welcomed more than 30,000 guests to the South Lawn for the 135th annual White House Easter Egg Roll. This year's theme, "Be Healthy, Be Active, Be You" was inspired by Let's Move!, and the day's fun included numerous opportunities for the young guests to get moving, from the traditional Egg Roll to the Eggtivity Zone, an obstacle course where players and coaches from professional sports teams taught kids how to play sports and showed them easy, fun ways to stay active and fit.

After being introduced to the crowd from the Blue Room Balcony by "Kid President" Robbie Novak, President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their daughters Malia and Sasha headed over to cheer on some of the youngest visitors as they raced down the Lawn in the Egg Roll. The President and Bo then made their way to the Storytime Stage where he gave a dramatic reading of "Chicka Chicka Boom Boom", calling it "one of my favorite books." Next up for the President was a drop by at the White House basketball court, where he joined some of the Washington Wizards in throwing the ball around with kids.

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, and daughters Sasha and Malia, along with “Kid President” Robby Novak, join children on the South Lawn for the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll, April 1, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Mrs. Obama stopped by the Kids Kitchen stage in the Play With Your Food section, where top chefs were giving families tips on cooking healthy meals at home, and offering demonstrations on how to prepare some of their favorite simple dishes. The First Lady joined chef Anne Burrell and Al Roker on the stage before making her way over to the Storytime Stage to listen in as Malia and Sasha read "Brown Bear Brown Bear, What do you See," by Bill Martin Jr. to the gathered children. Mrs. Obama then sat with Bo to read "Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs" by Judi Barrett, and talked with the kids about the message of the popular picture book.

Other highlights of the day included performances by Jordin Sparks, Austin Mahone, Coco Jones, Sesame Street, and The Wanted on the Rockin’ Egg Roll Stage, Jessica Sanchez singing the National Anthem, and readings by Danica Patrick, Gordon and Abby from Sesame Street, the full cast of Super Sprowtz, The Wanted, and actress Quvenzhané Wallis on the Storytime Stage.

President Barack Obama, with Bo, the Obama family dog, reads to children on the South Lawn during the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll, April 1, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

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President Barack Obama delivers remarks on infrastructure, at the Port of Miami Tunnel project in Miami, Fla., March 29, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama was in Florida today, where he got a chance to see the Port Miami tunnel project on Dodge Island. The project, which is the result of three years of work by over 500 employees and more than 6,000 sub-contractors and vendors, will connect the port to the interstate highway system more quickly and safely and will take over 1.5 million trucks out of the downtown area per year.

It is projects like this one, the President said in remarks following his tour, that will help reignite the true engine of our economic growth -- a rising, thriving middle class. "Projects like this create a lot of other good jobs, too," President Obama explained. "You ask any CEO where we they rather locate their business and hire new workers. Are you going to set up shop in a country that's got raggedy roads, runways that are pot-holed, and backed-up supply chains?  Or are you going to seek out high-speed rail, Internet, high-tech schools, new state-of-the-art power grids, new bridges, new tunnels, new ports that help you ship products made in America to the rest of the world as fast as possible? That's what people are looking for. That's what CEOs are looking for."  

Despite real progress toward upgrading national infrastructure over the past four years, much work needs to be done if we are to prove to the world that there is no better place to do business than in the United States. As the President noted today, "we still have all kinds of deferred maintenance. We still have too many ports that aren’t equipped for today’s world commerce. We’ve still got too many rail lines that are too slow and clogged up. We’ve still got too many roads that are in disrepair, too many bridges that aren’t safe."

"We don’t have to accept that for America," he continued. "We can do better. We can build better. And in a time of tight budgets, we’ve got to do it in a way that makes sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely."

The President today laid out a plan that will create jobs while upgrading what our businesses need most -- modern ports to move our goods; modern pipelines to withstand a storm; modern schools worthy of our children. Called the Partnership to Rebuild America, this partnership with the private sector has three main components: creating an independent fund which would leverage private and public capital for infrastructure projects that show the greatest merit; fund more projects, at less cost, by establishing new America Fast Forward bonds which will give mayors and governors more flexibility and power to attract private investment for public projects; and strengthening a loan program (the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act  or TIFIA) that will give cities and counties better access to funds for infrastructure improvements. 

Fixing our infrastructure is a non-partisan priority that has support from both the Chamber of Commerce and the AFL-CIO, and from mayors and governors from both parties. As President Obama said today, the Partnership to Rebuild America will create good jobs doing the work America needs done. "That’s how we’ll encourage more businesses to start here, and grow here, and hire workers here." 

But we still have a long way to go.

While our national infrastructure got its best grade in 15 years from the American Society of Civil Engineers' annual report card in 2013, that grade is now a D+ instead of a D. We don’t have to accept that for America -- we can do better. And in a time of tight budgets, we can do it in a way that makes sure taxpayer dollars are spent wisely. Additionally, there are few more important things we can do to create jobs right now, and strengthen our economy than to put people back to work rebuilding America – our roads, bridges, schools, and ports.

In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama announced a three-part plan to encourage private investment in American infrastructure that will make our roads, bridges, and ports safer, give our businesses and workers the tools to compete successfully in the global economy, and create thousands of much-needed jobs in cities and towns across the country. Here’s how it works:

Investing in a “Fix-It-First” policy: The national transportation system faces an immense backlog of state-of-good-repair projects, a reality underscored by the fact that there are nearly 70,000 “structurally deficient” bridges in the country today. The President’s plan will put people to work as soon as possible on our most urgent repairs. The President’s plan for $50 billion in frontloaded transportation infrastructure investment would direct $40 billion towards reducing the backlog of deferred maintenance on highways, bridges, transit systems, and airports nationwide. For example, the President’s proposed investments could bring almost 80 percent of structurally deficient bridges up to date, getting Americans home faster and making the flow of commerce speedier.

Attracting private investment through a “Rebuild America Partnership”: Creating a partnership with the private sector will create jobs upgrading what our businesses need most – modern ports to move our goods; modern pipelines to withstand a storm; modern schools worthy of our children. The President's plan will bring together an array of new and existing policies all aimed at enhancing the role of private capital in U.S. infrastructure investment as a vital additive to the traditional roles of federal, state, and local governments -- making American workers and businesses more competitive and putting more Americans back on the job.

Part one is setting up an independent fund that will attract private investment to build these infrastructure projects. Projects will be chosen based on two criteria: how badly they’re needed, and how much good they’ll do for the economy.   

The President’s plan helps finance these projects without wasting taxpayer dollars by creating “America Fast Forward” bonds, which will give mayors and governors more flexibility and power to attract private investment for public projects. 

In his 2013 State of the Union address, President Obama called for the investment of $10 billion to create and capitalize an independent National Infrastructure Bank (NIB), which would leverage private and public capital for infrastructure projects that show the greatest merit. Each dollar of federal funding can leverage up to $20 in total infrastructure investment, mainly from partners in the private sector and state and local government.  

Eligible projects for funding by the NIB would include transportation infrastructure, water infrastructure, and energy infrastructure. In general, projects would have to be at least $100 million in size, be of national or regional significance, and have a clear public benefit.   

President Obama’s plan also strengthens the Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act (TIFIA) program. In recent years this program, which provides direct loans, loan guarantees, and lines of credit to regionally or nationally significant transportation projects, has helped mayors leverage four times the money invested in it by the federal government, helping construction workers get on the job quicker, and repaying taxpayers their hard-earned money faster.

The Administration is proposing $4 billion in new competitive funding for the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) and TIFIA programs in 2014. This additional investment would make new grant and loan funding available for states and localities across the country, giving them both a new source of financing and the flexibility to design projects and financing packages to meet their needs.

Cutting red tape: The Obama Administration’s infrastructure permitting initiative has shown that we can cut federal review and permitting timelines for construction projects such as highway, bridges, railways, ports, waterways, pipelines, and renewable energy by several months to several years.  This modernization effort will achieve time savings of 50 percent in the federal permitting and review process, while ensuring projects create better outcomes for communities and the environment.  The effort will bring federal permitting and review procedures into the 21  century through expanded use of integrated planning, landscape and watershed-level mitigation, information technology, and publication of public timelines for permitting and review decisions to improve transparency and predictability. 

President Obama's top priority is to make sure we do everything we can to reignite the true engine of our economic growth – a rising, thriving middle class. A growing economy that creates good, middle-class jobs is the North Star that guides all our efforts as a country.  The President's plan to improve America's infrastructure will create good jobs doing the work America needs done, and encourage more businesses to start here, grow here, and hire workers here. 

President Barack Obama watches as Vice President Joe Biden administers the oath of office to incoming U.S. Secret Service Director Julia Pierson during a swearing-in ceremony in the Oval Office, March 27, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

A highly respected veteran of the Secret Service was sworn in as head of that agency today in a ceremony in the Oval Office. President Obama watched as Vice President Joe Biden administered the oath to Julia Pierson, and praised her dedication, professionalism and commitment to her work:

"I have to say that Julia’s reputation within the Service is extraordinary," President Obama said following the ceremony. "She’s come up through the ranks. She’s done just about every job there is to do at the Secret Service."

"Obviously, she’s breaking the mold in terms of directors of the agency, and I think that people are all extraordinarily proud of her. And we have the greatest confidence in the wonderful task that lies ahead and very confident that she is going to do a great job. So we just want to say congratulations."

President Barack Obama tosses a soccer ball as he welcomes the National Hockey League Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, left, and the Major League Soccer champion LA Galaxy to the White House to honor their 2012 championship seasons in a ceremony in the East Room, March 26, 2013 (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Two of Southern California's finest sports teams joined President Obama in the East Room to celebrate their championship seasons. The LA Galaxy was here for the second year in a row, as they repeated their dominance of the Major League Soccer in the 2012 season. The LA Kings, meanwhile, made their first visit to the White House after winning their first Stanley Cup.

And as President Obama pointed out, these teams share more than a hometown.

In 2012, they also shared "a pretty good comeback story." The President was referring to the Galaxy's injury plagued season, which culminated in a championship game they won after tying the score at the 60-minute mark. The King's triumph seemed even more improbable as they were the first hockey team in NHL history to win the Stanley Cup after entering the playoffs as an eight seed.

Impressive as the teams efforts were on the field and on the ice, President Obama highlighted their equally important contributions in the LA community:

We also found out that both these teams are full of some pretty stand-up players and coaches. They’re out in the community year-round. They’re changing lives, they’re making a difference. As Coach Arena of the Galaxy says, “The soccer is very much secondary. If we can have an impact on the lives of young kids, we want to be a part of that.”

And that’s something we all appreciate, especially those of us who are parents. And we are thrilled that you guys are sticking around to host a Let’s Move question-and-answer session with kids from all across the country.

So I want to give a hearty congratulations to both the Kings and the Galaxy one more time for bringing two championships to L.A. and for doing so much for your fans back in California.

President Barack Obama welcomes the National Hockey League Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings, left, and the Major League Soccer champion LA Galaxy to the White House to honor their 2012 championship seasons in a ceremony in the East Room, March 26, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Learn more about the plan to reduce gun violence in this country

President Barack Obama pauses after adjusting a wreath placed in the Hall of Remembrance during his visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, March 22, 2013. Standing behind the President, from left, are: Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau; Israeli President Shimon Peres; Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu; and Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama began the third day of his historic visit to the Middle East with a visit to Mount Herzl, Israel's national cemetery, where he honored the significant contributions of two Jewish heroes, Theodor Herzl, the founder of Zionism and former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. The President laid a stone from the Martin Luther King Jr. memorial in Washington on Mr. Rabin’s grave, highlighting the slain leader’s work to bring peace to the region.   

Next up was a tour of Yad Vashem Holocaust Memorial Complex, where President Obama honored the memory of Holocaust victims by laying a wreath and rekindling the eternal flame in the Hall of Remembrance. He also joined Israeli President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Netanyahu on a tour that included the Hall of Names, a circular chamber that houses the original testimony documenting every Holocaust victim ever identified, and the art museum where the President heard the story of Charlotte Salomon, a Holocaust victim who was murdered in 1944 in Auschwitz, but whose memory is preserved in the autobiographical artwork she painted while in hiding from the Nazis.  The President ended the poignant visit with a walk through the Children’s Memorial, which memorializes the 1.5 million Jewish children who perished during the Holocaust with candles reflected in a series of mirrors.

Speaking in the Hall of Children, President Obama remarked that while surrounded by evidence of man’s capacity for evil, "we also are reminded of man’s capacity for good." 

For here we learn that we are never powerless. In our lives we always have choices. To succumb to our worst instincts or to summon the better angels of our nature. To be indifferent to suffering to wherever it may be, whoever it may be visited upon, or to display the empathy that is at the core of our humanity. We have the choice to acquiesce to evil or make real our solemn vow -- “never again.” We have the choice to ignore what happens to others, or to act on behalf of others and to continually examine in ourselves whatever dark places there may be that might lead to such actions or inactions. This is our obligation -- not simply to bear witness, but to act.

For us, in our time, this means confronting bigotry and hatred in all of its forms, racism, especially anti-Semitism. None of that has a place in the civilized world -- not in the classrooms of children; not in the corridors of power. And let us never forget the link between the two. For our sons and daughters are not born to hate, they are taught to hate. So let us fill their young hearts with the same understanding and compassion that we hope others have for them.

President Barack Obama visits the Hall of Names during his visit to the Yad Vashem Holocaust Museum in Jerusalem, March 22, 2013. Standing with the President, from left, are: Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau; Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu; Avner Shalev, Chairman of the Yad Vashem Directorate; and Israeli President Shimon Peres. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama then joined Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, which is built on the spot where Jesus is said to have been born. The President also stopped by the Roman Catholic Church of St. Catherine, which adjoins the Church of the Nativity, where he met with Palestinian children, as well as religious leaders and local officials.

Just before departing Tel Aviv in the afternoon, President Obama joined President Netanyahu’s phone call with Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey, in which the leaders discussed the normalization of relations between Turkey and Israel. The United States deeply values our close partnerships with both countries and welcomes this step to restore their relationship, which will benefit both countries and the larger region.

The President then headed to Jordan, the final stop on the first foreign trip of his second term. He was greeted at Al-Hummar Palace in Amman by King Abdullah II and his son, Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah, and participated in an official welcoming ceremony. The President and the King then held a bilateral meeting where they discussed several issues of importance to both countries, including the ongoing turmoil in Syria, and the 460,000 citizens of that country who have fled to Jordan seeking safety.

In a joint press conference that followed, King Abdullah II said the unrest in the country that borders his "will have disastrous consequences on the region for generations to come," if not resolved. He highlighted the humanitarian crisis that has resulted, with one refugee camp growing so large it is now the fifth largest city in Jordan, and thanked the U.S. for  our help in shouldering the enormous responsibility. 

President Obama told reporters that he had come to Jordan to build on the very strong foundation that already exists between our two countries and to deepen the already extraordinary cooperation. He also praised the Jordanian people -- and their King -- for their compassion during an extraordinarily difficult time for their neighbors. "His Majesty was the first Arab leader to publicly call on Assad to step down because of the horrific violence that was being inflicted on the Syrian people. Jordan has played a leading role in trying to begin a political transition toward a new government. We're working together to strengthen a credible Syrian opposition."

The President also reiterated the U.S.'s commitment to the security of Jordan, which is backed by our strong alliance.

President Barack Obama and King Abdullah II stand at the dais as the honor guard is dismissed during the official arrival ceremony at Al-Hummar Palace in Amman, Jordan, March 22, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Learn more:

• See a photo gallery from President Obama's trip to the Middle East
• Watch: The arrival ceremony welcoming President Obama to Israel
• Watch: President Obama meets with President Peres
• Watch: President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu hold a press conference
• See the complete schedule of President Obama's trip to the Middle East
• Watch as Ben Rhodes previews President Obama's trip to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan

President Barack Obama and Israeli President Shimon Peres inspect an honor guard during the official arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 20, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

On the first day of his visit to the Middle East, the first foreign trip of his second term, President Obama was in Israel, where he met with President Shimon Peres and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The visit is historic, marking the first time the President has visited Israel since taking office, and comes as its citizens celebrate the 65th anniversary of a free and independent State of Israel.

President Obama's visit began with an arrival ceremony at the Ben Gurion airport, followed by an inspection of the Iron Dome Battery defense system in Tel Aviv. The Iron Dome is a short range rocket and mortar defense system, which was developed by Israel and produced with U.S. assistance and is part of a multi-tier missile defense developed to counter the rocket threat against Israel’s civilian population. From there, the President flew on to Jerusalem, where he met with Israeli leaders and attended a working dinner with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Shortly after he landed in the Holy Land, President Obama took a minute to explain why this trip is so important for both the American and the Israeli people:

I want to begin right now, by answering a question that is sometimes asked about our relationship -- why? Why does the United States stand so strongly, so firmly with the State of Israel? And the answer is simple. We stand together because we share a common story -- patriots determined “to be a free people in our land,” pioneers who forged a nation, heroes who sacrificed to preserve our freedom, and immigrants from every corner of the world who renew constantly our diverse societies.

We stand together because we are democracies. For as noisy and messy as it may be, we know that democracy is the greatest form of government ever devised by man.

We stand together because it makes us more prosperous. Our trade and investment create jobs for both our peoples. Our partnerships in science and medicine and health bring us closer to new cures, harness new energy and have helped transform us into high-tech hubs of our global economy.

We stand together because we share a commitment to helping our fellow human beings around the world. When the earth shakes and the floods come, our doctors and rescuers reach out to help. When people are suffering, from Africa to Asia, we partner to fight disease and overcome hunger.

And we stand together because peace must come to the Holy Land. For even as we are clear-eyed about the difficulty, we will never lose sight of the vision of an Israel at peace with its neighbors.

President Barack Obama shakes hands with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the official arrival ceremony at Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 20, 2013. Israeli President Shimon Peres stands at left (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Tomorrow President Obama will visit the Israel Museum, where he will view the Dead Sea Scrolls and attend a technology expo, before traveling to Ramallah, West Bank where he will be greeted with an official arrival ceremony, followed by a bilateral meeting with Palestinian Authority President Abbas. Later, the President will attend a cultural event at Al-Bireh Youth Center and meet with Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Fayyad, before giving a speech at the Jerusalem Convention Center, which will be livestreamed on whitehouse.gov at 11 AM ET.

Learn more:

• Watch: The arrival ceremony welcoming President Obama to Israel
• Watch: President Obama meets with President Peres
• Watch: President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu hold a press conference
• See the complete schedule of President Obama's trip to the Middle East
• Watch as Ben Rhodes previews President Obama's trip to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan

• Wednesday, March 20 (2:05 PM ET) — President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu hold a press conference at the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem
• Thursday March 21 (11:00 AM ET) — President Obama delivers a speech at the Jerusalem Convention Center
• Friday March 22 (11:45 AM ET) — President Obama and King Abdullah II of Jordan hold a press conference in Amman, Jordan

Learn more:

• See the complete schedule of President Obama's trip to the Middle East
• Watch as Ben Rhodes previews President Obama's trip to Israel, the West Bank and Jordan

President Barack Obama delivers remarks during the Women’s History Month reception in the East Room of the White House, March 18, 2013. Standing at right are First Lady Michelle Obama and Amanda McMillan, who introduced the President. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama today welcomed a group of accomplished and inspiring women to a reception in the East Room of the White House. The group, which included leaders like A&E Networks CEO Abbe Raven, Baltimore Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake, Girl Scouts' CEO Anna Maria Chávez, astronaut Sunita Williams, activists Dolores Huerta and Lilly Ledbetter, and WNBA star (and 3-time Olympic Gold Medalist) Tamika Catchings, joined the President, First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden to celebrate the progress women make in this country each and every day. President Obama highlighted the changes we've seen in the past century:

When I look around this room, it is hard to believe that 100 years ago this month, thousands of women were marching right outside this house demanding one of our most fundamental right: the right to vote, to have a say in our democracy. And today, a century later, its rooms are full of accomplished women who have overcome discrimination, shattered glass ceilings, and become outstanding role models for all of our sons and daughters. And that means we've come a long way, and that’s thanks to the efforts of so many people like you.

Because of the hard work and exemplary leadership of the women in this room, military families have protected family and medical leave. Women have legal recourse to fight against pay discrimination... Women have the opportunity to serve on the front lines of our military conflicts, and that means that they're getting paid and promoted equally. Women have the opportunity to make their own choices about their health.

President Barack Obama and Dr. Jill Biden welcome Cathy Russell to the stage after the President announced her nomination as Ambassador at Large for Global Women’s Issues, during the Women’s History Month reception in the East Room of the White House, March 18, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama used his remarks at the event to make a personnel announcement, revealing that he is nominating Cathy Russell, who has served as Dr. Jill Biden's Chief of Staff and is a longtime advocate for women, as the next Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues:

 It’s women like Cathy, like Jill, like Amanda, like Michelle, like all of you, that inspire so much progress each and every day. And I’ve got to tell you, all of you inspire me to make sure that I’m doing everything that I can as President to carry on that progress, and to do everything we can to ensure equality and opportunity for all women.

Just last week, I was proud to sign the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act -–  a law, by the way, that Cathy helped to make possible in the first place, securing for women the protections and the services to help them live their lives free from fear of violence and free to pursue their own measure of happiness.

And that’s what everybody deserves in this country -– the opportunity to make of their lives what they will, no matter who they are, what they look like, whether they are boys or girls, women or men. That’s why I ran for President in the first place –- to put the same rights and opportunities within the reach of all of our daughters and sons. And while there’s still a lot of work to be done, I am confident that we can reach that goal, that we can make sure that every single door is open, every dream is within reach -- for Malia, for Sasha, for your daughters, for your granddaughters -- to make sure that they never feel like there are barriers in front of them, and that if they work hard, they can make it.

In his message, the President speaks directly to the people and leaders of Iran about the opportunity to begin a new relationship between our two countries. In expressing his hope that Americans and Iranians will one day work together, build together, and innovate together, the President says “As a new spring begins, I remain hopeful that our two countries can move beyond tension. And I will continue to work toward a new day between our nations that bears the fruit of friendship and peace.”

Eid-e Shoma Mobarak.

Watch the video here | Read the transcript of President Obama's message in English | Read the transcript of President Obama's message in Persian | Read the transcript of President Obama's message in Arabic | Download MP4 |

Thomas Perez delivers remarks after President Barack Obama announced Perez as his nominee for Labor Secretary, in the East Room of the White House, March 18, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama today announced that he has chosen Thomas Perez, the head of the U.S. Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, to be the next Secretary of Labor. Speaking in the East Room of the White House, the President introduced Perez, the son of Dominican immigrants and a lawyer who helped pay his way through college by working as a garbage collector, to the American people.

"His story reminds us of this country’s promise, that if you’re willing to work hard, it doesn’t matter who you are, where you come from, what your last name is -- you can make it if you try," President Obama said. "And Tom has made protecting that promise -- for everybody  -- the cause of his life."

The President reminded those gathered for the announcement of the three questions he believes all officials should ask themselves every day -- How do we make sure America is a magnet for good jobs?  How do we equip people with the skills they need to get those jobs? And how do we make sure that hard work actually pays off in a decent living? -- and said that Perez has already shown his commitment to answering those questions in his work at the Justice Department, where he fought to open pathways into the workforce for everyone willing to contribute and helped settle some of the largest cases ever on behalf of families targeted by unfair mortgage lending.

Prior to joining the team at  DOJ, Perez was Maryland's Secretary of Labor, where he helped implement the country’s first statewide living-wage law, because, the President said, "he understood that a minimum wage should be a wage that you can live on." 

Describing Perez as a "consensus builder" who has worked with CEOs and labor leaders at federal, state, and local government levels who understands  that our economy works best when the middle class and those working to get into the middle class have the security they need on the job and a democratic voice in the workplace, President Obama asked the Senate to confirm his nominee "as quickly as possible."
 

Learn more:

• President Obama nominates Jacob Lew as Treasury Secretary
• President Obama nominates Dennis McDonough as Chief of Staff
• Read about President Obama's nomination of John Brennan to head the CIA.
• President Obama has tapped John Kerry to serve as Secretary of State.
• Read about President Obama’s nomination of Chuck Hagel as the next Secretary of Defense
• President Obama Nominates Mary Jo White to run the SEC
• President Obama nominates OMB Director, EPA Administrator and Secretary of Energy