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Through his address, the President will thank his supporters, celebrate the ways we have changed this country for the better these past eight years, and offer his vision on where we all go from here. The President will deliver his farewell address at 9:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 10, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. To tune in on Tuesday, visit obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/farewell.

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The Farewell Address

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Dig Deeper

Read the Vice President's Message Watch the President's Remarks

Today, President Obama signed into law the 21st Century Cures Act, bipartisan legislation that will go a long way toward bringing about the medical breakthroughs we need to meet some of the biggest health challenges facing Americans today. No matter what corner of the country you live in, you or someone in your life has been touched by cancer, the opioid epidemic, devastating illnesses or serious mental health issues. The Cures Act makes significant investments in innovative technologies and research that could find a cure for Alzheimer's, end cancer as we know it, and help those who are seeking treatment for opioid addiction. 

Read these three letters to learn why President Obama is so committed to investing in the future of health in America. 

Eugene Ammon, Jr., Columbus, OH

Transcript: 

Hello Mr. President, my name is Eugene Ammon. I am from Columbus Ohio. I am sending this message in regards to the growing concern in this country about addiction especially the growing number of people who die each year because of this. I personally lost my mother 18 months ago to a heroin overdose and will most likely be attending my sisters funeral, a mother of 3, by the years end as she is also an addict and has been diagnosed with heart problems and Hep C. Both i assume due to her addiction and her life style that has led her to being arrested for soliciting more times than i can count. 

My concern is that this has opened my eyes as to how only those with an abundance of resources have steady and consistent access to the treatment necessary to actually treat themselves. My sister was recently released out into the world, again, without anywhere to go as waiting lists for facilities combined with over crowding in the jail system meant she would be put in a position no one could possibly succeed in. 

There are facilities available but they need you to be insured. To be blunt but even with the expanded access to health insurance this is not something a prostitute with a heroin problem is walking around with. 

Let me be clear that her decisions are hers and hers alone. They were my mothers decisions. However I cant help but wonder what kind of difference it would make if one could have access to this kind of help the moment they wanted it. I feel there are enough resources to make this a reality, I also think this would be cheaper over the long run than the countless unpaid ER visits that are occurring everyday from things like overdoses and infections. 

Its too late for my family. Its too late for me. Its not too late for countless others. 

I don't know what they policy answers are. I as an average american can only reach out to those who might with what i see as a problem and hope someone notices or cares. I do know this is health crisis not just a criminal one and i hope for a policy approach sooner rather than later that will deal with this as such. 

If you or anyone happens to read this i thank you for your time. 

More Americans now die every year from drug overdoses than in motor vehicle crashes, and the majority involve opioids. The Cures Act invests $1 billion dollars to combat the heroin and prescription opioid epidemic, as the President’s called for in his budget. The Administration is committed to ensuring that these funds are disbursed quickly and effectively starting in early 2017.

The Opioid Epidemic

KathRYn Green, Santa Monica, California

Transcript: 

Dear President Obama and Vice President Biden,

My name is Kathryn Green and I'm a mother of a 14 month old daughter, a high school teacher in Los Angeles, and a wife of a husband who is battling brain cancer. While this is the first time I'm writing to offer my deepest condolences for the loss of the Vice President's son, his family was in my prayers upon hearing the news, and will continue to be. I read in the news this morning that the Vice President was visiting the Fred Hutchinson Research Center on Monday, and I wanted to thank him for continuing to bring this terrible disease into the spotlight, and thank you both for being that ever-hopeful light in finding a way to manage cancer with your Moonshot initiative. I sat with my daughter on my lap and listened to the State of the Union address, and at one years old, I was delighted that she clapped along as the audience applauded. There are so many problems and issues that need healing in this country, and I'm deeply grateful that both President Obama and Vice President Biden are standing with the patients, families, and communities who have been touched by this disease. I will continue to follow your administrations lead and support you in your endeavors, however they manifest over the next few months and years. It is with the most sincerity and humbleness that I ask for your office to continue supporting the institutes, scientists, and research centers, who will, no doubt. be the harbinger of a bright future in a diagnosis which sees only dark clouds ahead. Thank you again for all of the work you have done, and will continue to do. I will be cheering from the sidelines, and envisioning better days to come. 

Warmly,

Kathryn Green

In his last State of the Union address, President Obama asked Vice President Joe Biden to be at the head of "mission control" in a new moonshot effort to end cancer as we know it. The Cancer Moonshot's ultimate goal is to make a decade’s worth of advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, in five years. The Cures Act invests $1.8 billion in this initiative -- important funding that will support investment in promising new therapies like cancer immunotherapy, new prevention tools, cancer vaccine development, novel early detection tools, and pediatric cancer interventions.  

The Cancer Moonshot

Michelle McRee, Atwater, California 

Michelle McRee first wrote the President in December of 2015 in frustration over her 15-year-old granddaughter's inability to receive the mental health services she needed. She questioned whether the health care law and the U.S. health care system would ever be able to address her daughters needs: "I am sick and I am disgusted with knowing that in a few weeks my grandchild will be coming home with another 'band-aid' to treat her disorders," she wrote. "I live in fear of the day that my daughter will tell me that my grandchild has taken her own life, due to a mental health disorder that she can receive only minimal treatment for." 

The President responded to let her know he was listening and directed his team to help advise her on the best way to find support. This is her letter in response: 

Transcript: 

Dear Mr. President, 

I wanted to take a moment to thank you for listening. Your administration's response and assistance, at your behalf, has shown us how agencies can work together to help families such as ours. When I first wrote to you last fall, about my grandchild's situation and our frustrations in getting the recommended care for her, I did so not just out of frustration but out of bitter anger as well. Since then I have learned a lot. I learned that the resources were already there and had been for quite some time. While it is true that finding these resources is more difficult than it should be, it is up to us parents and guardians to be proactive for our children from the very beginning, not after the fifth hospitalization and out of bitter frustration. 

I blamed you and I blamed your healthcare policy for our struggles and i have since learned that wasn't fair. While I am not a member of your political party (no, I didn't vote for you) and have often been critical of this new healthcare policy, I am forever grateful to you sir, for taking the time to listen, to help, and to make my grandchild's day when she read your letter. 

Since becoming my grandchild's caregiver, and during being the primary caregiver for my parents before their deaths these past couple years, I have lost a lot. I have had to make the choice to give up a job (twice now), I am losing my car due to being financially unable to afford it, and we may have to move soon. Unfortunately. those choices have to be made because our system, both state and federal, does have many gaps. But they were choices that I made fully aware and the only thing that i have lost are just that ... "things", and can be replaced. I cannot replace the time I had with my parents, nor the joy in seeing my grandchild progress daily in learning to cope in healthy ways with her disorders whil still remaining here at home. I cannot replace the gratitude of having one of the best mental health support teams that I have ever had the honor of knowing. And I cannot replace the humbling realization that we can, and are often, wrong in where we place blame. That my government didn't fail my grandchild. My goverment stepped in and provided the professional support for us to help my grandchild. 

Again, I thank you President Obama for what you have done for my family. I wish you and your family many happy years. 

Sincerely,

Michelle R. McRee 

The Cures Act includes bipartisan mental health provisions, including improved coordination between primary care and behavioral health services, reauthorization of important programs focused on suicide prevention and other prevention services, and mental health and substance use disorder parity provisions that build on the work of the President's Mental Health and Substance Use Disorder Parity Task Force. 

Mental Health & Substance Abuse Report

The Cures Act also makes a significant investment of nearly $3 billion to continue the President's signature biomedical research initiatives -- the BRAIN and Precision Medicine Initiatives -- over the next decade to tackle diseases like Alzheimer's and create new research models to find cures and better target treatments. 

Read what that Precision Medicine Initiative has meant in another letter writer's life here. Then dig deeper into the medical possibilities and hope that these initiatives -- and support from the Cures Act -- can deliver in the near future. 

Precision Medicine Initiative BRAIN Initiative

Watch live at 4:10pm ET to hear President Obama speak on his Administration's approach to counterterrorism: 

President Obama is in Tampa, Florida today to personally thank some of the men and women who have been at the forefront of the global fight against terrorism. While at MacDill Air Force Base, he will also deliver his last major speech dedicated to his national security record in which he will summarize what we've accomplished at home and abroad over the last eight years; how we've approached the threat of terrorism; ;and how he he believes the nation can pursue a successful and sustainable counterterrorism policy in the years to come. 

From the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, to the emergence of ISIL, to the importance of diplomacy and global development, President Obama will review exactly what he did as Commander-in-Chief and the lessons that can be drawn from this approach. Make sure you watch at 4:10pm ET. 

Full text of the graphic:

For The First Time Ever, More Than 90% Of Americans Have Health Insurance

Here's where insured Americans get covered and how the Affordable Care Act impacts them:

Employer coverage: 57%
Medicare: 15%
Medicaid & CHIP: 22%
Individual Market (incl. Marketplace), not eligible for tax credits: 2%
Individual Market (incl. Marketplace), potentially eligible for tax credits: 4%

57% Employer Coverage

People who are covered at work have seen sharply lower premium growth from 2010 to 2016 compared to the decade before the ACA,w hich saved peple with family coverage an average of $3,600 in 2016. They are also now guaranteed better coverage, including access to preventive services without cost sharing, no liftime limits on coverage, and a hard cap on annual out-of-pocket spending.

15% Medicare

The prescription drug donut hole is closing, saving seniros thousands of collars. The lifespan of the Medicare Trust Fund has been extended by 11 years since the ACA passed, and quality of care has improved.

22% Medicaid and CHIP

Millions more low- and moderate-income kids and adults can access quality coverage today, thanks to policies implemented under this Administration.

4% Individual Market (Including Marketplace), potentially eligible for tax credits

About two-thirds of those who purchase coverage on their own - including 85 percent of people who purchased coverage through the Health Insurance Marketplace - are potentially eligible for tax credits that ensure coverage remains affordable. In fact, 72 percent of current HealthCare.gov consumers can get coverage for &75 or less after tax credits in 2017.

2% Individual Market (including Marketplace), ineligible for tax credits

Families that make over 400 percent of the Federal Poverty Level ($97,000 for a family of four) are not eligible for tax credits but are guaranteed the right to find a comprehensive health plan that meets their needs, even with a pre-existing condition. Congress could extend financial assistance to these families to make coverage even more affordable.

Note: Percentages are based on Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) estimates for 2015, updated to reflect 2015 coverage patterns according to the methodology used in Garfield et al. (2016). The survey data underlying the KFF estimates modestly overstate the number of people with individual market insurance coverage. As a result, estimates reported in ASPE (2016), updated to reflect the most recent administrative data from the cetners of Medicare and Medicaid Services, were used for individual market enrollment. The excess individuals reporting individual market coverage were allocated proportionally between employer and Medicaid/CHIP coverage. Individuals reporting military or VA coverage are included in the employer category.

#GetCovered

Dig deeper:

Join a call with the President on the Affordable Care Act and learn what you can do ahead of the open enrollment period.

Watch President Obama's speech in Miami, Florida on our progress since the Affordable Care Act.

Read the transcript of the President's speech.

Watch behind-the-scenes footage from the day the Affordable Care Act was passed and signed into law.

Since 2012, real wages have grown about 20 times faster than they did for almost three decades between 1980 and 2007. Last year, typical household income rose by $2,800 – the single largest increase on record. Across every race and age group in America, incomes rose and poverty rates fell; and 3.5 million people were lifted out of poverty – the largest one-year drop in the poverty rate since 1968. Thanks in part to states and communities that have raised the minimum wage, lower- and middle-income families saw the biggest boost in incomes. Although we've made significant progress, the President said more work needs to be done to strengthen the middle class – and this starts with a Congress that will put politics aside and act on commonsense ideas.

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The Record: Economy

Hurricane Matthew is a dangerous storm. 

We have not seen a hurricane this strong in almost a decade. It has already devastated Haiti, and has been building strength on its way to the U.S. As it makes landfall in Florida tonight and tracks up the eastern coastline over the coming days, Americans living in its path can expect to see life-threatening hurricane conditions, storm surges, tropical force winds, heavy rains, and all the devastation that that may bring.      

Today, President Obama declared a state of emergency in Florida. Evacuations for coastal counties in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina are in effect. If you live in these areas, please listen to the directions of your state, tribal, and local officials. If instructed to evacuate, don't wait. You can always repair and rebuild -- and we'll be here to help you do that. The most important thing you can do is keep you and your family safe. 

You can download the FEMA mobile app for shelter information, disaster resources, weather alerts, and safety tips, in English and in Spanish.

As a native Floridian, I am intimately aware of the devastation hurricanes can wreak. As the head of FEMA, it is my job to make sure that we do everything we can to prepare our communities for the oncoming storm and ensure that our emergency response efforts are ready to go as soon as we're needed.

That's why we've deployed teams to emergency operation centers in Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia to support preparation activities and ensure that no needs are unmet. We are staffing bases in Albany, Georgia, and Fort Bragg, North Carolina to collect and provide commodities and resources close to affected areas.

As of this morning, there were more than 414,000 liters of water, more than 513,700 meals, more than 8,000 blankets, and more than 20,600 cots in these locations. And more resources are on their way to Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia. 

We're also coordinating with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to monitor and inspect the integrity of dams in the area. We're working with the U.S. Coast Guard to assess and advise on the status of ports. The Department of Health and Human Services has sent emergency medical specialists to Georgia to assist if needed.

Hurricane Matthew has potential for life-threatening rain, wind, and storm surges along our coast. This serves as a reminder for residents in areas at risk and around the nation to refresh their emergency kits and review family plans. If you do not have an emergency kit or family plan, or if you want to learn about steps you can take now to prepare your family for severe weather, visit Ready.gov.

And as you've undoubtedly seen, this hurricane has already taken a devastating toll on Haiti , the Dominican Republic, and countries in the Caribbean. We know that many people who didn't have a lot to begin with have lost almost everything. More than 100 people have lost their lives, and so many more are in need of substantial help. 

If you want do what you can to help, please visit the Center for International Disaster Information, www.cidi.org, to find out how you can provide support to people when they need it most.

Here at FEMA, we are hoping for the best but are preparing for the worst.

As we monitor the situation over the next couple of days, you can check back here for the latest information on response efforts. 

Thank you. 

Speaking from the Rose Garden, President Obama welcomed this historic step in our global efforts to combat climate change. Watch his remarks: 

This historic moment did not happen overnight. Take a look back at significant moments on the path we took to get here: 

In 2009, we salvaged a chaotic climate summit in Copenhagen to establish a foundational principle that all nations have a role to play in combating climate change. 

We then led by example with historic investments in growing industries like wind and solar, creating a steady stream of new jobs. 

In June of 2015, the President announced the Clean Power Plan, which proposed the first-ever nationwide standards to limit the amount of carbon pollution that power plants can dump into the air. 

We also set new transportation standards that changed the way we consume energy—and empowered consumers to leave a smaller footprint.

Here's how today's new actions will spur innovation and promote more efficient vehicles: https://t.co/WoV9454Y4B pic.twitter.com/JFvIc9LZ5V

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 16, 2016

In September of this year, the U.S. and China—two countries that represent approximately 40 percent of global emissions—officially joined the Paris Agreement. 

And today, as the President said, the world has made history: "If we follow through on the commitments this agreement embodies, history will judge it as a turning point for our planet."

Learn more about the President's efforts to combat climate change here: obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/climate 

The Record on Climate

Watch President Obama speak at the dedication of the National Museum of African American History and Culture.

I've been waiting to see this day for 15 years -- and in some ways, my whole life.

I've loved history ever since I was a little boy. Growing up in the oppressive shadow of Jim Crow, my teachers would ask me to cut out photographs I found in magazines and newspapers of Rosa Parks, George Washington Carver, and other marchers for justice. I read about Booker T. Washington, reveled in the sounds of the Jubilee Singers, and prayed for a King to reach the mountaintop.

To me, history is the foundation of a powerful legacy, and it is important to tell the stories of the millions of black men and women, boys and girls, who labored and sacrificed, and continue the struggle, to build this great nation.

When I learned of the decades-long effort to establish a national museum dedicated to preserving that too often untold story, I readily joined the effort. Every session of Congress for 15 years, I introduced a bill to create this national museum.

While the journey has been long, today the history of African Americans will finally take its place on the National Mall next to the monuments to Washington, Lincoln, and Jefferson -- exactly where it belongs. 

It is important that The National Museum of African American History and Culture tells the unvarnished truth of America's history -- a story that speaks to the soul of our nation, but one few Americans know.

It's a reminder that 400 years of history can't be buried; its lessons must be learned. By bringing the uncomfortable parts of our past out of the shadows, we can better understand what divides us and seek to heal those problems through our unity.

If we look at the glass-topped casket that displayed the brutalized body of Emmett Till and hear his story, we may better understand the exasperation and anger Americans feel today over the deaths of Trayvon Martin or Tamir Rice.

If we see that an everyday leather wallet is what's left of Harry T. Moore --  a man who fought for the right to vote and died in a bombing meant to silence his activism on Christmas Day in 1951 - perhaps we will see why so many are fighting to protect any encroachment on that most sacred right today.

And as we look at the exhibit dedicated to an African American who now leads the free world from a White House built by black slaves, we can better understand the unshakeable optimism that has defined his belief that -- with dedicated work and a little good trouble -- we can help create a society that is more fair and more just, which benefits all Americans.

This museum casts a light on some of the most inspiring -- and uniquely American -- heroes who were denied equal rights but often laid down their lives to defend this nation in every generation.  Often they profited least from the struggle they were willing to die for because they believed that the promises of true democracy should belong to us all, equally and without question.

I hope you will join me and President Obama for the opening ceremony of the National Museum of African American History and Culture today.

When you hear about the heroes memorialized in its halls, you may discover the depths of the invincible American spirit. As we learn and confront this history together, we can begin to build one inclusive, and truly democratic family -- the American family.

Rep. John Lewis

Watch: President Obama Speaks at the 2016 Our Ocean Conference

Today, President Obama designated the first marine national monument in the Atlantic Ocean, protecting fragile deep-sea ecosystems off the coast of New England as the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument.

The new national monument – which encompasses pristine underwater mountains and canyons – will provide critical protections for important ecological resources and marine species, including deep-sea coral and endangered whales and sea turtles. 

Over the past several decades, the nation has made great strides in its stewardship of the ocean, but the ocean faces new threats from varied uses, climate change, and related impacts. Through exploration, we continue to make new discoveries and improve our understanding of ocean ecosystems. In these waters, the Atlantic Ocean meets the continental shelf in a region of great abundance and diversity as well as stark geological relief. The waters are home to many species of deep-sea corals, fish, whales and other marine mammals.

President Obama

Check out National Geographic's video that opened up the Our Ocean Conference to see why President Obama is so committed to conservation: 

Just last month, President Obama expanded the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument off the coast of Hawaii by 442,781 square miles, creating the world’s largest marine reserve. Today’s designation protects 4,913 square miles of marine ecosystems with unique geological features that have been the subject of scientific exploration and discovery since the 1970s. To date, President Obama has protected more land and water than any other U.S. president in history. 

President Obama discussed these efforts with legendary oceanographer Sylvia Earle at Papahānaumokuākea National Marine Monument. Take a look:

One of the reasons President Obama ran for president was to make sure the U.S. does its part to protect our planet for future generations. Photographers Paul Nicklen, Bo Bridges, and Michael Muller have spent their lifetimes capturing what lies within our oceans, and the beauty we stand to lose if we don't act to combat climate change. Today, they're taking over the White House Instagram. So check out a few of their photos along with their thoughts on the President's latest act of conservation. 

Follow Along on Instagram

Watch: 

Read his remarks: 

"Good morning.  Scripture tells us, 'Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you…write them on the tablet of your heart.'

Secretary Carter, Chairman Dunford, outstanding members of our Armed Forces, and most of all, survivors of that September day and the families of those we lost -- it is a great honor, once again, to be with you on this day, a day that I know is still difficult, but which reveals the love and faithfulness in your hearts and in the heart of our nation.    

We remember, and we will never forget, the nearly 3,000 beautiful lives taken from us so cruelly -- including 184 men, women and children here, the youngest just three years old.  We honor the courage of those who put themselves in harm’s way to save people they never knew.  We come together in prayer and in gratitude for the strength that has fortified us across these 15 years.  And we renew the love and the faith that binds us together as one American family.

Fifteen years may seem like a long time, but for the families who lost a piece of their heart that day, I imagine it can seem like just yesterday.  Perhaps it’s the memory of a last kiss given to a spouse, or the last goodbye to a mother or father, a sister or a brother.  We wonder how their lives might have unfolded, how their dreams might have taken shape.  And I am mindful that no words we offer, or deeds we do, can ever truly erase the pain of their absence.

And yet, you -- the survivors and families of 9/11 -- your 'steadfast love and faithfulness' has been an inspiration to me and to our entire country.  Even as you’ve mourned, you’ve summoned the strength to carry on.  In the names of those you’ve lost, you’ve started scholarships and volunteered in your communities, and done your best to be a good neighbor and a good friend and a good citizen.  And in your grief and grace, you have reminded us that, together, there’s nothing we Americans cannot overcome. 

The question before us, as always, is:  How do we preserve the legacy of those we lost?  How do we live up to their example?  And how do we keep their spirit alive in our own hearts?

Well, we have seen the answer in a generation of Americans -- our men and women in uniform, diplomats, intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement professionals -- all who have stepped forward to serve and who have risked and given their lives to help keep us safe.  Thanks to their extraordinary service, we’ve dealt devastating blows to al Qaeda.  We've delivered justice to Osama bin Laden.  We’ve strengthened our homeland security.  We've prevented attacks.  We've saved lives.  We resolve to continue doing everything in our power to protect this country that we love.  And today, we once again pay tribute to these patriots, both military and civilian, who serve in our name, including those far away from home in Afghanistan and Iraq. 

Perhaps most of all, we stay true to the spirit of this day by defending not only our country, but also our ideals.  Fifteen years into this fight, the threat has evolved.  With our stronger defenses, terrorists often attempt attacks on a smaller, but still deadly, scale.  Hateful ideologies urge people in their own country to commit unspeakable violence.  We’ve mourned the loss of innocents from Boston to San Bernardino to Orlando. 

Groups like al Qaeda, like ISIL, know that we will never be able -- they will never be able to defeat a nation as great and as strong as America.  So, instead, they've tried to terrorize in the hopes that they can stoke enough fear that we turn on each other and that we change who we are or how we live.  And that's why it is so important today that we reaffirm our character as a nation -- a people drawn from every corner of the world, every color, every religion, every background -- bound by a creed as old as our founding, e pluribus unum.  Out of many, we are one.  For we know that our diversity -- our patchwork heritage -- is not a weakness; it is still, and always will be, one of our greatest strengths.  This is the America that was attacked that September morning.  This is the America that we must remain true to.

Across our country today, Americans are coming together in service and remembrance.  We run our fingers over the names in memorial benches here at the Pentagon.  We walk the hallowed grounds of a Pennsylvania field.  We look up at a gleaming tower that pierces the New York City skyline.  But in the end, the most enduring memorial to those we lost is ensuring the America that we continue to be -- that we stay true to ourselves, that we stay true to what's best in us, that we do not let others divide us.

As I mark this solemn day with you for the last time as President, I think of Americans whose stories I’ve been humbled to know these past eight years -- Americans who, I believe, embody the true spirit of 9/11.

It’s the courage of Welles Crowther, just 24 years old, in the South tower -- the man in the red bandana who spent his final moments helping strangers to safety before the towers fell.  It’s the resilience of the firehouse on Eighth Avenue -- patriots who lost more than a dozen men, but who still suit up every day as the “Pride of Midtown.”  It’s the love of a daughter -- Payton Wall of New Jersey -- whose father, in his last moments on the phone from the towers, told her, “I will always be watching over you.”

It’s the resolve of those Navy SEALS who made sure justice was finally done, who served as we must live as a nation -- getting each other’s backs, looking out for each other, united, one mission, one team.  It’s the ultimate sacrifice of men and women who rest for eternity not far from here, in gentle green hills in perfect formation -- Americans who gave their lives in faraway places so that we can be here today, strong and free and proud.  It’s all of us -- every American who gets up each day, and lives our lives, carries on.  Because as Americans, we do not give in to fear.  We will preserve our freedoms and the way of life that makes us a beacon to the world.

'Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you…write them on the tablet of your heart.'  And how we conduct ourselves as individuals and as a nation, we have the opportunity each and every day to live up to the sacrifice of those heroes that we lost.  May God bless the memory of the loved ones here and across the country.  They remain in our hearts today.  May He watch over these faithful families and all who protect us.  And may God forever bless the United States of America."

The President said that although a lot has changed over the past 15 years, the core values that define us as Americans have remained the same. As Americans we are resilient, we will never give into fear, and we will always look out for one another. Our strength is in our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, and our fair treatment of everyone – no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith. The President said that’s part of what makes our country great – and if we uphold those values, we will carry on the legacy of those we lost and keep our nation strong and free.  

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President Obama has declared Sunday, September 11, 2016 as Patriot Day and National Day of Service and Remembrance, encouraging Americans to participate in community service in honor of those our nation lost. Read the proclamation here.

On this National Day of Service and Remembrance, we must ensure that darkness is no match for the light we shine by engaging in acts of service and charity. I invite all Americans to observe this day with compassionate and selfless deeds that embody the values that define our people, and to visit www.Serve.gov to find opportunities to give back to their communities.

Learn How You Can Serve

After seven weeks of vacation -- certainly one of the longest in modern history -- Congress is finally back in session this week. And there's a long to-do list waiting for them: 

Today, Vice President Joe Biden is headed to the Hill to join Senate Democratic Leader Harry Reid, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Congressional Democrats in urging Republicans in Congress to take action on the critical issues facing the American people. 

Here's a few things you should know about three urgent priorities the GOP in Congress have been actively ignoring: 

Zika Virus Emergency Response

For months, the Centers for Disease Control and the National Institutes of Health have been predicting that the Zika virus would turn into a public health crisis during the summer season. That's why President Obama sent Congress a request for emergency funding in February, well in advance of the oncoming emergency. "

So here's what you should know, by the numbers: 

• Over 16,800: Number of cases of Zika infection in the U.S. and its territories, according to the CDC
• 1,595: Number of pregnant women who've been infected with the virus
• 17: Number of babies that have been born in the U.S. with birth defects related to Zika 
• $1-10 million: Amount a family could pay to care for a child born with microcephaly, a birth defect caused by Zika 
• Over 200: Number of days since President Obama asked Congress to pass emergency funding 

Hear directly from the CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden and NIH Director Dr. Anthony Fauci on why Congress needs to act now to protect the American people.  

The Supreme Court Vacancy 

One month after he asked Congress to act on Zika, President Obama nominated Chief Judge Merrick Garland to fill the open seat on the Supreme Court. Unfortunately, in an unprecedented move, Senate Republicans have simply refused to even hold a hearing for the President's nominee to judge whether he is qualified for the position, let alone vote on whether to confirm him or not. So here's a not-so-fun fact for democracy: Judge Garland, who has the most federal judiciary experience of any Supreme Court nominee in history, has now waited longer than any other nominee in history. 

Here's a look at Supreme Court vacancy, by the numbers: 

• 176: Number of days Judge Garland has been waiting for a hearing
• 1875: Since 1875, every Supreme Court nominee who has not been withdrawn has received a Senate
• 2: Article 2, Section 2 of the Constitution is clear about the Senate's responsibility to advise and consent on the President's Supreme Court nominees
• 4-4: As we've seen, a 4-4 split by the Supreme Court can mean that federal laws that should apply to the whole country are constitutional in some parts but unconstitutional in others 

Learn more about the President's nominee and the Senate GOP's unprecedented obstruction of Judge Garland here. 

Gun Violence Prevention

The vast majority of Americans, including the vast majority fo gun owners, believe that we can and must take sensible steps to address gun violence. This January, President Obama took executive action to do what he could to reduce gun violence and make our communities safer. However, there's more that Congress can do to help pass sensible violence prevention measures -- ones that'd institute stronger background check rules or that'd prevent those on the no-fly list from purchasing a gun.

Here are a few numbers to remember on gun violence in America: 

• More than 100,000: Number of Americans who've been killed as a result of gun violence over the past decade
• 1,333: Average number of guns recovered in criminal investigations each year that were lost or stolen 
• 54: Number of Senators who voted in favor of responsible, gun violence prevention legislation in the months after the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School. Sixty were needed to move forward. 

Get an update from the President's adviser Valerie Jarrett on what we're doing to keep guns out of the wrong hands. 

It's official: the US has joined the #ParisAgreement pic.twitter.com/qYN1iRzSJk

Last December, more than 190 countries adopted the Paris Agreement, the most ambitious climate change agreement in history. In order for the agreement to take effect and enter into force, at least 55 countries representing at least 55 percent of global emissions need to formally join the Agreement. 

Today, the United States and China deposited with United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon their respective instruments to join the Paris Agreement, marking a significant contribution towards the early entry into force of the Paris Agreement. 

Today’s action by the United States and China to formally join is a significant step towards entry into force this year with countries representing around 40 percent of global emissions having now joined and more than 55 countries having already joined or publicly committed to work towards joining the agreement this year. 

Read the President’s remarks:

We are here together because we believe that for all the challenges that we face, the growing threat of climate change could define the contours of this century more dramatically than any other challenge.

One of the reasons I ran for this office was to make sure that America does its part to protect this planet for future generations. Over the past seven and a half years, we’ve transformed the United States into a global leader in the fight against climate change. But this is not a fight that any one country, no matter how powerful, can take alone. That’s why last December’s Paris Agreement was so important. Nearly 200 nations came together as — a strong, enduring framework to set the world on a course to a low-carbon future. 

And someday we may see this as the moment that we finally decided to save our planet.

There are no shortage of cynics who thought the agreement would not happen. But they missed two big things: The investments that we made to allow for incredible innovation in clean energy, and the strong, principled diplomacy over the course of years that we were able to see pay off in the Paris Agreement. The United States and China were central to that effort. Over the past few years, our joint leadership on climate has been one of the most significant drivers of global action.

In 2014, President Xi and I stood together in Beijing to announce landmark climate targets for our two countries to meet. That announcement set us on the road to Paris by jumpstarting an intense diplomatic effort to put other countries on the same course. In 2015, we stood together in Washington to lay out additional actions our two countries would take, along with a roadmap for ultimately reaching a strong agreement in Paris. This year, in 2016, we meet again to commit formally to joining the agreement ahead of schedule, creating the prospect that the agreement might enter into force ahead of schedule, as well.

The United States and China are taking that step today, as our two nations formally join the Paris Agreement. 

Of course, we could not have done this extraordinary work without the strong support of the Secretary General of the United Nations, Mr. Ban Ki-moon, who has been an outstanding leader on this issue, as well. 

Now, just as I believe the Paris Agreement will ultimately prove to be a turning point for our planet, I believe that history will judge today’s efforts as pivotal. For the agreement to enter into force, as has already been stated, 55 countries representing 55 percent of global emissions must formally join.

Together, the U.S. and China represent about 40 percent of global emissions. So today, we are moving the world significantly closer to the goal that we have set.

We have a saying in America — that you need to put your money where your mouth is. And when it comes to combatting climate change, that’s what we’re doing, both the United States and China. We’re leading by example. As the world’s two largest economies and two largest emitters, our entrance into this agreement continues the momentum of Paris, and should give the rest of the world confidence –- whether developed or developing countries -– that a low-carbon future is where the world is heading.

Of course, the Paris Agreement alone won’t solve the climate crisis. But it does establish an enduring framework that enables countries to ratchet down their carbon emissions over time, and to set more ambitious targets as technology advances. That means full implementation of this agreement will help delay or avoid some of the worst consequences of climate change, and pave the way for more progress in the coming years. 

This is the single-best chance that we have to deal with a problem that could end up transforming this planet in a way that makes it very difficult for us to deal with all the other challenges that we may face. 

President Xi and I intend to continue working together in the months ahead to make sure our countries lead on climate. Three years ago, in California, we first resolved to work together to secure a global agreement to phase down the use of super pollutants known as HFCs, and we’re now just six weeks away from final negotiations. We also have the chance to reach a global agreement to curb emissions from the global airline industry -– one that actually has the support of industry. And today, we’re putting forward roadmaps to get both negotiations done this year.

On each of these issues, the United States and China have now developed a significant record of leadership on one of the most important issues of our time. Our teams have worked together and developed a strong relationship that should serve us very well. And despite our differences on other issues, we hope that our willingness to work together on this issue will inspire greater ambition and greater action around the world.

Yes, diplomacy can be difficult, and progress on the world stage can be slow. But together, we’re proving that it is possible. 

And I was reflecting before we came in here with Secretary General Ban Ki-moon about the meeting that we had in Copenhagen in my first year of my presidency, which was quite chaotic. And I think it is fair to say that if you had looked at the outcome of that meeting, the prospects of us being here today, the prospects of a Paris Agreement seemed very far away. And yet, here we are, which indicates that where there’s a will and there’s a vision, and where countries like China and the United States are prepared to show leadership and to lead by example, it is possible for us to create a world that is more secure, more prosperous, and more free than the one that was left for us. 

So to all of you that have participated in this extraordinary effort, thank you very much. Thank you to President Xi. Thank you to the Secretary General. 

Follow along as the President continues on his Pacific trip. 

The Zika virus -- and the mosquitos that carry them -- have made their way to the United States. The President is working with local officials, the Centers for Disease Control, and other federal agencies to do what we can to prevent the spread of the virus and help Americans in the affected areas protect themselves and their families.  

You can learn more about the virus and how to protect yourself here. 

The threat this virus poses to developing babies is particularly concerning for women who are pregnant or thinking about starting or growing their families. One woman, Ashley Young, wrote directly to the President about her concern: 

"In the south, it is hard to walk outside and not get bitten by a mosquito in the warmer months. ... Mr. President, if I am going to be completely honest with you, if I wasn't already pregnant, I would think twice about becoming pregnant at all until something is done about this virus."

The President, whose Administration has been working around the clock on the Zika virus, shares her concern, and wrote back to her. 

Read Ashley's letter and the President's response: 

Transcript: 

Mr. President, 

I am a very concerned pregnant woman living in the south. The recent news about the Zika virus has been in numerous news stories recently. I am currently pregnant with my third child. I have two, healthy boys that bring so much joy into my life daily. We went through quite a long, difficult journey to conceive both of our boys, but with our third child everything has been much easier. However, thought of contracting a virus from a mosquito that could cause major neurological birth defects for my unborn child is very hard to wrap my head around. I feel that something must be done now to help stop these mosquitoes from spreading this dangerous virus in our country. If we don't find a way to stop it now, then I am afraid we will end up with thousands of babies that have nuerological birth defects that will affect them for the rest of their lives. I understand that you have called for a vaccine to be created to solve the future spread of this disease, but a vaccine will not do anything to protect my unborn child or the unborn children of other pregnant women. In the south, it is hard to walk outside and not get bitten by a mosquito in the warmer months. Being that my child is not due until the middle of the summer, I am extremely concerned that by then the virus may have spread and possibly could infect me before I am able to deliver a healthy baby free from neurological or other birth defects as a result of the Zika virus. Mr. President, if I am going to be completely honest with you, if I wasn't already pregnant, I would think twice about becoming pregnant at all until something is done about this virus. I believe that as a result of your strong push for affordable healthcare for everyone, that you will see the need to make sure somethin gis done about this virus before it is able to spread and possible infect thousands of babies causing permanent, life-long birth defects. I want to thank you for promptly addressing this concern, as I am sure it is a concern for not only myself and my unborn child but also of thousands of other women and families in our country. 

Sincerely, 

Ashley Young

Read the President's letter back to Ashley: 

Transcript:

Dear Ashley:

Thank you for writing me. Your email reached my desk, and as President and as a father, I want you to know I take your concerns very seriously. My foremost priority is the health and safety of Americans and my Administration is working around the clock to protect you and families across our country. 

Most people who become infected with Zika will not even know it because the symptoms are usually nonexistent or mild. However, as you noted, scientists have established a link between Zika infections during pregnancy and poor birth outcomes. Our primary goal is to minimize these outcomes, and early in the year I instructed by staff to do all we can to respond to the Zika threat.

While we are still learning about Zika, we do know there are ways to minimize your risk if it does appear in your community, including protecting yourself from mosquito bites by wearing long sleeves and pants, staying in places with air conditioning and window and door screens, and wearing EPA-registered insect repellants. You ccan find more information and steps you can take to protect yourself and your family from Zika at www.CDC.gov/Zika. CDC regularly updates this information as we learn more, so I encourage you to check back often. 

In the meantime, I have directed my team to accelerate research on new vaccines and methods of detecting the disease. Additionally, I've formed a coalition of experts and Federal, State, and local leaders to combat the spread of Zika so that we can identify any outbreaks in the continental United States early and contain them. To make sure our public health officials have the resources needed to prepare and respond to Zika, I've asked Congress to approve $1.9 billion in emergency funding to support and advance these efforts as quickly as possible. 

.Again, thank you for writing. Your message will remain on my mind. 

Sincerely,

Barack Obama 

Fortunately, Ashley's baby, Savannah, was born healthy. But the federal government can and should do more to help protect Americans like Ashley. However, Congress went on a 7-week vacation without passing the emergency funding President Obama requested more than 6 months ago -- well-ahead of mosquito season.

Failure to pass that emergency funding means less-effective mosquito control efforts, longer wait times for diagnostic results, delayed process in finding a vaccine, and more Americans at risk.

President Obama and his Administration will continue to do everything possible to address the Zika virus. To learn more about what you can do to help protect you and your family, check out hhs.gov/zika.  

Today, military families can access all national parks for free through the Joining Forces initiative, and families with a fourth grader can get a free pass by visiting EveryKidInAPark.org. The President emphasized his commitment to building on the American tradition of conservation - noting his record of protecting more lands and waters than any other administration. With the threat of climate change, the President said that protecting our public lands and waters is more important than ever. In the years to come, we must do what we can to continue to protect our parks and our planet for future generations.

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

Learn more about the President's record on climate change.

The Record

This weekend, President Obama joined Americans across the country in wishing our Olympic and Paralympic athletes the best of luck and thanked them for representing what's best in America: 

When you watch these Games, remember that it’s about so much more than the moments going by in a flash. Think about the countless hours these athletes put in, knowing it could mean the difference in a split-second victory that earns them a lifetime of pride, and gives us enduring memories. It’s about the character it takes to train your heart out, even when no one’s watching. Just hard work, focus, and a dream. That’s the Olympic spirit – and it’s the American spirit, too

Watch: 

This year, the Opening Ceremony in Rio celebrated the culture of Brazil but also took the opportunity to remind the world the threat and challenges climate change pose to people around the world, including athletes. A few athletes -- Olympians among them -- came to the White House today to discuss exactly how climate change is impacting the world of sports. Olympic snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler and former NFL football player Ovie Mughelli jumped on twitter to answer a few questions about this issue: 

By helpn our youth understand the impact of adult decisions and using Sports to promote sustainability #actonclimate https://t.co/fWoBKqt9bq

— Ovie Mughelli (@oviemughelli34) August 8, 2016

Orgs encourage fans 2 think about the enviro through raising awareness around their own actions i.e zero waste goals https://t.co/DJ9MUE86R7

— Gretchen Bleiler (@GretchenBleiler) August 8, 2016

We're working to scale up electric vehicles—now more than 20 EV models available! See more: https://t.co/ddMxN6xFp9 https://t.co/7KGb0bqFVg

— Facts On Climate (@FactsOnClimate) August 8, 2016

I come from Uganda -- from a farming community in the countryside where I learned what I know from the farmers I grew up with.

When I had the chance to complete my education in agricultural science, the hardest decision I had to make was whether to find a new job or return to my local community and teach them a little bit of what I had learned.

More than anything else, I wanted to see improvement in the livelihoods of the farmers that helped me become the agricultural scientist, pastor, and mentor that I am today. So I returned home to the Arua district in Uganda, and spent years working to pass on the knowledge and skills I had gained.

My passion is to be a part of bringing solutions to the country, and continent, where I grew up. That's how so many of my fellow Africans who are part of the President's Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) feel, too. You can tune in at 3:20 pm ET to watch live here:

As President Obama knows, the African continent is not only in need of transformational leaders, but leaders who will make the deliberate effort to inspire those they lead to take up the mantle -- particularly young leaders, who are looking for seasoned role models to emulate.

For all the challenges Africa faces, it is my hope that, just like the Fulbright Fellowship program and Peace Corps Volunteers program, YALI will continue to shape and support more young African leaders who return home to embrace the challenges they grew up with -- and the challenge of being the generation that will offer the African continent a new hope for a better future that we can pass on to our younger siblings, our children, and our great grandchildren.

Thanks to President Obama and the legacy he leaves with YALI, so many of us our are well-poised to do it.

So please join us at the town hall today at 3:20 pm ET to hear President Obama's answers to our questions about the future of young leaders in Africa and around the world. 

Thank you for listening to my story,

Emmanuel Odama

Watch: The President and the First Lady welcome Prime Minister Lee and Mrs. Lee to the White House

After more than 30 years, Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong is returning to the White House for an official state visit. Today, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome Prime Minister Lee and his wife, Mrs. Lee, to our nation's capitol — eight years after he visited the country during his first year in office.

So what is so unique about the U.S. relationship with Singapore? 

When we first established diplomatic relations with the country 50 years ago, the island nation was defined mostly by its rural villages and crowded tenements. But in just one generation, Singaporeans have turned their country into a first world nation that is helping shape a more peaceful and prosperous Asia Pacific. As the first Southeast Asian country to join in the fight against ISIL, Singapore has become an anchor nation in the President's rebalance strategy toward Asia and has helped the U.S. engage in the region and ensure regional security as well as the mutual growth of both countries' economies. 

With Singapore’s partnership, the United States in engaging more deeply across South-east Asia and Asean, which is central to the region’s peace and prosperity. Singapore is an anchor for the US presence in the region, which is a foundation of stability and peace. Both our nations are committed to building a regional order where all nations play by the same rules and disputes are resolved peacefully and this visit will be an opportunity to continue deepening our cooperation on behalf of regional stability and prosperity.

Key to our shared goals is the Trans-Pacific Partnership, President Obama's trade agreement with 11 other countries that will help boost exports from U.S. businesses and wages for U.S. workers. As President Obama said in an interview with the Strait Times: 

There are legitimate concerns and anxieties that the forces of globalisation are leaving too many people behind—and we have to take those concerns seriously and address them. But the answer isn’t to turn inward and embrace protectionism. We can’t just walk away from trade. In a global economy where our economies and supply chains are deeply integrated, it’s not even possible.
 

The answer is to make sure that trade is working for our people by supporting good jobs, reducing inequality and creating more opportunity. That’s what TPP does. I’ll continue making the case for TPP, and I’m optimistic that the United States Congress will ultimately support this landmark agreement.

Watch the President explain the importance of the TPP:

.@POTUS: #TPP will "grow our economies & write the rules for trade in the 21st century in a way that's equitable" https://t.co/uMcBOspmMc

— Brandi Hoffine (@Hoffine44) August 2, 2016

Read the Interview  Learn about the TPP

Follow Along

Watch Prime Minister Lee explain the importance of the President's trade deal:

PM Lee: #TPP is "vital from a strategic point of view" & a "strong signal of the U.S. commitment" to Asia: https://t.co/eFgEl7EC6e

— Charlie Anderson (@Charlie44) August 2, 2016

Dear Major Haynes: See who First Lady Michelle Obama decided to invite to the State Dinner tonight -- and why.

Watch President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcome Prime Minister Lee and Mrs. Lee for the State Dinner: 

Watch @POTUS and @FLOTUS welcome Singapore PM @leehsienloong and Mrs. Lee for tonight's State Dinner: https://t.co/aD1dNCsn9e

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) August 2, 2016

Head over to instagram where Prime Minister Lee is taking over to give you an inside look at his official visit. 

Get a behind-the-scenes look at what goes into an official visit here at the White House on Snapchat:

"From our shared security to climate change, Mexico is a critical partner and is critically important to our own well-being. We’re not just strategic and economic partners, we’re also neighbors, and we're friends, and we're family—including millions of Americans that are connected to Mexico by ties of culture and of language. And that’s why, as President, I’ve worked to deepen the partnership between our two nations."

President Obama

This week, President Obama invited President Enrique Peña Nieto to the White House to recognize and strengthen America's enduring relationship with our neighboring country of Mexico.

¡Bienvenido, amigo! We value our enduring partnership with Mexico & will work to strengthen it in the years to come. https://t.co/mjlABSm7jF

— President Obama (@POTUS) July 22, 2016

From enhancing our shared national security and combating climate change to advancing our cooperation on health and strengthening our economies through trade, the President reiterated that the U.S. and Mexico are stronger together on the world stage. 

“The United States values tremendously our enduring partnership with Mexico" —@POTUS in a press conference with @EPN https://t.co/kcCbHNvY6Q

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 22, 2016

You can get the complete rundown of what President Obama and President Nieto are working on together here -- including the benefits of the President's trade deal, the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP). Both Canada and Mexico are parties to the TPP, which renegotiates past trade deals to put in place the highest labor and environmental standards of any trade agreement in history. In an increasingly interconnected world, these standards will make a big difference for American workers and small businesses. 

Here's what the President had to say about it: 

Today, @POTUS laid out the #TPP improves on previous trade agreements to benefit U.S. workers. https://t.co/QrvmlE1LZl

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 22, 2016

Learn more about the President's trade deal and what it means for our workers, our businesses, and our environment here. You can also watch the full press conference here: 

Read it here: 

The National Fraternal Order of Police shared the letter on its Facebook page, and offered this comment: 

The reason this letter has value is that we want and deserve to change the National Dialogue. The people of this country respect law enforcement. Now we continue to speak out about the issues that have helped create disconnects with members of the communities to work so hard to protect.

We can and do provide the best quality law enforcement that we can but we cannot be held responsible for the social issues such as poverty, lack of mental health services, unemployment, and abject poverty. The work now is to assist our communities by continuing to recognize that we are but one spoke in the wheel and we will do our part. Now it's time for politicians and government to assist us in working in the communities we have always worked in to make life better for all Americans.

Here is a transcript of the President's letter: 

As you continue to defend us with quiet dignity, we proclaim loudly our appreciation for the acts of service you perform as part of your daily routine.  When you see civilians at risk, you don’t see them as strangers.  You see them as your own family, and you lay your life on the line for them.  You put others’ safety before your own, and you remind us that loving our country means loving one another.  Even when some protest you, you protect them.  What is more professional than that?  What is more patriotic?  What is a prouder example of our most basic freedoms—to speech, to assembly, to life, and to liberty?  And at the end of the day, you have a right to go home to your family, just like anybody else.

Robert Kennedy, once our Nation’s highest-ranking law enforcement official, lamented in the wake of unjust violence a country in which we look at our neighbors as people “with whom we share a city, but not a community.”  This is a time for us to reaffirm that what makes us special is that we are not only a country, but also a community.  That is true whether you are black or white, whether you are rich or poor, whether you are a police officer or someone they protect and serve.

With that understanding—an understanding of the goodness and decency I have seen of our Nation not only in the past few weeks, but throughout my life—we will get through this difficult time together.

We will do it with the love and empathy of public servants like those we have lost in recent days.  We will do it with the resilience of cities like Dallas that quickly came together to restore order and deepen unity and understanding.  We will do it with the grace of loved ones who even in their grief have spoken out against vengeance toward police.  We will do it with the good will of activists like those I have sat with in recent days, who have pledged to work together to reduce violence even as they voice their disappointments and fears.

As we bind up our wounds, we must come together to ensure that those who try to divide us do not succeed.  We are at our best when we recognize our common humanity, set an example for our children of trust and responsibility, and honor the sacrifices of our bravest by coming together to be better.

Thank you for your courageous service.  We have your backs.

Sincerely,

Barack Obama

Watch President Obama's statement on the attack in Baton Rouge:

The Vice President also made a statement on the attack:

"I join President Obama in strongly condemning today’s targeted attack on law enforcement in Baton Rouge that killed three police officers and wounded three others. It’s despicable. It’s cowardly. And it's an attack on our very way of life and rule of law.

"Like thousands of other law enforcement officers who got up this morning, the officers killed and wounded were sworn to protect their community. And they responded. They responded to help. And every time they responded to help they knew they were putting themselves in danger. Police officers are an incredible group of men and women. We owe them our gratitude and a commitment not to let others divide us. That's not who they were, that's not who they are.

"My heart goes out to the families. And my enduring thanks to all those police officers who are protecting us as we speak. We owe them.

"May God bless the fallen, their families, and their brothers and sisters in uniform."

After first learning of the attack, President Obama made the following statement on Sunday morning: 

"I condemn, in the strongest sense of the word, the attack on law enforcement in Baton Rouge.  For the second time in two weeks, police officers who put their lives on the line for ours every day were doing their job when they were killed in a cowardly and reprehensible assault.  These are attacks on public servants, on the rule of law, and on civilized society, and they have to stop.  

"I’ve offered my full support, and the full support of the federal government, to Governor Edwards, Mayor Holden, the Sheriff’s Office, and the Baton Rouge Police Department.  And make no mistake – justice will be done.

"We may not yet know the motives for this attack, but I want to be clear:  there is no justification for violence against law enforcement.  None.  These attacks are the work of cowards who speak for no one.  They right no wrongs.  They advance no causes.  The officers in Baton Rouge; the officers in Dallas – they were our fellow Americans, part of our community, part of our country, with people who loved and needed them, and who need us now – all of us – to be at our best.

"Today, on the Lord’s day, all of us stand united in prayer with the people of Baton Rouge, with the police officers who’ve been wounded, and with the grieving families of the fallen.  May God bless them all."

Watch @POTUS deliver a statement to the diplomatic corps on last night's terrorist attack in Nice, France. https://t.co/cw3nNNB95F

On July 14, a truck drove into a crowd celebrating Bastille Day in Nice, France, killing at least 84 people in what French authorities have called a terrorist attack. Two American citizens were among those lost. Upon learning of the horrific attack, President Obama offered the following statement: 

"On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest terms what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France, which killed and wounded dozens of innocent civilians. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and other loved ones of those killed, and we wish a full recovery for the many wounded. I have directed my team to be in touch with French officials, and we have offered any assistance that they may need to investigate this attack and bring those responsible to justice. We stand in solidarity and partnership with France, our oldest ally, as they respond to and recover from this attack.

On this Bastille Day, we are reminded of the extraordinary resilience and democratic values that have made France an inspiration to the entire world, and we know that the character of the French Republic will endure long after this devastating and tragic loss of life."

The President has ordered that the flags been flown at half staff across the country and at U.S. embassy and military facilities around the world.

He then spoke with the Ambassador of France to the U.S. Gérard Araud before he spoke to the Diplomatic Corps at the White House.  

President Obama also spoke today by phone with President Francois Hollande of France to offer his heartfelt condolences on behalf of the American people to the people of France on yesterday’s horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France.  The President noted that this terrible attack was particularly heinous given that it struck revelers celebrating Bastille Day. The President offered to President Hollande any assistance the French may require in their efforts to investigate and recover from this tragic loss of life. The President thanked President Hollande for France’s unwavering support to the Counter-ISIL Coalition and in the broader global fight to confront all terrorism, and he reaffirmed the strong and ongoing partnership of the United States with France, our oldest ally.

Earlier this morning, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter called French Minister of Defense Jean-Yves Le Drian to offer his and the entire Department of Defense's deepest condolences to the French people, the families of the victims, and the French government for yesterday's attack in Nice. Secretary Carter also expressed his and the department's solidarity with France, and pledged his support to intensify joint efforts against terrorism. Secretary Carter and Minister Le Drian agreed to discuss the attack and the response next week in Washington when the secretary will gather the defense ministers from the counter-ISIL military coalition. The defense ministerial at Joint Base Andrews will discuss the next steps in the military campaign and the requirements needed to further accelerate the defeat of ISIL. 

Today, on behalf of American citizens, Secretary of State John Kerry offered our deepest condolences to all who lost loved ones. 

On behalf of U.S., @JohnKerry offers deepest condolences to friends & families of those killed & injured in #Nice. pic.twitter.com/wvF0EROdlO

— John Kirby (@statedeptspox) July 15, 2016

He also released the following statement: 

"On behalf of all Americans, and especially the great many with close ties to France, I offer our deepest condolences to the friends and family of those who were killed and our hopes for a speedy recovery to those who were injured. I was proud to stand alongside French leaders earlier today at Bastille Day celebrations in Paris, and the United States will continue to stand firmly with the French people during this time of tragedy. We will provide whatever support is needed. Our embassy in Paris is making every effort to account for the welfare of U.S. citizens in Nice. Any U.S. citizens in Nice should contact friends and family directly to inform them of their well being."

Attorney General Loretta Lynch offered the Department of Justice's assistance to France in the ongoing terror investigation.

“I join the President in condemning what appears to be a horrific terrorist attack in Nice, France. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and loved ones of those lost and wounded. The Department of Justice has reached out to our French counterparts to offer our assistance in the investigation.”

Here are a few key moments from his address.

On the exemplary lives of the five fallen officers:

"These men & their families shared a commitment to something larger than themselves." —@POTUS at the #DallasMemorial https://t.co/fbQxve1JMB

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016

"The reward comes in knowing that our entire way of life in America depends on the rule of law; that the maintenance of that law is a hard and daily labor; that in this country, we don’t have soldiers in the streets or militias setting the rules; instead, we have public servants – police officers – like the men who were taken away from us."

On the police department and community of Dallas:

“I see what’s possible when we recognize that we are one American family, all deserving of equal treatment” —@POTUS https://t.co/HtPzzOR29l

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016

"I see what’s possible when we recognize that we are all one American family, all deserving of equal treatment and respect. That’s the America that I know."

On whether the divides of race can be bridged:

“I’m here to say we must reject such despair. I’m here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem.” —@POTUS https://t.co/eNwmJM5UVW

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016

"I’m here to say we must reject such despair. I’m here to insist that we are not as divided as we seem. I know that because I know America. I know how far we’ve come against impossible odds. I know we’ll make it because of what I’ve experienced in my own life, what I’ve seen of this country and its people as President. And I know it because of what we’ve seen here in Dallas – how all of you, out of great suffering, have shown us the meaning of perseverance, and character, and hope."

On the need to act on what we know about existing challenges in our society:

"We cannot simply turn away and dismiss those in peaceful protest as troublemakers" —@POTUS #DallasMemorial https://t.co/S2Lueskwzf

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016

"If we cannot even talk about these things – honestly and openly – not just in the comfort of our own circles, but with those who look different than us or bring a different perspective, then we will never break this dangerous cycle. So in the end, it is not about finding policies that work; it’s about forging consensus; fighting cynicism; and finding the political will to make change.

On whether Americans can find the character to open our hearts to each other:

"With an open heart, we can learn to stand in each other's shoes." —@POTUS at the #DallasMemorial https://t.co/4fCI6iLBy4

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016

"That’s what we must pray for – each of us. A new heart. Not a heart of stone, but a heart open to the fears and hopes and challenges of our fellow citizens. That’s what we’ve seen in Dallas these past few days. That’s what we must sustain."

On our capacity to change: 

"We cannot match their courage, but we can strive to match their devotion." — @POTUS on honoring the fallen officers https://t.co/bF5WPhxTCh

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) July 12, 2016

"As we get older, we learn we don’t always have control of things – not even a President does. But we do have control over how we respond to the world. We do have control over how we treat one another."

On the night of July 7, 2016, a lone gunman targeted the police in Dallas who were keeping people safe during a peaceful protest. At least eleven officers were shot, five were killed, and others were injured -- including two civilians. As Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings reported, the shooter died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

While in Warsaw, Poland for the NATO Summit, President Obama offered the following statement:  

Attorney General Loretta Lynch made a statement on the attacks in Dallas.

We must continue working to build trust between communities and law enforcement. We must continue working to guarantee every person in this country equal justice under the law. We must take a hard look at the ease with which wrongdoers can get their hands on deadly weapons and the frequency with which they use them. We must reflect on the kind of country we want to build and the kind of society we want to pass on to our children.

Attorney General Loretta Lynch

You can read her full statement here.

As a mark of respect for the victims of the attack on police officers, the President has also issued a Presidential Proclamation ordering that flags will be flown at half-staff throughout the United States and its Territories and possessions until sunset, July 12, 2016. 

see the proclamation

Transcript of President Obama's statement:

With your understanding, I want to begin with a few words about the situation back in the United States, specifically the situation in Dallas, Texas.  

My team has been keeping me updated throughout the morning of the evening in Dallas.  I spoke this morning with Mayor Rawlings of Dallas to convey the deepest condolences of the American people.  I told him that the federal government will provide whatever assistance Dallas may need as it deals with this tremendous tragedy. 

We still don’t know all the facts.  What we do know is that there has been a vicious, calculated and despicable attack on law enforcement.  Police in Dallas were on duty, doing their jobs, keeping people safe during peaceful protests.  These law enforcement officers were targeted, and nearly a dozen officers were shot.  Five were killed.  Other officers and at least one civilian were wounded -- some are in serious condition, and we are praying for their recovery.  

As I told Mayor Rawlings, I believe that I speak for every single American when I say that we are horrified over these events, and that we stand united with the people and the police department in Dallas.  According to police, there are multiple suspects.  We will learn more, undoubtedly, about their twisted motivations.  But let's be clear:  There is no possible justification for these kinds of attacks or any violence against law enforcement. The FBI is already in touch with the Dallas police, and anyone involved in these senseless murders will be held fully accountable.  Justice will be done. 

I will have more to say about this as the facts become more clear.  For now, let me just say that even as yesterday I spoke about our need to be concerned, as all Americans, about racial disparities in our criminal justice system, I also said yesterday that our police have an extraordinarily difficult job and the vast majority of them do their job in outstanding fashion.  I also indicated the degree to which we need to be supportive of those officers who do their job each and every day, protecting us and protecting our communities. 

Today is a wrenching reminder of the sacrifices that they make for us.  We also know that when people are armed with powerful weapons, unfortunately it makes attacks like these more deadly and more tragic. And in the days ahead, we’re going to have to consider those realities as well. 

In the meantime, today our focus is on the victims and their families.  They are heartbroken.  The entire city of Dallas is grieving.  Police across America, which is a tight-knit family, feels this loss to their core.  And we're grieving with them.  I’d ask all Americans to say a prayer for these officers and their families.  Keep them in your thoughts.  And as a nation, let’s remember to express our profound gratitude to our men and women in blue -- not just today, but every day.

Today, Muslims in America and around the world are breaking fast and celebrating the end of Ramadan with family and friends. President Obama offered the following statement: 

Upon the arrival of a new crescent moon, Michelle and I send our warmest greetings to all those celebrating Eid al-Fitr in the United States and around the globe.

For Muslim Americans, Eid is an opportunity to reflect on the 30 days spent fasting and to recommit to values of gratitude, compassion, and generosity. In neighborhoods and homes across the world, this special occasion begins in the early hours of the day when families dress in their finest attire in preparation for prayers and festivities. Homes are decorated with ornaments and lanterns. Gifts are wrapped and envelopes of money are prepared for kids. Above all, Eid is a time to gather and celebrate with loved ones.

Muslim Americans are as diverse as our nation itself—black, white, Latino, Asian, and Arab. Eid celebrations around the country remind us of our proud history as a nation built by people of all backgrounds; our history of religious freedom and civil liberties, and our history of innovation and strength. These legacies would not be possible without the contributions of Muslim Americans that make our country even stronger.

This past month, our country and the world endured challenges and senseless violence that broke our hearts and tried our souls. Our prayers are with the hundreds of innocent lives, many of them Muslim, taken during the month of Ramadan in places like Orlando, Istanbul, Dhaka, Baghdad, and Medina.

Here at home, we’ve also seen a rise in attacks against Muslim Americans. No one should ever feel afraid or unsafe in their place of worship. Many Americans have shared in the experience of Ramadan by volunteering in community service efforts to assist those in need and even fasting a few days with their fellow Muslim American co-workers. In the face of hate, it’s our American values and strength that bring us together to stand in solidarity and protect one another—thereby, making our Nation stronger and safer.

Muslim Americans have been part of our American family since its founding. This Eid, we recommit to protecting Muslim Americans against bigotry and xenophobia, while celebrating the contributions of Muslim Americans around the country, including one of our finest, the People’s Champion Muhammad Ali, to whom we bade farewell this Ramadan. Later this month, Michelle and I will host an Eid celebration at the White House and we look forward to welcoming Americans from around the country to celebrate the holiday.

From our family to yours, Eid Mubarak!

The celebration of Eid al-Fitr is just one of the many cultural and religious traditions with which Muslim Americans enrich our communities. Unfortunately, the current political environment often leaves many feeling targeted for who they are or what they believe. On this Eid al-Fitr, read a few letters from Muslim Americans who shared their pride, concerns, and hopes as Americans with the President: 

Noor Abdelfattah 

Dear President Barack Obama,

I am Noor Abdelfattah. Born in Chicago in November of 97’, I was blessed enough to grow up on Chicago’s North Shore. Growing up as child of a Muslim immigrant, I truly realize how privileged I am to live in the greatest country in the world. My grandfather left his homeland in 1951, the year my father was born, in search of his American dream. My father would not meet his own father until he was sixteen years old. Coming to this country with very little, my father was unable to attend college. However, he would spend long hours working low-paid jobs in order to provide for his family. Both my parents and five older brothers faced many difficulties before I was born.

At age seven, my oldest brother was caught in a Chicago gang fight where he took a bullet in the face. Today, that same brother is thirty-three years old and a graduate of University of Michigan Law School. The sacrifices my parents endured for their kids allowed us to prosper within our educational careers. Together, the educational institutions we have attended include University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, Northwestern University, University of Michigan, and Loyola University Chicago.

Growing up, my parents have always taught us to treat everyone with respect. Although I grew up Muslim, my parents sent my siblings and I to Catholic high schools that placed us in an environment different than our own. Being the only Muslim in my class, I was allowed to interact with people who were raised different than myself. The opportunities my parents have given me allowed me to enter college open minded. I have met people I consider friends from all over the world.

However, with the hostile attitude some people carry towards Muslims, I believe that it is important that we remain together as a nation. I believe that the tradition of hosting an Iftar Dinner at the White House during the month of Ramadan is one tradition that shows the diversity our country holds. We, as Americans, are accepted for what we practice and how we look. On behalf of the Muslims living in the land of the free and home of the brave, I want to thank you for standing firmly with us in rejection of those who are hoping to limit our rights. Additionally, as your term comes to an end, I want to thank you for all the hard work you have done for all Americans and the rest of the world these past eight years as the President of the United States.

All the best,

Noor Abdelfattah

Dua Yang 

Assalamu Alaikum Mr. President,

I am a 28 year old Muslim American woman. I am proud of my faith and I make an effort everyday to show the goodness of Islam. Islam teaches about sincerity, kindness, compassion, perseverance, fairness, and so many beautiful qualities that I try to exhibit each and everyday I serve my students, my school, and community.

Yet, despite my efforts to be a model of the peace and beauty of Islam, I am labeled and treated as a terrorist. As someone dangerous, unwelcomed, and insignificant…. And while having American citizens to public figures degrade my value may come to be dispairing at times. What I have witness from the effect of islamophobia onto the young Muslim American population is even more atrocious. Fourth graders who insecurely share with me the opinions they’ve heard from the media that I can see has psychologically damaged their confidence in themselves. Children who are just starting to find confidence in themselves are having to question their worth in America.

This environment of hate is causing a new generation of young Muslims who are weary and scared. They want nothing but to have the freedom to pursue life with dignity.

Please remain strong on your grounds. Continue to speak out against those who seek to use Islam as a political tool to oppress. You don’t know it, but you are a hero to many Muslim American children who hear your words that ‘it’s not their fault’.

Sincerely,

Ms. Yang

Aleena K 

Dear Mr. President,

As-Salaam-Alaikum. My name is Aleena K    , and I currently go to Northwest High School in Germantown, Maryland. Per the requirements of an honors research program I participate in, I completed a senior research project on a topic of my choosing. I wanted to make my project something that I could use as a learning experience, something that would correctly embody the passion I have for helping people. That was when I settled on my topic: Muslim-Americans. As a practicing Muslim-American, I am all too familiar with the difficulties of being a Muslim in a non-Muslim majority country. Thus, my project, titled Split in the Middle: Why Muslim-American Teenage Girls Struggle with their Identity, was born.

Completing this project was difficult. I had to face not only my insecurities, but the harsh rhetoric of other Americans. Because one of the potential causes of an identity crisis is the media, I had browse through the comments section of various articles that pertained to Muslim-Americans. I spent a couple of hours, sitting on the floor of my bedroom, reading thousands of comments from other people throughout America. The multitude of people who expressed their desire for deporting Muslims shocked me the most. I am an American, I grew up here. I say the Pledge of Allegiance every day. And yet, I am a Muslim. I fast during the month of Ramadan and celebrate Eid. I read the Quran, go to religion class, and pray. Which one was I allowed to be? It is a question that plagues me to this day.

Today, I watched you give a speech at a mosque in Baltimore. You talked about how society needs to stop its rhetoric, because it is not fair to profile a group of people as a result of the actions of one person. You mentioned how we are not just Muslims, or just Americans, but we are both. We are Muslim-Americans. Amongst the negative comments and the rising hatred of Muslims in this country, your speech was like an oxygen tank. It allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief and give me hope that maybe, just maybe, there was an influential figure who believed in us.

As I am writing this letter, I am listening to Adele’s song “All I Ask” on her new album. And all I ask is for acceptance and tolerance from others. I know that this can eventually be achieved, not from the work of just one individual, but from Muslims and non-Muslims alike. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you for your faith in us.

Sincerely,

Aleena K

The President was in Ottawa, Canada today for the North American Leaders' Summit.

This Summit (NALS) presents an important opportunity for the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to meet together in recognition of the value of a more integrated North America in order to advance the security and prosperity of the entire continent. After all, North America is home to a community of over 500 million people who enjoy shared democratic values, vibrant economies, dynamic cultures, and cooperation on pressing global and regional issues. As consumers, the people of North America are and will continue to be an economic powerhouse on the global stage. 

Fun fact: Canada is also the first country President Obama visited after taking office in 2009. "It was February", he said, today. "A little colder. I was a little younger. Michelle now refers to my hair as the Great White North."  In an address to the Canadian Parliament and the people of Canada, President Obama outlined our shared vision and values that define why the world looks to the U.S. and Canada as an example of leadership.

Watch a few key moments from the speech: 

"It is because we respect all people that the world looks to us as an example."

"I believe these are not merely American values or Canadian values...they are universal values"-#POTUSinCanadahttps://t.co/nDIT2ymnpX

— WH National Security (@NSC44) June 29, 2016

If you watch one moment from today's address, watch this one. 

"We must not waver in embracing our values, our best selves, our histories as nations of immigrants."

"We must not waver in embracing our values, our best selves, our histories as nations of immigrants."-#POTUSinCanadahttps://t.co/ichcE4RZaj

— WH National Security (@NSC44) June 29, 2016

President Obama discusses the global refugee crisis and our responsibility to help those seeking safety within our borders and across the globe. 

"This is the only planet we’ve got. And this may be the last shot we’ve got to save it."

"This is the only planet we’ve got. And this may be the last shot we’ve got to save it."-@POTUS. https://t.co/B0UQQKQAtJ #ActOnClimate

— WH National Security (@NSC44) June 29, 2016

Clean energy and climate took center stage at NALS as the three countries come together to release a North American climate clean energy and environment partnership. Jeff Zients and Brian Deese break down the plan here, but here are the key components of today's plan:

• A historic goal to achieve 50% clean power across North America by 2025, through a combination of renewable energy, nuclear power, power plants using carbon capture & storage, and cutting energy waste through efficiency.
• Mexico will join the United States and Canada in our commitment to reduce methane emissions 40 - 45 percent by 2025. In January 2015, President Obama announced the 40-45 percent goal for the United States. In March of this year, Prime Minister Trudeau announced the same goal. With this week’s announcement by President Pena Nieto, the three North American countries will have aligned independent methane targets.

Read the Leaders' statement on the North American, Clean Energy, and Environment Partnership

"More trade and people to people ties can also help break down old divides."

"More trade and people to people ties can also help break down old divides"-@POTUS on #TPP. https://t.co/bFIE4HpOKchttps://t.co/vmzaTtejBr

— WH National Security (@NSC44) June 29, 2016

President Obama lays out why our nations need the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Learn more about the President's trade agreement here: www.ustr.gov/TPP 

President Obama has teamed up with Buzzfeed and TurboVote to launch "Turn Up the Vote," an initiative to encourage people to engage in the democratic process and register to vote.

Your vote is not only the most powerful tool we have to shape our collective future, it's easy for you to do. In fact, watch President Obama do a few things that are harder than registering to vote: 

5 Things That Are Harder Than Registering To Vote, Featuring @POTUS #TurnUpToVotehttps://t.co/vHfvNl3s5e

— BuzzFeed (@BuzzFeed) June 27, 2016

As American citizens, the only way we can choose our public leaders is through our vote. We cannot take that for granted. 

So watch and share this video, then make sure you're registered. As President Obama said, "You have the power to shape our country’s course."

Speaking at #GES2016, @POTUS offers a statement on yesterday's UK referendum to leave the European Union. https://t.co/IdmA77uQUr

Last night, the people of the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union. President Obama issued the following statement this morning: 

"The people of the United Kingdom have spoken, and we respect their decision. The special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom is enduring, and the United Kingdom’s membership in NATO remains a vital cornerstone of U.S. foreign, security, and economic policy. So too is our relationship with the European Union, which has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond. The United Kingdom and the European Union will remain indispensable partners of the United States even as they begin negotiating their ongoing relationship to ensure continued stability, security, and prosperity for Europe, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the world."

President Obama spoke by phone with UK Prime Minister David Cameron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. In his call with Prime Minister Cameron, the President assured him that, in spite of the outcome, the special relationship between the United States and the United Kingdom, along with the United Kingdom’s membership in NATO, remain vital cornerstones of U.S. foreign, security, and economic policy.  The President also expressed his regret at the Prime Minister’s decision to step aside following a leadership transition and noted that the Prime Minister has been a trusted partner and friend, whose counsel and shared dedication to democratic values, the special relationship, and the Transatlantic community are highly valued. The President also observed that the EU, which has done so much to promote stability, stimulate economic growth, and foster the spread of democratic values and ideals across the continent and beyond, will remain an indispensable partner of the United States. The President and Prime Minister concurred that they are confident that the United Kingdom and the EU will negotiate a productive way forward to ensure financial stability, continued trade and investment, and the mutual prosperity they bring.       

In his call with Chancellor Merkel, both leaders said they regretted the decision but respected the will of the British people. The two leaders agreed that the economic and financial teams of the G-7 partners will coordinate closely to ensure all are focused on financial stability and economic growth. The President and the Chancellor affirmed that Germany and the EU will remain indispensable partners of the United States. The leaders also noted that they looked forward to the opportunity to underscore the strength and enduring bond of transatlantic ties at the NATO Summit in Warsaw, Poland, July 8-9.

Secretary Jack Lew of the Treasury Department also issued a statement today: 

"The people of the United Kingdom have spoken and we respect their decision. We will work closely with both London and Brussels and our international parterners to ensure continued economic stability, securtiy, and prosperity in Europe and beyond. We continue to monitor developments in financial markets. I have been in regular contact in recent weeks with my counterparts and financial market participants in the UK, EU and globally and we are continuing to consult closely. The UK and other policy makers have the tools necessary to support financial stability, which is key to economic growth."

Secretary Lew also joined the finance ministers of the G7 countries (Canada, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Japan, and the U.S.) and Central Bank Governors in making the following statement: 

We, G7 Ministers and Governors, respect the intention expressed today by the people of the United Kingdom to exit from the European Union.

We are monitoring market developments following the outcome of the referendum on the UK’s membership of the EU. We affirm our assessment that the UK economy and financial sector remain resilient and are confident that the UK authorities are well-positioned to address the consequences of the referendum outcome.

We recognize that excessive volatility and disorderly movements in exchange rates can have adverse implications for economic and financial stability.

G7 central banks have taken steps to ensure adequate liquidity and to support the functioning of markets. We stand ready to use the established liquidity instruments to that end.

We will continue to consult closely on market movements and financial stability, and cooperate as appropriate. We remain united and continue to maintain our solidarity as G7.

In 2009, just three weeks into his presidency, President Obama traveled to Elkhart, Indiana. In his first speech as president, he assured a community reeling from the economic recession that he would do all he could to recover and rebuild an economy that is stronger than ever before—for Elkhart and communities just like it across the country.

Seven and a half years later, President Obama returned to the city to recount the progress we've made since that day. And we've made quite a bit of progress. Over the past six years, our businesses have created more than 14 million jobs. Our manufacturing sector is seeing the first sustained growth since the 1990s. The unemployment rate has been cut in half—same for the oil we buy from foreign countries. And we've doubled our production of clean energy. For the first time ever, more than 90 percent of the country has health insurance.  

However, if you ask Republicans in Congress, you'll get an entirely different—and entirely false—story. It goes something like this (as told by President Obama): 

"America’s working class, families like yours, have been victimized by a big, bloated federal government run by a bunch of left-wing elitists like me. The government is taking your hard-earned tax dollars and giving them to freeloaders and welfare cheats. It’s strangling business with endless regulations. And it’s letting immigrants and foreigners steal whatever jobs Obamacare hasn’t killed yet."

The truth is, by almost every economic measure, we are better off than we were when President Obama took office. So the President decided to do a little myth-busting in Elkhart, taking on the four tallest tales that Republicans in Congress like to tell and laying out the real story behind our economic progress. Take a look:

4 myths Republicans in Congress continue to spread about the economy—busted by @POTUS: https://t.co/IryDjICFDM

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2016

Myth 1: Government Spending 

"Our deficits haven’t grown these past seven and a half years—we’ve cut them by almost 75 percent." —@POTUS https://t.co/8oQETqIXhJ

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2016

"No, government spending isn’t what’s squeezing the middle class."

When it comes to government spending, here are the facts: We spend less on domestic priorities outside of Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid than we did under President Ronal Reagan. Under President Obama, we've cut the deficit by almost 75 percent. Today, fewer families are on welfare than in the 1990s, and funding has been frozen for two decades. 

And while almost all opponents of the Affordable Care Act like to claim the historic law is killing jobs and exploding spending, their claim is demonstrably false. Businesses have added jobs every month since the President signed health care reform into law in March of 2010. 

The ACA is actually leading to less spending for the average family as well. The average family's premium cost $2,600 less than it would have if premiums had kept growing at an earlier rate. 

Myth #2: Overregulation

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2016

"I’ve issued fewer executive orders than any two-term President since Ulysses S. Grant—that’s a long time ago."

It's true. It's a fact that the President has issued fewer regulations than President George W. Bush. And the ones he has issued benefit our economy—from protecting our air and water to protecting families from getting cheated when they buy a house or invest their savings. 

Myth #3: Trade

"The truth is trade has helped our country a lot more than it’s hurt us." —@POTUS in Elkhart, IN. https://t.co/unuRhiHTSU

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2016

"The truth is, the benefits of trade are usually widely spread —it’s one of the reasons why you can buy that big, flat-screen TV for a couple hundred bucks, and why the cost of a lot of basic necessities have gone down."

Now, it is also true that past trade deals haven't lived up to the hype—especially when other countries don't play by fair rules.  By keeping U.S. goods out of their markets, they unfairly subsidize their businesses to undercut our own. The worst violators don't even have trade deals with us at all. That's why the President has brought more trade cases against other countries for cheating than any other president.  

As the president said, "Trade has helped our country a lot more than it’s hurt us." For example, companies that export pay workers higher wages than companies that don't. And under the President's trade agreement—the Trans-Pacific Partnership—we will eliminate over 18,000 taxes various countries put on Made-In-America products. With the TPP, we can rewrite the rules of trade to benefit America’s middle class. Because if we don’t, competitors who don’t share our values, like China, will step in to fill that void.  

Myth #4: Immigration

4 myths Republicans in Congress continue to spread about the economy—busted by @POTUS: https://t.co/IryDjICFDM

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) June 1, 2016

"Right now, the number of people trying to cross our border illegally is near its lowest level in 40 years."

As the President noted yesterday, not only do immigrants start about 30% of all new businesses in the U.S., they actually pay more in taxes than they receive in services. And no, immigrants are not the main reason wages haven't gone up for middle-class families. That's a reflection of the decisions made by companies in which the top CEOs are getting paid more than 300 times the income of the average worker. So deporting 11 million immigrants would not only cost taxpayers billions of dollars and tear families apart, it would do nothing to seriously help the middle class. What our immigration system needs is comprehensive reform, the kind that President Obama has been pushing Congress to pass. That way, families who have been here for decades can come out of the shadows, go through background checks, and pay their taxes.