"A brighter future is ours to write. Let's begin this new chapter -- together -- and let's start the work right now."

Those were a few of President Obama's final words as he finished delivering his sixth State of the Union address moments ago.

He spoke not just about where we are as nation, but where we're going.

This is a speech you don't want to miss -- so if you didn't see it live, make sure you watch the full enhanced version now.

Watch on YouTube

Then, read President Obama's remarks, and check out the slides from the enhanced address:

"How do I watch the State of the Union," you might be asking yourself?

We've got you covered: WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU.

Here's why: This year's viewing experience is stocked with interactive features that make clear what the President's proposals mean for you, and shareable charts and stats that help supplement and expand on the points you'll hear him make. And even if you're watching on your TV, you can still follow along on your phone or tablet.

Learn more about all the ways you can interact with this year's address during the speech.

If you've got questions on the policies and plans President Obama is laying out tonight, there are more ways than ever to engage:

• Stay tuned right after the speech for an exclusive Huffington Post interview with Senior Advisor Dan Pfeiffer, and a live Q&A panel with other Administration officials.
• Take part in Big Block of Cheese Day tomorrow, January 21. More than two dozen officials from across the Administration will answer your questions on a broad range of social media platforms.
• Watch a live YouTube interview of President Obama on Thursday, January 22.

And if you want to brush up on your State of the Union trivia, watch our new video featuring some fun facts about the address:

Watch on YouTube

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know:

• Watch the exclusive enhanced speech live at WH.gov/SOTU on Tuesday, January 20, at 9 p.m. ET.
• Visit WH.gov/SOTU to sign up for speech reminders, ask a question for post-speech follow-up, and get updates on the issues.
• The White House Is Open for Questions: Get Ready for Big Block of Cheese Day 2.0
• Share which issue you'd most like to see progress on in the time we have left.
• Be sure you get all the latest updates by following the White House on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr.

The Best Way to Watch

No matter your device, WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU is the place to watch President Obama's State of the Union address tomorrow at 9 p.m. ET. 

Stream the address and follow along with exclusive interactive graphics and charts showing what the announcements mean for you.

Then, be sure to stick around after the speech for an exclusive live video Q&A.

#AskTheWH

On the day after the State of the Union, join us for an online, all-day open house: Ask questions across social media using #AskTheWH and follow along.

We’re calling it Big Block of Cheese Day, in honor of President Andrew Jackson’s 1837 open house featuring a 1,400-pound block of cheese. (Read more about that here.)

A New Kind of Interview

Finally, on Thursday, January 22, we’re teaming up with YouTube for a special interview with President Obama.

We’re inviting top YouTubers here to the White House to interview the President – but they’re asking your questions.

You won’t want to miss this one.

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know

• Watch the exclusive enhanced speech live at WH.gov/SOTU on Tuesday, January 20, at 9 p.m. ET.
• Visit WH.gov/SOTU to sign up for speech reminders, ask a question for post-speech follow-up, and get updates on the issues.
• The White House is Open for Questions: Get Ready for Big Block of Cheese Day 2.0
• Share which issue you'd most like to see progress on in the time we have left.
• Be sure you get all the latest updates by following the White House on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr.

He reflected on a photo where he's leading the Senate -- Republicans and Democrats alike -- from the Senate chamber onto the House floor for the President's address.

The State of the Union address is where "every President lays out where the country is at the moment, and where he thinks he should try to take the country from this moment on." This year, President Obama will give that speech on Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Vice President Joe Biden closed with a thank you, as well as a piece of advice for those who want to watch the President on Tuesday: "Thanks for listening, and make sure you tune in to WhiteHouse.gov to hear the President's State of the Union speech."

Listen to Volume 19 of Being Biden, then go to WhiteHouse.gov/SOTU to learn more about the speech.

The State of the Union 2015: Everything You Need to Know

• Watch the exclusive enhanced speech live at WH.gov/SOTU on Tuesday, January 20, at 9 p.m. ET.
• Visit WH.gov/SOTU to sign up for speech reminders, ask a question for post-speech follow-up, and get updates on the issues.
• The White House is Open for Questions: Get Ready for Big Block of Cheese Day 2.0
• Share which issue you'd most like to see progress on in the time we have left.
• Be sure you get all the latest updates by following the White House on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr.

President Barack Obama tapes the Weekly Address in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Jan. 15, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

In this week's address, the President recounted the stories of letter writers from around the country who will be joining him when he delivers his annual State of the Union address this Tuesday: Carolyn, who was able to expand her small business through a Small Business Administration loan, and this year raised wages for their hourly employees; Jason, a wounded warrior who served in Afghanistan and is now back home with his wife and first daughter, born in November; and Victor, who affords his student loans with help from the Income Based Repayment Plan, and has health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act.

Stories like theirs are proof of the progress our country has made. The President encouraged everyone to tune in Tuesday evening to hear more about America’s comeback, and the steps we can take to ensure all Americans – not just a fortunate few – benefit from our American resurgence.

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

Learn More:

• Watch the exclusive enhanced speech live at WH.gov/SOTU on Tuesday, January 20, at 9 p.m. ET.
• Visit WH.gov/SOTU to sign up for speech reminders, ask a question for post-speech follow-up, and get updates on the issues.
• Share which issue you'd most like to see progress on in the time we have left.
• Be sure you get all the latest updates by following the White House on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr.

Watch on YouTube

This morning, following the tragic shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris, President Obama released a statement strongly condemning the attack, and offered the Administration's thoughts and prayers to both the victims of the attack and the people of France:

I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people. Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time. France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world. Time and again, the French people have stood up for the universal values that generations of our people have defended. France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers. We are in touch with French officials and I have directed my Administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice.

In the afternoon, President Obama and Vice President Biden met with Secretary of State Kerry. In remarks before the meeting, the President again expressed his deepest sympathies, and explained how today's shooting was an attack on the freedom of speech and the freedom of the press:

The fact that this was an attack on journalists, attack on our free press, also underscores the degree to which these terrorists fear freedom -- of speech and freedom of the press.  But the one thing that I'm very confident about is that the values that we share with the French people, a belief -- a universal belief in the freedom of expression, is something that can't be silenced because of the senseless violence of the few.

President Barack Obama meets with Vice President Joe Biden and Secretary of State John Kerry in the Oval Office, Jan. 7, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Amanda Lucidon)

The President also noted the strength of our counterterrorism cooperation with France, adding that "we will provide them with every bit of assistance that we can going forward."

All of #France must know that each & every American stands w/you today and always – for freedom/against extremism

— John Kerry (@JohnKerry) January 7, 2015

Later this afternoon, on his way to Michigan, President Obama called French President François Hollande from Air Force One to offer condolences and express solidarity in the wake of this morning's attack. See the full readout of the phone call here.

President Barack Obama talks on the phone with French President Francois Hollande from aboard Air Force One, Jan. 7, 2015. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

See more:

• Read Secretary Kerry's remarks with Polish Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna on the Paris attack

In today's special video edition of Being Biden, the Vice President spoke about the importance of the ceremony while in the motorcade on his way to the Senate. "To see the looks on their faces, I hope they understand the incredible opportunity they have."

Standing in the Old Senate Chamber, Vice President Biden -- who served as a senator himself for more than 30 years -- swore in senators both new and old, and met with their families.

Watch this video edition of Being Biden:

Watch on YouTube

Learn more:

• Check out more from Being Biden
• Sign up to receive email updates for new episodes of Being Biden

In this week's address, the President and First Lady wished Americans a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, and thanked our brave troops for their service. Especially as our combat mission in Afghanistan comes to a responsible end in the coming days, we are reminded of all that military men, women, and families sacrifice to keep us safe.

The President and First Lady asked everyone to take some time this holiday season to visit JoiningForces.gov and find out how to give back to the men and women in uniform who have given so much for all of us.

Transcript | mp4 | mp3

Watch on YouTube

Joined by the First Lady and Rabbi Bradley Shavit Artson of the American Jewish University in Los Angeles, President Obama retold the story of Hanukkah, "a story that took place more than 2,000 years ago, when a small group of Maccabees rose up to defeat their far more powerful oppressors."

In the face of overwhelming odds, they reclaimed their city and the right to worship as they chose. And in their victory, they found there wasn’t enough oil to keep the flame in their temple alive. But they lit the oil they had and, miraculously, the flame that was supposed to burn for just one night burned for eight. The Hanukkah story teaches us that our light can shine brighter than we could ever imagine with faith, and it’s up to us to provide that first spark.

The President also took time to highlight a new Hanukkah story: the return of American aid worker Alan Gross from Cuba.

"After our many months of discussion with the Cuban government, Alan was finally released this morning on humanitarian grounds," the President said:

He’s going to be getting the medical attention that he needs. He’s back where he belongs -- in America, with his family, home for Hanukkah. And I can’t think of a better way to mark this holiday, with its message that freedom is possible, than with the historic changes that I announced today in our Cuba policy. These are changes that are rooted in America’s commitment to freedom and democracy for all the Cuban people, including its small but proud Jewish community.

Rabbi Shavit Artson led the blessings and lit the menorah -- one of four brought from Israel to the White House this year. The menorah came from bilingual Jerusalem school Hand in Hand, and was built by both Jewish and Muslim students following a devastating arson attack. As the President put it, "Each of its branches are dedicated to one of the values their school is founded on -- values like community and dignity and equality and peace."

President Barack Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama, Rabbi Bradley Artson, and students from Hand in Hand participate in the Menorah lighting during Hanukkah reception #1 in the Grand Foyer of the White House, Dec. 17, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Learn more:

• Wondering how the White House kitchen gets kosherized? Watch this 2013 timelapse.
• Need the transcript? Ready President Obama's full remarks at this afternoon's Hanukkah reception.
• Want to find out more about President Obama's announcement on Alan Gross? Check out these five things you need to know.

Watch on YouTube

On Monday afternoon, President Obama became the first president to write a line of code.

As part of the "Hour of Code" -- an online event to promote Computer Science Education Week -- the President and Vice President joined middle-school students from New Jersey for a computer coding exercise.

President Obama spoke about the importance of strengthening STEM education, especially for girls and students underrepresented in STEM fields: "Part of what we're realizing is that we're starting too late when it comes to making sure that our young people are familiar with not just how to play a video game, but how to create a video game."

The President highlighted our country's tradition as innovators, noting that "one of the great things about America is that we invent and make stuff, not just use it."

And what did the Coder-in-Chief write for his first line of code?

moveForward(100);

The line, written in the computer programming language JavaScript, was part of an online exercise from Code.org to help teach young people how to write computer code using the children's movie Frozen.

Vice President Joe Biden visits with students and is taught to write a line of code, during the "Hour of Code" event in the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, in Washington, D.C., Dec. 8, 2014. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

The event followed new commitments announced by the White House to expand and improve computer science education, including:

• Commitments by more than 60 school districts, including the seven largest school districts in the country, to offer computer science courses to their students. Together, these districts reach over 4 million students in more than 1,000 high schools and middle schools, in partnership with Code.org.
• Over $20 million in philanthropic contributions to Code.org to train 10,000 teachers by fall 2015 and 25,000 teachers to teach computer science in time for the school year beginning in fall 2016.
• New partnerships by the National Science Foundation (NSF), including a new Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science course by the College Board that emphasizes the creative aspects of computing and a focus on real-world applications. Leading partners, including Teach for America and the National Math and Science Initiative, will assist in implementation and scale-up of the course.
• New steps to increase the participation of women and under-represented minorities in computer science, including a new computer-science classroom design prize and innovative outreach efforts.

President Barack Obama delivers remarks and participates in a Q&A during the quarterly meeting of the Business Roundtable at the Business Roundtable Headquarters in Washington, D.C., Dec. 3, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Earlier today, President Obama spoke with Business Roundtable, a group of CEOs of some of the country's leading companies, at an event in Washington, D.C.

The President discussed where our economy and our country stand, as well as the challenges and opportunities ahead:

Around this time six years ago, America’s businesses were shedding about 800,000 jobs per month. Today, our businesses, including some of the most important businesses in the world that are represented here today, have created over 10.6 million new jobs; 56 months of uninterrupted job growth, which is the longest private sector job growth in our history. We just saw the best six-month period of economic growth in over a decade. For the first time in six years, the unemployment rate is under 6 percent.

All told, the United States of America, over the last six years, has put more people back to work than Europe, Japan, and the rest of the advanced world combined. And that's a record for us to build on.

President Obama addressed the progress still to come, identifying common-sense things we should be doing but aren't, largely because of politics or ideological gridlock — issues including infrastructure investment, tax reform, trade, and immigration reform. "I've already spoken to Speaker Boehner and Senator Mitch McConnell, and what I've said to them is that I am prepared to work with them on areas where we agree, recognizing there are going to be some areas where we just don't agree," he said.

Before taking questions, the President also identified an area of deep concern to him domestically: "Although corporate profits are at the highest levels in 60 years, the stock market is up 150 percent, wages and incomes still haven’t gone up significantly, and certainly have not picked up the way they did in earlier generations."

Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel announced today that he would be stepping down from his position overseeing the Department of Defense. Hagel, who served in the Army during Vietnam, is the 24th Secretary of Defense.

Speaking from the State Dining Room of the White House, President Obama noted that Secretary Hagel has helped to oversee a significant period of transition for both the Pentagon and the country: 

The draw-down in Afghanistan, the need to prepare our forces for future missions and tough fiscal choices to keep our military strong and ready. Over nearly two years, Chuck has been an exemplary Defense Secretary, providing a steady hand as we modernized our strategy and budget to meet long-term threats, while still responding to immediate challenges like ISIL and Ebola.  Thanks to Chuck, our military is on a firmer footing, engaged in these missions and looking ahead to the future.

President Obama also spoke on Secretary Hagel's military background, and what it meant for his time at the Department of Defense. "He understands our men and women like few others, because he’s stood where they stood, he’s been in the dirt and he’s been in the mud, and that’s established a special bond, the President said. "He sees himself in them and they see themselves in him. And their safety, their lives, have always been at the center of Chuck’s service."

After the President thanked the Secretary for his service and his friendship, Hagel reflected on his service from the podium:

As the President noted I have today submitted my resignation as Secretary of Defense. It’s been the greatest privilege of my life; the greatest privilege of my life to lead and most important, to serve -- to serve with the men and women of the Defense Department and support their families.

And it's on every one of us to stop that trend.

Our responsibility is to get off of the sidelines. Don't just be a bystander: Intervene when you see someone who might be at risk.

That's what the new It's On Us message -- narrated by actor Jon Hamm -- is all about. Watch the video, then take the pledge to help prevent campus sexual assault.

The PSA is part of It's On Us, a campaign to prevent campus sexual assault, which launched earlier this fall when President Obama and Vice President Biden joined leaders from colleges and universities, media companies, the sports world, and grassroots organizations. The campaign builds on the recommendations put forth by the White House’s Task Force to Protect Students from Sexual Assault, and is part of the ongoing commitment that the President and Vice President have to ensuring that all of us – both men and women – are part of the solution.

Want to get involved? Next week -- November 17-21 -- colleges and universities across the country will join a “National Week of Action” to mobilize students on across the country to get involved in It’s On Us. With more than 130 events across the country, there's still time to get involved -- take the pledge now at ItsOnUs.org.

Mike Erwin saw tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan. And when he got home, he kept on serving.

When he came home, he started a community service group. Because, despite everything that Mike had given to his country by serving overseas, he wanted to serve his country at home, as well. This morning on Veterans Day, I had the honor of welcoming Mike and a team of his fellow veterans to the White House -- where they presented a flag they had run across the United States in two months, starting on September 11, 2014.

I've met countless members of our armed forces like Mike over the years. And no matter where or when they served, I am always humbled by their selfless commitment to our country. Our veterans represent the absolute best we have to offer.

They are the heart and soul -- the very spine -- of this nation.

As we give thanks to our veterans, we say thanks to the men and women still serving. Take a moment to thank our troops.

Today, there are still thousands of warriors serving in harm's way. I know them. I've been with them. I've seen the incredible sacrifices they make every day for all of us.

And just like the veterans of past wars, today's returning troops deserve our enduring gratitude.

As my wife Jill points out, less than 1 percent of America's population serves in uniform, but more than 99 percent of Americans owe that 1 percent much more than we could ever repay. We owe them, and we owe their sons and daughters, husbands and wives, too.

It's our sacred obligation to care for and equip those who we send to war, and care for them and their families when they come home.

God bless America and may God protect our troops,

Vice President Joe Biden

The "Ask Me Anything" session followed today's statement by President Obama urging the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take up stronger rules protecting net neutrality. During the Q&A session, David answered a range of questions on this important issue. You can see all of the responses on Reddit, or check out the full Q&A below.

And for more about President Obama's plan, check out WhiteHouse.gov/Net-Neutrality.

I am R. David Edelman. President Obama just announced his plan to keep the internet open and free. I work for him. Ask me anything.

INTRODUCTION: Hey Reddit, I'm R. David Edelman, Senior Advisor for Technology and Economic Policy at the White House. That means I get to work on a range of tech and internet issues near and dear to you all, including net neutrality. The President just made a big announcement on that today and is urging the FCC to keep the internet open and free. You can check out the President's plan here:http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/net-neutrality

I'll be here at 2pm ET to answer your questions about the President's plan and what it means. Ask me anything.

UPDATE 1: PROOF: https://twitter.com/ObamaWhiteHouse/status/531871469861863424

UPDATE 2: Hi, Reddit. I'm ready to get started. Thanks everyone for joining.

Question: So, what is the President going to actually DO? The FCC Chairman Wheeler does not seem to want to cooperate with consumers on this issue, and seems beholden to companies like his former employer. I know he couldn't easily replace Wheeler, but what actions is the president planning on doing besides talking about this on the White House website? Thanks for doing this AMA so quickly after announcing views on net neutrality.

Reply: Thanks for your question. So here's how the FCC process works. As you probably know, the FCC asks for public comment on an issue -- and this time, almost 4 million people responded. That's unprecedented. Today, the President added his voice to that growing chorus of support for safeguarding strong net neutrality. He issued a plan for how the FCC can do that -- with specifics of what rules are necessary to protect an open internet. The decision now lies with the FCC.

Follow up question: Thank you for your response. I was one of many who responded to the FCC when they asked for public comment. Is the President going to attempt anything more aggressive (through legislation, new appointments, etc.) than simply asking the FCC and outlining it for them? I would like to say that while I am critical of the situation, I am glad that the President is coming out with a pretty unambiguous definition of what net neutrality means to him.

Reply: Thanks, mi_buger. This is obviously something the President feels very strongly about, and we appreciate your support.

Question: How does it matter? Since the telecoms can write larger checks than the users of the services, we have no say in this.

Reply: I think this issue has made clear that just isn't the case. Nearly four million people had their view heard. And today, the President added his voice further elevating this issue to the very top of the public debate. That's hard to ignore.

Take another issue, like cell phone unlocking. That wasn't on anyone's radar screens until it broke on We the People -- the White House's petition platform. And after we outlined a way to fix it, we had FCC action, industry agreements, and ultimately, a bill signed by the President. All because of voices like yours.

Question: Everyone else is asking political questions so I'm just gonna ask you something else. What is your favorite website that you go to for fun when you have free time?

Reply: Besides Reddit? </pandering>

Question: How does President Obama justify having appointed Tom Wheeler, a former telecom lobbyist and obvious conflict of interest with his platform of protecting Internet freedom and Net Neutrality?

Reply: The FCC is an independent agency with five Commissioners, and ultimately, it's their job to decide on the rule independently. It's our job to serve the President laying out HIS vision for how to achieve an open internet. Tom is deeply knowledgeable about these issues, and has a long history of dealing with them.

The President has weighed in with his views, and now it’s the Commission’s turn to run their process.

Question: Can you respond to accusations that these proposed regulations are out of date and will actually do more harm than good?

Reply: The telecommunications act empowers the FCC to apply the parts of the law that are appropriate to the technology at the time. As the technologies change, so does the way in which the FCC applies the law.

As the President said today, "if carefully designed, these rules should not create any undue burden for ISPs...If the FCC appropriately forbears from the Title II regulations that are not needed to implement the principles above — principles that most ISPs have followed for years — it will help ensure new rules are consistent with incentives for further investment in the infrastructure of the internet."

Question: Why did he wait until after the midterms to suddenly announce this? Why did he nominate a person to head the FCC with the exact opposite goal?

Reply: As people who have been following this for a while, you know that net neutrality has been a longstanding priority for the President. He made that clear as far back as 2007, when he said that he “takes a backseat to no one” in protecting online freedoms and innovation in the Internet marketplace. The plan the President outlined today is another extension of that philosophy and the clearest way to protect Net Neutrality for everyone.

That's why the President felt that it was important to outline steps that he believes the FCC should put in place to protect net neutrality as the FCC considers the path forward. Over the past few months, the President has worked with his policy teams to analyze all the available options and to formulate the strongest possible proposal to protect net neutrality. The President also recognizes that almost 4 million Americans, and dozens of companies large and small, have written to the FCC to express strong views on this issue.

Question: In Obama's plan, is there any emphasis on improving competition for service providers? Where I live, I have a choice of Comcast or Verizon DSL, which is remarkably slower. So, while I have a "choice", I really don't have a good second option. I feel a lot of people out there face similar circumstances and would like to have more alternatives for Internet providers.

Reply: Thanks -- this is a great question, though net neutrality is only one component.

As I mentioned before, competition is huge. The FCC has highlighted that 3/4 of American homes have no competitive choice at 25Mbps -- and that's a problem. And 20% of Americans have no choice at all at those speeds. The good news is, there has also been major investment over the last five years -- from 2009 to 2012, the broadband and mobile industry's annual investment grew from around $21 billion to $30 billion -- notably, while net neutrality rules were in effect.

Question: Regarding Obama's quote of, "So the time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do. To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services."

How can one, in good faith, say that the Internet is both a public utility that should get the protection that it deserves under the existing Telecommunications Act and then also say that it should have its own rules that go against the Telecommunications Act? Is it being suggested that the Telecommunications Act be amended to allow for so-called fast lanes?

Reply: While the President has made clear that he supports reclassifying broadband service under Title II, as the best fit for the internet service we all use today -- but the statute also grants important flexibility to the FCC to tailor its rules in a way that is most appropriate to the technology. That's what the President is urging the FCC to do.

Question: What is the strongest argument you've heard against net neutrality?

Reply: Good question. Like any consequential policy debate, there's passion on all sides -- you've seen a lot of that around the Internet today. Let me start out by saying that the arguments FOR net neutrality are overwhelming, and the stories that we have heard over the last months and years, in response to the President's leadership on this issue, have meant a lot. Founder after founder of start-ups have told us that without a free and open Internet, they would have never had a chance to get started, and grow from a garage to a Fortune 1000 company.

Any rule on net neutrality has to be carefully designed. And it's certainly our hope that they won't be needed -- that ISPs won't be engaging in the sorts of practices that would have them collecting tolls from edge providers, or picking winners and losers. Some have argued that in a truly competitive broadband marketplace, you could see ISPs competing with different prioritization packages -- maybe one specific to gaming, for instance. But today, broadband markets in the United States aren't competitive enough to support that. There continue to be challenges of broadband competition, but with strong net neutrality rules, we can ensure Internet users in under-served markets are protected.

UPDATE 3: Thanks, everyone. I'm afraid I have to run, but we'll try to get a few more of these answered throughout the afternoon. Appreciate the thoughtful questions, and your interest in this hugely important issue.

UPDATE 4: Thanks for your patience -- getting to a few more answers now.

Question: Do you like the walking dead? I don't mean the show. Would you actually like it if the dead got up and started walking around?

Answer: No, that sounds awful.

Question: Hello, i am a student at George Washington University. What can i do to become an intern for your office or, perhaps, a 'better' position?

Answer: Hi, thanks for your interest! It's always great to see folks interested in public service. I did some internships myself when I was in college, and it was a great way to check out policy. You can start here for more information about the White House internship.

Departments and Agencies like State and Commerce have their own programs as well, so don't forget to check them out as well. State's where I got my start.

Question: Putting Net Neutrality aside for a moment. What is the President's stance on patent reform? In particular, how does the administration plan to combat the patent troll environment that exists today in the software world? Innovation has been stifled in many ways by broad patents or patents held by non-practicing entities. Is this even on the administration's radar?

Answer: You may know that this is not something most people were talking about two years ago. But us policy-types had actually been looking at it for some time, and on 2/4/13, the President did G+ hangout and gave a pretty forward-leaning answer to the patent troll issue. At his direction, we ran a process that led to some announcements about ways the Patent Office would improve the way it did business, and also laid out a set of priorities for Congress to take action. In December, the House passed a bill addressing the patent troll issue, and while the Senate has yet to act, we continue to find new ways to improve the patent system on our own.

But a comprehensive solution requires revisions to law, so we’ll keep pressing Congress to enact comprehensive patent reform legislation. This isn’t a partisan issue, and we hope it is really is something that can get done next year, if we continue to echo calls like these.

Question: Will Net Neutrality be Strongly Enforced and How, if the Providers violate Censorship or Bandwidth Equal Access rules?

Answer: The enforcement actions themselves are up to the FCC, and are independent. But I can tell you that the rules the President outlined today would certainly allow for enforcement should they be violated by any ISP, wired or wireless. That’s why the rules the President is urging the FCC to pass are straightforward, bright-line rules banning practices like blocking or paid prioritization.

Question: I know nothing about politics, but my reaction (being jaded by politics) is that this is a reaction to the majority republican house/senate. And by being at the front of this movement which is important to so many people, they'll opt to blame the republicans when things don't get done (because nothing gets done at congress (because that's how congress works).

Can you help me be more optimistic about this wonderful thing?

Answer: Tall order, but let me try: The election was not a factor in this particular case. Period. This was simply the President following through on his call for net neutrality, which has been a longstanding priority for him. As far back as 2007, he made clear that he “takes a backseat to no one” when it comes to protecting online freedoms and innovation in the Internet marketplace. The plan the President outlined today is another extension of that philosophy and the clearest way to protect Net Neutrality for everyone.

Question: Why has every FCC net neutrality proposal put forward been misaligned (if not outright contradictory) with the White House's new/clarified stance on the issue? Has anyone in the executive branch ever consulted with the Electronic Frontier Foundation?

Answer: I don't think they have. In fact, just today, the EFF came out and said "The White House Gets It Right On Net Neutrality.".

Question: why did he wait until after the midterms to suddenly announce this? why did he nominate a person to head the FCC with the exact opposite goal?

Answer: Let me do this again on a higher thread: the election was not a factor in this particular case. Period. For more, see reply below [Ed. note: see above].

Question: Is there a plan to Support/Allow/Protect Cooperatives in any municipalities, towns, villages or communities that want to build/own, maintain/control Last Mile & WiFi?

Answer: This is something that Tom Wheeler has actually opened an inquiry into, and that the FCC is seriously examining. Having heard from a number of communities where it has made a difference, we have been looking into the issue as well, and while it's clear most of the work here is at the state and local level, we would of course welcome your thoughts about what the Executive Branch might be able to do within our authorities.

UPDATE 5: Thanks everyone, I appreciate your really thoughtful questions. Hope I got some of them answered. It's has been an exciting day for the future of net neutrality, and I hope you'll continue to stay engaged. Have a great night. -rD

President Obama today asked the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to take up the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality, the principle that says Internet service providers (ISPs) should treat all internet traffic equally.

The President has been a strong and consistent advocate of net neutrality since his first presidential campaign.

President Obama’s plan would reclassify consumer broadband services under what’s known as Title II of the Telecommunications Act. It would serve as a “basic acknowledgement of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone - not just one or two companies.”

The plan involves four commonsense steps that some service providers already observe:

No blocking. If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, your ISP should not be permitted to block it. That way, every player—not just those commercially affiliated with an ISP — gets a fair shot at your business.

No throttling. Nor should ISPs be able to intentionally slow down some content or speed up others — through a process often called “throttling”—based on the type of service or your ISP’s preferences.

Increased transparency. The connection between consumers and ISPs — the so-called “last mile” — is not the only place some sites might get special treatment. So, I am also asking the FCC to make full use of the transparency authorities the court recently upheld, and if necessary to apply net neutrality rules to points of interconnection between the ISP and the rest of the Internet.

No paid prioritization. Simply put: No service should be stuck in a “slow lane” because it does not pay a fee. That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth. So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritization and any other restriction that has a similar effect.

Ultimately, the FCC is an independent agency and the decision is theirs alone. But President Obama believes his plan is the best way to safeguard the incredible resource the Internet has become for all of us — so that an entrepreneur's fledgling company has the same chance to succeed as established corporation's, and so that access to a high school student's blog isn't unfairly slowed down to make way for advertisers with more money.

Nearly 4 million public comments were submitted to the FCC as part of the latest comment period, with overwhelming support for the principles the President is calling for.

Read the full plan, and watch President Obama explain why these steps are so important.

Yesterday, millions of Americans cast their ballots. Republicans had a good night, and I congratulate all the candidates who won.

But what stands out to me is that the message Americans sent yesterday is one you've sent for several elections in a row now. You expect the people you elect to work as hard as you do. You expect us to focus on your ambitions -- not ours -- and you want us to get the job done. Period.

I plan on spending every moment of the next two years rolling up my sleeves and working as hard as I can for the American people. This country has made real and undeniable progress in the six years since the 2008 economic crisis. But our work will not be done until every single American feels the gains of a growing economy where it matters most: in your own lives.

While I'm sure we'll continue to disagree on some issues that we're passionate about, I'm eager to work with Congress over the next two years to get the job done. The challenges that lay ahead of us are far too important to allow partisanship or ideology to prevent our progress as a nation.

As we make progress, I'll need your help, too. Over the weeks and months ahead, I'll be looking to Americans like you, asking you to stay engaged.

I am optimistic about our future. Because for all the maps plastered across our screens today, for all the cynics who say otherwise, we are more than a simple collection of red and blue states. We are the United States.

And yesterday, millions of Americans -- Democrats and Republicans, women and men, young and old, black and white -- took the time out of their day to perform a simple, profound act of citizenship. That's something we shouldn't forget amid the din of political commentary. Because making progress starts with showing up.

Let's get to work.

President Barack Obama

Learn more:

• Watch President Obama address the White House press corps to discuss the midterm elections and his next steps forward

We're excited to be hosting @wethepeople users here at the @WhiteHouse for the #WTPMeetUp today!

On September 22, 2011, we launched We the People to give Americans a new way to petition their government around issues they care about. Since then, more than 15 million users have participated, collecting more than 22 million signatures on more than 360,000 petitions. And to celebrate its third birthday, we hosted our first-ever meetup for We the People users and petition creators right here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Meetup participants toured the White House, then spent the afternoon across the street at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building, where they discussed their experience using the petitions platform and heard from Administration officials.

During the afternoon session, they spoke with Megan Smith, the government's Chief Technology Officer, Paulette Aniskoff, Director of the Office of Public Engagement, and James Kvaal, Deputy Director of the Domestic Policy Council. Finally, the petition creators and signers capped off their day meeting with Press Secretary Josh Earnest to talk broadly about how new technologies have changed the way the government engages with media and with the public.

Check out their day at the White House below and over on Storify.

The report comes ahead of President Obama's visit with Los Angeles entrepreneurs, technologists, and creatives -- and it takes a close look at the trends and circumstances that have shaped Millennials. It finds a generation shaped by transformation, that came into its own in the midst of the financial crisis, but is also more diverse and educated than any other generation.

Here are some of the most interesting facts from the report: 

1. Millennials are now the largest, most diverse generation in the U.S.
2. They're shaped by technology, value creativity, and are innovative (see, founders of Facebook, Instagram, and Tumblr).
3. More Millennials are going to college, especially women. But when you couple that with rising tuition, they're also left with an ever-increasing share of the student loan debt burden.
4. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, they are much more likely to have health insurance without being job-locked.
5. Millennials are moving into urban areas and they're paying rent. They're less likely to own a home during their 20s than previous generations.

So even as Millennials face new challenges, they have enormous opportunity. And President Obama is taking steps to ensure their success -- something he'll talk about more this afternoon in Los Angeles.

We broke down some of the report's findings into an infographic (featuring Millennial-friendly emoji). Check it out, then pass it on.

Want to see the full report? You can check it out here.

Hey,

Last week at the United Nations, President Obama laid out a forceful case that in an uncertain world, American strength and leadership is the one constant.

The United States is leading an international coalition in the fight to degrade and ultimately destroy ISIL, to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine, and to contain and combat the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

As the President said on Sunday night: That's how we roll.

This Thursday, speaking to Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, the President will make the case for what has always fueled America's leadership -- and that's America's economic greatness. He'll take a step back from the rush of current events to explain what we've done to recover from the Great Recession and what we need to do to ensure that more middle-class Americans feel that progress in their own lives.

Make sure you're watching. RSVP to watch the speech here -- and we'll email you on Thursday morning with an exclusive set of materials so you have the facts before the President speaks.

The fact is, the President's policies and the hard work of the American people have helped America come back farther and faster from recession than almost any other advanced nation. The economy is stronger today than it was before President Obama took office. But he didn't run for office to get us back to where we were; he ran to get us where we need to be -- to rebuild an economy that creates not only good jobs, but broad-based prosperity.

Right after the President took office -- in the face of a global recession -- he laid out his vision for building a New Foundation for the American economy based not on the cycle of bubble-and-bust that led to the crisis, but rather on shared, durable growth that creates good, middle-class jobs. We focused on reforming our financial and health care systems, investing in education, unleashing new jobs in new industries like clean energy and high-tech manufacturing, and bringing down the deficit for future generations.

From the toughest reforms of Wall Street since the Great Depression, to the Affordable Care Act, to cutting our deficits in half, to ten million new private sector jobs over the past four and a half years, we've made significant, measurable progress on each element of this New Foundation. Today, our economy is on a stronger footing for the future.

There's no quick fix, but there are commonsense things Washington can do right now to help create jobs and raise wages. The President will detail the strategy we need to follow to ensure that this century is the American century and that the benefits of our growth are shared broadly with the middle class and all who hope to join it.

Say you'll be watching, and we'll send you an update on Thursday morning, putting the facts you need in one quick, easy-to-read place.

More soon,

Dan

On September 22, 2011, we launched We the People to give Americans a new way to petition their government around issues they care about. It works like this: Start a petition, get enough signatures, and the Obama administration will work with policy experts to issue an official response.

It's three years later, and We the People remains incredibly popular: More than 15 million users have participated, collecting more than 22 million signatures on more than 360,000 petitions. To date, we've issued nearly 250 responses to petitions on a wide range of topics, including maintaining an open and innovative internet, reducing student loan debt, improving our economy, and even building a "Death Star."

The We the People platform has led directly to policy changes and provided new opportunities for dialogue between citizens and their government. That's part of the reason why, over the course of 2014, an average of response surveys showed a majority of signers thought it was "helpful to hear the Administration's response," even if they didn't agree. Nearly 80 percent said they would use We the People again.

To celebrate We the People's third birthday, the White House will host the first-ever social meetup for We the People users and petition creators right here at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. It will be an exciting chance for users to meet with policy experts and connect with each other in person.

Meanwhile, we continue to work to make We the People even more accessible so that people -- no matter where they are on the internet -- can use the platform to reach the White House. Beginning in October, third-party websites can submit signatures to We the People on behalf of their own signers, using our soon-to-be-released Write API (which is currently in beta). It's the result of months of hard work, and we can't wait to share it with the public.

Check out the infographic below, and take a look at some of the platform's highlights over the last three years:

• Launching We the People (September 2011)
• The White House issues its first petition response (October 2011)
• SOPA, and protecting an open internet (January 2012)
• Open-sourcing We the People (August 2012)
• President Obama releases his first video response (December 2012)
• The most popular piece of WhiteHouse.gov content of all time (January 2013)
• The first We the People Hackathon and Read API (March 2013)
• A regulatory fix that protects puppies (September 2013)
• We the People petitions become even easier to sign (June 2014)
• Because of a We the People petition, it's now legal to unlock your cell phone (August 2014)

Launching We the People (September 2011)

"Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances."

– The First Amendment, U.S. Constitution

Those words from our Constitution's First Amendment guarantee the right to petition your government. And with the launch of We the People, we provided Americans with a brand new way to do it.

In the early hours of September 22, 2011, we flipped the switch and turned on We the People. We had no idea what to expect, and over the course of the first 24 hours, nearly 60,000 users had joined the site and signed a petition -- and eight had already reached the initial threshold for response (5,000 signatures at the time). We were blown away.

We the People was live for less than a month before users submitted more than 1 million signatures.

The White House issues its first petition response (October 2011)

On October 26, 2011 -- just a month after launch -- one of President Obama's top education advisors, Roberto Rodriguez, issued the first response to a petition created through We the People. Here are the first few lines:

Thank you for taking the time to participate in the "We the People" petition process. We launched this online tool as a way of hearing directly from you, and are pleased that you have responded by presenting this idea. We agree that reducing the burden of student loans is an effective way to stimulate the economy and save taxpayer dollars. That's why we're excited to announce a new policy that speaks to the concerns expressed in this petition.

SOPA, and protecting an open internet (January 2012)

In January 2012, the White House responded to two petitions about legislative approaches to combat online piracy. In their response, the Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator at Office of Management and Budget, the U.S. Chief Technology Officer, and Special Assistant to the President and Cybersecurity Coordinator for National Security Staff stress that the important task of protecting intellectual property online must not threaten an open and innovative internet.

Open-sourcing We the People (August 2012)

When President Obama talked about We the People at a meeting of the Open Government Partnership in 2011, he promised to "share that technology so any government in the world can enable its citizens to do the same." When we published the source code to We the People, it opened up a world of possibility: Anybody, from other countries to the smallest organizations to civic hackers, can take this code and put it to their own use.

President Obama releases his first video response (December 2012)

After the tragedy in Newtown, more than 300,000 people wrote in to tell us what they thought about gun violence, and President Obama personally responded to the petition in a video. And as the Administration has taken steps to prevent gun violence, we've gone back to those signers with updates on the process.

Watch on YouTube

The most popular piece of WhiteHouse.gov content of all time (January 2013)

You petitioned us to begin construction on a "Death Star." Our space policy experts thought that wasn't a great idea, but shared some projects the U.S. government is working on that are futuristic nonetheless. Did you know NASA has floating robotic assistants working on the International Space Station, and two spacecraft leaving the Solar System?

The response, full of Star Wars references, was an instant hit: It gained huge attention on sites like Reddit and in the news, and is the White House's most popular piece of content to date. More than 3 million unique visitors read the response in the week it was released. Many of those readers followed our links touting NASA's important work, and the ways in which the Obama administration has worked to get more Americans involved in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education.

The first We the People Hackathon and Read API (March 2013)

On February 22, 2013, we welcomed 21 programmers and tech experts to the White House. They spent the day working alongside our own tech development team. Their goal was simple: to build tools using a new Read API, a WhiteHouse.gov feature that opens up We the People data to anyone who wants to use it. For nine hours, these two groups clustered around each other's laptops, solving problems, sharing ideas, sharing code, and asking questions.

Watch on YouTube

The Read API makes our public data available to anyone who wants to build new tools and draw lessons from the platform. And in June, we released that API to the public. Check out the API gallery to see some of the incredible visualization work that users have come up with.

A regulatory fix that protects puppies (September 2013)

In December 2011, the USDA announced that it supported an update to the Animal Welfare Act, the focus of a petition on "puppy mills." Over the next year and a half, we kept petition signers involved in the regulatory process -- alerting them to a chance to comment on proposed regulation, and alerting them when the rule-making process was finalized:

When you petitioned us to regulate so-called puppy mills, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed a rule that would update that "retail pet stores" definition. After huge amounts of public input, the USDA has finalized that ruling -- and is bringing more animals under the protection of the Animal Welfare Act.

This update marked an important We the People milestone: A petition kicked off a rule-making process that ended with new regulation that was good for animals, and good for consumers.

We the People petitions become even easier to sign (June 2014)

We're always working to make We the People easier to use. In June, we took the next step with a redesign that makes it dramatically easier to sign petitions.

We call the new process "simplified signing," and it takes the account-creation step out of signing a petition. Now, just enter your basic information, confirm your signature via email, and you're done. That's it.

The redesign itself is actually built on top of our Write API -- part of our development team's efforts to make the API available to others outside the White House.

Because of a We the People petition, it's now legal to unlock your cell phone (August 2014)

On August 1, 2014, President Obama signed a bill into law that again made it legal for consumers to unlock their cell phones in order to take them to a carrier that best suits their needs -- and it started with a petition.

It marked the very first time a We the People petition led to a legislative fix.

The process started in 2013, when internet activists petitioned us to reverse a decision by the Library of Congress that made it illegal for consumers to unlock their cell phone. We leapt into action and announced our support for the petition's call: Consumers should be able to use their devices on a network of their choice.

Officials followed up that 2013 response by working with the FCC and wireless carriers to reach voluntary agreements that would give consumers greater choice. Meanwhile, our calls to action were heeded by Congress -- where Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, worked with the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to introduce joint legislation that restored the DMCA exemption. That's legislation that President Obama signed this past August.

President Barack Obama signs S. 517, Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, in the Oval Office, Aug. 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

It's a win for consumers, and an important milestone for We the People -- which has generated more than 15 million users and 22 million signatures on over 350,000 petitions since it started in 2011.

President Barack Obama signs S. 517, Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act, in the Oval Office, Aug. 1, 2014. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Here's how it happened:

In January of 2013, internet activist Sina Khanifar started a We the People petition that asked the government to make cell phone unlocking legal.

The petition came in the wake of a decision by the Library of Congress that ended an exemption to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA), and made it illegal for consumers to unlock their cell phones -- a process that allows a phone to be used on any compatible network.

Over the next 30 days, 114,000 people from across the country signed the petition -- crossing the signature threshold needed for an official White House response.

Folks here at the White House leapt into action. The White House policy team convened more than a half-dozen agencies and offices' senior officials to ask a simple question: How can we move this issue forward? After careful deliberation, it was clear to us: The Administration couldn’t agree more with petitioners, and we came out in strong support of again making it legal for consumers to unlock their devices.

But we didn’t just agree; we offered a template for how to make it a reality. Our response laid out steps that the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), wireless carriers, and Congress could take to make sure copyright law didn't stand in the way of consumer choice. And over the following weeks and months, we worked with the FCC and wireless carriers to reach voluntary agreements to provide consumers with additional flexibility. That captured national attention, including support from national editorial pages.

All that helped motivate Congress to take action, and heed the call in a bipartisan way. Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, partnered with the Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee to promptly introduce joint legislation that would restore the DMCA exemption. That legislation passed both Chambers unanimously this past month in the form of the Unlocking Consumer Choice and Wireless Competition Act.

It's that legislation that President Obama signed earlier this month. And just last week, we held a conference call with hundreds of petition signers to help explain what the legislation does -- and to talk about the important part every one of those 114,000 signers played.

So what's next for We the People? This petition was a great case of the amazing online organizing we've seen by petition creators, but we're working to make it even easier for creators to organize around their petitions.

That's why we've created a simplified signing process that removes the need to create an account just to sign a petition -- and why we've been hard at work on a Write API that will eventually allow people to sign petitions using new technologies, and on sites other than WhiteHouse.gov.

Learn more:

• Read the original petition response.
• See a petition update on the voluntary agreement.
• Check out the statement by President Obama on the passage of the bill.
• Read an op-ed by Director of the National Economic Council Jeff Zients and Sen. Leahy.

Robin Williams was an airman, a doctor, a genie, a nanny, a president, a professor, a bangarang Peter Pan, and everything in between.  But he was one of a kind.  He arrived in our lives as an alien -- but he ended up touching every element of the human spirit.  He made us laugh.  He made us cry.  He gave his immeasurable talent freely and generously to those who needed it most -- from our troops stationed abroad to the marginalized on our own streets. The Obama family offers our condolences to Robin’s family, his friends, and everyone who found their voice and their verse thanks to Robin Williams.

Comedian Robin Williams visits with Commanding General of Combined Task Force 101 U.S. Army Lt. Gen. John F. Campbell after the USO Holiday Tour show at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, on Dec.15, 2010. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Adm. Mike Mullen, U.S. Navy, and his wife Deborah are hosting the holiday tour featuring Williams and comedians Lewis Black and Kathleen Madigan, Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and country musicians Kix Brooks and Bob Dipiero touring the Central Command area of responsibility. DoD photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Chad J. McNeeley, U.S. Navy. (Released)

And before he left, the President took a walk down Main Street (literally), spending time with store owners, touring an antique watch shop, and chatting with customers at a local coffee shop.

We got it all on video, and we think you'll want to see it — watch, then pass it on:

Watch on YouTube

You should also see:

• President Obama in Kansas City: “Let’s Get Some Work Done Together”
• Press Secretary Josh Earnest: "The President Wants to Meet You"

The House of Representatives just took a vote -- and it wasn't to raise the minimum wage, put in place equal pay, create jobs, or reform our broken immigration system.

Instead, the Republican-controlled House of Representatives just voted to sue the President for using his executive authority. This lawsuit will waste valuable time and potentially millions of taxpayer dollars.

This is the least productive Congress in decades. And instead of doing their job, they are suing the President for doing his.

The President is committed to making a difference for the millions of hardworking Americans trying to do right by their families and communities. While Republicans in Congress continue to waste taxpayer money, this President is going to keep doing his job.

If you’re doing your own job -- and you support President Obama doing his -- add your name.

President Obama remains ready and willing to work with Republicans in Congress if they decide to get serious and do something for the American people. But he is also committed to acting even as Congress won't. You've seen that time and time again this year -- from raising the federal minimum wage on new federal government contracts, to expanding apprenticeship opportunities and making student loan payments more affordable.

The President is not going to back away from his efforts to use his authority to solve problems and help American families. In fact, the day after the vote, President Obama will announce his next executive action to crack down on federal contractors who put workers' safety and hard-earned pay at risk. It's just the next in a series of steps this Administration will be taking this year to make sure that American workers are getting a fair deal, and he has pledged to take executive action to deal with our broken immigration system in the months ahead.

That’s what this President is focused on. If you want to see it continue, and are sick and tired of stunts like the House Republicans’ lawsuit, then say so:

http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/doing-his-job

Thanks,

Dan

It was 50 years ago today that President Lyndon Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act into law. And Vice President Biden reminds us that, as we celebrate the Fourth of July, we must also celebrate and remember the struggles of a generation that pushed to make the Declaration of Independence's inalienable rights -- of "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" -- a reality for all Americans.

The Vice President reminds listeners what these civil rights leaders faced in 1965 on Alabama's Edmund Pettus Bridge -- recounting a walk met by "billy clubs and beatings, at the hand of state police officers."

Take a listen to the latest epsiode, "Vol. 16: 50 Years Later."

Vice President Joe Biden marches across the Edmund Pettus Bridge with Congresswoman Terri Sewell and Congressman John Lewis, during the 48th annual Bridge Crossing Ceremony in Selma, Alabama, March 3, 2013. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Want to get the latest edition of Being Biden delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up.

Read President Obama's statement on the 50th Anniversary of the signing of the Civil Rights Act.

But we're not stopping there. We've been working to make it easier to sign a petition and today we're proud to announce the next iteration of We the People.

Since launch, we've heard from users who wanted a simpler, more streamlined way to sign petitions without creating an account and logging in every time. This latest update makes that a reality.

We're calling it "simplified signing" and it takes the account creation step out of signing a petition. As of today, just enter your basic information, confirm your signature via email and you're done. That's it. No account to create, no logging in, no passwords to remember.

That's great news for new users, but we're betting it'll be welcomed by our returning signers, too. If you signed a petition six months ago and you don't remember your password, you don't have to worry about resetting it. Just enter your email address, confirm your signature, and you're done.

Go check it out right now on petitions.obamawhitehouse.archives.gov.

We're counting on you to help make We the People even better. Share your feedback on how this platform can improve. 

Didn't get the email? Be sure to sign up.

Hi, all --

Every day, the Office of Presidential Correspondence sorts through thousands of letters. Every night, President Obama reads ten of them. Some people write to share what his decisions mean in their daily lives, to talk about the economy, or to ask a question about a policy. Others just write in to say hello.

Each letter is a chance for President Obama to hear directly from folks across the country about the sorts of issues they face every day.

The President makes notes in the margins, and sits down to reply personally. He often sends the letters to the staff as reminder of what we are fighting for or to ask us to follow up on an issue raised in the letter. So when Rebekah, a hardworking mom from Minneapolis, wrote in to share how much harder it's become to get ahead and do right by her family, you can bet the President set that letter aside for a reply.

But he's not just doing that. He's meeting Rebekah in person this Thursday to spend a day in her shoes. Watch President Obama tell her story, and find out why he's traveling to her town.

When the President travels to Minnesota, he'll launch the first in a series of "day-in-the-life" visits across the country this summer. He'll spend a day with Rebekah -- and he'll meet with her family and community members to discuss the issues that matter to them, host a town hall, and talk about the steps we need to take as a country to help more Americans like Rebekah get ahead.

I know the President is excited to talk with her -- and Americans like her. So all this summer, he'll meet with folks who've written in to share what their lives are like. He'll be hitting the road and traveling to communities across the country -- sitting around diner booths and kitchen tables to talk about the issues that matter to them.

Rebekah's story is representative of the experiences of millions of Americans: Even though our economy's made a historic comeback, too many middle-class Americans are still stretched too thin, and there's more work to do.

Make sure you see Rebekah's story -- and then tune in on Thursday as the President travels to Minnesota.

Thanks,

Dan

It was an opportunity for him to hear from Americans balancing the responsibilities of work and family -- aided by companies with flexible, supportive policies -- and he was "looking forward to comparing notes about changing diapers."

Policies like paid leave and flexible hours aren't just smart for parents, they're smart for business. As President Obama said, "not only do families benefit and children benefit, but the businesses benefit and the economy benefits."

Watch the video: 

Watch on YouTube

You should also read:

• Check out all the day's events from the Working Families Summit
• Share what being part of a working family means to you.
• Read President Obama's op-ed on working families in Huffington Post.

During the "Ask Me Anything," Administrator McCarthy answered questions on a range of topics -- including President Obama's plan to fight climate change, what people can do in their own communities, and her thoughts on Marvin Gaye.

You can see all of the responses on Reddit, or check out the questions and responses below.

Gina McCarthy here. EPA Administrator, mom, wife, Boston area native, Rex Sox fan.

Yesterday the EPA proposed a commonsense plan to cut carbon pollution from power plants. The science shows that climate change is already posing risks to our health and our economy. The Clean Power Plan will maintain an affordable reliable energy system, while cutting pollution and protecting our health and our environment, now and for future generations. Read more here: http://blog.epa.gov/epaconnect/2014/06/our-clean-power-plan-will-spur-innovation-and-strengthen-the-economy/

I'll be here to answer questions starting at 6:00 PM ET. Ask Me Anything. Proof it's me: https://twitter.com/GinaEPA/status/473899708721946625

Question: Why do you think climate change has become the partisan issue that is has recently? Do you think we have a chance of moving away from the politicization of science in the foreseeable future?

Reply:  We know what the science tells us – the time to act is now. There is nothing political about public health and clean air.

Question: Hi Secretary McCarthy! Thanks so much for taking our questions, and thank you for your efforts in rolling out this historic proposed rule. I’m sure you’ll hear a lot of complaints, but you have also made many people incredibly happy and relieved to finally see action in this area, including myself.

1. Can you discuss the legal authority for setting standards for each state as opposed to individual existing power plants? I think it’s great that the state-wide solution adds more flexibility, but I’m curious about how EPA Office of General Counsel justified authority for this.

2. Many coal towns are lamenting the inevitable loss of jobs. While jobs are likely to be created elsewhere if the proposed rule becomes final, how can the EPA and the Obama administration directly provide for these communities?

3. How was a 30% reduction decided upon, and how was it decided to use 2005 as the baseline?

4. How often do people tell you that your Boston accent is the greatest thing ever? I interned at EPA last summer when you first started as EPA Secretary and all that people on my floor were talking about for a week was the welcome video in which you called EPA employees “soopah smaaht.”

Reply: This is a Clean Air Act rule. State standards make the most sense. We’ll get substantial reductions in carbon emissions in practical, flexible, achievable ways. We expect states can take actions that will protect their communities, public health and local economy. Check out how we did the state standards, it wasn’t about getting 30%, that’s what the standards will achieve nationally. You are wicked cool!

Question: How did you like the Simpson's Movie?

Reply: I sure hope I’m a better EPA Administrator than Russ Cargill. But seriously, Marge is my favorite. Love the hair.

Question: Can you talk a little about how the EPA Clean Power Plan targets fit into President Obama's broader 2009 UN Copenhagen Accord targets or long-term plans after 2030? The EPA proposed rule hopes to get to a 30% reduction in electricity emissions by 2030, and the UN Copenhagen Accord targets are quite a bit more ambitious: 17% reduction in total emissions by 2020, 42% by 2030, and 83% by 2050 (1). Based on the EPA GHG inventory (2), this looks like the EPA rules would get us about 30% of the way to the Copenhagen Accord goals by 2030 - what do you see as making up the rest of this gap?

Reply: Our Clean Power Plan is only one action in the President’s Climate Action Plan. It’s a gigantic leap forward and shows significant US leadership, check out the full range of things the President is moving forward: http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/climate-change. And don’t forget the innovation and investment across the US that this rule will unleash will push our energy revolution forward. It turns out that carbon reductions actually do more than save the planet, they protect kids’ health today.

Answering questions on the President’s Climate Action Plan over on @Reddit_AMA #ActOnClimate pic.twitter.com/f1r2Oar1ce

— Gina McCarthy (@GinaEPA) June 3, 2014

Question: What are the chances of a zombie apocalypse happening?

Reply: Probably a better question for the CDC!

Question: Hi Gina, Junior Environmental Engineer here. What advice do you have for someone like me who wants to make an effective change towards our environment ? What are effective ways of promoting and implementing the principles of sustainability?

Reply: See what’s going on your community. There’s lots happening across the US, and your skills and energy can really make a difference. When it comes to sustainability local engagement can make the most difference. Check out epa.gov. We’ve got a lot of resources there to get you started.

Question: Hi Gina, why do some many EPA employees go work for the industries they regulate? Do you approve of that ? It seems to be a conflict of interest. Wouldn't you agree?

Also, why are your fines so low? It appears any kind of EPA action is just a cost of doing business for polluters.

Reply: We have lots of people who come from industry to work at EPA, and they’re totally committed to public health and environmental protection. If people leave EPA and go to work in the private sector, I can’t imagine that they’re going to leave that commitment behind – people who work at the EPA are too passionate about the environment.

I don’t agree that our fines are low. We work very hard to make sure that it doesn’t pay to pollute in this country.

Question: Thanks for taking our questions! What is the number 1 thing individuals can do to support more progress in this direction? What 1 thing would you ask of the private sector?

Reply:  The number one thing you can do is to get in the game! Make your voice heard and take action. The same thing goes for the private sector.

Question: Good evening, Administrator McCarthy. West Virginia lawmakers and power industry leaders are worried about the effects of the Clean Power Plan on the state. 1. How many jobs do you predict will be lost in the coal mining industry? 2. How will it affect the price of electricity in the state? 3. How will it affect WV's economy? 4. Is the base line for the target reductions 2005 or 2012?

Reply: The proposed plan gives the state the flexibilty to design a plan that works for them. We’ll be working closely with folks in West Virigina to make sure they understand what their goal is and the full range of options available. EPA cares about the health and economy of every community in this country.

Question: Do programs like WaterSense and EnergyStar factor into the future climate change initiatives?

Reply: They sure do. Both WaterSense and EnergyStar drive efficiency that benefits every consumer and the planet. You’d be surprised how small reductions add up to big savings for the planet and your pocketbooks. The more people choose EnergyStar and WaterSense products, the more we all win.

Question: Any comments/background/behind the scenes on your marathon of a confirmation fight?

Reply: What confirmation fight? I’m here now and having the time of my life!

Question: Hi Gina! I'd love to hear what your opinions are in regards to nuclear power vs. fossil fuels, specifically as it relates to how best to deal with nuclear waste. Thanks!

Reply: When it comes to nuclear, we know there are some questions, but there’s no denying that it’s carbon free and will be part of the energy mix.

On the issue of waste, it’s been a long standing challenge and one that needs a long term solution. Folks across the Administration are working on it.

Question: Favorite rap/hip hop album?

Reply: I'm more of a Marvin Gaye fan.

Question: I live in Montana and we're getting bombarded with messages about how this is going to cost us jobs. I recall hearing that global warming wasn't an issue because technology, in future generations, would fix any problems we might encounter. Won't that same American ingenuity come up with "clean coal" solutions or other options? Isn't this more a job shift away from incumbents toward innovators?

You've got a tough job ahead. Stick to your guns. History will remember you as being on the right side, no matter what the coal and gas industries say.

Reply: We're bullish on American ingenuity, that’s what makes this country so great. Thanks for your faith and optimism!

Question: Do you think such an impactful rule should be voted on by Congress? If this rule were put to a Congressional vote, would it pass?

Reply: Congress gave EPA the authority and responsibility to implement the Clean Air Act. We regulate power plants for mercury, arsenic and other dangerous pollutants. Why wouldn’t we regulate power plants for harmful carbon pollution? It fuels climate change and threatens public health.

UPDATE: This has been great - so many great questions. Next time I'll have to type faster! Thanks everybody.