Chicago is where I grew up. It’s where I met my husband. It’s where we started our family and where we began our journey to becoming your First Family, which has been the honor of our lifetimes. And tomorrow, I’m going back to Chicago to watch Barack deliver his farewell address to you.

I hope you’ll join me, because as Barack has said, these eight years have always been about you – and what we could accomplish together.  

And together, we’ve made so much progress. We passed a law that helped provide health care for people across this country. Our high school graduation rate is at a record high, and more young people are graduating from college than ever before. Our businesses created millions of jobs, and we lifted millions of Americans out of poverty. We expanded LGBT rights and watched as marriage equality became the law of the land.

We couldn’t have done any of this without you. And in the coming weeks, I know Barack is excited to join you in taking on the most important role of all, the role of citizen.

Because it’s citizens like you who decided to get involved and do your part to make the change we all believe in. It’s citizens like you who refused to let cynicism or fear prevent you from fighting for progress. And it’s citizens like you who will keep moving our country forward in the years ahead.

Time and again, you’ve shown that by working hard and choosing hope, people who love their country can change it. 

So please join me in sharing this moment with Barack tomorrow night at 8:00pm CT/9:00pm ET as he takes a moment to thank you for everything you’ve done. 

Thanks,

First Lady Michelle Obama

Tune in to the Farewell Address

Transcript | MP4 | MP3

My name is Julia de la Rosa, and I am a Cuban cuentapropista -- or Cuban entrepreneur. Over 20 years ago, my husband and I started our own business in Cuba providing lodging and transportation to visitors in our neighborhood in Havana. Everything about my business was on a very small scale: We had two bedrooms and one old car, and we did almost everything ourselves.

Today marks two years from when the President decided to normalize America's relationship with my country.

As a cuentapropista, I watched this historic change help my business grow in ways I would have never expected. The demand for our services dramatically increased with the growing number of visitors, so we had the opportunity to expand. We now run a real bed and breakfast with 10 bedrooms, and have 17 people working with us as we provide services 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Now, we’re starting a small taxi company, as transportation requests have increased -- especially in old, classic cars. Thanks to these new times, we can even come to the U.S. to buy pieces to restore our eight American cars.

And this change has made a difference for Americans, too.

More than 500,000 Americans visited Cuba last year. Ten U.S. airlines are flying between American and Cuba citizens. And American cruise lines will soon start pulling into our ports. That’s going to mean a lot for Cuba’s development. 

But this new relationship has not only changed my business, it’s changed my life. Like many others Cubans, I have family in the U.S., and thanks to President Obama’s decision to re-establish relations, my biggest dream could finally come true -- to travel to Miami to meet my father's family. I am incredibly grateful to President Obama for his leadership in forging this historic change for the U.S. and Cuba, and for what it will mean to both the Cuban and American people for generations to come.

Hope to see you in Havana soon,

Julia de la Rosa

This week, President Obama became the first U.S. president to set foot in Laos, a small, Southeast Asian nation that lies at the heart of the Asia-Pacific region, which is diplomatically, economically, and strategically central to the United States in the 21st century.

The U.S. and Laos share a difficult history defined by war — a history that we must both acknowledge and work together to heal in order to build a new relationship that will benefit future generations of Lao and Americans alike.

That is the vision and the hope President Obama expressed in his remarks to the people of Laos in Vientiane.

Here are three important highlights:

On the history of America’s secret war in Laos: 

"The United States has a moral obligation to help Laos heal" —@POTUS on funding to help remove unexploded bombs: https://t.co/2G4jneiv3F

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 6, 2016

“I realize that having a U.S. president in Laos would have once been unimaginable. Six decades ago, this country fell into civil war. And as the fighting raged next door in Vietnam, your neighbors and foreign powers, including the United States, intervened here. As a result of that conflict and its aftermath, many people fled or were driven from their homes.

At the time, the U.S. government did not acknowledge America’s role. It was a secret war, and for years, the American people did not know. Even now, many Americans are not fully aware of this chapter in our history, and it’s important that we remember today.

Over nine years — from 1964 to 1973 — the United States dropped more than two million tons of bombs here in Laos — more than we dropped on Germany and Japan combined during all of World War II.

It made Laos, per person, the most heavily bombed country in history. As one Laotian said, the “bombs fell like rain.”

Villages and entire valleys were obliterated. The ancient Plain of Jars was devastated. Countless civilians were killed. And that conflict was another reminder that, whatever the cause, whatever our intentions, war inflicts a terrible toll, especially on innocent men, women and children. Today, I stand with you in acknowledging the suffering and sacrifices on all sides of that conflict.

…

But there is still much more work to do. So today, I’m proud to announce a historic increase in these efforts. The United States will double our annual funding to $90 million over the next three years to help Laos expand its work. This will help Laos expand its work to remove even more bombs, allow Laotians to farm more land, and increase support for victims. I’ll bear witness to this work tomorrow when I meet with survivors.

Given our history here, I believe that the United States has a moral obligation to help Laos heal.”

On the new relationship the U.S. hopes to build with Laos:

"We want to be your partner with the young people of Laos as you strengthen your communities" —@POTUS in Laos: https://t.co/BfMSazTqiz

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 6, 2016

“We want to be your partners as you invest in the well-being of your people, and especially your children.

I believe that when any child anywhere goes hungry, when their growth is stunted, that’s a profound injustice.

So we’re joining with Laos to promote nutrition and bring more healthy meals to children in school so they can grow strong, focus in class, and realize their full potential.

We want to be your partner in improving education.

I’m told that there’s a saying here — “a tray full of silver is not worth a mind full of knowledge.” So we’ll help more children learn how to read.

We’ll bring more American teachers here to help teach English, and more Lao teachers to America to strengthen their English. And I’m proud to announce that an initiative that’s very important to me and to my wife Michelle, an initiative called Let Girls Learn, is coming to Laos and Nepal.

We believe that the daughters of Laos have just as much talent and potential as your sons. And none of our countries anywhere in the world can truly succeed unless our girls and our women have every opportunity to succeed, the same opportunities as boys and men do.

We want to be your partner with the young people of Laos as you strengthen your communities and start businesses, and use Facebook to raise awareness for the rights and dignity of all people. And that’s why, as part of our Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative, we’re helping young men and women across Laos develop the skills you need to succeed. Two of our top companies — Microsoft and General Electric — are helping to increase training in engineering and technology.

Young people in Laos shouldn’t have to move someplace else in order to prosper. You should be able to work and build a better life right here in Laos.

And we want to be your partners as Laos forges greater trade and commerce with the world. When other countries invest here, it should create jobs here for the people of Laos. So as Laos pursues economic and labor reforms, we’ll work to encourage more trade and investment between our two countries, and between Laos and the rest of this region.

As a result of my visit, I hope that more Americans come here as well, to experience your country and the beautiful culture, and to forge new friendships between our peoples.

And as Laos grows, we want to be your partner in protecting the natural beauty of your country, from your forests to your rivers. As Laos works to meet its growing need for energy, I want to work with you to pursue clean, renewable energies like solar. And let’s help farmers protect their crops, and villages adapt to a changing climate. We should work together so that development is sustainable — especially along the Mekong, upon which millions of people depend for their livelihood and their food and their health.

The Mekong is a treasure that has to be protected for future generations, and we want to be your partner in that process.

So this is the future our two countries can build together, and I’m optimistic that we can do it.”

On the values that will guide U.S. policy in the Asia Pacific:

"We will speak up on behalf of human rights because we believe they are the birthright of every human being" —@POTUS https://t.co/aeDKyN1VLP

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) September 6, 2016

“First, we believe that all nations and peoples deserve to live in security and peace.

We believe that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of every nation must be upheld. And we believe that every nation matters, no matter their size.

We believe that bigger nations should not dictate to smaller nations, and that all nations should play by the same rules. America’s treaty allies must know our commitment to your defense is a solemn obligation that will never waiver. And across the region, including in the East and South China Seas, the United States will continue to fly and sail and operate wherever international law allows, and support the right of all countries to do the same.

We will stand with our allies and partners in upholding fundamental interests, among them freedom of navigation and overflight, lawful commerce that’s not impeded, and peaceful resolution of disputes. That’s the security that we seek.

We also believe that just as nations have rights, nations also have responsibilities, including the responsibility to work together to address problems no nation can solve alone.

So many of today’s threats transcend borders, and every country has a role to play. We will have to cooperate better together to stop terrorist attacks, and to prevent the spread of the world’s most dangerous weapons. We will have to work together to avoid the worst effects of climate change. We have to work together to stop the horror of human trafficking, and end the outrage of modern-day slavery. These are areas where we seek deeper cooperation.

We believe in prosperity that is shared and that reduces poverty and inequality by lifting up the many and not just a few wealthy people at the top.

Rather than simply extracting another country’s natural resources, we believe development has to invest in people — in their education and in their skills. We believe that trade should be free and truly fair, and that workers and the environment should be protected. We believe that governments should not conduct or knowingly support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property for commercial gain. And we believe that there needs to be good governance, because people should not have to pay a bribe to start a business or sell their goods. And that’s the kind of development and the kind of trade that we seek.

That’s why the Trans-Pacific Partnership is so important — not only because TPP countries, including the United States, will be able to sell more goods to each other, but it also has important strategic benefits.

TPP is a core pillar of America’s rebalance to the Asia Pacific.

And the trade and the growth it supports will reinforce America’s security alliances and regional partnerships. It will build greater integration and trust across this region. And I have said before and I will say again: Failure to move ahead with TPP would not just have economic consequences, but would call into question America’s leadership in this vital region. So as difficult as the politics are back home, I will continue to push hard on the U.S. Congress to approve TPP before I leave office, because I think it is important for this entire region and it is important for the United States.

I believe that nations are stronger and more successful when they uphold human rights. We speak out for these rights not because we think our own country is perfect — no nation is — not because we think every country should do as we do, because each nation has to follow its own path.

But we will speak up on behalf of human rights because we believe they are the birthright of every human being.

And we know that democracy can flourish in Asia because we’ve seen it thrive from Japan and South Korea to Taiwan.

Across this region, we see citizens reaching to shape their own futures. And freedom of speech and assembly, and the right to organize peacefully in civil society without harassment or fear of arrest or disappearing we think makes a country stronger. A free press that can expose abuse and injustice makes a country stronger. And access to information and an open Internet where people can learn and share ideas makes a country stronger. An independent judiciary that upholds the rule of law, and free and fair elections so that citizens can choose their own leaders — these are all the rights that we seek for all people.

We believe that societies are more stable and just when they recognize the inherent dignity of every human being — the dignity of being able to live and pray as you choose, so that Muslims know they are a part of Myanmar’s future, and Christians and Buddhists have the right to worship freely in China.

The dignity of being treated equally under the law, so that no matter where you come from or who you love or what you look like you are respected. And the dignity of a healthy life — because no child should ever die from hunger or a mosquito bite, or the poison of dirty water. This is the justice that we seek in the world.”

The goal of the President's policy with Cuba is simple: to improve the lives of Cubans and to advance the interests of the United States. The President fundamentally believes that the best way to achieve that goal is by facilitating more interaction between the Cuban and American people, including through travel and commercial opportunities, and through more access to information, which culminated in the President’s recent trip to Cuba.

Scheduled flights between the U.S. and Cuba enable a new level of convenience for passengers to book travel directly and further enhances the ability for Cubans and Americans to engage directly. This flight is an example of progress that has been made in the normalization process between our two nations and will continue to advance the President’s policy.

Watch today's flight arrive in Cuba: 

Today the 1st commercial flight in ↑ 50 years flew from Ft Lauderdale, FL to Santa Clara, Cuba. Good work, @USDOT! https://t.co/Sx72BCkOln

— Ben Rhodes (@rhodes44) August 31, 2016

Learn more about the changing course with Cuba. 

Additionally, the Administration has pioneered the D.C. Scholars program, which facilitates high school graduates from D.C. Public and Charter Schools to complete an abbreviated internship during the summer before college. These programs help to achieve the President and First Lady’s goal of making the “People’s House” accessible to Americans across our nation.

This month, the President spoke to the most recent class of White House interns. See what he had to say. 

Recently, White House Internship Program alumni came back and reflected on their time here and how it has since shaped their lives. See how their experiences impacted them: 

Learn more about the White House Internship Program.

Read Lily’s letter to President Obama:

Dear Mr. President,

I think this country needs more spunk. With all the attacks, the Zika virus, and the wars, this country is a very sad place. Please do something fun. Wear a tie-dye shirt and shorts to something important. Go on a water skiing trip in the Caribbean. Take your family to Disney World. Do something fun and out going. Also, please say something that will make everyone calm. You do know know how many politics worries I have.

Congratulations on having served almost eight years as President! I almost forgot to write that. I am your biggest fan, too. My dad is in the Air Force and that inspired me to have my back up job be President. (My dream job is cardiovascular surgeon.) Keep running the country!

Sincerely,

Lily

8 years old

P.S. Thank you for being such an inspiration.

And see how President Obama responded:

The White House

Washington

August 3, 2016

Dear Lily,

Thanks for the fun letters and suggestions. You seem like a great kid, and I can tell you’ve got plenty of spunk to help keep our Nation strong!

While I don’t know how the First Lady or my daughters would feel about me wearing a tie-dye shirt in public, I do know that one of my greatest responsibilities as President is ensuring your generation can thrive — and that includes making sure you can live in safety and reach for boundless opportunity. I know things happening around the world can sometimes be worrisome, but we can make real and lasting progress if young people like you focus on growing and learning and keep speaking out about important challenges our Nation faces. As long as I serve in this Office and beyond, I’ll continue fighting to ensure kids all across our country are limited by nothing but the scope of their imaginations and the size of their dreams.

Again, thank you for the advice — and please tell your dad how grateful I am for his service. Wherever your hard work and talents take you — whether it’s becoming a cardiovascular surgeon, the President of the United States, or chasing a dream you’ve yet to discover — always remember that you have a big role to play in shaping the world and making a difference in people’s lives. Your enthusiasm and drive give me great hope for the future, and I am confident you can achieve your highest aspirations if you put your best effort into everything you do. I expect great things from you!

Your friend,

Barack Obama

So, what exactly is the estate tax and what do these proposed regulations do to help make our tax code fairer? Here are a few answers:

What is the estate tax?

The estate tax – a tax on large estates that are transferred to heirs – is a longstanding feature of our tax code.

Everyone technically has an “estate” consisting of all of their assets when they die. However, only Americans with estates valued at more than $5.45 million – or $10.9 million per married couple – have to pay any estate tax at all. As a result, only about 0.2 percent of estates -- about 2 out of every 1,000 – are subject to the estate tax. The estate tax does not apply to the other 99.8 percent of Americans.

So, really, the estate tax is just a tax on very large inheritances. It contributes a significant amount of revenue that helps fund important priorities like national defense, education, scientific research, and health.

So why is the Treasury Department now taking action on the estate tax?

Right now, the wealthy few impacted by the estate tax, with the help of their lawyers and accountants, can use sophisticated strategies that artificially reduce the value of their assets for tax purposes. One way they do this is by placing certain restrictions on their assets in order to justify “discounting” their value when transferred – resulting in a lower tax bill – without meaningfully changing the value of the entire family’s interests in the property.

Treasury’s action updates and strengthens the rules that apply to these kinds of estate planning strategies, making it more difficult for very wealthy families to claim large discounts on the value of their assets for tax purposes.

Why is this a priority?             

This action reduces tax avoidance by making it more difficult for the wealthiest Americans to exploit this loophole and avoid contributing their fair share. The tax avoiding activity that this action addresses is quite significant. For example, a related proposal in the President’s budget a few years ago was estimated to prevent about $18 billion in lost revenue over 10 years.

Treasury’s announcement is the most recent example of the Obama administration’s efforts to make the tax code fairer, including recent steps taken to prevent large corporations from avoiding U.S. tax by moving their tax address overseas in a so-called “corporate inversion.”

What do Republicans think of the estate tax?

Republicans are responding to growing wealth inequality by proposing to eliminate the estate tax – which would bestow a huge tax windfall (averaging about $3 million) on heirs to multi-million- and billion-dollar fortunes. The House Republicans’ tax plan released on June 24, like others before it, would eliminate the estate tax entirely. Doing so would increase deficits by an estimated $269 billion over the next decade, while doing nothing for average Americans.

The Republicans’ priority of giving large tax cuts to the wealthy stands in stark contrast to the President’s approach of strengthening the estate tax – both through Treasury’s actions and through legislation – and ensuring the wealthy pay more of their fair share.

What are some of the other steps that the Obama administration has taken that impact America’s middle class?

The Obama administration has made substantial progress over the past eight years to make our tax code support middle-class Americans. In addition to Treasury’s actions, the President has enacted landmark legislation to permanently extend tax cuts for 98 percent of Americans, expand tax credits that now help 24 million families a year, and reverse costly tax cuts for the highest-income Americans.  In fact, under President Obama, middle-class families have paid lower Federal income tax rates on average than under any other President dating back to Eisenhower.

Although wage growth has accelerated over the past year, there’s still more work to do to get wages growing faster and combat inequality by leveling the playing field and helping working and middle-class Americans get ahead. That’s why the President’s budget calls on Congress to build on our progress by closing loopholes and curbing tax breaks for the wealthy and using the savings to expand tax credits for working and middle-class families and individuals and to reduce the deficit.

And that’s exactly what Treasury's action is all about. 

As this chart illustrates, people who earn higher hourly wages are more likely to hold jobs that withstand the changes in the workforce brought by automation. That's why the President has prioritized taking a proactive approach to automation by ensuring that all Americans have access to the tools that they need to obtain jobs with high wages.

The Administration's initiatives like TechHire and Computer Science For All help make sure that Americans across our country are prepared to obtain jobs where growth will flourish, instead of diminish, due to technological advances. Through helping Americans gain access to jobs with higher wages, we can to ensure that Americans don’t lose jobs to automation. 

Find out more about the President's initiatives to ensure that all Americans have access to the tools that they need to secure jobs that will endure through future technological advances:   

COMPUTER SCIENCE FOR ALL 

Computer Science for All is the President’s bold new initiative to empower all American students from kindergarten through high school to learn computer science and be equipped with the computational thinking skills they need to be creators in the digital economy, not just consumers, and to be active citizens in our technology-driven world.

The President's CS For All announcement included: 

• $135 million in computer science funding to become available starting this year from the National Science Foundation and the Corporation for National And Community Service​ 

• Involving even more governors, mayors, and education leaders to help boost CS following the leadership of states like Delaware, Hawaii, Washington, Arkansas, and more than 30 school districts that have already begun to expand CS opportunities

• Dozens of commitments from private sector partners and nonprofit organizations as well as state and local governments to support CS for All See the full list here.

TechHire 

In March of 2015, President Obama announced his TechHire initiative, a new campaign to expand local tech sectors by building tech talent pipelines in communities across the country.

Grant winners and TechHire community partnerships focus on the following:

• Data and innovative hiring practices to expand openness to non-traditional hiring

• Models for training that prepare students in months, not years

• Active local leadership to connect people to jobs with hiring on ramp programs

​The Department of Labor estimates that more than 18,000 participants will receive services through the TechHire grant program. Over $125 million of the grants will go to partnerships that specifically target, train, and support young people, ages 17-29. In addition, $24 million will go to partnerships that help other disadvantaged groups with barriers to employment, including veterans, people with disabilities, people with limited English proficiency, and people with criminal records.

Want to learn more about automation and how it impacts way we live and work? Watch the full conversation with transportation entrepreneur Robin Chase and software futurist Martin Ford, moderated by Denis McDonough and streamed on Facebook Live. 

There's no shortage of predictions. Depending on who's talking, it will be the source of tremendous opportunity or a challenge to even our most basic institutions. In any event, it's no longer just the stuff of science fiction. Our growing reliance on automation implies some big public policy questions. Some that we're already grappling with, and others we'll need to tackle in the coming years.

On Tuesday, July 5, White House Chief of Staff Denis McDonough will host a conversation with Robin Chase, transportation entrepreneur and author, and Martin Ford, author and futurist, to help shed some light on these issues. They’ll discuss and debate the nuanced aspects of automation, from what it means for jobs to laws to how we spend our days.

In addition to the White House Facebook page, you can watch this conversation LIVE on Business Insider’s and Futurism’s pages, on Tuesday at 1:15PM EDT. You can also get ready for the conversation by checking out more information about automation from Futurism. 

Have a question about automation that you’d like to hear in the conversation? You can join the discussion by submitting your question below.

This form is now closed. 

The new ‘Stonewall National Monument’ will protect the area where, on June 28, 1969, a community’s uprising in response to a police raid sparked the modern LGBT civil rights movement in the United States.

Check out the video to learn more about the Stonewall Uprising and how it sparked a movement for LGBT equality:

“I’m designating the Stonewall National Monument as the newest addition to America’s National Park System. Stonewall will be our first national monument to tell the story of the struggle for LGBT rights. I believe our national parks should reflect the full story of our country, the richness and diversity and uniquely American spirit that has always defined us. That we are stronger together. That out of many, we are one.”

President Obama

In addition to protecting more land and water than any President in history -- more than 265 million acres -- President Obama has sought to protect places that are diverse, culturally and historically significant, and that reflect the story of all Americans.

Earlier this year, President Obama designated the Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, a site that has been central to the fight for women's equality for over a century.

By honoring the history and accomplishments of the movement for LGBT equality, today’s designation will be a historic moment in this effort towards a more inclusive National Park System. 

The President’s designation of Stonewall National Monument is just one example of his ongoing commitment to equality, for all Americans no matter who they love. Find out about just a few of the President's actions to advance justice and equality for all, including LGBT Americans:

Preventing Hate Crimes: Overcoming years of partisan gridlock, the President worked with Congress to pass and sign into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act into law in October 2009, which extends the coverage of federal hate crimes law to include attacks based on the victim’s actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Ending Discrimination in Healthcare: In March 2010, the Affordable Care Act was signed into law by President Obama and it ensured that companies can not discriminate against anyone just because he or she is lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender.

HIV/AIDS Strategy: President Obama developed and released the first comprehensive National HIV/AIDS Strategy for the United States in 2010, updated it through 2020, and is implementing it to address the disparities faced especially by gay and bisexual men of all races and ethnicities and transgender women of color. 

Repealing Don’t Ask Don’t Tell: The President signed bipartisan legislation to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell on December 22, 2010, allowing gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans to serve openly in the Armed Forces without fear of being dismissed from service.

No longer enforcing the Defense of Marriage Act: In February 2011, the President and Attorney General announced that the Department of Justice would no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act’s provision defining marriage under federal law as only between a man and woman, a provision subsequently struck down as unconstitutional by a landmark Supreme Court’s  decision.

Prohibiting LGBT Discrimination for Federal Contractors: In July 2014, the President signed an Executive Order prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against any employee or applicant for employment “because of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin,” continuing to set an example as a model employer that does right by its employees.

Conversion Therapy: The President has supported legislative efforts to ban the use of so-called “conversion therapy” against minors and released a Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) study condemning the practice.

Promoting the rights of LGBT people the world over: President Obama issued a presidential memorandum that directs all federal agencies engaged abroad to ensure that U.S. diplomacy and foreign assistance promote and protect the human rights of LGBT persons.

This week President Obama is welcoming more than 50 world leaders to Washington D.C for the fourth Nuclear Security Summit. In a Washington Post op-ed, he shared his vision for a future free from the nuclear threat. You can read the full op-ed here.

Here are a few highlights:

"Of all the threats to global security and peace, the most dangerous is the proliferation and potential use of nuclear weapons. That's why, seven years ago in Prague, I committed the United States to stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and to seeking a world without them. This vision builds on the policies of presidents before me, Democrat and Republican, including Ronald Reagan, who said "we seek the total elimination one day of nuclear weapons from the face of the Earth."

On the collective progress we've made to address the nuclear threat: 

"We're strengthening the global regime — including the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty — that prevents the spread of nuclear weapons. We've succeeded in uniting the international community against the spread of nuclear weapons, notably in Iran. A nuclear-armed Iran would have constituted an unacceptable threat to our national security and that of our allies and partners."

 

.@POTUS spoke at the opening of the P5+1 meeting at #NSS2016, discussed @TheIranDeal.#IranDeal https://t.co/atm2us7ev3

— Department of State (@StateDept) April 1, 2016

On securing access to peaceful nuclear energy:

"We're pursuing a new framework for civil nuclear cooperation so countries that meet their responsibilities can have access to peaceful nuclear energy. The international fuel bank that I called for seven years ago is now being built in Kazakhstan. With it, countries will be able to realize the energy they seek without enriching uranium, which could be at risk of diversion or theft."

On addressing North Korea's continued provacations regarding nuclear weapons:

"The international community must remain united in the face of North Korea's continued provocations, including its recent nuclear test and missile launches. The additional sanctions recently imposed on Pyongyang by the United Nations Security Council show that violations have consequences. The United States will continue working with allies and partners for the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner."

On achieving a world without nuclear weapons:

“Achieving the security and peace of a world without nuclear weapons will not happen quickly, perhaps not in my lifetime. But we have begun. As the only nation ever to use nuclear weapons, the United States has a moral obligation to continue to lead the way in eliminating them. Still, no one nation can realize this vision alone. It must be the work of the world. We're clear-eyed about the high hurdles ahead, but I believe that we must never resign ourselves to the fatalism that the spread of nuclear weapons is inevitable. Even as we deal with the realities of the world as it is, we must continue to strive for our vision of the world as it ought to be."

Learn more about the 2016 Nuclear Security Summit here. 

This week the President is in Cuba— he is the first president to travel to the country since Calvin Coolidge in 1928. This historic trip marks a turning point in the relationship between the United States and Cuba. As a Cuban-American, I view this trip as an incredible symbol of new progress for both nations and a beacon of hope for my Cuban brothers and sisters.

My abuela left Cuba in 1956, during the heart of the Cuban Revolution and she never returned. Nonetheless, I grew up in a family closely connected to our Cuban roots. I learned to cook Cuban food, dance to Cuban music and speak Spanish with a thick Cuban accent. However, the one thing that separated my family’s story from other immigrant stories was that no one in my family had ever visited or returned to the country to which we were so connected.

I was told countless stories about Cuba, from the pristine beaches to the immaculate dance hall where Latin music would pulse through each Thursday night. In my eyes, Cuba was painted as a far-off land, one that existed for my abuela, but never would for me. As the President forges a new road in the U.S.-Cuba relationship, he gives hope to Cuban-Americans like myself who can now envision a Cuba with opportunity, instead of oppression, for its people.

President Obama recently remarked: 

“In Cuba today, for the first time in a half century, there is hope for a different future, especially among Cuba’s young people who have such extraordinary talent and potential just waiting to be unleashed.”

We know that change won’t come to Cuba overnight. But after years and years of stalled hope, to witness a President of the United States travel to Cuba is an incredible inspiration. I’m following the President’s trip closely. I'm collecting ideas for when I am finally able to make my own trip to Cuba, to see the place that holds so much meaning and history for my family and me.

Learn more about the President’s trip and as he continues his historic journey.

"More Americans are visiting Cuba than at any time in the last 50 years—Cuban-American families; American students, teachers, humanitarian volunteers, faith communities—all forging new ties and friendships that are bringing our countries closer."

-President Obama announcing a new chapter with Cuba in February 2016

"'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.' I pray that by His grace, we all find the courage to set such examples in our own lives…" --President Obama

This morning, the President delivered remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast, continuing a longstanding tradition among U.S. presidents. He spoke about the strength that comes from uniting all faiths against fear and touched on how his own faith guides him:

"Our children grow up too fast." —@POTUS reflecting on his daughters at the #NationalPrayerBreakfast https://t.co/TcZ10Y1ucL

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) February 4, 2016

Among all faiths, he said, we share a power to help and serve one another in times of need:

"Think about the extraordinary work of the congregations and faith communities represented here today. Whether fighting global poverty or working to end the scourge of human trafficking, you are the leaders of what Pope Francis calls “this march of living hope.” When the Earth cleaves in Haiti, Christians, Sikhs, and other faith groups sent volunteers to distribute aid, tend to the wounded, rebuild homes for the homeless. When Ebola ravaged West Africa, Jewish, Christian, Muslim groups responded to the outbreak to save lives. And as the news fanned the flames of fear, churches and mosques responded with a powerful rebuke, welcoming survivors into their pews. When nine worshippers were murdered in a Charleston church basement, it was people of all faiths who came together to wrap a shattered community in love and understanding. When Syrian refugees seek the sanctuary of our shores, it’s the faithful from synagogues, mosques, temples, and churches who welcome them, the first to offer blankets and food and open their homes. Even now, people of different faiths and beliefs are coming together to help people suffering in Flint."

He closed by sharing the stories that give him courage and hope. One of them was the story Rami Nashashibi, a Muslim American father who drew inspiration from Dr. King and Rabbi Robert Marx to pray with his children in an unwelcome setting:

"I pray that we will uphold our obligation to be good stewards of God’s creation -- this beautiful planet. I pray that we will see every single child as our own, each worthy of our love and of our compassion. And I pray we answer Scripture’s call to lift up the vulnerable, and to stand up for justice, and ensure that every human being lives in dignity." --President Obama

The President was joined by the First Lady as well as House Speaker Paul Ryan and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. The President's speech continued on the theme of the religious unity brought about in his remarks yesterday during his visit to a mosque in Baltimore.

See more of President Obama's National Prayer Breakfast remarks from over the years: 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010