The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2012

Remarks by the President on Fair Trade

Rose Garden

11:35 A.M. EDT 

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  Before I make an announcement about our efforts to stand up for U.S. businesses and U.S. workers, I’d like to say a few words about the situation in Afghanistan.

Over the weekend, as many of you know, there was a tragic incident in which a number of Afghan civilians were killed.  What I’ve made to President Karzai when I spoke to him is that the United States takes this as seriously as if it was our own citizens and our own children who were murdered.  We’re heartbroken over the loss of innocent life.  The killing of innocent civilians is outrageous and it’s unacceptable.  It’s not who we are as a country, and it does not represent our military.

And for that reason, I’ve directed the Pentagon to make sure that we spare no effort in conducting a full investigation.  I can assure the American people and the Afghan people that we will follow the facts wherever they lead us, and we will make sure that anybody who was involved is held fully accountable with the full force of the law.

Yesterday, I met with General Allen and Ambassador Crocker, who were here in Washington, and I’ve extraordinary confidence in them and in the many Americans who are serving in Afghanistan and who have made extraordinary sacrifices to be there.  Today I’ll be meeting with Prime Minister Cameron, who is part of our broad coalition serving in Afghanistan, and we’ll have an opportunity to consult about the way forward as we prepare for the NATO summit in Chicago later this spring.

So make no mistake, we have a strategy that will allow us to responsibly wind down this war.  We’re steadily transitioning to the Afghans who are moving into the lead, and that's going to allow us to bring our troops home.  Already we’re scheduled to remove 23,000 troops by the end of this summer, followed by -- following the 10,000 that we withdrew last year.  And meanwhile, we will continue the work of devastating al Qaeda’s leadership and denying them a safe haven.

There’s no question that we face a difficult challenge in Afghanistan, but I am confident that we can continue the work of meeting our objectives, protecting our country and responsibly bringing this war to a close.

Now, one of the things that I talked about during the State of the Union address was making America more competitive in the global economy.  The good news is that we have the best workers and the best businesses in the world.  They turn out the best products.  And when the playing field is level, they’ll always be able to compete and succeed against every other country on Earth. 
 

But the key is to make sure that the playing field is level.  And frankly, sometimes it’s not.  I will always try to work our differences through with other countries.  We prefer dialogue.  That’s especially true when it comes to key trading partners like China.  We've got a constructive economic relationship with China, and whenever possible, we are committed to working with them to addressing our concerns.  But when it is necessary, I will take action if our workers and our businesses are being subjected to unfair practices.

Since I took office, we’ve brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate as the last administration, and these actions are making a difference.  For example, we halted an unfair surge in Chinese tires, which has helped put over 1,000 American workers back on the job.  But we haven't stopped there. 
 

Two weeks ago, I created a Trade Enforcement Unit to aggressively investigate any unfair trade practices taking place anywhere in the world.  And as they ramp up their efforts, our competitors should be on notice:  You will not get away with skirting the rules.  When we can, we will rally support from our allies.  And when it makes sense to act on our own, we will. 

I just signed a bill to help American companies that are facing unfair foreign competition.  These companies employ tens of thousands of Americans in nearly 40 states.  Because of subsidies from foreign governments, some of their foreign competitors are selling products at an artificially low price.  That needs to stop.
 

This morning, we’re taking an additional step forward.  We’re bringing a new trade case against China -- and we’re being joined by Japan and some of our European allies.  This case involves something called rare earth materials, which are used by American manufacturers to make high-tech products like advanced batteries that power everything from hybrid cars to cell phones. 
 

We want our companies building those products right here in America.  But to do that, American manufacturers need to have access to rare earth materials -- which China supplies.  Now, if China would simply let the market work on its own, we’d have no objections.  But their policies currently are preventing that from happening.  And they go against the very rules that China agreed to follow. 

Being able to manufacture advanced batteries and hybrid cars in America is too important for us to stand by and do nothing.  We've got to take control of our energy future, and we can’t let that energy industry take root in some other country because they were allowed to break the rules.  So our administration will bring this case against China today, and we will keep working every single day to give American workers and American businesses a fair shot in the global economy. 

We're going to make sure that this isn’t a country that’s just known for what we consume.  America needs to get back to doing what it's always done best -- a country that builds and sells products all over the world that are stamped with the proud words:  "Made in America."  That’s how we create good, middle-class jobs at home, and that’s how we're going to create an economy that’s built to last. 

Thank you very much, everybody.

END
11:42 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2012

Statement by the Press Secretary on H.R. 4105

On Tuesday, March 13, 2012, the President signed into law:

H.R. 4105, which clarifies that the countervailing duty law can be applied to subsidized goods from nonmarket economy countries; and the Department of Commerce can adjust antidumping duties applied to goods from nonmarket economy countries when countervailing duties are applied to the same goods.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 13, 2012

Op-Ed by President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron: An alliance the world can count on

Joint Op-Ed by President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron

The following Op-Ed by President Barack Obama and Prime Minister David Cameron of the United Kingdom appeared in the Washington Post today. It can be found online HERE.

An alliance the world can count on
By Barack Obama and David Cameron

Seven decades ago, as our forces began to turn the tide of World War II, Prime Minister Winston Churchill traveled to Washington to coordinate our joint efforts. Our victories on the battlefield proved “what can be achieved by British and Americans working together heart and hand,” he said. “In fact, one might almost feel that if they could keep it up, there is hardly anything they could not do, either in the field of war or in the not less tangled problems of peace.”

Keep it up we have — not only winning that war for our survival but also building the institutions that undergird international peace and security. The alliance between the United States and Great Britain is a partnership of the heart, bound by the history, traditions and values we share. But what makes our relationship special — a unique and essential asset — is that we join hands across so many endeavors. Put simply, we count on each other and the world counts on our alliance.

As leading world economies, we are coordinating closely with our G-8 and G-20 partners to put people back to work, sustain the global recovery, stand with our European friends as they resolve their debt crisis and curb the reckless financial practices that have cost our taxpayers dearly. We’re committed to expanding the trade and investment that support millions of jobs in our two countries.

As the two largest contributors to the international mission in Afghanistan, we’re proud of the progress our troops have made in dismantling al-Qaeda, breaking the Taliban’s momentum and training Afghan forces. But as recent events underscore, this remains a difficult mission. We honor the profound sacrifices of our forces, and in their name we’ll carry on the mission.

Over the next few days, we will consult about preparations for the NATO summit in Chicago, where our alliance will determine the next phase of the transition that we agreed to in Lisbon. This includes shifting to a support role in advance of Afghans taking full responsibility for security in 2014 and ensuring that NATO maintains an enduring commitment so that Afghanistan is never again a haven for al-Qaeda to launch attacks against our citizens.

As members of the international community, we have been united in imposing tough sanctions on the Iranian regime for failing to meet its international obligations. We believe there is time and space to pursue a diplomatic solution, and we are coordinating our diplomatic approach with China, France, Germany and Russia, our P5+1 partners. Meanwhile, as the United States imposes its strongest sanctions to date and the European Union prepares to impose an embargo on Iranian oil, the choice for Tehran will be sharpened — meet your international obligations or face the consequences.

As two nations that support the human rights and dignity of all people, we continue to stand with those brave citizens across the Middle East and North Africa who are demanding their universal rights. Having joined in the mission to protect the Libyan people last year, we support Libyan efforts to build democratic institutions and hold free and fair elections this year. We condemn the Syrian regime’s horrific violence against innocent civilians, and we are focused on the urgent humanitarian task of getting food and medicine to those in need. With our international partners, we’ll continue to tighten the noose around Bashar al-Assad and his cohorts, and we’ll work with the opposition and the United Nations-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan to plan for the transition that will follow Assad’s departure from power.

As two of the world’s wealthiest nations, we embrace our responsibility as leaders in the development that enables people to live in dignity, health and prosperity. Even as we redouble our efforts to save lives in Somalia, we’re investing in agriculture to promote food security across the developing world. We’re working to improve maternal health and end preventable deaths of children. With a renewed commitment to the lifesaving work of the Global Fund for AIDS, TB and Malaria, we see the beginning of the end of the AIDS pandemic. Through our Open Government Partnership, we’re striving to make governments more transparent and accountable.

Finally, as two peoples who live free because of the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, we’re working together like never before to care for them when they come home. With new long-term collaborations to help our wounded warriors recover, assist in veterans’ transition back to civilian life and support military families, we recognize that our obligations to troops and veterans endure long after today’s battles end.

Our troops and citizens have long shown what can be achieved when British and Americans work together, heart and hand, and why this remains an essential relationship — to our nations and the world. So like generations before us, we’re going to keep it up. Because with confidence in our cause and faith in each other, we still believe that there is hardly anything we cannot do.

Barack Obama is president of the United States. David Cameron is prime minister of Great Britain.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2012

Presidential Nominations and Withdrawal Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Arthur Bienenstock, of California, to be a Member of the National Science Board, National Science Foundation for a term expiring May 10, 2016, vice Louis J. Lanzerotti, term expired.

Suravi Gangopadhyay, of Michigan, to be a Member of the National Museum and Library Services Board for a term expiring December 6, 2016, vice Jeffrey Patchen, term expired.

Luis Herrera, of California, to be a Member of the National Museum and Library Services Board for a term expiring December 6, 2014, vice Katina P. Strauch, term expired.

Dorothea-Maria Rosen, of California, a Career Member of the Senior Foreign Service, Class of Counselor, to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Federated States of Micronesia.

Suzanne E. Thorin, of New York, to be a Member of the National Museum and Library Services Board for a term expiring December 6, 2015, vice Sandra Pickett, term expired.

Katherine C. Tobin, of New York, to be a Governor of the United States Postal Service for a term expiring December 8, 2016, vice Carolyn L. Gallagher, term expired.

WITHDRAWAL SENT TO THE SENATE:

Carla M. León-Decker, of Virginia,  to be a Member of the National Credit Union Administration Board for a term expiring August 2, 2017, vice Gigi Hyland, term expired, which was sent to the Senate on October 20, 2011.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2012

White House Announces Details on President’s Plan to Provide Americans with Job Training and Employment Services

In his State of the Union address, the President laid out a blueprint for an economy built to last. A key part of getting more Americans back to work and strengthening the middle class is the President’s comprehensive plan to get Americans the skills they need for the high-demand jobs of today and tomorrow through major investments in job training. As part of this plan, today the Administration is unveiling details of the President’s proposal for a streamlined re-employment system that will reach up to a million displaced workers a year and better connect all workers and businesses with employment services in their communities.

“Americans looking for work shouldn’t have to go through a complex administrative process or navigate multiple websites just to figure out how to get the services and training they need,” President Obama said.  “It’s time to modernize the system.  Anyone who has lost a job, no matter what the circumstances, deserves the same support to get back on their feet – and today’s announcement will help make sure they get it.”

Displaced workers are individuals who have lost their jobs through no fault of their own, but because their employer closed a plant or division; moved or abolished their position; or simply had insufficient work for them to do.  Our current worker training system does not treat these workers the same; rather, it asks how someone lost their job before deciding what support is available.  Workers in trade-impacted industries are eligible for extensive income support, training, and reemployment services under the Trade Adjustment Assistance program (TAA), while workers who are displaced for other reasons receive less generous employment services and training through the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) Dislocated Worker program on a first-come, first-serve basis.  In 2007, the year before the recession, these programs served about 530,000 displaced workers, and less than one third of them were able to participate in training.  As part of the President’s effort to reform and modernize our training system, the President’s budget proposed to expand the availability of a universal suite of training and employment services to a broader number of displaced workers by consolidating and improving these two programs. Under the new Universal Displaced Worker Program, which the Administration released details of today, up to a million workers a year would receive high-quality job-search assistance, together with access to critical skills training for high-growth and in-demand industries or, for older workers, the option of wage insurance – a significant improvement on the current system.

The President’s proposal also calls for the creation of an American Job Center network to unify all Federally-supported One-Stop Career Centers and electronic resources.  Currently, names for these nearly 3,000 federally funded employment centers vary widely from state to state, or even from town to town, and electronic tools are spread across many disconnected websites.  As a result, jobseekers often do not understand what employment and training resources are available, or where to go to for additional help. Businesses that are well-connected to the workforce system in one state are too often unaware that the same services are available to them elsewhere, under a different name. Workers and businesses should have an easily-identifiable source for the help and services our workforce system provides.  The President’s Budget proposes a $50 million investment to improve and expand these workforce centers, and the President will launch part of this effort through executive authority.

These proposals build on the President’s commitment to creating an economy that’s built to last by training workers in skills that lead directly to high-quality jobs.  Last month, the President announced a new Community College to Career Fund to help forge new partnerships between community colleges and businesses to train 2 million workers for jobs in high-growth and high-demand industries.   The President will continue to take every measure to build an economy where everyone has opportunities to advance, hard work pays off, and responsibility is rewarded.

The President’s Commitment to Get Displaced Workers Back to Work in
High-Demand and High-Growth Industries

Universal Displaced Worker Program.  The Universal Displaced Worker Program in the President’s Budget will help provide displaced workers, who lose their job when their employer closes down or eliminates their position or doesn’t have enough business to keep them employed, with the skills and reemployment services they need through a universal suite of services.

• Reemployment services for every displaced worker:  Every displaced worker will receive proven job-search assistance to provide everything from work-search plans to assessing skills to determining whether and what kind of training makes sense. 

• $4,000 training awards:  Displaced workers will be eligible for training awards of up to $4,000 per year for up to two years. This funding ensures that workers who need to pursue longer-term training in technical fields to learn skills for new industries can do so.    Workers would be referred to training based on assessments at local American Job Centers.

• Support to pursue training or look for work:  To ensure that workers have the support they need while pursuing training, the program would provide a weekly stipend for childcare, transportation and other expenses of $150, ranging up to $300 for low-income workers, for up to 78 weeks, in addition to 26 weeks of UI benefits, .  To assist with relocating for job opportunities in other cities and states, and to supplement their job-search, the program would provide workers job search and relocation allowances of up to $1,250 each.

• Wage insurance for older workers:   To support older workers returning to work, eligible workers age 50 or older who obtain new, full-time employment at wages of less than $50,000 may receive wage insurance for up to two years to partially offset earnings losses in new jobs that pay less than their previous jobs.  

• Investing in Proven and Effective Training:  To build accountability into our training system and ensure that that workers are directed to the most effective training in high-growth fields, the President’s proposal will include:  increased investment in counseling and case management services to give participants better information about training programs that are effective and have good track records; incentives and performance standards for both participants and training providers; and robust evaluation of what works.

American Job Center Network. Every person seeking job assistance or business looking for skilled workers should be able to physically or virtually reach an American Job Center and tap into the nation-wide, Federally-funded system of job search assistance and information, training, and other supports.

• Universal Access: State and local one-stop career centers are part of a national network of service providers for workers and businesses.  Each year, more than 30 million individuals already tap into existing workforce system resources, but there are millions more who could benefit from being able to reliably find the services they need to succeed in today’s economy. As a result of this rebranding and outreach effort, every person will be able to access an online tool or a 1-800 number through which they can access upgraded and personalized services; will have access to the American Job Center network near where they live; and will be able to access in-person consultation services and job search assistance.  The Administration will build on its partnerships with state and federal agencies, libraries, community colleges, and community organizations to ensure broad access in all parts of the country. 

• Online American Job Center: In the coming months, the Administration will also unveil a new, integrated online American Job Center at JobCenter.USA.gov which will provide a single point of access to resources oriented to the needs of an individual or business. This online tool will mean 24-7 access to key information to help people find a job, identify training programs, and tap into resources to gain skills in growth industries. The website, which will incorporate information from key federal programs and critical local resources, will also serve a resource for the brick-and-mortar Job Centers throughout the country.

• Further Proposed Investments: The President’s Budget also proposes a $50 million investment to further expand connections to the American Job Center network. This includes expansion of Center satellite programs and virtual centers in public housing, schools, libraries, and community colleges, plus the addition of mobile centers. This effort would also support greater co-location and coordination of services that Americans need to find work and access training.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2012

Statement by the President on The Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future: One-Year Progress Report

The progress report I received today from members of my administration underscores the headway our nation has made towards reducing our reliance on foreign oil, while also expanding American made energy. As the report highlights, we have made progress, with imports of foreign oil decreasing by a million barrels a day in the last year alone. Our focus on increased domestic oil and gas production, currently at an eight year high, combined with the historic fuel economy standards we put in place, means that we will continue to reduce our nation’s vulnerability to the ups and downs of the global oil market. We’ve also made progress in the expansion of clean energy, with renewable energy from sources like wind and solar on track to double, along with the construction of our first advanced biofuel refineries. And yet, despite the gains we've made, today's high gas prices are a painful reminder that there's much more work to do free ourselves from our dependence on foreign oil and take control of our energy future. And that’s exactly what our administration is committed to doing in the months ahead.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 12, 2012

The Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future: One-Year Progress Report

One year ago, the President put forward a comprehensive plan in the Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future that outlined the Administration’s all-of-the-above approach to American energy – a strategy aimed at reducing our reliance on foreign oil, saving families and businesses money at the pump, and positioning the United States as the global leader in clean energy.

On Monday, the President will receive a new progress report, showcasing the Administration’s historic achievements in each of these areas. The accomplishments in this report, which represent the efforts of six Federal agencies, underscore the Administration’s commitment over the past three years to promoting an all-hands-on-deck, all-of-the-above approach to American energy and building a more secure energy future. Attached please find a copy of The Blueprint for a Secure Energy Future: One-Year Progress Report.

Report Highlights:

• Increasing American Energy Independence: A year ago, the President set a bold but achievable goal of reducing oil imports by a third in a little over a decade, relative to where they were when he ran for office. Thanks to booming U.S. oil and gas production, more efficient cars and trucks, and a world-class refining sector that last year was a net exporter for the first time in sixty years, we have already cut net imports by ten percent – or a million barrels a day – in the last year alone. And with the new fuel economy standards the President announced last year, we are on pace to meet our goal by the end of the decade.

• Expanding Domestic Oil and Gas Production: Domestic oil and natural gas production has increased every year President Obama has been in office. In 2011, American oil production reached the highest level in nearly a decade and natural gas production reached an all-time high.

• Setting Historic New Fuel Economy Standards: The Obama Administration has put in place the first-ever fuel economy standards for heavy-duty trucks, and proposed the toughest fuel economy standards for passenger vehicles in U.S. history, requiring an average performance equivalent of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. Over time, these new standards will save consumers more than $8,000 in lower fuel costs.

• Improving Energy Efficiency in 1 Million Homes: Since October 2009, the Department of Energy and the Department of Housing and Urban Development have completed energy upgrades in more than one million homes across the country. For many families, these upgrades save over $400 on their heating and cooling bills in the first year alone.

• Doubling Renewable Energy Generation: Thanks in part to the Obama Administration’s investment in clean energy – the largest in American history – the United States has nearly doubled renewable energy generation from wind, solar, and geothermal sources since 2008.

• Developing Advanced, Alternative Fuels: In 2010, President Obama set a goal of breaking ground on at least four commercial scale cellulosic or advanced biorefineries by 2013. That goal has been accomplished, one year ahead of schedule. Together, these projects, and associated demonstration and pilot projects will produce a combined total of nearly 100 million gallons per year of advanced biofuels capacity.

• Supporting Cutting-Edge Research: The Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E), which the Obama Administration funded for the first-time ever in 2009, has supported more than 120 individual projects aimed at achieving new and transformational energy breakthroughs.

Even with this progress, there is much more work to be done. Today, we are experiencing yet another painful reminder of why developing new American energy is so critical to our future. Just like last year, gas prices are climbing across the country – except this time, even earlier. While there are no silver bullets to solve these challenges, the Obama Administration will continue to build on the progress we’ve made over the past three years. Through a sustained, all-of-the-above approach to American energy we’ll work to restore middle class security, reduce our dependence on foreign oil, and create an economy that’s built to last.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
March 10, 2012

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Investing in a Clean Energy Future

WASHINGTON, DC— In his weekly address, President Obama spoke to the American people from a factory in Petersburg, Virginia about the growing trend of companies creating more jobs in the United States, and also making better products than ever before.  The new technologies they are developing are playing an important role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and saving families money at the pump. Under the Obama Administration, domestic oil and gas production is up, and we are currently producing more oil at home than any time in the last eight years, but with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices.  We need an all-of-the-above strategy that focuses on American-made energy, as well as increasing the fuel efficiency of the cars we drive, saving families money and dramatically reducing our reliance on foreign oil. The President also called on Congress to end the $4 billion in subsidies to oil companies each year so that we can invest in clean energy technologies.  There is no silver bullet to solve high gas prices, but together we can work to overcome our energy challenges as we create new American jobs.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Petersburg, Virginia
March 10, 2012

Hi, everybody. I’m speaking to you this week from a factory in Petersburg, Virginia, where they’re bringing on more than 100 new workers to build parts for the next generation of jet engines.
                                                                                                                            
It’s a story that’s happening more frequently across the country. Our businesses just added 233,000 jobs last month – for a total of nearly four million new jobs over the last two years. More companies are choosing to bring jobs back and invest in America. Manufacturing is adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s, and we’re building more things to sell to the rest of the world stamped with three proud words: Made in America.

And it’s not just that we’re building stuff. We’re building better stuff. The engine parts manufactured here in Petersburg will go into next-generation planes that are lighter, faster, and more fuel-efficient.

That last part is important. Because whether you’re paying for a plane ticket, or filling up your gas tank, technology that helps us get more miles to the gallon is one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The recent spike in gas prices has been another painful reminder of why we have to invest in this technology.   As usual, politicians have been rolling out their three-point plans for two-dollar gas: drill, drill, and drill some more.  Well, my response is, we have been drilling.  Under my Administration, oil production in America is at an eight-year high.  We’ve quadrupled the number of operating oil rigs, and opened up millions of acres for drilling.   

But you and I both know that with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices – not when consume 20 percent of the world’s oil. We need an all-of-the-above strategy that relies less on foreign oil and more on American-made energy – solar, wind, natural gas, biofuels, and more. 

That’s the strategy we’re pursuing.  It’s why I went to a plant in North Carolina earlier this week, where they’re making trucks that run on natural gas, and hybrid trucks that go further on a single tank. 

And it’s why I’ve been focused on fuel efficient cars since the day I took office. Over the last few years, the annual number of miles driven by Americans has stayed roughly the same, but the total amount of gas we use has been going down. In other words, we’re getting more bang for our buck.

If we accelerate that trend, we can help drivers save a significant amount of money. That’s why, after 30 years of inaction, we finally put in place new standards that will make sure our cars average nearly 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade – nearly double what they get today. This wasn’t easy: we had to bring together auto companies, and unions, and folks who don’t ordinarily see eye to eye. But it was worth it.

Because these cars aren’t some pie in the sky solution that’s years away. They’re being built right now – by American workers, in factories right here in the U.S.A. Every year, our cars and trucks will be able to go further and use less fuel, and pretty soon, you’ll be able to fill up every two weeks instead of every week – something that, over time, will save the typical family more than $8,000 at the pump.  We’ll reduce our oil consumption by more than 12 billion barrels. That’s a future worth investing in.

So we have a choice.  Right now, some folks in Washington would rather spend another $4 billion on subsidies to oil companies each year. Well you know what?  We’ve been handing out these kinds of taxpayer giveaways for nearly a century.  And outside of Congress, does anyone really think that’s still a good idea?  I want this Congress to stop the giveaways to an oil industry that’s never been more profitable, and invest in a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising.  We should be investing in the technology that’s building the cars and trucks and jets that will prevent us from dealing with these high gas prices year after year after year.  

Ending this cycle of rising gas prices won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight. But that’s why you sent us to Washington – to solve tough problems like this one. So I’m going to keep doing everything I can to help you save money on gas, both right now and in the future. I hope politicians from both sides of the aisle join me. Let’s put aside the bumper-sticker slogans, remember why we’re here, and get things done for the American people.

Thank you, God bless you, and have a great weekend.

Weekly Address: Investing in a Clean Energy Future

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
March 10, 2012
05:30 AM EDT

Speaking from a factory in Virginia, President Obama talks about how companies are creating more jobs in the United States, making better products than ever before, and how many are developing new technologies that are reducing our dependence on foreign oil and saving families money at the pump.

Transcript | Download mp4 | Download mp3

Related Topics: Economy, Energy and Environment, Virginia

Weekly Address: Investing in a Clean Energy Future

March 10, 2012 | 4:57 | Public Domain

Speaking from a factory in Virginia, President Obama talks about how companies are creating more jobs in the United States, making better products than ever before, and how many are developing new technologies that are reducing our dependence on foreign oil and saving families money at the pump.

Download mp4 (175MB) | mp3 (5MB)

Read the Transcript

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Investing in a Clean Energy Future

WASHINGTON, DC— In his weekly address, President Obama spoke to the American people from a factory in Petersburg, Virginia about the growing trend of companies creating more jobs in the United States, and also making better products than ever before.  The new technologies they are developing are playing an important role in reducing our dependence on foreign oil and saving families money at the pump. Under the Obama Administration, domestic oil and gas production is up, and we are currently producing more oil at home than any time in the last eight years, but with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices.  We need an all-of-the-above strategy that focuses on American-made energy, as well as increasing the fuel efficiency of the cars we drive, saving families money and dramatically reducing our reliance on foreign oil. The President also called on Congress to end the $4 billion in subsidies to oil companies each year so that we can invest in clean energy technologies.  There is no silver bullet to solve high gas prices, but together we can work to overcome our energy challenges as we create new American jobs.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Petersburg, Virginia
March 10, 2012

Hi, everybody. I’m speaking to you this week from a factory in Petersburg, Virginia, where they’re bringing on more than 100 new workers to build parts for the next generation of jet engines.
                                                                                                                            
It’s a story that’s happening more frequently across the country. Our businesses just added 233,000 jobs last month – for a total of nearly four million new jobs over the last two years. More companies are choosing to bring jobs back and invest in America. Manufacturing is adding jobs for the first time since the 1990s, and we’re building more things to sell to the rest of the world stamped with three proud words: Made in America.

And it’s not just that we’re building stuff. We’re building better stuff. The engine parts manufactured here in Petersburg will go into next-generation planes that are lighter, faster, and more fuel-efficient.

That last part is important. Because whether you’re paying for a plane ticket, or filling up your gas tank, technology that helps us get more miles to the gallon is one of the easiest ways to save money and reduce our dependence on foreign oil.

The recent spike in gas prices has been another painful reminder of why we have to invest in this technology.   As usual, politicians have been rolling out their three-point plans for two-dollar gas: drill, drill, and drill some more.  Well, my response is, we have been drilling.  Under my Administration, oil production in America is at an eight-year high.  We’ve quadrupled the number of operating oil rigs, and opened up millions of acres for drilling.   

But you and I both know that with only 2% of the world’s oil reserves, we can’t just drill our way to lower gas prices – not when consume 20 percent of the world’s oil. We need an all-of-the-above strategy that relies less on foreign oil and more on American-made energy – solar, wind, natural gas, biofuels, and more. 

That’s the strategy we’re pursuing.  It’s why I went to a plant in North Carolina earlier this week, where they’re making trucks that run on natural gas, and hybrid trucks that go further on a single tank. 

And it’s why I’ve been focused on fuel efficient cars since the day I took office. Over the last few years, the annual number of miles driven by Americans has stayed roughly the same, but the total amount of gas we use has been going down. In other words, we’re getting more bang for our buck.

If we accelerate that trend, we can help drivers save a significant amount of money. That’s why, after 30 years of inaction, we finally put in place new standards that will make sure our cars average nearly 55 miles per gallon by the middle of the next decade – nearly double what they get today. This wasn’t easy: we had to bring together auto companies, and unions, and folks who don’t ordinarily see eye to eye. But it was worth it.

Because these cars aren’t some pie in the sky solution that’s years away. They’re being built right now – by American workers, in factories right here in the U.S.A. Every year, our cars and trucks will be able to go further and use less fuel, and pretty soon, you’ll be able to fill up every two weeks instead of every week – something that, over time, will save the typical family more than $8,000 at the pump.  We’ll reduce our oil consumption by more than 12 billion barrels. That’s a future worth investing in.

So we have a choice.  Right now, some folks in Washington would rather spend another $4 billion on subsidies to oil companies each year. Well you know what?  We’ve been handing out these kinds of taxpayer giveaways for nearly a century.  And outside of Congress, does anyone really think that’s still a good idea?  I want this Congress to stop the giveaways to an oil industry that’s never been more profitable, and invest in a clean energy industry that’s never been more promising.  We should be investing in the technology that’s building the cars and trucks and jets that will prevent us from dealing with these high gas prices year after year after year.  

Ending this cycle of rising gas prices won’t be easy, and it won’t happen overnight. But that’s why you sent us to Washington – to solve tough problems like this one. So I’m going to keep doing everything I can to help you save money on gas, both right now and in the future. I hope politicians from both sides of the aisle join me. Let’s put aside the bumper-sticker slogans, remember why we’re here, and get things done for the American people.

Thank you, God bless you, and have a great weekend.

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