President Obama on the Payroll Tax Cut Extension

February 21, 2012 | 9:19 | Public Domain

President Obama thanks the Americans who made their voices heard in the debate to extend the payroll tax cut for 160 million working Americans through the end of the year, along with unemployment insurance benefits that provide lifelines to millions of Americans looking for work. The President also called on Congress to take additional steps to create jobs, grow the economy and help the middle class.

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Remarks by the President on the Payroll Tax Cut

South Court Auditorium

11:41 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello!  Good to see everybody. Please, have a seat.  Have a seat.  (Applause.)  Good morning.  I want to thank all of you for coming. 

I want to thank my outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden -- (applause) -- who is here today, and members of my administration for joining us.  But most of all, I want to thank the men and women who are standing with me today, as well as all the Americans who made their voices heard during the debate about extending the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance. 

We are here because of you.  This got done because of you; because you called, you emailed, you tweeted your representatives and you demanded action.  You made it clear that you wanted to see some common sense in Washington.  And because you did, no working American is going to see their taxes go up this year.  That's good news.  (Applause.)  Because of what you did, millions of Americans who are out there still looking for work are going to continue to get help with unemployment insurance.  That’s because of you.  I called on -- (applause) -- that's worth applauding as well.  (Applause.)    

You'll remember I called on Congress to pass this middle-class tax cut back in September as part of my broader jobs plan. And for the typical American family, it is a big deal.  It means $40 extra in their paycheck.  And that $40 helps to pay the rent, the groceries, the rising cost of gas -- which is on a lot of people's minds right now.  LaRonda Hill -- right here -- told us how $40 covers the water bill for a month.  So this tax cut makes a difference for a lot of families.  You can get back over here, Joe.  (Laughter.)  And more people spending more money means more businesses will be able to hire more workers, and the entire economy gets another boost just as the recovery is starting to gain some steam. 

So Congress did the right thing here.  They listened to the voices of the American people.  Each side made a few compromises. We passed some important reforms to help turn unemployment insurance into reemployment insurance, so that more people get training and the skills they need to get back in a job.  We passed an initiative that will create jobs by expanding wireless broadband and ensuring that first responders have access to the latest lifesaving technologies.  And we've got some first responders here.  We're very grateful for the work that they do. (Applause.) 

So, in the end, everyone acted in the interests of the middle class, and people who are striving to get into the middle class through hard work.  And that’s how it should be.  That’s what Americans expect, and that’s what Americans deserve. 

Now my message to Congress is:  Don’t stop here.  Keep going.  (Applause.)  Keep taking the action that people are calling for to keep this economy growing.  This may be an election year, but the American people have no patience for gridlock and just a reflexive partisanship, and just paying attention to poll numbers and the next election instead of the next generation and what we can do to strengthen opportunity for all Americans.  Americans don’t have the luxury to put off tough decisions.  And neither should we.  There's a lot more we can do -- and there's plenty of time to do it -- if we want to build an economy where every American has a chance to find a good job that pays well and supports a family. 
                                               
For example, Congress needs to pass my plan to help responsible homeowners save about $3,000 a year by refinancing their homes, their mortgages, at historically low rates.  (Applause.)  We're doing what we can administratively to provide some Americans that opportunity.  I want all Americans to have that opportunity.  And we need Congress to act to do it.

Congress needs to step up and support America's small businesses, and especially companies that want to export.  It's time we stop rewarding businesses that send jobs overseas, start rewarding companies right here that want to create jobs in the United States and sell to other countries as opposed to exporting jobs to other countries.  That’s what we need to do.  Congress can act on that.  (Applause.)

Congress needs to make the Buffett Rule a reality.  This is common sense.  (Applause.)  If you make more than a million dollars a year -- make more than a million dollars a year -- you should pay a tax rate of at least 30 percent.  (Applause.)  And if you do that, that means that if you make less than $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of Americans do, you shouldn’t see your taxes go up.  And we won't be adding to the deficit.  

These are things we can do today.  It shouldn’t be that difficult.  Now, whenever Congress refuses to act, Joe and I, we're going to act.  (Applause.)  In the months to come, wherever we have an opportunity, we're going to take steps on our own to keep this economy moving.  Because we've got a choice right now. We can either settle for a country where a few people are doing very well and everybody else is having to just struggle to get by, or we can build an economy where everybody gets a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is taking responsibility, and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.  And that's the economy that I want.  (Applause.)  

We still have some struggles out there.  We're coming out of the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes.  We've got a long way to go before every single person who’s looking for a job can find a job.  But where we stand now looks a lot different than where we stood a few years ago.  Over the last 23 months, businesses have created 3.7 million new jobs.  Manufacturers are hiring for the first time since the 1990s.  The auto industry is back on top.  Our recovery is gaining steam.  Our economy is getting stronger.  So we’re headed in the right direction.  And the last thing we should do is turn around and go back to the policies that weren’t working in the first place. 

That's why it's so important for us to stay focused and Congress to continue to do the things that the American people want to see done in order to improve the economy.  We’ve got to build an economy that is built on American manufacturing and American-made energy, and is improving the skills and capacity of American workers.  We've got to make sure that when we think about energy, that we're fueling America by homegrown and alternative energy sources that make us more secure and less dependent on foreign oil.  When we think about skills for American workers, we got to make sure that everybody has the opportunity not only for four-year colleges, but also two-year colleges, the community colleges that Dr. Jill Biden is doing such a great job promoting all across the country.

We’ve put forward plans on each of these areas that can make a huge difference.  But most of all, we’ve got to have a return to some homespun American values:  hard work, fair play, shared responsibility.  That's who we are as a people.

And the reason I'm so confident in our future is because of the folks who are standing with me today, some of the folks who are in the audience, because of all the families and workers and small business owners and students and seniors that I’ve met over the last few weeks and that I’ve met during the course of my political career.  When times are tough, Americans don’t give up. They push ahead.  They do whatever it takes to make their lives better, their communities better and their countries better. 

And with or without Congress, every day I’m going to be continuing to fight for them.  I do hope Congress joins me.  Instead of spending the coming months in a lot of phony political debates, focusing on the next election, I hope that we spend some time focusing on middle-class Americans and those who are struggling to get into the middle class.   We’ve got a lot more work to do.  Let’s do it.

Thank you very much, everybody.  Thanks for the great job you did.  Appreciate you, proud of you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  

END           
11:50 A.M. EST

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 21, 2012

Remarks by the President on the Payroll Tax Cut

South Court Auditorium

11:41 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello!  Good to see everybody. Please, have a seat.  Have a seat.  (Applause.)  Good morning.  I want to thank all of you for coming. 

I want to thank my outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden -- (applause) -- who is here today, and members of my administration for joining us.  But most of all, I want to thank the men and women who are standing with me today, as well as all the Americans who made their voices heard during the debate about extending the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance. 

We are here because of you.  This got done because of you; because you called, you emailed, you tweeted your representatives and you demanded action.  You made it clear that you wanted to see some common sense in Washington.  And because you did, no working American is going to see their taxes go up this year.  That's good news.  (Applause.)  Because of what you did, millions of Americans who are out there still looking for work are going to continue to get help with unemployment insurance.  That’s because of you.  I called on -- (applause) -- that's worth applauding as well.  (Applause.)    

You'll remember I called on Congress to pass this middle-class tax cut back in September as part of my broader jobs plan. And for the typical American family, it is a big deal.  It means $40 extra in their paycheck.  And that $40 helps to pay the rent, the groceries, the rising cost of gas -- which is on a lot of people's minds right now.  LaRonda Hill -- right here -- told us how $40 covers the water bill for a month.  So this tax cut makes a difference for a lot of families.  You can get back over here, Joe.  (Laughter.)  And more people spending more money means more businesses will be able to hire more workers, and the entire economy gets another boost just as the recovery is starting to gain some steam. 

So Congress did the right thing here.  They listened to the voices of the American people.  Each side made a few compromises. We passed some important reforms to help turn unemployment insurance into reemployment insurance, so that more people get training and the skills they need to get back in a job.  We passed an initiative that will create jobs by expanding wireless broadband and ensuring that first responders have access to the latest lifesaving technologies.  And we've got some first responders here.  We're very grateful for the work that they do. (Applause.) 

So, in the end, everyone acted in the interests of the middle class, and people who are striving to get into the middle class through hard work.  And that’s how it should be.  That’s what Americans expect, and that’s what Americans deserve. 

Now my message to Congress is:  Don’t stop here.  Keep going.  (Applause.)  Keep taking the action that people are calling for to keep this economy growing.  This may be an election year, but the American people have no patience for gridlock and just a reflexive partisanship, and just paying attention to poll numbers and the next election instead of the next generation and what we can do to strengthen opportunity for all Americans.  Americans don’t have the luxury to put off tough decisions.  And neither should we.  There's a lot more we can do -- and there's plenty of time to do it -- if we want to build an economy where every American has a chance to find a good job that pays well and supports a family. 
                                               
For example, Congress needs to pass my plan to help responsible homeowners save about $3,000 a year by refinancing their homes, their mortgages, at historically low rates.  (Applause.)  We're doing what we can administratively to provide some Americans that opportunity.  I want all Americans to have that opportunity.  And we need Congress to act to do it.

Congress needs to step up and support America's small businesses, and especially companies that want to export.  It's time we stop rewarding businesses that send jobs overseas, start rewarding companies right here that want to create jobs in the United States and sell to other countries as opposed to exporting jobs to other countries.  That’s what we need to do.  Congress can act on that.  (Applause.)

Congress needs to make the Buffett Rule a reality.  This is common sense.  (Applause.)  If you make more than a million dollars a year -- make more than a million dollars a year -- you should pay a tax rate of at least 30 percent.  (Applause.)  And if you do that, that means that if you make less than $250,000 a year, like 98 percent of Americans do, you shouldn’t see your taxes go up.  And we won't be adding to the deficit.  

These are things we can do today.  It shouldn’t be that difficult.  Now, whenever Congress refuses to act, Joe and I, we're going to act.  (Applause.)  In the months to come, wherever we have an opportunity, we're going to take steps on our own to keep this economy moving.  Because we've got a choice right now. We can either settle for a country where a few people are doing very well and everybody else is having to just struggle to get by, or we can build an economy where everybody gets a fair shot, and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is taking responsibility, and everybody is playing by the same set of rules.  And that's the economy that I want.  (Applause.)  

We still have some struggles out there.  We're coming out of the worst economic crisis in our lifetimes.  We've got a long way to go before every single person who’s looking for a job can find a job.  But where we stand now looks a lot different than where we stood a few years ago.  Over the last 23 months, businesses have created 3.7 million new jobs.  Manufacturers are hiring for the first time since the 1990s.  The auto industry is back on top.  Our recovery is gaining steam.  Our economy is getting stronger.  So we’re headed in the right direction.  And the last thing we should do is turn around and go back to the policies that weren’t working in the first place. 

That's why it's so important for us to stay focused and Congress to continue to do the things that the American people want to see done in order to improve the economy.  We’ve got to build an economy that is built on American manufacturing and American-made energy, and is improving the skills and capacity of American workers.  We've got to make sure that when we think about energy, that we're fueling America by homegrown and alternative energy sources that make us more secure and less dependent on foreign oil.  When we think about skills for American workers, we got to make sure that everybody has the opportunity not only for four-year colleges, but also two-year colleges, the community colleges that Dr. Jill Biden is doing such a great job promoting all across the country.

We’ve put forward plans on each of these areas that can make a huge difference.  But most of all, we’ve got to have a return to some homespun American values:  hard work, fair play, shared responsibility.  That's who we are as a people.

And the reason I'm so confident in our future is because of the folks who are standing with me today, some of the folks who are in the audience, because of all the families and workers and small business owners and students and seniors that I’ve met over the last few weeks and that I’ve met during the course of my political career.  When times are tough, Americans don’t give up. They push ahead.  They do whatever it takes to make their lives better, their communities better and their countries better. 

And with or without Congress, every day I’m going to be continuing to fight for them.  I do hope Congress joins me.  Instead of spending the coming months in a lot of phony political debates, focusing on the next election, I hope that we spend some time focusing on middle-class Americans and those who are struggling to get into the middle class.   We’ve got a lot more work to do.  Let’s do it.

Thank you very much, everybody.  Thanks for the great job you did.  Appreciate you, proud of you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  

END           
11:50 A.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 21, 2012

Readout of the President’s Call with Chancellor Merkel of Germany

The President and German Chancellor Angela Merkel spoke by phone this morning to discuss the latest developments concerning the financial situation in the eurozone.  The President thanked the Chancellor for her leadership and welcomed last night’s agreement in Europe on a new rescue program for Greece to help reduce its debt to sustainable levels.  The President and Chancellor agreed that the planned EU fiscal pact, recent actions by the European Central Bank and reforms by Spain and Italy have also been positive steps in addressing the eurozone crisis.  The President and the Chancellor also discussed preparations for the upcoming G-8 Summit and agreed that the emphasis should be on growth and jobs.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 21, 2012

We Can’t Wait: Obama Administration Announces Steps to Boost the Rural Economy, Promote Job Creation

WASHINGTON, DC – As part of the Obama Administration’s “We Can’t Wait” efforts to strengthen the economy, create jobs and support business growth, Administration officials announced three significant actions to expand the government’s purchase of biobased products, promote regional rural job creation efforts, and develop a rural healthcare workforce, all of which build on the historic investments the Administration has made in rural America over the past three years. Today’s announcements are the latest in a series of executive actions the Obama Administration is taking to strengthen the economy and move the country forward because we can’t wait for Congress to act. 

“My Administration is committed to using every tool available to promote economic growth and create good jobs in rural America,” said President Obama.  “Today’s announcements reflect our continued focus on expanding opportunity for rural Americans and all Americans, including supporting new and innovative businesses, and improving rural health care and education.  And the actions we’re taking today are possible thanks to the feedback and ideas I’ve received from hardworking Americans across rural America, including the participants at the White House Rural Economic Forum.”

“President Obama understands that a strong American economy is tied to a healthy, vibrant rural economy,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, who chairs the White House Rural Council. “The actions we are taking will bring new economic investments to our rural communities, to ensure the people who live in these towns have a better, brighter future.”

The three announcements were recommended by federal agencies participating in the White House Rural Council, and leverage existing programs and funding, but the new actions will expedite job creation in rural parts of the country. 

“This Administration will not be satisfied until everyone who wants a job, has a job – both in rural and urban communities,” said Commerce Secretary John Bryson.  “Today’s announcements are just the latest example of federal partners aligning all of their efforts and resources to help businesses grow, create jobs, and ensure that our economy is built to last.”

“Health information technology has the potential to improve the quality, access, and efficiency of health care delivery, especially in our nation's rural areas. To achieve this aim, it is essential that we have a skilled health IT workforce,” said Mary Wakefield, PhD., R.N., Administrator of the Health Resources and Services Administration. “This memorandum of understanding with our colleagues at the Department of Labor will build on existing collaborations to help ease the challenges of geographic isolation and staff shortages faced by rural communities and help move us toward our mutual goal of Health IT workforce development.”

“There is a real need to expand the rural health IT workforce and our MOU with the Department of Health and Human Services will help ensure that job training programs are quickly and effectively addressing this need,” said Assistant Secretary for Employment and Training Administration Jane Oates.

New initiatives being announced today include:

• Promoting A Bioeconomy:  President Obama issued a Presidential Memorandum today directing the Federal Government to take decisive steps to dramatically increase the purchase of biobased products over the next two years, which will create jobs and drive innovation where biobased products are grown and manufactured.  The Memorandum will also result in a 50 percent increase in the number of new products that are designated as biobased.  Biobased products include items like paints, soaps and detergents and are developed from farm grown plants, rather than chemicals or petroleum bases. The biobased products sector marries the two most important economic engines for rural America: agriculture and manufacturing. 

• Rural Jobs Accelerator: The Rural Jobs Accelerator is a national competition that will provide about $15 million for projects that promote innovation-fueled regional job creation.  The competition will combine funding from the USDA, the Economic Development Administration (EDA), Delta Regional Authority and the Appalachian Regional Commission.   Additionally, this approach will require multiple agencies to coordinate technical assistance and grant / loan programs so that potential rural customers have a single access point within the Federal government to mobilize the resources of the government to help a region of the country. USDA will utilize the Rural Community Development Initiative (RCDI) program to support this effort and provide technical assistance and training funds to qualified intermediary organizations to develop their capacity to undertake housing, community facilities, and community and economic development projects in rural areas.  The Federal Funding Opportunity will be released in the next few weeks.

• Rural Health IT Workforce:  The Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Labor signed a memorandum of understanding to connect  community colleges and technical colleges that support rural communities with the materials and resources they need to support the training of Health Information Technology (HIT) professionals that work in rural hospitals and clinics.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the needed HIT workforce will increase by 20 percent by 2016. 

Over the last month, the Obama Administration has made several additional announcements resulting from the White House Rural Council’s efforts, including an initiative to help rural homeowners refinance their mortgages at lower interest rates and a new forest restoration framework to drive economic growth and job creation through timber restoration and harvest.  The new plan would place federal agencies on a path toward increasing federal timber harvests to 3 billion board feet. 

Since August 2011, the White House Rural Council has supported a broad spectrum of rural initiatives including a $350 million commitment in SBA funding to rural small businesses over the next 5 years,  launching a series of conferences to connect investors with rural start-ups, creating capital marketing teams to pitch federal funding opportunities to private investors interested in making rural investments, making job search information available at 2,800 local USDA offices nationwide, making HHS loans available to help more than 1,300 Critical Access Hospitals recruit additional staff, and helping rural hospitals purchase software and hardware to implement health IT. USDA and Navy also announced a partnership to advance the use of next generation biofuels in Navy operations.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 21, 2012

Presidential Memorandum -- Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement

MEMORANDUM FOR THE HEADS OF EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES

SUBJECT: Driving Innovation and Creating Jobs in Rural America through Biobased and Sustainable Product Procurement

The BioPreferred program -- established by the Farm Security and Rural Investment Act of 2002 (Public Law 107-171)(2002 Farm Bill), and strengthened by the Food, Conservation and Energy Act of 2008 (Public Law 110-234)(2008 Farm Bill) -- is intended to increase Federal procurement of biobased products to promote rural economic development, create new jobs, and provide new markets for farm commodities. Biobased and sustainable products help to increase our energy security and independence.

The Federal Government, with leadership from the Department of Agriculture (USDA), has made significant strides in implementing the BioPreferred program. It is one of the key elements in my efforts to promote sustainable acquisition throughout the Government under Executive Order 13514 of October 5, 2009 (Federal Leadership in Environmental, Energy, and Economic Performance). Further efforts will drive innovation and economic growth and create jobs at marginal cost to the American public.

The goal of this memorandum is to ensure that executive departments and agencies (agencies) effectively execute Federal procurement requirements for biobased products, including those requirements identified in Executive Order 13514 and prescribed in the 2002 Farm Bill, as amended by the 2008 Farm Bill. It is vital that these efforts are in accord and carefully coordinated with other Federal procurement requirements.

Therefore, I direct that agencies take the following steps to significantly increase Federal procurement of biobased and other sustainable products.

Section 1. Actions Related to Executive Order 13514. (a) Agencies shall include and report on biobased acquisition as part of the sustainable acquisition goals and milestones in the Strategic Sustainability Performance Plan required by section 8 of Executive Order 13514.

(b) As required by section 2(h) of Executive Order 13514, agencies shall ensure that 95 percent of applicable new contract actions for products and services advance sustainable acquisition, including biobased acquisition, where such products and services meet agency performance requirements. In doing so, agencies shall:

(i) include acquisition of biobased products in their Affirmative Procurement Programs and Preferable Purchasing Programs, as applicable (as originally required by Executive Order 13101 of September 14, 1998 (Greening the Government Through Waste Prevention, Recycling, and Federal Acquisition) and reinforced by Executive Order 13423 of January 24, 2007 (Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy, and Transportation Management) and Executive Order 13514);

(ii) include biobased products as part of their procurement review and monitoring program required by section 9002(a) of the 2008 Farm Bill, incorporating data collection and reporting requirements as part of their program evaluation; and

(iii) provide appropriate training on procurement of biobased products for all acquisition personnel including requirements and procurement staff.

(c) The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) shall emphasize biobased purchasing in the fiscal year 2012 and 2013 Sustainability/Energy scorecard, which is the periodic evaluation of agency performance on sustainable acquisition pursuant to section 4 of Executive Order 13514.

Sec. 2. Biobased Product Designations. The USDA has already designated 64 categories of biobased products for preferred Federal procurement. Although these categories represent an estimated 9,000 individual products, less than half of the known biobased products are currently included in the preference program. Increasing the number of products subject to the Federal procurement preference will increase procurement of biobased products. Therefore, I direct the Secretary of Agriculture to:

(a) increase both the number of categories of biobased products designated and individual products eligible for preferred purchasing by 50 percent within 1 year of the date of this memorandum; and

(b) establish a web-based process whereby biobased product manufacturers can request USDA to establish a new product category for designation. The USDA shall determine the merit of the request and, if the product category is deemed eligible, propose designation within 180 days of the request.

Sec. 3. Changes in Procurement Mechanisms. Several actions can be taken to facilitate improvement in and compliance with the requirements to purchase biobased products. To achieve these changes, I direct:

(a) the Senior Sustainability Officers and Chief Acquisition Officers of all agencies to randomly sample procurement actions (such as solicitations and awards) to verify that biobased considerations are included as appropriate. Agencies shall include results of these sampling efforts in the Sustainability/Energy scorecard reported to OMB;

(b) the Secretary of Agriculture to work with relevant officials in agencies that have electronic product procurement catalogs to identify and implement solutions to increase the visibility of biobased and other sustainable products;

(c) the Senior Sustainability Officers of all agencies that have established agency-specific product specifications, in coordination with any other appropriate officials, to review and revise all specifications under their control to assure that, wherever possible and appropriate, such specifications require the use of sustainable products, including USDA-designated biobased products, and that any language prohibiting the use of biobased products is removed. The review shall be on a 4-year cycle. Significant review should be completed within 1 year of the date of this memorandum, and the results of the reviews shall be annually reported to OMB and the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP); and
 

(d) the Secretary of Agriculture to amend USDA's automated contract writing system, the Integrated Acquisition System, to serve as a model for biobased product procurement throughout the Federal Government by adding elements related to acquisition planning, evaluation factors for source selection, and specifications and requirements. Once completed, USDA shall share the model with all agencies and, as appropriate, assist any agency efforts to adopt similar mechanisms.

Sec. 4. Small Business Assistance. A majority of the biobased product manufacturers and vendors selling biobased products and services that use biobased products to the Federal Government are small businesses. To improve the ability of small businesses to sell these products and services to the Federal Government, I direct:

(a) the Secretary of Commerce, in consultation with the Secretary of Agriculture, to use relevant programs of the Department, such as the Manufacturing Extension Partnership network, to improve the performance and competitiveness of biobased product manufacturers;

(b) the Secretary of Agriculture to work cooperatively with Procurement Technical Assistance Center programs located across the Nation to provide training and assistance to biobased product companies to make these companies aware of the BioPreferred program and opportunities to sell biobased products to Federal, State, and local government agencies; and

(c) the Secretary of Agriculture to develop training within 6 months of the date of this memorandum for small businesses on the BioPreferred program and the opportunities it presents, and the Administrator of the Small Business Administration (SBA) to disseminate that training to Small Business Development Centers and feature it on the SBA website.

Sec. 5. Reporting. The Federal Government should obtain the most reliable information to gauge its progress in purchasing biobased products, including measuring the annual number of procurements that include direct purchase of biobased products, the annual number of construction and service contracts that include the purchase of biobased products, and the annual volume and type of biobased products the Federal Government purchases. I direct that:

(a) within 1 year of the date of this memorandum, the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall propose an amendment to the Federal Acquisition Regulation to require reporting of biobased product purchases, to be made public on an annual basis; and

(b) following the promulgation of the proposed amendment referenced in subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of Agriculture, in consultation with the Chief Acquisition Officers Council, shall develop a reporting template to facilitate the annual reporting requirement.

Sec. 6. Jobs Creation Research. Biobased products are creating jobs across America. These innovative products are creating new markets for agriculture and expanding opportunities in rural America. Therefore, I direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prepare a report on job creation and the economic impact associated with the biobased product industry to be submitted to the President through the Domestic Policy Council and OSTP within 2 years of the date of this memorandum. The study shall include:

(a) the number of American jobs originating from the biobased product industry annually over the last 10 years, including the job changes in specific sectors;

(b) the dollar value of the current domestic biobased products industry, including intermediates, feedstocks, and finished products, but excluding biofuels;

(c) a forecast for biobased job creation potential over the next 10 years;

(d) a forecast for growth in the biobased industry over the next 10 years; and

(e) jobs data for both biofuels and biobased products, but shall generate separate data for each category.

Sec. 7. Education and Outreach. In compliance with the 2002 Farm Bill, several agencies established agency promotion programs to support the biobased products procurement preference. The Federal Acquisition Institute has added biobased procurement training to its course offerings. To assure both formal and informal educational and outreach instruction on the BioPreferred program are in place and being implemented by each agency, I direct:

(a) the Secretary of Agriculture to update all existing USDA BioPreferred and related sustainable acquisition training materials within 1 year of the date of this memorandum;

(b) the Senior Sustainability Officers and Chief Acquisition Officers of agencies to work cooperatively with the Secretary of Agriculture to immediately implement such BioPreferred program agency education and outreach programs as are necessary to meet the requirements of this memorandum and relevant statutes; and

(c) the Secretary of Agriculture to work actively with the Committee for Purchase From People Who Are Blind or Severely Disabled to promote education and outreach to program, technical, and contracting personnel, and to purchase card holders on BioPreferred AbilityOne products.

Sec. 8. General Provisions. (a) This memorandum shall apply to an agency with respect to the activities, personnel, resources, and facilities of the agency that are located within the United States. The head of an agency may provide that this memorandum shall apply in whole or in part with respect to the activities, personnel, resources, and facilities of the agency that are not located within the United States, if the head of the agency determines that such application is in the interest of the United States.

(b) The head of an agency shall manage activities, personnel, resources, and facilities of the agency that are not located within the United States, and with respect to which the head of the agency has not made a determination under subsection (a) of this section, in a manner consistent with the policies set forth in this memorandum, to the extent the head of the agency determines practicable.

(c) For purposes of this memorandum, "biobased product" shall have the meaning set forth in section 8101(4) of title 7, United States Code.

(d) This memorandum is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.

(e) The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 20, 2012

Readout of President Obama’s Call with President Karzai

President Obama spoke with President Karzai of Afghanistan today.  They discussed regional support for Afghan-led reconciliation, the Afghanistan-Pakistan-Iran trilateral meetings last week in Islamabad, and other strategic issues of mutual concern.  They agreed to speak again soon to remain closely aligned as both countries continue our efforts to achieve common goals, and work to forge a long-term partnership.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 20, 2012

Readout of the National Security Advisor’s Trip to Israel

National Security Advisor Tom Donilon concluded a three day visit to Israel today for consultations with senior Israeli officials including Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Barak, Chief of the General Staff Gantz, and National Security Advisor Gen. Yaakov Amidror.  Mr. Donilon and his delegation addressed the full range of security issues of mutual concern.  The visit is part of the continuous and intensive dialogue between the United States and Israel and reflects our unshakeable commitment to Israel’s security.  Mr. Donilon relayed to Prime Minister Netanyahu that the President looks forward to meeting with him at the White House on March 5.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 18, 2012

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Continuing to Strengthen American Manufacturing

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama spoke to the American people from the Boeing Plant in Everett, Washington about our efforts to strengthen American manufacturing and job creation here in the United States.  He described how we can support businesses like Boeing, which is hiring thousands of Americans across the country, through steps like removing tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas and giving them to companies that create jobs at home.  The President is committed to continue assisting businesses in selling their products around the world, and the United States is on track to meet President Obama’s goal of doubling exports within five years.  The President believes that by boosting American manufacturing and supporting our job creators, we can create an economy that’s built to last.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Everett, Washington
Saturday, February 18, 2012

Hello, everybody. 

I’m speaking to you this week from the Boeing Plant in Everett, Washington. Boeing has been in this community for half a century.  But it’s what they’re doing here today that has folks really excited; because at this plant they’re building the plane of the future – the Dreamliner.  It’s an impressive sight.  And, to be honest, part of why I came was to see it up close.  But I also came because this is a great example of how we can bring jobs and manufacturing back to America. 

You see, the last few decades haven’t been easy for manufacturing in this country.  New technology has made businesses more efficient and productive – and that’s good – but it’s also made a lot of jobs obsolete.  The result has been painful for a lot of families and communities.  Factories where people thought they’d retire have left town.  Jobs that provided a decent living have been shipped overseas.  And the hard truth is that a lot of those jobs aren’t coming back.

But that doesn’t mean we have to settle for a lesser future.  I don’t accept that idea.  In America, there’s always something we can do to create new jobs and new manufacturing and new security for the middle-class.  In America, we don’t give up, we get up.

Right now, that’s exactly what we’re doing.  Over the past 23 months, businesses have created 3.7 million new jobs.  And manufacturers are hiring for the first time since the 1990s.  It’s now getting more expensive to do business in places like China.  Meanwhile, America is more productive than ever.  And companies like Boeing are realizing that even when we can’t make things cheaper than China, we can make things better.  That’s how we’re going to compete globally.

For Boeing, business right now is booming.  Last year, orders for commercial aircraft rose by more than 50 percent.  To meet that rising demand, they’ve put thousands of folks to work all over the country.  We want to see more of this.  We need to make it as easy as we can for our companies to create more jobs in America, not overseas.  And that starts with our tax code. 

No company should get a tax break for outsourcing jobs.  Instead, tax breaks should go to manufacturers who set up shop here at home.  Bigger tax breaks should go to high-tech manufacturers who create the jobs of the future.  And if you relocate your company to a struggling community, you should get help financing that new plant, that new equipment, or training for new workers.  It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding businesses that create jobs here in America.  And Congress should send me that kind of tax reform right away.

Another thing we’re doing is to make it easier for companies like Boeing to sell their products all over the world, because more exports mean more jobs. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.  And we’re on track to meet that goal – ahead of schedule.

We have a big opportunity right now to build not only an economy that will help us succeed today, but an economy that will help our kids and their kids succeed tomorrow. We know what we need to do.  We need to strengthen American manufacturing. We need to invest in American-made energy and new skills for American workers.  And above all, we need to renew the values that have always made this country great:  Hard work.  Fair play.  Shared responsibility.

We can do this.  Ask the folks in Everett.  Right here, a few years ago, the first Dreamliner took off on its maiden trip. Thousands of employees came to watch.  One was an executive office administrator named Sharon O’Hara.  As Sharon saw that first plane take flight – a result of so much hard work – she got goose bumps.  In her words, she said, “We said we would do it and we did.”  That’s the story of America.  We said we would do it, and we did.  That’s the can-do spirit that makes us who we are.  We’ve seen challenging times before.  But we always emerge from them stronger.  And that’s what we’re going to do again today.  Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Weekly Address: Continuing to Strengthen American Manufacturing

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
February 18, 2012
05:30 AM EDT

President Obama describes a series of steps to strengthen American manufacturing and job creation here in the United States.

Transcript | Download mp4 | Download mp3

Related Topics: Economy, Taxes

Weekly Address: Continuing to Strengthen American Manufacturing

February 18, 2012 | 4:24 | Public Domain

President Obama describes a series of steps to strengthen American manufacturing and create jobs here in the United States.

Download mp4 (155MB) | mp3 (4MB)

Read the Transcript

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Continuing to Strengthen American Manufacturing

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama spoke to the American people from the Boeing Plant in Everett, Washington about our efforts to strengthen American manufacturing and job creation here in the United States.  He described how we can support businesses like Boeing, which is hiring thousands of Americans across the country, through steps like removing tax breaks for companies that send jobs overseas and giving them to companies that create jobs at home.  The President is committed to continue assisting businesses in selling their products around the world, and the United States is on track to meet President Obama’s goal of doubling exports within five years.  The President believes that by boosting American manufacturing and supporting our job creators, we can create an economy that’s built to last.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
Everett, Washington
Saturday, February 18, 2012

Hello, everybody. 

I’m speaking to you this week from the Boeing Plant in Everett, Washington. Boeing has been in this community for half a century.  But it’s what they’re doing here today that has folks really excited; because at this plant they’re building the plane of the future – the Dreamliner.  It’s an impressive sight.  And, to be honest, part of why I came was to see it up close.  But I also came because this is a great example of how we can bring jobs and manufacturing back to America. 

You see, the last few decades haven’t been easy for manufacturing in this country.  New technology has made businesses more efficient and productive – and that’s good – but it’s also made a lot of jobs obsolete.  The result has been painful for a lot of families and communities.  Factories where people thought they’d retire have left town.  Jobs that provided a decent living have been shipped overseas.  And the hard truth is that a lot of those jobs aren’t coming back.

But that doesn’t mean we have to settle for a lesser future.  I don’t accept that idea.  In America, there’s always something we can do to create new jobs and new manufacturing and new security for the middle-class.  In America, we don’t give up, we get up.

Right now, that’s exactly what we’re doing.  Over the past 23 months, businesses have created 3.7 million new jobs.  And manufacturers are hiring for the first time since the 1990s.  It’s now getting more expensive to do business in places like China.  Meanwhile, America is more productive than ever.  And companies like Boeing are realizing that even when we can’t make things cheaper than China, we can make things better.  That’s how we’re going to compete globally.

For Boeing, business right now is booming.  Last year, orders for commercial aircraft rose by more than 50 percent.  To meet that rising demand, they’ve put thousands of folks to work all over the country.  We want to see more of this.  We need to make it as easy as we can for our companies to create more jobs in America, not overseas.  And that starts with our tax code. 

No company should get a tax break for outsourcing jobs.  Instead, tax breaks should go to manufacturers who set up shop here at home.  Bigger tax breaks should go to high-tech manufacturers who create the jobs of the future.  And if you relocate your company to a struggling community, you should get help financing that new plant, that new equipment, or training for new workers.  It’s time to stop rewarding businesses that ship jobs overseas, and start rewarding businesses that create jobs here in America.  And Congress should send me that kind of tax reform right away.

Another thing we’re doing is to make it easier for companies like Boeing to sell their products all over the world, because more exports mean more jobs. Two years ago, I set a goal of doubling U.S. exports over five years.  And we’re on track to meet that goal – ahead of schedule.

We have a big opportunity right now to build not only an economy that will help us succeed today, but an economy that will help our kids and their kids succeed tomorrow. We know what we need to do.  We need to strengthen American manufacturing. We need to invest in American-made energy and new skills for American workers.  And above all, we need to renew the values that have always made this country great:  Hard work.  Fair play.  Shared responsibility.

We can do this.  Ask the folks in Everett.  Right here, a few years ago, the first Dreamliner took off on its maiden trip. Thousands of employees came to watch.  One was an executive office administrator named Sharon O’Hara.  As Sharon saw that first plane take flight – a result of so much hard work – she got goose bumps.  In her words, she said, “We said we would do it and we did.”  That’s the story of America.  We said we would do it, and we did.  That’s the can-do spirit that makes us who we are.  We’ve seen challenging times before.  But we always emerge from them stronger.  And that’s what we’re going to do again today.  Thanks, and have a great weekend.

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