Remarks by the President on TechHire Initiative

InDatus Solutions

Louisville, Kentucky

6:15 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  Hello!  (Applause.)  Please, please, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Well, first of all, sorry I'm late.  (Laughter.)  I had a couple things I had to do. (Laughter.)  And obviously, when you're the President, you’ve got -- national security always take top priority.  But I wanted to make sure that I still made it.  And I'm so grateful that all of you were willing to come back and in welcoming me in this way.

It is great to be back in Louisville.  It is great to be here at InDatus.  This is such a spiffy-looking company, I'm thinking about remodeling at the White House.  (Laughter.)  Everything is so hip and cool and guys with, like, cool beards are -- (laughter) -- typing stuff.  And it just looks wonderful.

But the reason I'm here is not just because it looks hip and cool, but because what’s happening here is essential to America, and we want to lift it up and we want people to see what’s possible in developing the kind of innovation and job creation here in the 21st century, knowing that we can succeed.  This company and the network that's been developed here in Louisville are helping to prepare people of all ages for the higher-paying, in-demand jobs of the future.  And we need to get more of that done.   

I want to thank David for the introduction and his graciousness in hosting us.  There are other folks that I want to acknowledge because they have been great friends and are doing a tremendous job on behalf of their constituencies -- your outstanding Governor Steve Beshear is here.  (Applause.)  Congressman John Yarmuth is here.  (Applause.)  Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer, who not only gave me a Slugger, but also a really big suitcase full of bourbon.  (Laughter and applause.)  I mean, it's a really big case.  (Laughter.)  And the man who served as mayor before him who now works with me at the White House, doing outstanding work with mayors and governors and county officials all across the country -- my dear friend, Jerry Abramson.  (Applause.)  Where’s Jerry?  There he is back there.  (Applause.) 

So, over the past five years, our businesses have created 12 million new jobs -- over 12 million new jobs.  Right now, America has more open jobs than at any point since 2001.  And more than half a million openings are in tech -- nearly 2,000 here in Louisville alone.  Tech jobs pay one-and-a-half times the average private sector wage.  So they’re great pathways to the middle class.  And what’s more, a highly trained workforce is vital for America’s long-term global economic leadership.  It attracts more entrepreneurship; it attracts investors from overseas because they’re looking for an outstanding workforce.  

And that’s the idea behind a new initiative of ours that we're calling TechHire.  It's a pretty simple concept.  It brings employers and local governments together to support innovative job training programs -- like online classes, coding boot camps, community college courses designed by local employers.

Eastern Kentucky is a TechHire Community.  So is Louisville. More than 20 employers have joined it so far, including InDatus. You’re mentoring students at Code Louisville and you’ve pledged to hire their graduates.  And that’s what smart training looks like -- faster, cheaper, innovative, providing new pathways -- less conventional pathways, in some cases -- for careers in tech. 

And my administration is proud to be investing in Code Louisville, because we want more places to follow Kentucky’s example.  We should invest in what works -- apprenticeships that give on-the-job training, gives them industry credentials that let anybody who can do the job get the job, whether they’re self-taught or have a degree.  And the budget that I sent to Congress includes these priorities.  Today, we’re going to unveil workforce reforms that do the same. 

And just to give you a specific example -- I hope he doesn’t mind.  Maybe he’s here, or maybe he’s still back somewhere.  The reason I remember this guy is because his name is Ben Cool --which is a really cool name.  (Laughter.)  I mean, I kind of wish my name was Ben Cool.  (Laughter.)  Ben doesn’t have a college degree, but because of the work that's done is open-source, Ben essentially was able to teach himself.  And because InDatus recognizes that not all talent goes through conventional pathways, it was able to set up a structure whereby Ben could show what he knew, how well he could do it, and InDatus was able to hire him and now they’ve got an outstanding coder and somebody who’s providing enormous value to the company -- which might have been missed had it not been for these kinds of different pathways.

And then I just heard a story -- if I'm not mistaken, Ben, you had a friend who came here and started working in -- what -- customer service?

BEN:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  Also didn’t have a degree in computer science or coding, but then he ended up taking an hour class a couple hours a week, teaching himself, getting trained, and now he’s doing coding as well.  So that's the idea here, is that there are a lot of different pathways that we create so that more and more people can get trained in the jobs of the future, and we're not restricting ourselves to one narrow path.

And we're making sure that everybody has opportunity and everybody has a shot.  And we're investing in the job training and apprenticeships and on-the-job training and online training that it's going to take to make sure that anybody can access a good job if they’re willing to work hard and apply themselves and focus. 

Now, this doesn’t cost huge amounts of money, but it does cost some money to do it right and to do it well.  And that's why it's reflected in my budget, for us to put more money into job training, apprenticeships, and these kinds of public-private partnerships that we're talking about.  And there’s going to be a big debate coming up around the budget. 

Republicans in Congress have put forward their budget and it provides tax cuts to folks like me and folks who are doing pretty darn well, but it would cut right now job training for 2.2 million people, including 28,800 right here in Kentucky.  And that's just not the right way for us to plan in terms of long-term growth and stability.

Our economy has been growing.  We've got momentum, but that momentum can stall.  Because the economies in Europe are weak, the economies in Asia are weak, the dollar is becoming stronger because a lot of people want to park their money here.  They think it's safer.  They’re investing here more.  But that makes our exports more expensive.  And so we've got to stay hungry.  We can't just sit back and assume that growth continues at the kind of pace that we need to give opportunity for all the young people of the future.

And that's why this is so important.  So we can't prioritize tax cuts for folks at the very top and sacrifice the kinds of job-training efforts and apprenticeships that our young people are going to need.  (Applause.)

So, in case you think I'm exaggerating, I mean, one of the laws that my friends on the other side of the aisle are trying to pass right now is a new, deficit-busting tax cut for a fraction of the top one-tenth of 1 percent -- that’s fewer than 50 people here in Kentucky who would, on average, get a couple million dollars in tax breaks.  For that amount of money, we can provide thousands of people the kind of training they need.  And that’s just not the way that we're going to build an economy that strengthens our middle class and provides ladders for people getting into the middle class.

Our economy has grown since the crisis, but when you look at what’s happened, middle-class folks, their wages, their incomes just haven't gone up that much.  And a lot of folks are still struggling to get by.  And our economy works best when everybody has a stake and everybody is getting ahead.  (Applause.)  When that happens, we all do well.  And by the way, when that happens, businesses do well, because they have more customers.  And our economy grows best from the bottom up and the middle out, not from the top down.  And we've got to keep that in mind as we go forward.

But let me again just congratulate InDatus for the outstanding work that they’re doing.  I want to congratulate the Mayor and the Governor, and all the folks who are participating in making sure that TechHire gets off the ground, not just here in Louisville but across the state and across the country.  For all the young people who are -- especially the really young ones -- make sure to study math and science, because you guys are going to be our future.  We're very, very proud of you. 

And once again, thanks for being so patient with me, despite the delays.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  

END
6:26 P.M. EDT

Readout of the President’s Call With King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia

The President called King Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud of Saudi Arabia today to discuss the political framework reached between the P5+1, the EU, and Iran on a Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action regarding Iran’s nuclear program.  The President reiterated that the months ahead will be used to finalize the technical details for a lasting, comprehensive solution that effectively cuts off all of Iran’s pathways to a bomb and verifiably ensures the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear program.  He emphasized that the nuclear understanding between the P5+1 and Iran will not in any way lessen U.S. concern about Iran’s destabilizing activities in the region.  The leaders agreed to increase consultations and remain vigilant in countering this threat.  As part of this effort, the President invited the King and Gulf Cooperation Council leaders to Camp David this spring to continue consultations.  The President and King Salman reaffirmed the enduring friendship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Statement by the President on the Framework to Prevent Iran from Obtaining a Nuclear Weapon

Rose Garden

2:25 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Today, the United States -- together with our allies and partners -- has reached a historic understanding with Iran, which, if fully implemented, will prevent it from obtaining a nuclear weapon. 

As President and Commander-in-Chief, I have no greater responsibility than the security of the American people.  And I am convinced that if this framework leads to a final, comprehensive deal, it will make our country, our allies, and our world safer.

This has been a long time coming.  The Islamic Republic of Iran has been advancing its nuclear program for decades.  By the time I took office, Iran was operating thousands of centrifuges, which can produce the materials for a nuclear bomb -- and Iran was concealing a covert nuclear facility.  I made clear that we were prepared to resolve this issue diplomatically, but only if Iran came to the table in a serious way.  When that did not happen, we rallied the world to impose the toughest sanctions in history -- sanctions which had a profound impact on the Iranian economy.

Now, sanctions alone could not stop Iran’s nuclear program. But they did help bring Iran to the negotiating table.  Because of our diplomatic efforts, the world stood with us and we were joined at the negotiating table by the world’s major powers -- the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, and China, as well as the European Union.

Over a year ago, we took the first step towards today’s framework with a deal to stop the progress of Iran’s nuclear program and roll it back in key areas.  And recall that at the time, skeptics argued that Iran would cheat, and that we could not verify their compliance and the interim agreement would fail. Instead, it has succeeded exactly as intended.  Iran has met all of its obligations.  It eliminated its stockpile of dangerous nuclear material.  Inspections of Iran’s program increased.  And we continued negotiations to see if we could achieve a more comprehensive deal.

Today, after many months of tough, principled diplomacy, we have achieved the framework for that deal.  And it is a good deal, a deal that meets our core objectives.  This framework would cut off every pathway that Iran could take to develop a nuclear weapon.  Iran will face strict limitations on its program, and Iran has also agreed to the most robust and intrusive inspections and transparency regime ever negotiated for any nuclear program in history.  So this deal is not based on trust, it’s based on unprecedented verification. 

Many key details will be finalized over the next three months, and nothing is agreed to until everything is agreed.  But here are the basic outlines of the deal that we are working to finalize.

First, Iran will not be able to pursue a bomb using plutonium, because it will not develop weapons-grade plutonium.  The core of its reactor at Arak will be dismantled and replaced. The spent fuel from that facility will be shipped out of Iran for the life of the reactor.  Iran will not build a new heavy-water reactor.  And Iran will not reprocess fuel from its existing reactors -- ever.

Second, this deal shuts down Iran’s path to a bomb using enriched uranium. Iran has agreed that its installed centrifuges will be reduced by two-thirds.  Iran will no longer enrich uranium at its Fordow facility.  Iran will not enrich uranium with its advanced centrifuges for at least the next 10 years.  The vast majority of Iran’s stockpile of enriched uranium will be neutralized.

Today, estimates indicate that Iran is only two or three months away from potentially acquiring the raw materials that could be used for a single nuclear bomb.  Under this deal, Iran has agreed that it will not stockpile the materials needed to build a weapon.  Even if it violated the deal, for the next decade at least, Iran would be a minimum of a year away from acquiring enough material for a bomb.  And the strict limitations on Iran’s stockpile will last for 15 years.

Third, this deal provides the best possible defense against Iran’s ability to pursue a nuclear weapon covertly -- that is, in secret.  International inspectors will have unprecedented access not only to Iranian nuclear facilities, but to the entire supply chain that supports Iran’s nuclear program -- from uranium mills that provide the raw materials, to the centrifuge production and storage facilities that support the program.  If Iran cheats, the world will know it.  If we see something suspicious, we will inspect it.  Iran’s past efforts to weaponize its program will be addressed.  With this deal, Iran will face more inspections than any other country in the world.

So this will be a long-term deal that addresses each path to a potential Iranian nuclear bomb.  There will be strict limits on Iran’s program for a decade.  Additional restrictions on building new facilities or stockpiling materials will last for 15 years.  The unprecedented transparency measures will last for 20 years or more.  Indeed, some will be permanent.  And as a member of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, Iran will never be permitted to develop a nuclear weapon.

In return for Iran’s actions, the international community has agreed to provide Iran with relief from certain sanctions -- our own sanctions, and international sanctions imposed by the United Nations Security Council.  This relief will be phased as Iran takes steps to adhere to the deal.  If Iran violates the deal, sanctions can be snapped back into place.  Meanwhile, other American sanctions on Iran for its support of terrorism, its human rights abuses, its ballistic missile program, will continue to be fully enforced.

Now, let me reemphasize, our work is not yet done.  The deal has not been signed.  Between now and the end of June, the negotiators will continue to work through the details of how this framework will be fully implemented, and those details matter.  If there is backsliding on the part of the Iranians, if the verification and inspection mechanisms don’t meet the specifications of our nuclear and security experts, there will be no deal.  But if we can get this done, and Iran follows through on the framework that our negotiators agreed to, we will be able to resolve one of the greatest threats to our security, and to do so peacefully.

Given the importance of this issue, I have instructed my negotiators to fully brief Congress and the American people on the substance of the deal, and I welcome a robust debate in the weeks and months to come.  I am confident that we can show that this deal is good for the security of the United States, for our allies, and for the world.

For the fact is, we only have three options for addressing Iran’s nuclear program.  First, we can reach a robust and verifiable deal -- like this one -- and peacefully prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon.

The second option is we can bomb Iran’s nuclear facilities, thereby starting another war in the Middle East, and setting back Iran’s program by a few years -- in other words, setting it back by a fraction of the time that this deal will set it back.  Meanwhile we’d ensure that Iran would race ahead to try and build a bomb.

Third, we could pull out of negotiations, try to get other countries to go along and continue sanctions that are currently in place or add additional ones, and hope for the best -- knowing that every time we have done so, Iran has not capitulated but instead has advanced its program, and that in very short order, the breakout timeline would be eliminated and a nuclear arms race in the region could be triggered because of that uncertainty.  In other words, the third option leads us very quickly back to a decision about whether or not to take military action, because we’d have no idea what was going on inside of Iran. 
Iran is not going to simply dismantle its program because we demand it to do so.  That’s not how the world works, and that’s not what history shows us.  Iran has shown no willingness to eliminate those aspects of their program that they maintain are for peaceful purposes, even in the face of unprecedented sanctions.  Should negotiations collapse because we, the United States, rejected what the majority of the world considers a fair deal, what our scientists and nuclear experts suggest would give us confidence that they are not developing a nuclear weapon, it’s doubtful that we can even keep our current international sanctions in place. 

So when you hear the inevitable critics of the deal sound off, ask them a simple question:  Do you really think that this verifiable deal, if fully implemented, backed by the world’s major powers, is a worse option than the risk of another war in the Middle East?  Is it worse than doing what we’ve done for almost two decades, with Iran moving forward with its nuclear program and without robust inspections?  I think the answer will be clear.

Remember, I have always insisted that I will do what is necessary to prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon, and I will.  But I also know that a diplomatic solution is the best way to get this done, and offers a more comprehensive -- and lasting -- solution.  It is our best option, by far.  And while it is always a possibility that Iran may try to cheat on the deal in the future, this framework of inspections and transparency makes it far more likely that we’ll know about it if they try to cheat -- and I, or future Presidents, will have preserved all of the options that are currently available to deal with it.

To the Iranian people, I want to reaffirm what I’ve said since the beginning of my presidency.  We are willing to engage you on the basis of mutual interests and mutual respect.  This deal offers the prospect of relief from sanctions that were imposed because of Iran’s violation of international law.  Since Iran’s Supreme Leader has issued a fatwa against the development of nuclear weapons, this framework gives Iran the opportunity to verify that its program is, in fact, peaceful.  It demonstrates that if Iran complies with its international obligations, then it can fully rejoin the community of nations, thereby fulfilling the extraordinary talent and aspirations of the Iranian people.  That would be good for Iran, and it would be good for the world.

Of course, this deal alone -- even if fully implemented -- will not end the deep divisions and mistrust between our two countries.  We have a difficult history between us, and our concerns will remain with respect to Iranian behavior so long as Iran continues its sponsorship of terrorism, its support for proxies who destabilize the Middle East, its threats against America’s friends and allies -- like Israel.  So make no mistake: We will remain vigilant in countering those actions and standing with our allies. 

It’s no secret that the Israeli Prime Minister and I don't agree about whether the United States should move forward with a peaceful resolution to the Iranian issue.  If, in fact, Prime Minister Netanyahu is looking for the most effective way to ensure Iran doesn’t get a nuclear weapon, this is the best option.  And I believe our nuclear experts can confirm that.

More importantly, I will be speaking with the Prime Minister today to make clear that there will be no daylight, there is no daylight, when it comes to our support for Israel’s security and our concerns about Iran’s destabilizing policies and threats toward Israel.  That’s why I've directed my national security team to consult closely with the new Israeli government in the coming weeks and months about how we can further strengthen our long-term security cooperation with Israel, and make clear our unshakeable commitment to Israel’s defense.

Today, I also spoke with the King of Saudi Arabia to reaffirm our commitment to the security of our partners in the Gulf.  And I’m inviting the leaders of the six countries who make up the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Bahrain -- to meet me at Camp David this spring to discuss how we can further strengthen our security cooperation, while resolving the multiple conflicts that have caused so much hardship and instability throughout the Middle East. 

Finally, it’s worth remembering that Congress has, on a bipartisan basis, played a critical role in our current Iran policy, helping to shape the sanctions regime that applied so much pressure on Iran and ultimately forced them to the table.  In the coming days and weeks, my administration will engage Congress once again about how we can play -- how it can play a constructive oversight role.  I’ll begin that effort by speaking to the leaders of the House and Senate today. 

In those conversations, I will underscore that the issues at stake here are bigger than politics.  These are matters of war and peace, and they should be evaluated based on the facts and what is ultimately best for the American people and for our national security.  For this is not simply a deal between my administration and Iran.  This is a deal between Iran, the United States of America, and the major powers in the world -- including some of our closest allies.  If Congress kills this deal -- not based on expert analysis, and without offering any reasonable alternative -- then it’s the United States that will be blamed for the failure of diplomacy.  International unity will collapse, and the path to conflict will widen.

The American people understand this, which is why solid majorities support a diplomatic resolution to the Iranian nuclear issue.  They understand instinctively the words of President Kennedy, who faced down the far greater threat of communism, and said:  “Let us never negotiate out of fear, but let us never fear to negotiate.”  The American people remember that at the height of the Cold War, Presidents like Nixon and Reagan struck historic arms control agreements with the Soviet Union, a far more dangerous adversary -- despite the fact that that adversary not only threatened to destroy our country and our way of life, but had the means to do so.  Those agreements were not perfect.  They did not end all threats.  But they made our world safer.  A good deal with Iran will do the same.

Today, I’d like to express my thanks to our international partners for their steadfastness and their cooperation.  I was able to speak earlier today with our close allies, Prime Minister Cameron and President Hollande and Chancellor Merkel, to reaffirm that we stand shoulder-to-shoulder in this effort. 

And most of all, on behalf of our nation, I want to express my thanks to our tireless -- and I mean tireless -- Secretary of State John Kerry and our entire negotiating team.  They have worked so hard to make this progress.  They represent the best tradition of American diplomacy.  Their work -- our work -- is not yet done and success is not guaranteed.  But we have an historic opportunity to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons in Iran, and to do so peacefully, with the international community firmly behind us.  We should seize that chance.

Thank you.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.

END
2:43 P.M. EDT