President Obama Speaks at the House Democratic Issues Conference

February 07, 2013 | Public Domain

President Obama delivers remarks to the House Democratic Issues Conference.

Download mp4 (600MB) | mp3 (39MB)

Read the Transcript

Remarks by the President at House Democratic Issues Conference

 

Lansdowne Resort
Leesburg, Virginia
 
 
12:49 P.M. EST
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat.  Xavier, thank you for that very gracious introduction and your outstanding leadership.  
 
Let me begin by saying that I could not be happier that one of my most important friends and partners is still leading our Democrats in the House of Representatives.  I love Nancy Pelosi. Give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  Love Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  Also, she just generates good-looking grandbabies.  (Laughter.)  They're all so handsome and sharp and beautiful.  
 
To Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn, as well as Xavier and Joe Crowley, thank you so much for the great work that you guys are doing each and every day.  And to Steve Israel, who worked tirelessly to bring on 49 new outstanding members of this caucus. (Applause.)  I am looking forward to spending time with all 49 of you.  And hopefully we'll be seeing you over at the White House and at various events, but obviously I know that you came here to get something done.  And I am looking forward to working with you every single day to make sure that we're doing right by the people who sent us here.
 
Now, I actually just changed the format here.  I called an audible -- because originally the way this was scheduled was I was just going to talk and then I was going to shake some hands, and I thought, since this is not a shy bunch, it might make sense for me to take some questions and some advice I'm sure you guys have for me.  (Laughter.)  So what I'm going to do is I'm just going to make s few points at the top, and then what I'd like is maybe Xavier or Steve or somebody can come up here, you can call on folks, and we'll spend a little time with Q&A before I get a chance to say hello to everybody.  
 
And part of the reason I want to keep my remarks short is because I just made a pretty long speech a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about to make another next week, and I don’t want you guys tired of me.  (Laughter.)  
 
But, obviously, I'm deeply grateful to have been reelected, and I'm humbled by the support that I received from all across the country.  (Applause.)  And I said at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning -- and I was telling the truth -- I genuinely am humbled.  The fascinating thing about this job is the longer you're in it, the more humble you get, and the more you recognize your own imperfections.  And you try to make up with effort and hard work those gaps in your personality or your intelligence that become so apparent to everybody on the daily news every day.  (Laughter.)  
 
But even as I think it’s important to be humbled by the privilege of this office and the privilege of serving in the United States Congress, even as it’s important not to read too much into any particular political victory -- because this country is big, it is diverse, it is contentious, and we don’t have a monopoly on wisdom, and we need to remember that -- despite all those things, I think it’s also important for us to feel confident and bold about the values we care about and what we stand for.  
 
And I tried to do that in my inauguration speech, and I’m hoping that we all do that over the next four years.  Because when I think about what it means to be a Democrat in this day and age, I start with the basic proposition that we are all created equal, that we’re all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.  And my governing philosophy and my interest in public service grows out of how we make that union more perfect for more people, day in, day out.  
 
And that starts with an economy that works for everybody.  Throughout my campaign, and throughout many of your campaigns, we talked about this bedrock notion that our economy succeeds and our economy grows when everybody is getting a fair shot and everybody is getting a fair shake and everybody is playing by the same rules.  That we have an economy in which we’re growing a vibrant middle class -- that it grows from the middle out and the bottom up, not from the top down.  
 
And over the next four years as I work with this caucus and every caucus, the question I will ask myself on every item, every issue is, is this helping to make sure that everybody has got a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules.  Because I believe that is a growth agenda -- not just an equity agenda, not just a fairness agenda  -- that is a growth agenda.  That is when we have grown fastest.  
And that means that what you’ll hear from me next week, I’m going to be talking about making sure that we’re focused on job creation here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  It means that we’re focused on education and that every young person is equipped with the skills they need to compete in the 21st century.  (Applause.)  It means that we’ve got an energy agenda that can make us less dependent on foreign oil, but also that we’re cultivating the kind of clean energy strategy that will maintain our leadership well into the future.  
 
It means that we’re going to talk about, yes, deficits and taxes and sequesters and potential government shutdowns and debt ceiling -- we’ll talk about that stuff, but all from the perspective of how are we making sure that somebody who works hard in this country -- a cop, or a teacher, or a construction worker, or a receptionist -- that they can make it if they work hard, and that their kids can make it and dream even bigger dreams than they have achieved.
 
And obviously a lot of what we’ll be working on initially over the next few weeks is going to be on how do we deal with the sequester issue.  And I just want to make this quick point.  I had a press conference this week in which I reiterated I am prepared, eager, and anxious to do a big deal, a big package that ends this “governance by crisis” -- (applause) -- where every two weeks or every two months or every six months, we are threatening this hard-won recovery -- where finally housing is starting to pick up, and commercial real estate is starting to do better, and the unemployment numbers are still too high, but we’re seeing some job growth, and businesses are investing and manufacturing is doing well -- and we continue to have these self-inflicted crises here in Washington that suddenly leads everybody to tap the brakes.  
 
And so what I said this week was I want to do something big to provide certainty and steadiness for the economy and for American families.  And that means a balanced package that will reduce our long-term deficit and debt, but that still allows us to invest in those things that we need to grow right now -- (applause) -- because that's also a deficit reduction agenda, us growing faster.
 
And in order to have a balanced package, that means that -- we’ve already done a lot of cuts.  We’ve done some revenue now.  And so the rest of the way moving forward, we can do some additional reforms, and make our health care programs work better and make them more efficient, and we can cut our programs that we don't need.  But it also means that we’ve got to be able to close some tax loopholes and deductions that the average American cannot take advantage of, to raise the revenue to actually do the job in a way that allows us to continue to grow.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, the reason this is relevant is because I gather -- and I haven’t gotten this from firsthand sources, but from secondhand sources in the press -- that our friends on the other side of the aisle, their position is:  We’re concerned about the sequester.  We recognize that just cutting the federal spending with a meat ax, as opposed to scalpel is probably damaging -- it will damage our national security; it will damage our educational system.  We'll have kids getting kicked off of Head Start.  It will mean people who have disabled kids suddenly having less help.
 
They recognize that the sequester is a bad idea, but what they’ve suggested is that the only way to replace it now is for us to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, and not close a single loophole, not raise any additional revenue from the wealthiest Americans or corporations who have a lot of lawyers and accountants who are able to maneuver and manage and work and game the system.  
 
And I have to tell you, if that's an argument that they want to have before the court of public opinion, that is an argument I'm more than willing to engage in.  (Applause.)  Because I believe the American people understand that, yes, we need to reduce the deficit, but it shouldn’t just be on the backs of seniors; it shouldn’t just be on the backs of young people who are trying to get a college education; it should not just be on the backs of parents who are trying to give their kids a better start in life; that all of us have to participate -- and that if, in fact, it’s important for us to make sure we've got a strong national defense and that we reduce our spending in a smart way, we sure as heck should be willing to ask those of us who are luckiest in this society to close a few loopholes and deductions that the average American doesn’t get.  
 
And if that's the choice that we've got, I promise you we can win that debate because we're on the right side of this argument.  And I expect that you guys will be with me on that.  (Applause.) 
 
Last point I'll make -- obviously economic growth is a priority.  But making sure that we're opening up opportunity for everybody is also important.  And that's why immigration reform is so critical.  (Applause.)  I said this is going to be a top priority and an early priority of my administration.  I am heartened to see Republicans and Democrats starting to be in a serious conversation about getting this done.  Now is the time.
 
I recognize that the politics aren't always easy.  There are regional variations.  I understand that in some places this may end up being a tough issue.  But what I also know is that part of our strength is our youth and our dynamism, and our history for attracting talent from all around the globe.  And I've seen that talent in some of the young DREAMers that I've met who want to serve in our military, want to get an engineering degree, want to help build this country, want to start a business.  And I want to make sure that that American future is secured.
 
So we need to get immigration reform done.  And I'm going to be pushing hard to get it done early.  (Applause.)  
 
And we're also going to have to make sure that we keep the American people safe, which means that we're going to continue to work, even as we draw down our troops in Afghanistan, to go after those who would attack America.  
 
And we've got to be mindful about steps we can take to end the cycle of gun violence in this country.  And we should do so  -- (applause) -- recognizing that, again, there are regional differences here and we should respect those, and guns mean something different for somebody who grew up on a farm in a rural community than somebody who grew up in an inner city and they’re different realities and we have to respect them.  But what we know is the majority of responsible gun owners recognize we cannot have a situation in which 20 more of our children, or a 100 more of our children, or a 1,000 more of our children are shot and killed in a senseless fashion, and that there are some common-sense steps that we can take and build a consensus around. And we cannot shy away from taking those steps.
 
So the bottom line is this, people -- we've got a lot of work to do.  What we've learned over the last four years -- at least what I've learned over the last four years -- is that it won't be smooth; it won't be simple.  There will be frustrations. There will be times when you guys are mad at me -- (laughter) -- and I'll occasionally read about it.  But as long as we keep in mind why we came here in the first place; as long as we think back to whatever inspired each of us to say, maybe I can give something back, maybe I can make a difference, maybe my purpose here on Earth is not just thinking about what's in it for me, but thinking about what's in it for the broader community -- for my neighborhood, for my state, for my country -- if we keep that in mind every single day, I have no doubt that we will continue the extraordinary progress that we've made already.  
 
And as a byproduct of doing that good work and keeping that focus, I would expect that Nancy Pelosi is going to be Speaker again pretty soon.  (Applause.)   
 
All right?  So thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)
 
 
END
1:12 P.M. EST

Close Transcript

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Sarah Jewell, of Washington, to be Secretary of the Interior, vice Kenneth Lee Salazar.

Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, vice Donald M. Berwick, resigned.

Mary Jo White, of New York, to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission for the remainder of the term expiring June 5, 2014, vice Mary L. Schapiro, resigned.

Mary Jo White, of New York, to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange Commission for a term expiring June 5, 2019. (Reappointment)

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 07, 2013

Presidential Nominations Sent to the Senate

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:

Raymond T. Chen, of Maryland, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit, vice Richard Linn, retired.

Todd M. Hughes, of the District of Columbia, to be United States Circuit Judge for the Federal Circuit, vice William C. Bryson, retired.

President Obama Speaks at the National Prayer Breakfast

February 07, 2013 | 18:03 | Public Domain

President Obama delivers remarks at the 2013 National Prayer Breakfast.

Download mp4 (667MB) | mp3 (44MB)

Read the Transcript

Remarks by the President at House Democratic Issues Conference

 

Lansdowne Resort
Leesburg, Virginia
 
 
12:49 P.M. EST
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat.  Xavier, thank you for that very gracious introduction and your outstanding leadership.  
 
Let me begin by saying that I could not be happier that one of my most important friends and partners is still leading our Democrats in the House of Representatives.  I love Nancy Pelosi. Give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  Love Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  Also, she just generates good-looking grandbabies.  (Laughter.)  They're all so handsome and sharp and beautiful.  
 
To Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn, as well as Xavier and Joe Crowley, thank you so much for the great work that you guys are doing each and every day.  And to Steve Israel, who worked tirelessly to bring on 49 new outstanding members of this caucus. (Applause.)  I am looking forward to spending time with all 49 of you.  And hopefully we'll be seeing you over at the White House and at various events, but obviously I know that you came here to get something done.  And I am looking forward to working with you every single day to make sure that we're doing right by the people who sent us here.
 
Now, I actually just changed the format here.  I called an audible -- because originally the way this was scheduled was I was just going to talk and then I was going to shake some hands, and I thought, since this is not a shy bunch, it might make sense for me to take some questions and some advice I'm sure you guys have for me.  (Laughter.)  So what I'm going to do is I'm just going to make s few points at the top, and then what I'd like is maybe Xavier or Steve or somebody can come up here, you can call on folks, and we'll spend a little time with Q&A before I get a chance to say hello to everybody.  
 
And part of the reason I want to keep my remarks short is because I just made a pretty long speech a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about to make another next week, and I don’t want you guys tired of me.  (Laughter.)  
 
But, obviously, I'm deeply grateful to have been reelected, and I'm humbled by the support that I received from all across the country.  (Applause.)  And I said at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning -- and I was telling the truth -- I genuinely am humbled.  The fascinating thing about this job is the longer you're in it, the more humble you get, and the more you recognize your own imperfections.  And you try to make up with effort and hard work those gaps in your personality or your intelligence that become so apparent to everybody on the daily news every day.  (Laughter.)  
 
But even as I think it’s important to be humbled by the privilege of this office and the privilege of serving in the United States Congress, even as it’s important not to read too much into any particular political victory -- because this country is big, it is diverse, it is contentious, and we don’t have a monopoly on wisdom, and we need to remember that -- despite all those things, I think it’s also important for us to feel confident and bold about the values we care about and what we stand for.  
 
And I tried to do that in my inauguration speech, and I’m hoping that we all do that over the next four years.  Because when I think about what it means to be a Democrat in this day and age, I start with the basic proposition that we are all created equal, that we’re all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.  And my governing philosophy and my interest in public service grows out of how we make that union more perfect for more people, day in, day out.  
 
And that starts with an economy that works for everybody.  Throughout my campaign, and throughout many of your campaigns, we talked about this bedrock notion that our economy succeeds and our economy grows when everybody is getting a fair shot and everybody is getting a fair shake and everybody is playing by the same rules.  That we have an economy in which we’re growing a vibrant middle class -- that it grows from the middle out and the bottom up, not from the top down.  
 
And over the next four years as I work with this caucus and every caucus, the question I will ask myself on every item, every issue is, is this helping to make sure that everybody has got a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules.  Because I believe that is a growth agenda -- not just an equity agenda, not just a fairness agenda  -- that is a growth agenda.  That is when we have grown fastest.  
And that means that what you’ll hear from me next week, I’m going to be talking about making sure that we’re focused on job creation here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  It means that we’re focused on education and that every young person is equipped with the skills they need to compete in the 21st century.  (Applause.)  It means that we’ve got an energy agenda that can make us less dependent on foreign oil, but also that we’re cultivating the kind of clean energy strategy that will maintain our leadership well into the future.  
 
It means that we’re going to talk about, yes, deficits and taxes and sequesters and potential government shutdowns and debt ceiling -- we’ll talk about that stuff, but all from the perspective of how are we making sure that somebody who works hard in this country -- a cop, or a teacher, or a construction worker, or a receptionist -- that they can make it if they work hard, and that their kids can make it and dream even bigger dreams than they have achieved.
 
And obviously a lot of what we’ll be working on initially over the next few weeks is going to be on how do we deal with the sequester issue.  And I just want to make this quick point.  I had a press conference this week in which I reiterated I am prepared, eager, and anxious to do a big deal, a big package that ends this “governance by crisis” -- (applause) -- where every two weeks or every two months or every six months, we are threatening this hard-won recovery -- where finally housing is starting to pick up, and commercial real estate is starting to do better, and the unemployment numbers are still too high, but we’re seeing some job growth, and businesses are investing and manufacturing is doing well -- and we continue to have these self-inflicted crises here in Washington that suddenly leads everybody to tap the brakes.  
 
And so what I said this week was I want to do something big to provide certainty and steadiness for the economy and for American families.  And that means a balanced package that will reduce our long-term deficit and debt, but that still allows us to invest in those things that we need to grow right now -- (applause) -- because that's also a deficit reduction agenda, us growing faster.
 
And in order to have a balanced package, that means that -- we’ve already done a lot of cuts.  We’ve done some revenue now.  And so the rest of the way moving forward, we can do some additional reforms, and make our health care programs work better and make them more efficient, and we can cut our programs that we don't need.  But it also means that we’ve got to be able to close some tax loopholes and deductions that the average American cannot take advantage of, to raise the revenue to actually do the job in a way that allows us to continue to grow.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, the reason this is relevant is because I gather -- and I haven’t gotten this from firsthand sources, but from secondhand sources in the press -- that our friends on the other side of the aisle, their position is:  We’re concerned about the sequester.  We recognize that just cutting the federal spending with a meat ax, as opposed to scalpel is probably damaging -- it will damage our national security; it will damage our educational system.  We'll have kids getting kicked off of Head Start.  It will mean people who have disabled kids suddenly having less help.
 
They recognize that the sequester is a bad idea, but what they’ve suggested is that the only way to replace it now is for us to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, and not close a single loophole, not raise any additional revenue from the wealthiest Americans or corporations who have a lot of lawyers and accountants who are able to maneuver and manage and work and game the system.  
 
And I have to tell you, if that's an argument that they want to have before the court of public opinion, that is an argument I'm more than willing to engage in.  (Applause.)  Because I believe the American people understand that, yes, we need to reduce the deficit, but it shouldn’t just be on the backs of seniors; it shouldn’t just be on the backs of young people who are trying to get a college education; it should not just be on the backs of parents who are trying to give their kids a better start in life; that all of us have to participate -- and that if, in fact, it’s important for us to make sure we've got a strong national defense and that we reduce our spending in a smart way, we sure as heck should be willing to ask those of us who are luckiest in this society to close a few loopholes and deductions that the average American doesn’t get.  
 
And if that's the choice that we've got, I promise you we can win that debate because we're on the right side of this argument.  And I expect that you guys will be with me on that.  (Applause.) 
 
Last point I'll make -- obviously economic growth is a priority.  But making sure that we're opening up opportunity for everybody is also important.  And that's why immigration reform is so critical.  (Applause.)  I said this is going to be a top priority and an early priority of my administration.  I am heartened to see Republicans and Democrats starting to be in a serious conversation about getting this done.  Now is the time.
 
I recognize that the politics aren't always easy.  There are regional variations.  I understand that in some places this may end up being a tough issue.  But what I also know is that part of our strength is our youth and our dynamism, and our history for attracting talent from all around the globe.  And I've seen that talent in some of the young DREAMers that I've met who want to serve in our military, want to get an engineering degree, want to help build this country, want to start a business.  And I want to make sure that that American future is secured.
 
So we need to get immigration reform done.  And I'm going to be pushing hard to get it done early.  (Applause.)  
 
And we're also going to have to make sure that we keep the American people safe, which means that we're going to continue to work, even as we draw down our troops in Afghanistan, to go after those who would attack America.  
 
And we've got to be mindful about steps we can take to end the cycle of gun violence in this country.  And we should do so  -- (applause) -- recognizing that, again, there are regional differences here and we should respect those, and guns mean something different for somebody who grew up on a farm in a rural community than somebody who grew up in an inner city and they’re different realities and we have to respect them.  But what we know is the majority of responsible gun owners recognize we cannot have a situation in which 20 more of our children, or a 100 more of our children, or a 1,000 more of our children are shot and killed in a senseless fashion, and that there are some common-sense steps that we can take and build a consensus around. And we cannot shy away from taking those steps.
 
So the bottom line is this, people -- we've got a lot of work to do.  What we've learned over the last four years -- at least what I've learned over the last four years -- is that it won't be smooth; it won't be simple.  There will be frustrations. There will be times when you guys are mad at me -- (laughter) -- and I'll occasionally read about it.  But as long as we keep in mind why we came here in the first place; as long as we think back to whatever inspired each of us to say, maybe I can give something back, maybe I can make a difference, maybe my purpose here on Earth is not just thinking about what's in it for me, but thinking about what's in it for the broader community -- for my neighborhood, for my state, for my country -- if we keep that in mind every single day, I have no doubt that we will continue the extraordinary progress that we've made already.  
 
And as a byproduct of doing that good work and keeping that focus, I would expect that Nancy Pelosi is going to be Speaker again pretty soon.  (Applause.)   
 
All right?  So thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)
 
 
END
1:12 P.M. EST

Close Transcript

President Obama Calls for Humility at the National Prayer Breakfast

Matt Compton
Matt Compton
February 07, 2013
03:37 PM EDT
President Obama addresses the National Prayer Breakfast (February 7, 2013)

President Barack Obama addresses the National Prayer Breakfast at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C., Feb. 7, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

In discussing his faith at the National Prayer Breakfast, President Obama made a call for humility -- a trait which, he noted, Washington could embrace more fully.

"In a democracy as big and as diverse as ours, we will encounter every opinion," he said. "And our task as citizens -- whether we are leaders in government or business or spreading the word -- is to spend our days with open hearts and open minds; to seek out the truth that exists in an opposing view and to find the common ground that allows for us as a nation, as a people, to take real and meaningful action. And we have to do that humbly, for no one can know the full and encompassing mind of God. And we have to do it every day, not just at a prayer breakfast."

Presidential attendance at the breakfast is a long-standing tradition, and this is President Obama's fifth appearance.

Read his full remarks here. 

Related Topics: Faith Based, Washington

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 07, 2013

Remarks by the President at House Democratic Issues Conference

 

Lansdowne Resort
Leesburg, Virginia
 
 
12:49 P.M. EST
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Please have a seat.  Xavier, thank you for that very gracious introduction and your outstanding leadership.  
 
Let me begin by saying that I could not be happier that one of my most important friends and partners is still leading our Democrats in the House of Representatives.  I love Nancy Pelosi. Give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  Love Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  Also, she just generates good-looking grandbabies.  (Laughter.)  They're all so handsome and sharp and beautiful.  
 
To Steny Hoyer and Jim Clyburn, as well as Xavier and Joe Crowley, thank you so much for the great work that you guys are doing each and every day.  And to Steve Israel, who worked tirelessly to bring on 49 new outstanding members of this caucus. (Applause.)  I am looking forward to spending time with all 49 of you.  And hopefully we'll be seeing you over at the White House and at various events, but obviously I know that you came here to get something done.  And I am looking forward to working with you every single day to make sure that we're doing right by the people who sent us here.
 
Now, I actually just changed the format here.  I called an audible -- because originally the way this was scheduled was I was just going to talk and then I was going to shake some hands, and I thought, since this is not a shy bunch, it might make sense for me to take some questions and some advice I'm sure you guys have for me.  (Laughter.)  So what I'm going to do is I'm just going to make s few points at the top, and then what I'd like is maybe Xavier or Steve or somebody can come up here, you can call on folks, and we'll spend a little time with Q&A before I get a chance to say hello to everybody.  
 
And part of the reason I want to keep my remarks short is because I just made a pretty long speech a couple of weeks ago, and I'm about to make another next week, and I don’t want you guys tired of me.  (Laughter.)  
 
But, obviously, I'm deeply grateful to have been reelected, and I'm humbled by the support that I received from all across the country.  (Applause.)  And I said at the National Prayer Breakfast this morning -- and I was telling the truth -- I genuinely am humbled.  The fascinating thing about this job is the longer you're in it, the more humble you get, and the more you recognize your own imperfections.  And you try to make up with effort and hard work those gaps in your personality or your intelligence that become so apparent to everybody on the daily news every day.  (Laughter.)  
 
But even as I think it’s important to be humbled by the privilege of this office and the privilege of serving in the United States Congress, even as it’s important not to read too much into any particular political victory -- because this country is big, it is diverse, it is contentious, and we don’t have a monopoly on wisdom, and we need to remember that -- despite all those things, I think it’s also important for us to feel confident and bold about the values we care about and what we stand for.  
 
And I tried to do that in my inauguration speech, and I’m hoping that we all do that over the next four years.  Because when I think about what it means to be a Democrat in this day and age, I start with the basic proposition that we are all created equal, that we’re all endowed by our Creator with certain inalienable rights.  And my governing philosophy and my interest in public service grows out of how we make that union more perfect for more people, day in, day out.  
 
And that starts with an economy that works for everybody.  Throughout my campaign, and throughout many of your campaigns, we talked about this bedrock notion that our economy succeeds and our economy grows when everybody is getting a fair shot and everybody is getting a fair shake and everybody is playing by the same rules.  That we have an economy in which we’re growing a vibrant middle class -- that it grows from the middle out and the bottom up, not from the top down.  
 
And over the next four years as I work with this caucus and every caucus, the question I will ask myself on every item, every issue is, is this helping to make sure that everybody has got a fair shot and everybody is doing their fair share, and everybody is playing by the same rules.  Because I believe that is a growth agenda -- not just an equity agenda, not just a fairness agenda  -- that is a growth agenda.  That is when we have grown fastest.  
And that means that what you’ll hear from me next week, I’m going to be talking about making sure that we’re focused on job creation here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)  It means that we’re focused on education and that every young person is equipped with the skills they need to compete in the 21st century.  (Applause.)  It means that we’ve got an energy agenda that can make us less dependent on foreign oil, but also that we’re cultivating the kind of clean energy strategy that will maintain our leadership well into the future.  
 
It means that we’re going to talk about, yes, deficits and taxes and sequesters and potential government shutdowns and debt ceiling -- we’ll talk about that stuff, but all from the perspective of how are we making sure that somebody who works hard in this country -- a cop, or a teacher, or a construction worker, or a receptionist -- that they can make it if they work hard, and that their kids can make it and dream even bigger dreams than they have achieved.
 
And obviously a lot of what we’ll be working on initially over the next few weeks is going to be on how do we deal with the sequester issue.  And I just want to make this quick point.  I had a press conference this week in which I reiterated I am prepared, eager, and anxious to do a big deal, a big package that ends this “governance by crisis” -- (applause) -- where every two weeks or every two months or every six months, we are threatening this hard-won recovery -- where finally housing is starting to pick up, and commercial real estate is starting to do better, and the unemployment numbers are still too high, but we’re seeing some job growth, and businesses are investing and manufacturing is doing well -- and we continue to have these self-inflicted crises here in Washington that suddenly leads everybody to tap the brakes.  
 
And so what I said this week was I want to do something big to provide certainty and steadiness for the economy and for American families.  And that means a balanced package that will reduce our long-term deficit and debt, but that still allows us to invest in those things that we need to grow right now -- (applause) -- because that's also a deficit reduction agenda, us growing faster.
 
And in order to have a balanced package, that means that -- we’ve already done a lot of cuts.  We’ve done some revenue now.  And so the rest of the way moving forward, we can do some additional reforms, and make our health care programs work better and make them more efficient, and we can cut our programs that we don't need.  But it also means that we’ve got to be able to close some tax loopholes and deductions that the average American cannot take advantage of, to raise the revenue to actually do the job in a way that allows us to continue to grow.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, the reason this is relevant is because I gather -- and I haven’t gotten this from firsthand sources, but from secondhand sources in the press -- that our friends on the other side of the aisle, their position is:  We’re concerned about the sequester.  We recognize that just cutting the federal spending with a meat ax, as opposed to scalpel is probably damaging -- it will damage our national security; it will damage our educational system.  We'll have kids getting kicked off of Head Start.  It will mean people who have disabled kids suddenly having less help.
 
They recognize that the sequester is a bad idea, but what they’ve suggested is that the only way to replace it now is for us to cut Social Security, cut Medicare, and not close a single loophole, not raise any additional revenue from the wealthiest Americans or corporations who have a lot of lawyers and accountants who are able to maneuver and manage and work and game the system.  
 
And I have to tell you, if that's an argument that they want to have before the court of public opinion, that is an argument I'm more than willing to engage in.  (Applause.)  Because I believe the American people understand that, yes, we need to reduce the deficit, but it shouldn’t just be on the backs of seniors; it shouldn’t just be on the backs of young people who are trying to get a college education; it should not just be on the backs of parents who are trying to give their kids a better start in life; that all of us have to participate -- and that if, in fact, it’s important for us to make sure we've got a strong national defense and that we reduce our spending in a smart way, we sure as heck should be willing to ask those of us who are luckiest in this society to close a few loopholes and deductions that the average American doesn’t get.  
 
And if that's the choice that we've got, I promise you we can win that debate because we're on the right side of this argument.  And I expect that you guys will be with me on that.  (Applause.) 
 
Last point I'll make -- obviously economic growth is a priority.  But making sure that we're opening up opportunity for everybody is also important.  And that's why immigration reform is so critical.  (Applause.)  I said this is going to be a top priority and an early priority of my administration.  I am heartened to see Republicans and Democrats starting to be in a serious conversation about getting this done.  Now is the time.
 
I recognize that the politics aren't always easy.  There are regional variations.  I understand that in some places this may end up being a tough issue.  But what I also know is that part of our strength is our youth and our dynamism, and our history for attracting talent from all around the globe.  And I've seen that talent in some of the young DREAMers that I've met who want to serve in our military, want to get an engineering degree, want to help build this country, want to start a business.  And I want to make sure that that American future is secured.
 
So we need to get immigration reform done.  And I'm going to be pushing hard to get it done early.  (Applause.)  
 
And we're also going to have to make sure that we keep the American people safe, which means that we're going to continue to work, even as we draw down our troops in Afghanistan, to go after those who would attack America.  
 
And we've got to be mindful about steps we can take to end the cycle of gun violence in this country.  And we should do so  -- (applause) -- recognizing that, again, there are regional differences here and we should respect those, and guns mean something different for somebody who grew up on a farm in a rural community than somebody who grew up in an inner city and they’re different realities and we have to respect them.  But what we know is the majority of responsible gun owners recognize we cannot have a situation in which 20 more of our children, or a 100 more of our children, or a 1,000 more of our children are shot and killed in a senseless fashion, and that there are some common-sense steps that we can take and build a consensus around. And we cannot shy away from taking those steps.
 
So the bottom line is this, people -- we've got a lot of work to do.  What we've learned over the last four years -- at least what I've learned over the last four years -- is that it won't be smooth; it won't be simple.  There will be frustrations. There will be times when you guys are mad at me -- (laughter) -- and I'll occasionally read about it.  But as long as we keep in mind why we came here in the first place; as long as we think back to whatever inspired each of us to say, maybe I can give something back, maybe I can make a difference, maybe my purpose here on Earth is not just thinking about what's in it for me, but thinking about what's in it for the broader community -- for my neighborhood, for my state, for my country -- if we keep that in mind every single day, I have no doubt that we will continue the extraordinary progress that we've made already.  
 
And as a byproduct of doing that good work and keeping that focus, I would expect that Nancy Pelosi is going to be Speaker again pretty soon.  (Applause.)   
 
All right?  So thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)
 
 
END
1:12 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 07, 2013

President Obama Nominates Two to Serve on the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama nominated Raymond T. Chen and Todd M. Hughes to the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

" Raymond T. Chen and Todd M. Hughes have displayed exceptional dedication to public service throughout their careers," President Obama said. "I am honored to nominate them today to serve the American people on the United States Court of Appeals. I am confident that they will be judicious and esteemed additions to the Federal Circuit."

 

Raymond T. Chen:  Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Raymond T. Chen currently serves as the Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property Law and Solicitor for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), a position he has held since 2008. 

Chen received his B.S. in electrical engineering in 1990 from the University of California, Los Angeles, and his J.D. in 1994 from the New York University School of Law.  After graduating from law school, he joined Knobbe, Martens, Olson & Bear, a boutique intellectual property law firm in Irvine, California, where he prosecuted patents and represented clients in intellectual property litigation.  From 1996 to 1998, Chen served as a Technical Assistant at the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, performing the functions of a staff attorney.  At the end of his two-year term, he joined the USPTO as Associate Solicitor and remained in that role until his promotion to Solicitor in 2008.   Since joining the USPTO, Chen has represented the agency in numerous appeals before the Federal Circuit and personally argued over 20 cases, issued guidance to patent examiners to ensure consistency with developing law, advised the agency on legal and policy issues, and helped promulgate regulations.  He has co-chaired the Patent and Trademark Office Committee of the Federal Circuit Bar Association and is a member of the Advisory Council for the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. 

 

Todd M. Hughes:  Nominee for the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit

Todd M. Hughes is Deputy Director of the Commercial Litigation Branch of the Civil Division at the United States Department of Justice, a position he has held since 2007.  He also has served as an adjunct lecturer in law with the Cleveland-Marshall College of Law and as an instructor for Duke University’s writing program. 

Hughes received his A.B. from Harvard College in 1989 and completed a joint degree program with Duke University, earning both his J.D. with honors and his M.A. in English in 1992.  After graduating from law school, Hughes clerked for the Honorable Robert B. Krupansky of the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit.  In 1994, he joined the Commercial Litigation Branch as a trial attorney.  Five years later, he was appointed to be Assistant Director for Commercial Litigation, a role he held until assuming the title of Deputy Director in 2007.  Throughout his career with the Department of Justice, Hughes’s practice has been devoted to matters of federal personnel law, veterans’ benefits, international trade, government contracts, and jurisdictional issues regarding the United States Court of Federal Claims.  He has extensive experience before the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the United States Court of International Trade, and the United States Court of Federal Claims, and he has garnered a number of special commendations from the Department of Justice and a special contribution award from the Department of Veterans Affairs. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 07, 2013

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney, 2/7/2013

 

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room
 
 
10:07 A.M. EST
 
MR. CARNEY:  Good morning, everyone.  I wanted to give you a little information before I take your questions in this off-camera gaggle.  
 
Well, first of all, as you know, the President will be speaking in an open press event to House Democrats in Leesburg later today, so you’ll have that to look forward to.
 
Also today, senior administration officials will meet with businesses association groups and small business association groups here at the White House.  Valerie Jarrett, Jeff Zients, Gene Sperling, and Alan Krueger will be in attendance.  The larger business association meeting takes place right about now.  How about that?  And it includes representatives from the Chamber of Commerce, the American Bankers Association, the Retail Industry Leaders Association, the Business Roundtable, the Financial Services Roundtable, and the National Retail Federation.  I think we provided you a full list of participants, so I will not take up time reading them.
 
In the afternoon, the same senior administration officials will meet with representatives from a number of smaller business associations, including the Small Business Majority, the NFIB, the National Association of Women Business Owners, and others.  The groups will discuss the President’s efforts to find a balanced approach to reduce the deficit and avoid the devastating effects of the sequester along with the discussion of the President’s approach to comprehensive immigration reform and how it fits into our broader economic agenda.
 
And with that, I go to your questions.  Mr. AP.
 
Q    Thanks, Jay.  Senator Hagel’s confirmation vote has been postponed with Republicans saying they need more information from him.  Should Senator Hagel provide Congress with more information about his past activities?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, Senator Hagel has provided extensive information about his activities.  I’m not sure which activities you’re referring to.  I think there’s been a question about past speeches.  And as you know, Senator Hagel has conducted an exhaustive search for all of his speaking engagements over the past five years, as the committee requested.  He has provided all available prepared texts and transcripts from those speeches to the committee.  There are some speeches that Senator Hagel gave for which there were no prepared remarks and no transcripts.  A list of those speeches has also been provided to the committee.
 
So the broader issue here is we continue to expect the Senate to act quickly to confirm Senator Hagel.  As you know, since his confirmation hearing, more senators on both sides of the aisle have announced their support for his confirmation.  That includes Senators Johanns, Harkin, Gillibrand, Begich, Udall, Hagan, and Blumenthal.  
 
We continue to urge the Senate to move quickly.  This is a uniquely qualified nominee for the position of Secretary of Defense, A.  And B, the position of Secretary of Defense needs to be filled.  It’s a vital position at a time when we are still at war in Afghanistan with 66,000 men and women in uniform.  And with all the other issues that our Defense Department has to deal with, we need that position filled.
 
Q    But you don’t feel that his confirmation might be expedited if he provides a little more information that these people are saying --
 
MR. CARNEY:  Again, I think he has provided extensive information.  If someone gives a speech within -- I know I have in my life given a speech without any prepared remarks, and prior to this elaborate setup, nobody was transcribing them.  I know that he’s provided exhaustive information to this committee and will continue to do so.
 
Q    Senator Wyden says that the President told him last night that he’s going to launch an extensive public discussion about how the government can or cannot target Americans.  Can you explain what a public discussion about such a sensitive security topic would like?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, that discussion has already been underway, as I’ve noted in recent days, because the President believes these are weighty matters and that the questions about how we move forward in our counterterrorism efforts are so important, and the need to build a legal structure that guides those efforts, that survives and -- in place beyond this administration.  
 
Because of his interest in this, senior administration officials -- among them the Attorney General, John Brennan, counsel from the Defense Department and others -- have given public remarks about this issue that have been part of the very conversation, the discussion in public that the President believes needs to be had.  And that will continue.  So I think that’s what Senator Wyden was referring to.
 
Q    So will he now personally be involved in that?  I mean, will he be personally talking publicly about this?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, as you know, on October 18th, 2012, the President told an interviewer that “One of the things that we’ve got to do” -- and I’m quoting him -- “is put a legal architecture in place and we need congressional help to do that to make sure that not only am I reined in, but any President is reined in, in terms of some of the decisions that we’re making.”  He says -- he goes on to say, “Now there are some tradeoffs.  I mean, there are times when there are bad folks somewhere on the other side of the world and you’ve got to make a call and it’s not optimal.  But when you look at our track record, what we’ve been able to do is say we ended the war in Iraq, we’re winding down the war in Afghanistan, we’ve gone after al Qaeda and its leadership.”  This was in response to a question from an interviewer.
 
So he has talked about this publicly.  I’m sure he will talk about it publicly in the future.
 
Q    Is the “Daily Show” a proper platform for a foreign policy discussion like that?
 
MR. CARNEY:  When the President is asked a question, he answers it.  And I think it is worth going back to the interviews that the President gave during the campaign, and I think you would note that that interview was more substantive than many others.
 
Q    So what was the thinking behind the release of -- the decision to release the classified documents to the intelligence committees, and this being done on the eve of Brennan’s confirmation hearings?  And was there some concern here that the failure to do so might jeopardize the vote for his confirmation?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, in answer to your second question, we believe that John Brennan with his 30 years of service to this country, 25 years at the CIA, his remarkable career in this effort to keep America and Americans safe makes him an ideal candidate to head up the CIA and that he will be confirmed.  
 
As part of the President’s ongoing commitment to consult with Congress on national security matters, the President directed the Department of Justice to provide the congressional Intelligence Committee’s access to classified Office of Legal Counsel advice related to the subject of the Department of Justice white paper that we’ve been discussing these last several days.
 
Since taking office, the President has been committed to consulting Congress, pursuing greater transparency, and building a durable legal framework around our CT efforts -- as I just noted, he’s talked about this publicly.  That’s reflected in recent speeches by the Attorney General and John Brennan and by the disclosure that the military has taken direct action against al Qaeda in Yemen and Somalia.
 
With regards to the decision last night, the President believes that scrutiny and debate about these issues is healthy, and he has said previously that he wants Congress to be a part of our efforts to build a durable legal framework for our counterterrorism efforts.  And we’d note that this is an extraordinary accommodation because of the unique subject matter at issue.
 
Q    Do you know was this strictly coincidental that he releases it on the eve of Brennan’s --
 
MR. CARNEY:  No, I think we -- there has been heightened interest in this -- I mean, there has always been some interest, obviously, but there has been heightened interest.  I think that what you've seen in the -- because of the public disclosure of the white paper, is that that interest reached higher levels than in the past, and therefore this decision was made to make this extraordinary accommodation to provide classified Office of Legal Counsel advice. 
 
The fact of the matter is, as I pointed to the public statements by senior administration officials, the effort to consult with Congress has been ongoing on these matters.  I would point you to an interview that Chairman Rogers gave -- I think I’ve got it here -- the other day, where he spoke about the fact that the necessary members of Congress have been provided information on these matters in advance of specific actions.  And that’s, again, part of the process that the President believes is important.  
 
And then I would point to the publicly-disclosed now white paper from the Department of Justice, which was another effort provided to Congress to explain the legal reasoning -- detached from specific operations -- the legal reasoning that undergirds the matters that we're discussing.
 
Q    Jay, did the classified information being provided to the Senate answer Senator Wyden's questions this morning about whether -- about how much evidence the President needs, whether the person targeted is given a chance to surrender, and whether or not he can order such an attack inside the United States?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, I won't discuss classified information.  I would point to comments that I saw from Senator Wyden that he thought this was a very good development in his view.
 
Q    Well, he called it a step in the right direction, but will it answer his questions?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, again, I would ask you to ask those questions of Senator Wyden.  What I can tell you is that the information is classified Office of Legal Counsel advice related to the subject of targeted attacks that was discussed in the Department of Justice white paper.  We believe that it will provide information to members of Congress that they are seeking.  And I would note, again, pointing to what Chairman Rogers has said, this does not represent the first time that members of Congress have been provided this kind of information.
 
Yes.  Sorry, go ahead.
 
Q    Jay, two questions.  Do you intend -- does the administration intend, in light of this, to release publicly any form of this document -- redacted form of this document so that other interested parties can also participate in this discussion?  And are you going to provide them to the Armed Services Committee and the other committees in Congress that have jurisdiction over other parts of the military that are prosecuting the war on terror?
 
Q    This is not an open-ended process.  This is a specific and unique accommodation in this circumstance.  The fact is, when it comes to public disclosure, we have been -- not with the kind of attention that’s been given it this week -- but we have been publicly discussing these matters at the highest levels of government for the very reason that I’ve given, which is the President understands that these are core issues about how we conduct ourselves in war, how the President of the United States -- any President -- balances his constitutional obligation to protect America and American citizens, and his obligation to do so in a manner that is lawful under the Constitution and reflects our values.
 
The President takes these issues very seriously, and he believes that the conversation about this is valid and that the questions about it are legitimate.  And that's why he has been leading this process internally to -- as has John Brennan, by the way -- to provide public information as much as possible, mindful of the fact that we are talking about here very sensitive matters, and that these kinds of things -- they’re classification -- information is classified for very legitimate reasons that go right to our national security interest.
 
But within that, there is an effort underway to provide Congress information -- those who have oversight over these matters -- classified information as well as unclassified with the white paper and the public information as much as possible.
 
Q    But so, there are legal groups obviously that are highly interested in the sort of fundamental questions that you talked about and the debate you say the President is interested in who say that there is no way to really have those kinds of legal arguments without some form of the documents in question.  So the answer is that those folks should not expect to be seeing any --
 
MR. CARNEY:  Again, this is an extraordinary accommodation because of the unique subject matter at issue, and this is provision of classified OLC advice to members of Congress who have oversight.  The fact is, if they're looking for legal rationales, there has been an effort, and that effort will continue.  I’m not saying that the effort to provide information and engage in this discussion will not continue.  It will.  I’m just not going to address specific classified information beyond the action that was taken last night.
 
Yes.
 
Q    If the President wants a legal architecture, especially one that survives this administration, why doesn't he -- or is he drafting, or is someone here drafting a law? 
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, we’ve been working with Congress on these issues, and we’ll continue to work with Congress.  The broader set that includes, for example, the closure of Guantanamo Bay requires congressional action and congressional cooperation.  So one of the issues here is the need for combined action with Congress to help build that legal structure.
 
Q    So is someone here drafting a law that they would like to see --
 
MR. CARNEY:  Again, I’m not going to get into specific actions -- I called it modalities yesterday -- about how what’s -- (laughter).  I mean, you guys have dictionary.com on your -- 
 
Q    The cameras aren’t on, so you don't have to reuse those big words with us.  (Laughter.) 
 
MR. CARNEY:  But the microphones are on.  No, but we don't have to -- I can't -- I’m not going to send everybody scurrying after somebody writing a piece of legislation.  That's not what I’m talking about here.  I’m just talking about the overall effort here that has, at the President’s direction, been underway to try to develop a framework that, as the President said last fall, reins in not just his authority but Presidents in the future, their authority, and that will guide those who make decisions about these issues well into the future.  The people who hold positions of power now here in the executive branch, but also in Congress, won't be there forever, and there need to be -- but the conflicts that we have, sadly, won't go away in the near term and the methods of war will continue to be with us.  So we need -- the President believes we need to develop a legal architecture to guide that.
 
Q    So I'm right in thinking he would like to see a law at some point?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, again, I don't know what you mean by “a law.”  Because there are a variety of issues that need to be addressed here, including, for example --
 
Q    An architecture is -- it means a law.
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, legal architecture doesn’t mean a law necessarily; it could mean several laws, but it also means guidelines and procedures and processes when it comes to, as we've seen with closing Guantanamo Bay, that requires congressional action because this President remains committed to that, but there has obviously been strong resistance in Congress.
 
Q    Is he going to give a speech on this?
 
MR. CARNEY:  I have no announcements to make about possible remarks.
 
Mr. Collinson.
 
Q    Thanks.  How much concern is there in the White House about the spike in tensions in Asia -- territorial tensions?  Yesterday there was an incident between a Japanese and a Chinese boat.  Today there’s a Russian incursion into Japanese airspace.  
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, I don't have anything in reaction to those specific incidents.  It’s something that we have been monitoring regularly and engaging with our allies in the region about.  We've spoken about the need for peaceful resolution of these disputes in general -- and I'm not referring to any specific one.  But it’s something that we're very focused on because we have an important role to play as a Pacific power and, therefore, we're very engaged in it.
 
Q    Jay, can you confirm that President Obama has committed to do at least 14 Democratic fundraisers this year?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Yes.  
 
Q    And they’re split between the Senate and the House committees -- Democratic committees?
 
MR. CARNEY:  That sounds right.  I don't have the details laid out, but that sounds roughly correct.  
 
Q    How active will he be politically this year?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, I think, again, I would just point you to your own numbers that you just cited, that that -- and then gauge that on your activity meter compared to past Presidents.  (Laughter.)  I think only you probably copyrighted the meter, so it’s  -- (laughter) --
 
Q    It’s still in development.
 
MR. CARNEY:  You need to get a patent on a lot of your work to make sure that none of your colleagues here borrow from it.
 
Yes.
 
Q    This week there have been a lot of White House meetings with business leaders both on immigration and on fiscal issues.  And I wonder, apart from hearing their ideas, what are you looking for from the business community?  What do you want to come out of these meetings from them?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, we gather a lot of information, valuable information in these meetings and discussions with leaders from businesses, small and large.  We discuss a range of topics.  Immigration reform is something that is of great interest to business leaders.  The sequester -- the potential for the sequester kicking in is of great interest and concern as we discussed the other day to business leaders in the defense industry, in particular, but others.  
 
And then, as with all of our engagements with those outside of Washington and outside of this administration and Congress, we’re looking to listen and learn as well as encourage participation in the process of political discourse or policy discourse.
 
Q    Are you specifically asking them to make public statements or engage the members of Congress in areas where they’re based?  I mean, do you want them to become advocates?
 
MR. CARNEY:  No, not that I’m aware of.  I think this is more about -- these are leaders of industry, in some cases leaders of businesses.  These are not people who need to be directed.  When they are passionate about an issue they tend to make their views clear, and that is a good thing in our view, in general.  But when it comes to the specific issues of the need for comprehensive immigration reform or the need to avoid the sequester and the incredibly harmful effects to our economy that would occur if the sequester kicked in, having folks in the business community express their views on that is certainly welcome.
 
Q    What’s the President’s message to House Democrats today?  And is he likely to focus on some of those same themes that we’ll be hearing in the State of the Union?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, I don’t want to preview the President’s State of the Union address, and I don’t need to preview the President’s remarks to the House Democrats since they’re open press, but I think that in general you can expect the President to talk about the issues that confront Congress, the issues that confront the administration.  
 
He is particularly concerned these days, as you heard from him the other day, about the apparent willingness -- almost seeming desire -- by some Republicans to allow the sequester to kick in.  For those not familiar with Washington speak, these are draconian across-the-board spending cuts both in defense and nondefense that would result, if allowed to take place, in substantial job loss and a real hit to the economy and middle-class families, seniors and others.
 
The President made clear the other day that he thinks we should -- first, his overall goal is to achieve a big deal with Republicans on the remaining items that he put forward in his negotiations with the Speaker.  Unfortunately, the Speaker walked away from that, but that deal remains available, is on the table.
 
He also believes that it is imperative that we avoid the sequester, which kicks in in just a few weeks.  And to do that, it is simply a matter of doing what Congress did two months ago, which is agree to a set of -- a balanced set of spending cuts -- and we're talking smaller scale, because we're just buying down the sequester for a short period of time -- but a balanced set of spending cuts and revenues that would avoid the sequester, avoid the economic harm that that would create, and give Congress time to work on a bigger deal through the budget process.
 
There is no reason to do this.  Unfortunately, we heard I think overnight in some reporting that the Speaker has come up with a list of demands that -- of cuts that would have to be in place for him to agree to buy down the sequester.  And guess what?  They're terrible.  They reflect, I think -- I mean, they sort of fly in the face of this whole apparent effort, which seems to be a public relations effort and not a policy effort, to change the way the Republican Party is viewed on these matters.  Because asking -- if you look at the list, and there was an article about this, it's a series of measures that basically say that seniors, middle-class families, disabled kids and others will solely bear the burden of buying down the sequester while the wealthiest get held harmless.
 
I don’t know where Republicans have been of late, but that is not a winning approach.  It is not an approach that the American people support, and it is not an approach that this President will accept.
 
We need balance.  It is not acceptable to say, seniors, the bill is in the mail; bail us out, but those who enjoy the benefit of a loophole for their corporate jets or get subsidies for their large and profitable oil or gas company, we're not going to ask anything of you; but a senior citizen in her 70s on a fixed income who depends on Medicare, or a senior citizen at 65 -- you're going to pay the bill.  That’s what apparently House Republicans are saying, and it's like, we've heard that before.  And the American public said no, thank you.
 
So we need -- we can make tough choices but we have to do it in a way that is balanced and fair for everybody.  That’s the President's approach.
 
Last question.  Brianna.
 
Q    So the Fellowship Foundation, which hosted the prayer breakfast today, has obviously views that are -- they're in support of anti-homosexual measures, including this Ugandan law.  That’s obviously not in line with what the President thinks and he said as much, but why did he still think it was important for him to go?
 
MR. CARNEY:  I confess that I haven't focused on this.  The President, as his predecessors have, participates in this.  He's not responsible for the views of every organization or person who participates.  His views on these issues, as you just noted in your question, are quite clear.
 
Q    But what is the point of going?  Like, when he goes, what is he -- he obviously goes for a reason.
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, I think he speaks about the importance that faith plays in his life, that faith plays in the lives of so many millions of Americans.  And that’s why he goes.  But thank you.  
 
Q    Jay, one more?  State of the Union?
 
MR. CARNEY:  I'm sorry, I've got to run.
 
 
END
10:37 A.M. 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 07, 2013

Remarks by the President at the National Prayer Breakfast

Washington Hilton
Washington, D.C.

 
9:03 A.M. EST
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Please have a seat.
Mark, thank you for that introduction.  I thought he was going to talk about my gray hair.  (Laughter.)  It is true that my daughters are gorgeous.  (Laughter.)  That's because my wife is gorgeous.  (Applause.)  And my goal is to improve my gene pool.
 
To Mark and Jeff, thank you for your wonderful work on behalf of this breakfast.  To all of those who worked so hard to put this together; to the heads of state, members of Congress, and my Cabinet, religious leaders and distinguished guests.  To our outstanding speaker.  To all the faithful who’ve journeyed to our capital, Michelle and I are truly honored to be with you this morning. 
 
Before I begin, I hope people don't mind me taking a moment of personal privilege.  I want to say a quick word about a close friend of mine and yours, Joshua Dubois.  Now, some of you may not know Joshua, but Joshua has been at my side -- in work and in prayer -- for years now.  He is a young reverend, but wise in years.  He’s worked on my staff.  He’s done an outstanding job as the head of our Faith-Based office.  
 
Every morning he sends me via email a daily meditation -- a snippet of Scripture for me to reflect on.  And it has meant the world to me.  And despite my pleas, tomorrow will be his last day in the White House.  So this morning I want to publically thank Joshua for all that he’s done, and I know that everybody joins me in wishing him all the best in his future endeavors -- including getting married.  (Applause.)  
       
It says something about us -- as a nation and as a people -- that every year, for 61 years now, this great prayerful tradition has endured.  It says something about us that every year, in times of triumph and in tragedy, in calm and in crisis, we come together, not as Democrats or Republicans, but as brothers and sisters, and as children of God.  Every year, in the midst of all our busy and noisy lives, we set aside one morning to gather as one community, united in prayer.    
 
We do so because we’re a nation ever humbled by our history, and we’re ever attentive to our imperfections -- particularly the imperfections of our President.  We come together because we're a people of faith.  We know that faith is something that must be cultivated.  Faith is not a possession.  Faith is a process.  
 
I was struck by the passage that was read earlier from the Book of Hebrews:  “Without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and He rewards those who diligently seek Him.”  He rewards those who diligently seek Him -- not just for one moment, or one day, but for every moment, and every day.  
 
As Christians, we place our faith in the nail-scarred hands of Jesus Christ.  But so many other Americans also know the close embrace of faith -- Muslims and Jews, Hindus and Sikhs.  And all Americans -- whether religious or secular -- have a deep and abiding faith in this nation.  
 
Recently I had occasion to reflect on the power of faith.  A few weeks ago, during the inauguration, I was blessed to place my hand on the Bibles of two great Americans, two men whose faith still echoes today.  One was the Bible owned by President Abraham Lincoln, and the other, the Bible owned by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.  As I prepared to take the sacred oath, I thought about these two men, and I thought of how, in times of joy and pain and uncertainty, they turned to their Bibles to seek the wisdom of God’s word -- and thought of how, for as long as we’ve been a nation, so many of our leaders, our Presidents, and our preachers, our legislators and our jurists have done the same.  Each one faced their own challenges; each one finding in Scripture their own lessons from the Lord.  
 
And as I was looking out on the crowd during the inauguration I thought of Dr. King.  We often think of him standing tall in front of the endless crowds, stirring the nation’s conscience with a bellowing voice and a mighty dream.  But I also thought of his doubts and his fears, for those moments came as well -- the lonely moments when he was left to confront the presence of long-festering injustice and undisguised hate; imagined the darkness and the doubt that must have surrounded him when he was in that Birmingham jail, and the anger that surely rose up in him the night his house was bombed with his wife and child inside, and the grief that shook him as he eulogized those four precious girls taken from this Earth as they gathered in a house of God. 
 
And I was reminded that, yes, Dr. King was a man of audacious hope and a man of relentless optimism.  But he was always -- he was also a man occasionally brought to his knees in fear and in doubt and in helplessness.  And in those moments, we know that he retreated alone to a quiet space so he could reflect and he could pray and he could grow his faith. 
 
And I imagine he turned to certain verses that we now read. I imagine him reflecting on Isaiah, that we wait upon the Lord; that the Lord shall renew those who wait; that they shall mount up with wings as eagles, and they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.  
 
We know that in Scripture, Dr. King found strength; in the Bible, he found conviction.  In the words of God, he found a truth about the dignity of man that, once realized, he never relinquished.  
 
We know Lincoln had such moments as well.  To see this country torn apart, to see his fellow citizens waging a ferocious war that pitted brother against brother, family against family -- that was as heavy a burden as any President will ever have to bear.  
 
We know Lincoln constantly met with troops and visited the wounded and honored the dead.  And the toll mounted day after day, week after week.  And you can see in the lines of his face the toll that the war cost him.  But he did not break.  Even as he buried a beloved son, he did not break.  Even as he struggled to overcome melancholy, despair, grief, he did not break.  
 
And we know that he surely found solace in Scripture; that he could acknowledge his own doubts, that he was humbled in the face of the Lord.  And that, I think, allowed him to become a better leader.  It’s what allowed him in what may be one of the greatest speeches ever written, in his second Inaugural, to describe the Union and the Confederate soldier alike -- both reading the same Bible, both prayed to the same God, but “the prayers of both could not be answered.  That of neither has been answered fully.  The Almighty has His own purposes.”
 
In Lincoln’s eyes, the power of faith was humbling, allowing us to embrace our limits in knowing God’s will.  And as a consequence, he was able to see God in those who vehemently opposed him. 
 
Today, the divisions in this country are, thankfully, not as deep or destructive as when Lincoln led, but they are real.  The differences in how we hope to move our nation forward are less pronounced than when King marched, but they do exist.  And as we debate what is right and what is just, what is the surest way to create a more hopeful -- for our children -- how we're going to reduce our deficit, what kind of tax plans we're going to have, how we're going to make sure that every child is getting a great education -- and, Doctor, it is very encouraging to me that you turned out so well by your mom not letting you watch TV.  I'm going to tell my daughters that when they complain.  (Laughter.) In the midst of all these debates, we must keep that same humility that Dr. King and Lincoln and Washington and all our great leaders understood is at the core of true leadership.  
 
In a democracy as big and as diverse as ours, we will encounter every opinion.  And our task as citizens -- whether we are leaders in government or business or spreading the word -- is to spend our days with open hearts and open minds; to seek out the truth that exists in an opposing view and to find the common ground that allows for us as a nation, as a people, to take real and meaningful action.  And we have to do that humbly, for no one can know the full and encompassing mind of God.  And we have to do it every day, not just at a prayer breakfast.  
 
I have to say this is now our fifth prayer breakfast and it is always just a wonderful event.  But I do worry sometimes that as soon as we leave the prayer breakfast, everything we've been talking about the whole time at the prayer breakfast seems to be forgotten -- on the same day of the prayer breakfast.  (Laughter.)  I mean, you'd like to think that the shelf life wasn't so short.  (Laughter.)  But I go back to the Oval Office and I start watching the cable news networks and it's like we didn’t pray.  (Laughter.)  
 
And so my hope is that humility, that that carries over every day, every moment.  While God may reveal His plan to us in portions, the expanse of His plan is for God, and God alone, to understand.  “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face; now I know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known.”  Until that moment, until we know, and are fully known, all we can do is live our lives in a Godly way and assume that those we deal with every day, including those in an opposing party, they're groping their way, doing their best, going through the same struggles we're going through. 
 
And in that pursuit, we are blessed with guidance.  God has told us how He wishes for us to spend our days.  His Commandments are there to be followed.  Jesus is there to guide us; the Holy Spirit, to help us.  Love the Lord God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  Love your neighbor as yourself.  See in everyone, even in those with whom you disagree most vehemently, the face of God.  For we are all His children.  
 
That’s what I thought of as I took the oath of office a few weeks ago and touched those Bibles -- the comfort that Scripture gave Lincoln and King and so many leaders throughout our history; the verses they cherished, and how those words of God are there for us as well, waiting to be read any day that we choose.  I thought about how their faith gave them the strength to meet the challenges of their time, just as our faith can give us the strength to meet the challenges of ours.  And most of all, I thought about their humility, and how we don’t seem to live that out the way we should, every day, even when we give lip service to it. 
 
As President, sometimes I have to search for the words to console the inconsolable.  Sometimes I search Scripture to determine how best to balance life as a President and as a husband and as a father.  I often search for Scripture to figure out how I can be a better man as well as a better President.  And I believe that we are united in these struggles.  But I also believe that we are united in the knowledge of a redeeming Savior, whose grace is sufficient for the multitude of our sins, and whose love is never failing.  
 
And most of all, I know that all Americans -- men and women of different faiths and, yes, those of no faith that they can name -- are, nevertheless, joined together in common purpose, believing in something that is bigger than ourselves, and the ideals that lie at the heart of our nation’s founding -- that as a people we are bound together.   
 
And so this morning, let us summon the common resolve that comes from our faith.  Let us pray to God that we may be worthy of the many blessings He has bestowed upon our nation.  Let us retain that humility not just during this hour but for every hour.  And let me suggest that those of us with the most power and influence need to be the most humble.  And let us promise Him and to each other, every day as the sun rises over America that it will rise over a people who are striving to make this a more perfect union.  
 
Thank you.  God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 
 
 
END
9:21 A.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
February 06, 2013

Readout of White House and Department of Homeland Security Officials’ Meeting with Law Enforcement on Comprehensive Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, DC – White House Domestic Policy Council (DPC) Director Cecilia Muñoz, Secretary of Homeland Security (DHS) Janet Napolitano, Assistant Secretary of Homeland Security Alan Bersin and Acting Associate Attorney General Tony West met with law enforcement officials from across the country today at the White House’s Eisenhower Executive Office Building to discuss the need for commonsense reform to fix our nation’s broken immigration system. DPC Director Muñoz outlined the principles at the heart of the President’s proposal: continuing to strengthen border security, cracking down on employers that hire undocumented workers, creating a pathway to earned citizenship, and streamlining our legal immigration system. Secretary Napolitano highlighted the Department’s work with local law enforcement to enforce immigration laws while securing our borders, and noted that in order to continue making progress, we need to modernize our immigration laws.

Secretary Napolitano also highlighted the significant progress that has been made as the Administration has dedicated historic levels of personnel, technology, and resources to the Southwest border over the last four years, and undertaken an unprecedented effort to transform our nation's immigration enforcement systems into one that focuses on public safety, border security, and the integrity of the immigration system. Attempts to cross the border illegally totaled nearly 365,000 nationwide in FY 2012, representing a nearly 50 percent decrease since FY 2008 and a 78 percent decrease from their peak in FY 2000; and that from FY 2009 to 2012, CBP and ICE seized 71 percent more currency, 39 percent more drugs, and 189 percent more weapons along the Southwest border as compared to FY 2005 to 2008.

The Secretary made it clear that commonsense immigration reform is the single best step we can take to continue to enhance border security, enabling our officers and agents along the border to spend the bulk of their time focused on public safety and national security threats. Law enforcement officials agreed that immigration reform will strengthen trust between communities and law enforcement agencies, and allow officers to focus resources on public safety. 

Participants in today’s meeting included: Los Angeles County, Calif. Sheriff Leroy Baca; former New York Police Department/Los Angeles Police Department Chief of Police Bill Bratton; Calhoun County, Ala. Sheriff Larry Amerson; Oakwood, Ohio Chief of Police Alex Bebris; Loudoun County, Va. Sheriff Michael L. Chapman; Harris County, Texas Sheriff Adrian Garcia; Fremont, Calif. Police Chief and International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) President Craig Steckler; Tuscaloosa County, Ala. Sheriff Edmund Sexton; Cambridge, Mass. Police Department Commissioner Robert Haas; Vermont State Police Director Thomas L’Esperance; Montgomery County, Md. Chief of Police Thomas Manger; Cook County, Ill. Homeland  Security Executive Director Michael Masters; Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority Superintendent-in-Chief Joseph O’Connor; Arlington County, Va. Chief of Police Douglas Scott; Utah Department of Public Safety Deputy Commissioner Keith Squires; IACP Director of the Research Division John Firman; Police Executive Research Forum Chief of Staff Andrea Luna; and Prince George's County, Md. Assistant Chief of Police Kevin Davis.

On Feb. 4-5, Secretary Napolitano traveled to San Diego, California and Clint and El Paso, Texas to inspect border security operations at the Southwest border, meet with state and local stakeholders, and discuss the Department’s on-going efforts to secure the border while facilitating lawful travel and trade. 

For more information on the President’s proposal and how it would help officers and agents along the border better focus on combating public safety and national security threats by continuing to build upon the progress already made – including by investing in ports of entry, and making it harder for transnational criminal organizations to operate, click HERE. For more information on the Department of Homeland Security visit www.DHS.gov.