Home • Weekly Address: Now Is The Time to Take Action Against Gun Violence

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

January 20, 2013

Remarks by the President, the Vice President, the First Lady and Dr. Biden at Inaugural Reception

The Building Museum
Washington, D.C.

8:48 P.M. EST

DR. BIDEN: Good evening, everyone. Thank you so much for joining us tonight. But more than that, thank you for the kindness, friendship and support that you’ve shown us since we’ve begun this long journey together. We wouldn’t be here without your help, and that means so much to me and Joe.

Joe and I are thrilled, and I know you feel the same way, to have Barack Obama as our President for another four years -- (applause) -- and Michelle as First Lady. (Applause.) And I may be a little biased, but I couldn’t think of a better man than my husband to help our President lead our country for the next four years. (Applause.) As long as he has the privilege of serving this nation, I know that Joe will keep fighting for American people every day.

Ladies and gentlemen, please join me in welcoming my husband, our Vice President, Joe Biden. (Applause.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT: I’m going to move this away, baby.

Hello, I'm Jill Biden’s husband, and I’m delighted to be with you all here. (Laughter.) Let me begin with the simplest of statements: Thank you. (Applause.) Thank you, thank you, thank you. You’re the only reason that we are here. Thank you for your support. Thank you for being here. And most of all, thank you for believing in us.

Ladies and gentlemen, I’ve been honored to serve as Vice President. But I’ve been especially honored to serve as Barack Obama’s Vice President. (Applause.) This man has already done an absolutely remarkable job: Historic health care reform, two Supreme Court appointees -- Justice Sonya Sotomayor and Elaine Kagan -- ending the war in Iraq and about to end the war in Afghanistan -- (applause) -- and stating forthrightly his support for marriage equality. (Applause.) And I want you to know something else about this guy Barack Obama -- he’s just getting started. He’s just getting started. (Applause.)

In the weeks and months ahead, we’re going to reduce gun violence here in America. (Applause.) We’re going to pass comprehensive immigration reform. (Applause.) And we’re going to put this nation’s economy on a sustainable path to the future.

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s my great honor to introduce you to a magnificent, a truly magnificent First Lady Michelle Obama, and the guy she hangs out with -- my friend, President Barack Obama. (Applause.)

Hey. (Laughter and applause.) I thought you weren’t coming out. (Laughter.) I thought you weren’t coming. (Laughter.)

MRS. OBAMA: Hi, everybody. (Applause.) Excuse our tardiness. But you know what, when Stevie Wonder has a few words to say to you -- (laughter) -- you don’t rush Stevie Wonder. (Laughter.) So pardon our delay, but thank you. Thanks so much, Jill. Thank you for that kind introduction. But more importantly, thank you for your leadership and service. (Applause.)

I love Joe Biden. (Applause.) I love Jill a little bit more. (Laughter.) But I want to thank you both for making this journey so much more fun. Our families have bonded and this has just been a phenomenal four years. And I’m ready to do four more with both of you. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Four more.

MRS. OBAMA: Four more.

And most of all, I want to thank all of you here tonight for everything -- everything -- that you’ve done to bring this Inauguration to life. This weekend has been such a wonderful celebration for our people and for the future. And we know that none of it could have happened without all of you. And that’s why it was so important for all of us to be here and to spend some time with you.

So this weekend, as we look ahead to the next four years, we should absolutely take some time to truly enjoy this next few days. I mean, the last one was kind of fast. (Laughter.) So we’ve all agreed that we’re going to take some time to just breathe in and enjoy it.

But let's also remember that this Inauguration is about more than all of the events that we will all enjoy this weekend. It's about more than swearing in a President. It's about more than we accomplish together over the next four years. It's also about the opportunities we have to make a real difference in people's lives. (Applause.) I mean, the truth is it's about our opportunity to continue to lift up our families, to help more of our children achieve their dreams, and to put our country on a solid foundation not just for these next few years, but for generations to come.

So tonight, let us re-dedicate ourselves to that work. Let us keep building on the progress that we've made. And let's keep working and fighting and pushing forward --

THE PRESIDENT: Forward.

MRS. OBAMA: Forward. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Forward.

MRS. OBAMA: -- forward to make the real changes that's happened.

And that's what this man, my husband, has been doing for these last four years. (Applause.) And let me tell you, it has just been a true thrill to watch this handsome, charming -- (laughter) -- individual grow into the man and the President that he is. We have seen him every single day -- his integrity, his character, his sense of humor -- (laughter) -- his compassion, his courage. And no matter what the obstacles, we have seen him be so steady facing the challenges that lie ahead and, as always, held true to one unwavering belief -- and that is that we love this country, and we can all work together to change it.

So, ladies and gentlemen, it is my distinct honor and pleasure to welcome the love of my life and our President for the next four years, Barack Obama. (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT: Good evening. Now, first of all, I love Michelle Obama. (Applause.) And to address the most significant event of this weekend, I love her bangs. (Laughter and applause.) She looks good. She always looks good.

You know, as President, you make a lot of important decisions. Probably the most important decision is who is going to be your partner during the course of your presidency. And there have been some decisions I got right, some maybe folks might question. But one decision I know was absolutely correct, absolutely spot on, was my choice of Vice President. I could not have a better partner than Joe Biden. And Joe Biden couldn’t have a better partner than Dr. Jill Biden. (Applause.) We love these folks. Give them a round of applause. (Applause.)

Now, some of you may have heard the story of Andrew Jackson's inaugural reception. Party-goers got so rowdy they broke several thousands of dollars' worth of White House china. (Laughter.) So my first big thank-you tonight is to the National Building Museum for hosting us here. (Laughter.)

I also want to thank The Source for their outstanding entertainment, the U.S. Navy Sea Chanters -- (applause) -- and a guy who has been known to make pretty good music, Mr. Stevie Wonder. (Applause.)

I'm delivering another speech tomorrow so tonight I'm going to be pretty brief, because there are a limited amount of good lines and you don’t want to use them all up tonight. (Laughter.) My main purpose tonight is just to say thank you.

As I look out on the room, we've got people from every walk of life, every corner and nook and cranny of this country, every state, every city, every suburb -- people who have invested so much heart, soul, time, money, energy. One of the things that made this campaign unique was the degree of investment and ownership people had in this common project of ours, because you understood this was not just about a candidate; it was not just about Joe Biden or Barack Obama. This was about us, who we are as a nation, what values we cherish, how hard we're willing to fight to make sure that those values live not just for today but for future generations.

All of you here understood and were committed to the basic notion that when we put our shoulders to the wheel of history, it moves. (Applause.) It moves. It moves forward. And that’s part of what we celebrate when we come together for Inauguration.

Yesterday, Americans in all 50 states took part in a National Day of Service. Tomorrow, hundreds of thousands will join us in the National Mall. And what the Inauguration reminds us of is the role we have as fellow citizens in promoting a common good even as we carry out our individual responsibilities -- the sense that there's something larger than ourselves that gives shape and meaning to our lives.

The theme of this year's Inauguration is “Our people and our future.” And throughout my career, what’s always given me energy and inspiration and hope, what’s allowed me to stand up when I’ve been knocked down, are folks like you -- the decency, the goodness, the resilience, the neighborliness, the patriotism, the sense of duty, the sense of responsibility of the American people. You have inspired me throughout.

And so whenever I think about the challenges that Joe and I and Jill and Michelle face, we know that we stand amongst friends and colleagues and fellow citizens, and that the work is not just ours, that we are working together.

So I just want to say thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you. (Applause.) And I want all of you to know that even as we celebrate over the next couple of days -- and feel free to stay up as late as you want. Tomorrow is not a school night. Make sure to bundle up -- although it won’t be as cold as it was four years ago. (Laughter.) Make sure you know that what we’re celebrating is not the election or swearing-in of a President; What we’re doing is celebrating each other, and celebrating this incredible nation that we call home. (Applause.)

And after we celebrate, let’s make sure to work as hard as we can to pass on an America that is worthy not only of our past but also of our future. (Applause.)

God bless you guys. I love you. We’ll see you tomorrow. (Applause.)

END
9:02 P.M. EST

President Obama and Vice President Biden Take the Oath of Office

Megan Slack

January 20, 2013
01:00 PM EDT

Today, in two separate, private ceremonies, President Obama and Vice President Biden were officially sworn into office, marking the start of the second term. (The Constitution mandates that the President takes the oath on January 20. Since that date falls on a Sunday this year, the public inauguration ceremony and festivities will take place tomorrow, January 21)

Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts administers the oath of office to President Barack Obama during the official swearing-in ceremony in the Blue Room of the White House on Inauguration Day, Sunday, Jan. 20, 2013. First Lady Michelle Obama, holding the Robinson family Bible, along with daughters Malia and Sasha, stand with the President. (Official White House Photo by Chuck Kennedy)

President Obama took the oath, administered by Chief Justice John Roberts, in the Blue Room of the White House, using a bible that belonged to First Lady Michelle Obama’s paternal grandparents.

Vice President Biden was sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor in front of family and friends in a ceremony at the Naval Observatory. Vice President Biden took the oath using the Biden family bible.

Supreme Court Justice Sonya Sotomayor administers the oath of office to Vice President Joe Biden during the official swearing-in ceremony at the Naval Observatory Residence in Washington DC, Jan. 20, 2013. Dr. Jill Biden holds the biden family Bible. Also pictured, from left, are: Maisy Biden, Hunter Biden, Naomi Biden, Finnegan Biden, Natalie Biden, Kathleen Biden, Hunter Biden, Ashley Biden, Howard Krein, Beau Biden and Hallie Biden. (Official White House Photo by David Lienemann)

Related Topics: Inside the White House, Virginia

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President Obama takes the Oath of Office

January 20, 2013 | 00:57 | Public Domain

President Barack Obama takes the oath of office in an official swearing-in ceremony at the White House.

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Be a Part of the Next Four Years

January 19, 2013 | 3:15 | Public Domain

President Obama is committed to making this the most open and participatory administration in history. That begins with taking your questions and comments, inviting you to join online events with White House officials, and giving you a way to engage with your government on the issues that matter the most. The first four years of the Obama administration were big but the next four are going to be even bigger. Join us at http://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/engage

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

January 19, 2013

Statement by the President on the Terrorist Attack in Algeria

Today, the thoughts and prayers of the American people are with the families of all those who were killed and injured in the terrorist attack in Algeria. The blame for this tragedy rests with the terrorists who carried it out, and the United States condemns their actions in the strongest possible terms. We have been in constant contact with Algerian officials and stand ready to provide whatever assistance they need in the aftermath of this attack. We also will continue to work closely with all of our partners to combat the scourge of terrorism in the region, which has claimed too many innocent lives. This attack is another reminder of the threat posed by al Qaeda and other violent extremist groups in North Africa. In the coming days, we will remain in close touch with the Government of Algeria to gain a fuller understanding of what took place so that we can work together to prevent tragedies like this in the future.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

January 19, 2013

Remarks by the President and the First Lady on Volunteering on National Day of Service

Burrville Elementary School
Washington, D.C.

12:46 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody! Well, this is a good-looking crew here. (Applause.) First of all, we just want to acknowledge Burrville Elementary School -- (applause) -- and the principal here, Tui Roper, who is doing outstanding work. (Applause.) If you see Tui, you may think she’s a student, but no, she’s the principal.

As I look around the room, I see friends from all across the country, people who have been such great supporters of ours, but more importantly, everybody here -- adults to children -- understand the importance of giving back. And as we think about not so much Inauguration, but we think about the fact that this is Dr. King’s birthday that we’re going to be celebrating this weekend, I’m always reminded that he said, everybody wants to be first, everybody wants to be a drum major; but if you’re going to be a drum major, be a drum major for service, be a drum major for justice, be a drum major for looking out for other people. (Applause.)

And organizations like City Year -- (applause) -- the Corporation for National Service -- (applause) -- all the great work that’s being done day in, day out shows that there’s a huge hunger on the part of young people to get involved and to get engaged. And it was interesting -- we were talking to one of the young people, I was staining a shelf --

MRS. OBAMA: He did a fine job.

THE PRESIDENT: And Michelle says I did a fine job. (Laughter and applause.) And one of the City Year folks, I was talking to them, I said, how’d you get involved, they said, our parents every holiday we’d always do service and so I was taught at a very young age. So the fact that we’ve got some outstanding young people here today, I want to say thank you to the parents for showing early on to all our young people how gratifying and how fulfilling this is.

This is really what America is about. This is what we celebrate. This Inauguration we’re going to be -- it’s a symbol of how our democracy works and how we peacefully transfer power, but it should also be an affirmation that we’re all in this together and that we’ve got to look out for each other and work hard on behalf of each other.

So we’re thrilled that all of you are here. We hope you guys are having a great time. (Applause.) I hear reports that the very young people did some really good work and some of the older folks like me, who it hurt getting our knees kind of bending down a little bit, we were able to manage also, and somehow Michelle looked stylish the whole time she was doing it. (Applause.)

So, Mich, you want to say a few words?

MRS. OBAMA: You all, thank you so much. It’s wonderful to have such great turnout for this day of service. And I know that we have a lot of family members in the audience -- (applause) -- and we always force our family, when they come up and do something really cool, they have to serve and they do it happily. So I’m proud of our families for always being there for us. We love you guys.

So as Barack said, this is a weekend of celebration, but through it all we have to remember that the reason why we’re here, why we’re standing here, why we’re able to celebrate this weekend is because a lot of people worked hard and supported us. And we’ve got a job to do. And this is a symbol of the kind of work that we need to be doing for the next four years and beyond.

(Loud crash.)

THE PRESIDENT: That was a cameraman.

MRS. OBAMA: That was the press. This is press. (Laughter.) It’s okay, though, it’s okay. Hope you didn’t break it. (Laughter.)

So for all the young people, and we’ve got a lot of young people -- City Year members, the students here at this school -- as Barack says, we’re passing the baton onto you all. So the goal is, is that as you make your way through life, who are you pulling up behind you? And as long as you’re pulling somebody up behind you, you’re doing the right thing.

So thank you all. We’re very proud of you and we’re going to come down and shake some hands.

END 12:52 P.M. EST

Giving Back on the National Day of Service

Megan Slack

January 19, 2013
05:30 PM EDT

President Barack Obama stains shelves during a National Day of Service school improvement project at Burrville Elementary School in Washington, D.C., Saturday, Jan. 19, 2013. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Today, the First Family kicked off Inauguration weekend by participating in the National Day of Service, helping out with some school improvement projects at Burrville Elementary in Washington, DC.

President Obama asked Americans around the country to take part in the National Day of Service to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose birthday falls on Inauguration Day this year. The President and First Lady asked that we all remember the importance of giving back and looking out for others – both central to Dr. King’s work – as we celebrate this weekend.

“This is really what America is about,” President Obama said. “This is what we celebrate.” He said that this Inauguration is “a symbol of how our democracy works and how we peacefully transfer power, but it should also be an affirmation that we’re all in this together and that we’ve got to look out for each other and work hard on behalf of each other.”

National Day of Service 2013

January 19, 2013 | 4:55 | Public Domain

President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama speak at a service event at Burrville Elementary School.

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release

January 19, 2013

Weekly Address: Now Is The Time to Take Action Against Gun Violence

Hi, everybody. This week, I announced a series of concrete steps we should take to protect our children and our communities from gun violence.

These proposals grew out of meetings Vice President Biden and his task force held over the last month with more than 200 different groups – from parents and teachers; to law enforcement and sportsmen; to religious leaders and mental health professionals.

And in the weeks ahead, I will do everything in my power to make them a reality. Because while we may not be able to prevent every senseless act of violence in this country, if there is even one thing we can do to reduce it – if even one life can be saved – we’ve got an obligation to try.

My administration is taking a series of actions right away – from strengthening our background check system, to helping schools hire more resource officers if they want them, to directing the Centers for Disease Control to study the best ways to reduce gun violence.

But the truth is, making a real and lasting difference also requires Congress to act – and act soon.

First, it’s time for Congress to require a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun. The law already requires licensed gun dealers to perform these checks, but as many as 40% of all gun purchases are conducted without one. That’s not safe, it’s not smart, and it’s not fair to responsible gun buyers or sellers. An overwhelming majority of Americans agree that anyone trying to buy a gun should at least have to prove they’re not a felon, or someone legally prohibited from owning one. That’s just common sense.

Second, Congress should restore a ban on military-style assault weapons, and a 10-round limit for magazines. Many assault rifles, when combined with high-capacity magazines, have one purpose and one purpose only: to fire as many bullets as possible as quickly as possible. These weapons have no place in our communities. And a majority of the American people agree with me.

Finally, Congress needs to make it easier, rather than harder, for law enforcement to do its job. We should get tougher on people who buy guns only to turn around and sell them to criminals. And at a time when many communities have been forced to make cuts to their police force, we should put more cops back on the job and back on the street.

Like most Americans, I believe the Second Amendment guarantees an individual right to bear arms. We have a strong tradition of gun ownership in this country, and the vast majority of gun owners act responsibly.

But I also believe most gun owners agree that we can respect the Second Amendment while keeping an irresponsible, law-breaking few from causing harm on a massive scale. That’s what these reforms are designed to do.

None of this will be easy. Already, we’re seeing pundits, politicians, and special-interest lobbyists calling any attempt at commonsense reform an all-out assault on liberty – not because that’s true, but because that’s how they get higher ratings and make more money. And behind the scenes, they’re doing everything they can to protect the status quo.

But this time, it can’t be up to them. It’s got to be up to you. If, like me, you want this time to be different, then I need your help to make it different. Ask your Member of Congress if they support universal background checks and renewing a ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. And if the answer is no, ask them why not. Ask them why an A-grade from the gun lobby is more important than keeping kids safe in a first grade classroom.

Since the tragedy in Newtown, I’ve gotten letters from all over the country – including many from our young people. One of them was from 8-year-old Rachel, who lives in Brooklyn, New York. She wrote: “Please do something so that bad people cannot get guns to kill other people. Children should be safe, especially in school.”

Rachel is counting on us. Let’s get this done for her, and let’s make this country a safer place for all our children to learn and grow.

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Weekly Address: Now Is The Time to Take Action Against Gun Violence

Colleen Curtis

January 19, 2013
05:45 AM EDT

President Obama reiterates his commitment to do everything in his power to implement a series of common sense measures that would reduce gun violence in America. The President started off that effort with 23 concrete actions his Administration is taking immediately under its existing legal authority. But to have a lasting impact, Congress must join the administration by passing common sense laws like requiring a universal background check for anyone trying to buy a gun, and restoring a ban on military-style assault weapons and a 10-round limit for magazines. If they do that, we can respect the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens while helping to keep the irresponsible few from causing massive harm.

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