Letter -- Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Export Control Regulations

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within the 90-day period prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice, stating that the emergency caused by the lapse of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended, is to continue in effect for 1 year beyond August 17, 2012.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event -- Waterloo, Iowa

RiverLoop Amphitheatre
Waterloo Center for the Arts
Waterloo, Iowa

8:05 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Waterloo!  (Applause.)  What a beautiful evening here in Iowa!  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  This is spectacular!  It feels good to be back.  (Applause.)

A couple of acknowledgments I want to make -- first of all, Mike is a pretty humble guy, but this is the Iowa Firefighter of the Year.  Give him a big round of applause for that great introduction.  (Applause.)   We are proud of him, and every single firefighter that puts their life at risk for us.  We are grateful to them.

A couple other outstanding folks here -- you've got your own Attorney General, Tom Miller, in the house.  (Applause.)  Congressman Bruce Braley is here.  (Applause.) And Mayor Buck Clark is here.  (Applause.)  And all of you are here.  (Applause.) 

Now, listen, if you've got a seat, feel free to sit down, because I've got some things to say.  I've got some things to say.  First of all, it is good to be back.  Some of you may remember that one of my first stops after I announced for the presidency was right here in Waterloo.  (Applause.)  Back -- way back when in 2007.  I had no gray hair.  (Laughter.)  Maybe I had a little bit, but you couldn't see it.  (Laughter.)  Now you can see it. 

But the reason that's important, it's worth reminding people, is because it was on your front, it was in your backyards, where our movement for change began.  We spent a lot of time on bus tours like the one I'm taking right now -- although the bus wasn’t as nice as it is now.  (Laughter.)  And we went to school gyms and family farms and small businesses across the state.  And so it was pretty good being back here -- yesterday I went to the State Fair and I had a pork chop and a beer.  (Applause.)  And it was good.  (Laughter.)  Today I just had a beer.  (Laughter.)  I didn’t get the pork chop.  But the beer was good, too. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I'll fry you a pork chop!

THE PRESIDENT:  You say you'll fry me a pork chop, huh?  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more beers?

THE PRESIDENT:  Somebody just said -- it's true, at the State Fair, instead of saying "four more years," they were saying, "four more beers."  (Laughter.)  So I bought him four more beers.  (Laughter.)  Told him he had to register to vote, though, to get one of the beers.  (Laughter.)

Now, here's the thing.  The reason I'm back -- other than I just love being in Iowa -- (applause) -- the reason I'm back is because that journey we started in 2008, we're not finished yet. (Applause.)  So just like we did in 2007, we started over in Council Bluffs, and we are driving all the way to the Quads.  And we want to make sure that everybody understands the choice that you face in November. 

And this choice could not be bigger, because it's not just a choice between two candidates; it's not just a choice between two parties.  More than any recent election, more than 2008, this is a choice between two fundamentally different visions of where we need to go as a country. 

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  And the direction that you choose when you walk into that voting booth in November, that's going to have an impact not just on your lives, it will have an impact on your children and your grandchildren for decades to come. 

Now, remember why we came together in 2008.  And it was Democrats and independents, but it was also some Republicans.  It was because we saw that the basic bargain that built this country, that created the most prosperous economy the world has ever known, that basic bargain wasn’t being met.  And let me tell you what that bargain is.  It says that if you work hard, your work should be rewarded.  (Applause.)  It says that if you act responsibly and you put in enough effort, you can find a job that pays the bills.  (Applause.)  You can have a home that you call your own.  You won't go broke just because somebody in your family gets sick.  You can retire with dignity and respect.  (Applause.)  And most importantly, you can give your kids a great education so they can dream even bigger and do even better than you did.  (Applause.) 

That is the American promise.  That is what made this country great.  But the problem was, for a decade we had seen that bargain wasn’t being met.  The promise wasn’t being kept.  So we had seen a decade in which jobs were being shipped overseas, and wages and incomes for working people were going down -- even though folks at the very top were doing very well -- and the costs of everything from health care to college were going up.  We ran two wars on a credit card.  We went from surplus to deficit.  So when I walked into office we already had a $1 trillion deficit.  And it all culminated in the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.

That's the track record of the other party the last time they were in charge.  And we knew that restoring the bargain that made this country great would not be easy.  It was going to take more than one year, or one term, or even more than one President, but we knew we had to get started.  And obviously it became that much harder when the middle class was hammered by this crisis, because a lot of folks lost jobs, lost homes, lost savings, and that American Dream seemed even further out of reach.

But I told you there wouldn’t be any quick fixes, there wouldn’t be any easy solutions, but what I also promised you -- and I absolutely believe this -- is we've got everything we need to meet our challenges.  (Applause.)  Waterloo, we've still got the best workers in the world.  (Applause.)  And the best entrepreneurs in the world.  We've got the best scientists, and the best researchers in the world.  We've got the best farmers in the world.  We've got the best colleges and universities in the world.  (Applause.)  We are still a young nation, full of promise, and we've got the greatest diversity of talent and ingenuity from every corner of the globe. 

So no matter what the naysayers say, no matter how dark they try to paint things when they're running against me in an election, there is not another country on Earth that wouldn’t trade places with the United States of America.  (Applause.)  Because people around the world still believe that America is the place where, if you work hard, no matter who you are, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, you can still make it.  (Applause.) 

That's the idea that we are running to rebuild.  That is the campaign.  That is what my presidency is about.  That's why I'm running for a second term as President of the United States.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, Waterloo, there is one thing standing in our way, though.  It is strange politics in Washington.  You've got a party that says "compromise" is a dirty word.  Folks who want to go back to the same top-down economics that got us into this mess in the first place. 

You may have heard my opponent chose as his running mate Congressman Ryan this weekend and --

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, no, listen, I know Congressman Ryan. He is a decent man.  He is a family man.  He is the ideological leader of the Republicans in Congress.  And he's an articulate spokesperson for Governor Romney's vision.  The problem his vision is wrong.  (Applause.)  See, my opponent, Governor Romney, and his friends in Congress, they believe -- this is their whole platform, this is their basic plan, as much detail as you get, this is what you get.  Their plan to grow the economy is to eliminate regulations, including on big banks and insurance companies -- some of the regulations we put in place to make sure, for example, that we don’t have another taxpayer-funded bailout, so he wants to get rid of regulations, and then what he wants to do is give more tax breaks to the wealthiest Americans. And the idea, then, is that jobs and prosperity will trickle down on everybody.  That’s the centerpiece of his plan.  You can go on his website. 

His economic plan is a new $5 trillion tax cut, a lot of it going to the wealthiest Americans.  Now, keep in mind, these are the same folks who say the deficit is our biggest problem, but they want to pass a new $5 trillion tax cut -- $5 trillion, that’s with a “t” -- (laughter.)  So just to give you some perspective, our annual defense budget, everything we spend on national security, is just a little over $500 billion.  So this would be, every year for 10 years, a tax cut as big as our defense spending. 

And here’s the kicker, though -- he says he’s going to pay for it.  So people asked, well, how are you going to pay for it? It turns out that he expects you to pay for it. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  He expects middle-class families to pick up the tab.  Governor Romney’s plan, according to independent analysts, would actually raise taxes on middle-class families with children by an average of $2,000. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, keep in mind this is not $2,000 to reduce the deficit, or create jobs, or build new schools, or help kids go to college, or send a man to the moon.  This is $2,000 each that you’d have to pay to give another $250,000 tax cut to folks who are making $3 million a year or more. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  That’s crazy!  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Now, I’m not making this stuff up.  You can look on their website.

Now, here’s the thing -- we’ve tried this before.  We tried this trickle-down fairy dust before.  And guess what -- it didn’t work then, it won’t work now.  It’s not a plan to create jobs.  It’s not a plan to lower the deficit.  It’s not a plan to move our economy forward.  It’s not a plan to revive the middle class. 
We do not need more tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans.  We need to give tax relief to working families who are trying to raise their kids, keep them healthy, send them to college, keep a roof over their heads.  That’s the choice in this election.  That’s one of the reasons I’m running for a second term as President.  (Applause.)
 
So, Waterloo, I’ve got a different idea.  Four years ago, I came into office -- I promised to cut taxes for middle-class families.  That’s exactly what I’ve done -- by a total of about $3,600 for the typical family.  So if you talk to somebody who is feeling not convinced and undecided in the election, you tell them your taxes are lower -- your federal taxes are lower now than when I came into office.  (Applause.) 

Now, what I want to do is I want to keep everybody’s taxes right there where they are for the first $250,000 of everybody’s income.  (Applause.)  So if your family makes under $250,000 -- like 98 percent of families do, and 97 percent of small businesses do -- then you won’t see your income taxes go up by a single dime next year.  Not one dime.  (Applause.)

But if you’re fortunate enough to be in the other 2 percent -- like I am -- you’ll still get a tax break on your first $250,000.  But for the amount that you make over that, we’re asking you to contribute a little bit more so we can pay down our deficit without gutting education, without getting rid of transportation projects, without gutting all the things that help make America grow.

Now, government -- I’ll make sure government still does its part to reduce our debt and our deficits.  We’ve cut out already a trillion dollars’ worth of spending we don’t need.  And we can do more.  I want to make government efficient.  We’ve got to make sure that your tax dollars are being well spent.  But we can’t bring down our deficit and our debt just by asking us to get rid of the things that help open up opportunity to Americans.  (Applause.) 

So instead, we’re asking folks like me to go back to the rates we paid under Bill Clinton -- which, by the way, was a time when we created 23 million new jobs, went from deficit to surplus, and we created a whole lot of millionaires to boot.  (Applause.) 

See, Waterloo, this comes down to your basic philosophy, but also, when you look at the evidence of our economic history -- when teachers and nurses and firefighters and receptionists and construction workers, when you’ve got a little more money in your pocket, what do you do?  You spend it.  Because times are tight, right?  So if you’ve got a little extra money, now maybe you finally trade in that 10-year-old car you’ve been driving.  Maybe you buy a computer for your kid who is about to go to college.  So suddenly businesses have more customers, which means they’re making more profits, which means they’re hiring more workers, who then spend more money, and suddenly the economy gets better for everybody -- including folks at the top. 

I don’t believe in top-down economics.  I believe in middle-class-out economics.  I believe in bottom-up economics.  I believe in making sure everybody has got a fair shot.  That’s why I’m running for a second term as President of the United States of America. (Applause.)

AUDIENCE:  Four more years!  Four more years!  Four more years!

THE PRESIDENT:  But you know what?  That’s not the only difference between me and Mr. Romney.  When the auto industry was on the brink of collapse -- you remember that -- more than a million jobs at stake, Governor Romney said, let’s "let Detroit go bankrupt."  I said, let’s bet on American workers.  (Applause.)  And management and workers got together in a great, iconic American industry, and you know what?  Three years later, the American auto industry is roaring back.  (Applause.)

I want to see high-tech, advanced manufacturing come back all across America in other industries.  I don’t want those jobs in China or Germany.  I want them here in Iowa.  (Applause.)  Governor Romney says, well, no, look, I understand the economy because I’ve been in the private sector.  Well, a lot of that experience was investing in companies, including those that were called “pioneers” in the business of outsourcing.  He wants to keep giving tax breaks to companies that ship jobs overseas.  I want to end those tax breaks once and for all and start rewarding companies that are investing right here in the United States of America, hiring American workers, making American products.  That’s the choice in this election.  (Applause.) 

That’s not the only difference.  Right now, we’re seeing homegrown energy, new sources of energy creating jobs right here in Iowa.  So what does Governor Romney want to do?  He wants to end the tax credit for wind energy producers.  He said these new sources of energy are "imaginary."  Congressman Ryan, his running mate, calls them a "fad."  During a speech a few months ago, Governor Romney even explained his energy policy.  This is what he said -- he said, "You can’t drive a car with a windmill on it."  (Laughter.)  That’s what he said about wind power -- you can’t drive a car with a windmill on it.  (Laughter.)  I mean, maybe he’s tried it; he’s put other things on the roof.  (Laughter and applause.)

But if he really wants to learn something about wind energy, he should come to Iowa.  (Applause.)  Then he’d know that 7,000 Iowa jobs depend on the wind industry -- more than any other state in America.  (Applause.)  These jobs aren’t a "fad."  They’re our future.  He'd know that the parts for making these high-tech wind turbines, they’re now made in Iowa.  They’re made in America.  That’s not "imaginary."  (Applause.)  I’ve been to the places in Newton, Iowa where some of this stuff is being made.  (Applause.)

I understand he may not have figured out how to drive a car with a windmill on it, but if he came to Iowa, he’d know that 20 percent of Iowa’s electricity now comes from wind energy.  America has doubled the amount of electricity we get from wind over the last four years, enough power for nearly 13 million homes -- clean, renewable energy.  That’s something you leave behind for the next generation.  That is worth fighting for.  There are 37,000 American jobs at stake in this wind energy tax credit.  We should support it.  I support it.  (Applause.)

And instead of giving $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies to oil companies that are making plenty of money every time you go to the pump, we should be investing in homegrown energy that’s never been more promising.  That’s the choice in this election.  That’s why I’m running for a second term.  (Applause.)

I’m not done yet.  In 2008, I promised to end the war in Iraq -- I ended it.  (Applause.)  Governor Romney said the way I ended it was “tragic”.  I said I’d go after al Qaeda and bin Laden -- I went after them.  (Applause.)  We’re now beginning a transition out of Afghanistan.  And so all of this is possible only because of the extraordinary service of our men and women in uniform.  And that’s why I’ve made sure to make historic investments in the VA -- because somebody who has fought for us shouldn’t have to fight for a job when they come home.  (Applause.) 

But if we’re serious about them coming home to a strong economy, then we’ve got to do some building here at home, some nation-building -- take half of the money that we’ve been spending over a decade of war and let’s start doing some rebuilding here in America.  (Applause.)  Let’s put Americans back to work rebuilding roads and bridges and ports and airports, laying broadband lines in rural communities.  (Applause.)  Let’s create a Veterans Jobs Corp so returning heroes can get jobs as firefighters and cops in communities that need them. 

There’s a lot of work to be done right here in America, and I’m running to rebuild America.  That’s a choice in this election.  (Applause.)

And I’m running make sure America once again has the best education system in the world and the best training system for workers in the world.  (Applause.)  I want to help our schools hire and reward the best teachers, especially in math and science.  I want to give 2 million more Americans the chance to go to community colleges to train for the jobs that businesses are hiring for right now.  (Applause.)  I want to get colleges and universities to bring down the cost of tuition, so that every young person can get the kind of education that they need to succeed in the 21st century.  (Applause.)

I want to help homeowners refinance their homes, save $3,000 at these historically low rates.  Governor Romney thinks we should just let the housing market bottom out.  That’s a difference in this election.

I believe that you should have some health care security.  That’s why I passed Obamacare.  And I like Obamacare.  (Applause.)  I like the phrase “Obamacare”, because you know what, I do care.  (Applause.)  I care about all those folks with preexisting conditions who now are going to be able to get coverage.  (Applause.)  I care about folks who already have insurance, making sure insurance companies don’t jerk them around right when they need that insurance the most.  (Applause.)

I care about the 6.5 million young people who are now able to stay on their parent’s plan and don’t have to go without insurance.  (Applause.)  I care about the seniors who now have more discounts on their prescriptions drugs -- and we’re closing the doughnut hole.  (Applause.)
 
So, Waterloo, we don’t need another two years of arguing about health care.  The Supreme Court has spoken.  We are implementing this law.  We are moving forward.  We’re not moving backwards.  (Applause.)

All these things -- health care security, American manufacturing, rebuilding America and putting construction workers back to work, making sure our kids are getting a great education and can afford college -- all these things that make up a middle-class life, they all tie together.  It goes back to that central idea of America, that here in this country everybody gets a fair shot, everybody does their fair share, everybody plays by the same set of rules.  It’s the same promise our parents and grandparents passed on to us.  And now, our job is to pass it on to our kids.  (Applause.)  
 
Now, over the next three months, the other side will spend more money than we have ever seen.  Now, you noticed their ads generally don’t tell you what it is that they’re going to do, because they know their plans won’t sell.  You haven’t forgotten. You didn’t get amnesia.  (Laughter.)  You didn’t forget the last time they tried what they’re selling.
 
So basically, the argument that they’re going to make over and over again is just the same one, which is the economy is still not where it needs to be and it’s Obama’s fault.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  And you know what?  Listen, the economy is not where it needs to be.  We’ve still got too many folks out of work and too many homes underwater.  And we haven’t brought back all the jobs that need to be brought back.  But you know what, what they’re offering -- it’s not a plan to create jobs.  It’s not a plan to reduce the deficit.  They don’t have a plan to grow the economy.  They don’t have a plan to revive the middle class.

The plan I’ve put forward can do that.  But I need your help.  I need your help.  (Applause.)  Your friends have to be registered.  Your family has to be registered.  You can get a voter registration form online.  Just go to GottaRegister.com.  This is not GotToRegister.com -- this is g-o-t-t-a register, GottaRegister.com -- (applause) -- because we’ve come too far to turn back now.
 
We’ve been outspent before.  I’ve been counted out before.  But here’s what I know.  When all of you decide to mobilize and organize, and when you focus on those values that are best in America, when you remember the stories of your family and your parents, your grandparents -- the hard work, the sacrifice -- recognizing sometimes times are tough and sometimes we get knocked down but we get back up, we are determined, we are tougher than any tough times -- and most importantly, that reminder that when we do things together, when we’re focused on how we build this country together, we can’t be stopped -- that’s more powerful than any money.  (Applause.)  That’s more powerful than any TV commercials.
 
So we’ve got to keep on going, because we’ve got too many schools we still need to build; too many teachers we still need to hire; too many kids we still need to send to college.  We’ve got too many roads we still need to build; too much energy we’ve still got to generate right here at home; too many troops we’ve got to bring home; too many doors of opportunity that we’ve got to open up for every young person who’s willing to make the effort.  That’s what’s at stake right now.  (Applause.)

And if you’re willing to stand with me, and work with me, and vote for me, we will win Iowa.  (Applause.)  We will win in November.  (Applause.)  And we will finish what we started and remind the world why America is the greatest nation on Earth.

God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END 
8:35 P.M. CDT

Remarks by the President on Wind Energy

Heil Family Farm
Haverhill, Iowa

2:55 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I want to thank Jeff Heil and his father, Richard, for showing me around the farm.  And I think it’s remarkable to think that the Heil family has been farming this land since 1902, but they’ve got a relatively new addition in the wind turbines that you see in the background.  They’re part of the Laurel wind farm -- 52 turbines that harvest enough wind power to power an estimated 30,000 Iowa homes in a way that’s clean and renewable. 

And at a moment when we want to pursue every avenue for job creation, it’s homegrown energy like wind that’s creating good, new jobs in states like Iowa.  Let me give you an example.  Back when I was first running for this office and spending a lot of time in this state, I visited the town of Newton, about a half an hour down the road.  The local Maytag plant was closing its doors and nearly 2,000 jobs were on the line.  So you had a once-thriving factory that was going dark and going quiet and, understandably, folks were worried about what would happen to the community. 

Then wind energy offered a new opportunity.  When I returned to Newton to visit that plant as President several months ago, some of the same folks who had lost their jobs at Maytag were back on the line building wind towers to support some of the most advanced wind turbines in the world. 

Earlier this year, at a different plant about five minutes from there, I met workers building enormous blades for these wind turbines.  And I’m proud of the fact that, while we used to have to import parts like those, today they’re made in Newton, made in Iowa, made in America by American workers. 

Unfortunately, what we thought was a bipartisan consensus in supporting wind power has been fraying a little bit during election season.  My opponent in this election says he wants to end tax credits for wind energy, wind energy producers that make all this possible.  He’s called these sources of energy “imaginary”; his new running mate has called them a “fad”. 

I think a lot of folks in Iowa would disagree, because wind farms like this and the good jobs that are down in Newton, they’re not a “fad” and they’re not “imaginary.”  Seventy-five thousand jobs across this country depend on wind energy; 7,000 jobs in Iowa alone.  That’s more than in any other state.  These are good, American jobs.  And thanks to the hard work of the folks who have these jobs, Iowa generates about 20 percent of its electricity from wind -- energy that powers homes and businesses and factories all across the state.

Over the past four years, we’ve doubled the amount of electricity America can generate from wind -- from 25 gigawatts to 50 gigawatts.  And to put that in perspective, that’s like building 12 new Hoover Dams that are powering homes all across the country.  We doubled the amount of electricity we generate from solar energy, too.  And combined, these energy sources are enough power to make sure that 13 million homes have reliable power and support the paychecks that help more than 100,000 Americans provide for their families. 

That’s not imaginary.  That is real.  And that’s what’s at stake in November.  Thirty-seven thousand American jobs are on the line if the wind energy tax credit is allowed to expire like my opponent thinks they should.  And unlike Governor Romney, I want to stop giving $4 billion in taxpayer subsidies to big oil companies that have rarely been more profitable so that we can keep investing in homegrown energy sources like wind that have never been more promising.  That’s part of the choice in this election. 

We can listen to folks who want to take us backwards by doubling down on the same economic policies that got us into a fix several years ago and that we’re still fighting out of.  Or we can keep moving forward to a future with more good, American jobs, more sources of homegrown, American energy, greater energy independence, and cleaner, safer environments for our kids.

And I think it was interesting talking to Jeff.  He described how these wind farms got started, and what you had was all the neighboring farms coming together and essentially forming a cooperative.  And folks who had these windmills on their land, on their property, recognized that, look, that was going to have an impact on folks who might not.  And so everybody in this area, whether they’ve got a wind farm or not, helps benefit -- or is benefiting from the economics of this wind energy.

And that’s an example of what America is about.  We believe in free enterprise, we believe in hard work.  The Heil family is an example of that.  But we also believe in neighborliness and working together for the common good.  And as a consequence of their foresight and their creativity, and with the help of these wind energy tax credits, every farmer, every landowner in this area, is benefiting.  And all of us are benefiting from clean, American energy.

So I hope we continue to promote this kind of energy.  I know the Heil family does, too.  And my expectation is, is that over the next several years, in the same way that we’ve doubled wind energy in the past, we’re going to keep on doubling it in the future. 

Thanks very much, everybody.

END           
3:01 P.M. CDT

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en route Oskaloosa, IA, 8/14/2012

Aboard Press Bus
En Route Oskaloosa, Iowa

10:52 A.M. CDT

MR. CARNEY:  Welcome aboard Press Force One here, the press vehicle as part of the President’s motorcade, as we make our way through Iowa on this glorious day -- day two of our trip.
 
As you know, the President is going to talk about the importance today of renewable wind energy to our economy.  And as a matter of policy, I think you know that the President has made clear that clean, renewable wind energy is a critical part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy that aims to develop more secure domestic energy sources while strengthening American manufacturing and supporting American jobs.
 
The Obama administration has made the largest investment in clean energy in history, and the United States has doubled renewable energy since 2008.  Today, the Department of Energy released -- will release a report that underscores the dramatic expansion of wind energy and the U.S. manufacturing that is supporting this surge.
 
In 2011, the United States was one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing wind markets in the world, with wind power representing 32 percent of all new electric capacity added in the United States last year, second only --
 
Q    I’m sorry, what was that?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Thirty-two percent of all new electric capacity added in the United States last year, second only to natural gas.  As a result, $14 billion was invested in the United States, diversifying our energy economy, expanding American manufacturing, and supporting American jobs.
 
Industry numbers show that this industry now supports 75,000 jobs across the country, including thousands of jobs here in Iowa.  Not only did wind energy surge in 2011, the percent of wind equipment made in the United States has expanded dramatically.  I think that some of you have seen, along the highways here in Iowa, trucks carrying large wind turbine blades.
 
MS. PSAKI:  There was a wind turbine at the State Fair last night.
 
MR. CARNEY:  Or the wind turbine at the State Fair -- just all across the landscape here. 
 
Nearly 70 percent of the equipment installed at U.S. wind farms last year -- including wind turbines and components like towers, blades, gears, and generators -- was made here in the United States, up from just 35 percent in 2005.
 
At the end of 2011, the states with the most installed wind capacity included Texas, Iowa, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Washington, Oregon, Oklahoma, Colorado, and North Dakota.  These states account for almost 75 percent of U.S. wind capacity, or more than 34 gigawatts -- that’s a lot of gigawatts.
 
Despite the recent growth in wind installations and manufacturing, the DOE 2011 Wind Technologies Market Report, which is an annual report, finds that 2013 may see a dramatic slowing of domestic wind energy deployment due in part -- let me just repeat that -- may see a dramatic slowing of domestic wind energy deployment due in part to the possible expiration of federal renewable energy tax incentives.
 
The production tax credit, also known as the wind energy tax credit, which provides an important credit to wind producers in the United States, has helped drive the industry’s growth and it is set to expire at the end of the year.  The wind industry projects that 37,000 jobs could be lost if the production tax credit is allowed to expire. 
 
As you know, support for this tax credit is bipartisan.  Senators and governors of both parties, Republicans in states like Iowa, support the extension of this tax credit.  Unfortunately, thus far, the obstacles have been Republicans in Washington, especially in the House of Representatives.
 
MS. PSAKI:  And if I could just add a couple more points about the remarks today.  So the President will also talk about a plant in Newton, Iowa that used to be a Maytag plant that shut down and now is making wind turbines.  It’s been able to revitalize the community there, and it’s really a story about how investing in clean energy, investing in the kind of innovative technologies, like wind turbines, is really helping communities grow and thrive in places like Iowa.
 
We were in -- some of you were with us last week when we were in Pueblo, Colorado.  There was a story in the local paper in Colorado today announcing that they had to lay off 100 -- 20 percent -- of their workers as a result of the wind tax credit being not extended.  So that’s a story from another state.
 
And, finally, just to echo what Jay say about it being bipartisan -- Republicans in Iowa, including Governor Terry Branstad, including Congressman Steve King, are in utter disbelief that Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan, his running mate, have opposed the tax credit.  Not only have they opposed it, Mitt Romney called the benefits of wind energy “imaginary.”  And Paul Ryan called this a “fad.” 
 
So you’ll hear the President talk about that in his remarks today.  And it shows, again, their complete misunderstanding of what’s driving the growth of the economy in Iowa and the industries that are helping communities like Newton, like Oskaloosa thrive and grow.
 
One other thing I just wanted to make sure you saw this morning -- the campaign put out another -- a web video in response to the second ad that the Romney campaign did, that is a bold-faced lie, about the President’s record on welfare.  So that’s something just to look out for.  And I will say this is an issue where President Clinton, countless economists, countless fact-checkers have said this is a mischaracterization of the President’s record.  And they continue to put millions of dollars behind ads across the state.  This is a central argument, which, again, is false, about their record.  I’m sorry, I’m getting a little animated here.  
 
With that, we’ll take your questions.
 
Q    Jay, on Syria -- the former prime minister defected.  He said he was joining the rebels.  And he said today that the regime appears to be close to collapse.  Does the administration have any sense of whether some sort of collapse could happen within days?  And are there any steps that the administration is considering -- additional aid, perhaps additional sanctions -- to sort of push it in that direction?
 
MR. CARNEY:  There is no question, Ken, that we have seen a series of high-level defections from the Assad regime, both its government and its military leadership.  We’ve also seen defections at middle and lower levels, and we expect this to continue.  It demonstrates the fact that Assad no longer has control over his country, and reinforces the fact that Syria’s future cannot and will not include Assad. 
 
The sooner that Assad steps aside, the sooner the Syrian people will be able to complete a political transition in that country that will give them a better chance at a future that includes prosperity and a government that represents the interest of the people and responds to the aspirations of the Syrian people.  We have said that we believe Assad’s days are numbered, but I would not hazard a guess at how many days are left in his tenure. 
 
We are doing everything we can with our allies to tighten the noose, if you will, around Assad through diplomatic and financial means, through sanctions and international pressure.  We recently announced new sanctions out of the Treasury Department.  And you can expect that we’ll continue to look for ways to increase the pressure on Assad and deprive Assad of the funds that he depends on to wage war against his own people.
 
Q    Jay, while President Obama is here talking about wind energy, we expect Mitt Romney to be in another part of the country talking about energy of a different kind.  And I'm just wondering, is that a contrast that the President will speak to directly?  And also, are you concerned that some swing voters may not be prepared to abandon traditional energy sources and will see this as that choice?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Let me start, as a matter of policy, that, as I mentioned before, the President has pursued an all-of-the-above energy strategy that has resulted in an increase of domestic oil and gas production; has resulted in a decrease in imports of foreign oil; has resulted in, because of the investments this administration has made, a doubling of renewable energy production in this country. 
 
And that all-of-the-above strategy is the best and only way to achieve the energy independence that this country needs for economic, environmental, and national security reasons.  You have to be a member of the Flat Earth Society to not recognize that we need to exploit all means of domestic energy production.  And that’s what the President has done.
 
MS. PSAKI:  And let me just add one thing to Margaret.  And I couldn’t hear you quite -- were you asking about Romney's Ohio --
 
Q    Just contrasting the -- it's obviously energy day on the campaign trail today, and I'm just -- so I guess my question is, what do you make out of that, the fact that they're answering your energy message with their own energy message?  And do you have some concerns that swing voters may be -- may think that their choice is wind energy versus traditional energy?
 
MS. PSAKI:  So just to add to what Jay said, actions speak louder than words.  And the American people are smart, and people in states like Iowa and Ohio study the candidates’ records, they study what they stand for and what their policies are. 
 
In addition to what we've already talked about, about wind energy and what Jay mentioned about the President's all-above energy plan -- on coal, which I understand is what Mitt Romney plans to attack the President on today, let's not forget that Mitt Romney has been a longtime critic; he once said that coal-fired plants kill people in Massachusetts.  And the President's record on this has been one where he's invested in clean coal energy technology.  The coal industry employment is at a 15-year high.
 
So again, the record speaks for itself, and we're happy to stand by ours.  And if you look at -- just because you say something, it doesn’t mean that your record is backing it up.  And their claim that they are for an all-above energy strategy just isn't backed up by the policies that they're out there talking about.
 
Q    Can I ask, to both of you, Iowa was sort of the -- was the state that kind of galvanized then-senator Obama's campaign for the presidency.  In this three-day bus trip, does he feel like he's rekindling any of that old magic?  How is he feeling?  How are you guys feeling about it?
 
MS. PSAKI:  I will say he's in -- I think he's having a great time meeting people, seeing familiar faces, seeing new faces.  He's met countless people who have said, I was with you in '08, I'm with you again; people who haven’t been voters before who are getting engaged in the process.
 
This is, as you touched on, this is where the journey began for him, and where it began for the First Lady, and Iowa will always have a special place in their hearts.  And they know the people in Iowa expect they're going to lift the hood -- be able to lift the hood and kick the tires, ask tough questions, hear about specific policy answers.  And spending three days allows us to go from one side of the state to the other, to meet people who are farmers, people who are working on wind turbines, people who are working in cities.  And it gives him a taste and flavor of what everybody is going through in the state.  So that’s one of the reasons we're spending the time we are here.
 
MR. CARNEY:  Just in terms of the President -- and you've seen it at the events and, most recently, this morning at Coffee Connection in Knoxville -- a terrific enterprise where I enjoyed an egg-and-ham sandwich as well as a large coffee and I bought a T-shirt -- he's in a great mood.  He loves being out on the road.  He loves being in Iowa.  On the bus, you can just feel his energy, and it's real fun to be out here with him.
 
Q    What does the T-shirt say?
 
MR. CARNEY:  It says "Coffee Connection" on the front, and "Life is too short to drink cheap coffee" on the back.
 
Q    What's up with the Republican owner of the Coffee Connection?  I mean, did you guys know he was Republican?
 
MS. PSAKI:  The way that we pick places like that, we come up with a couple of options that people locally go and spend time -- because when the President is coming, we're not giving them an hour notice.  So Coffee Connection is a coffee place in Knoxville where people are usually there at 10:00 in the morning, and we knew the President could pop in.  It was a great place.  We don’t party-I.D. people when we go to local establishments.
 
So we loved the small business owner.  We loved his story and we loved his coffee.
 
Q    On Medicare -- why should people 55 years old or older be concerned about the Paul Ryan Medicare plan?
 
MS. PSAKI:  All right, I’m glad you asked.  (Laughter.)  One, just on the top line, there is a clear difference between what President Obama is talking about on Medicare, what his plan is and what the Romney/Ryan plan is.  Mitt Romney said yesterday that they're very close on issues, that there is no space between them on issues.  That’s not an exact quote but a paraphrase.  So I think we can all safely assume that they're on the same place.
 
So for today's seniors, with the Romney/Ryan plan, prescription drugs would go up, out-of-pocket expenses would go up, benefits would go down, Medicare would become insolvent in four years.  After the Ryan plan kicks in, Medicare would be completely destabilized once it kicks in.  Younger, healthier seniors would purchase low-cost vouchers.
 
What we know, bottom line, is that President Obama's plan strengthens and extends the life of the program.  Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan's plan leaves the cost on the back of seniors.  This is one of the reasons why, if you look at -- I'm sure all of you are very busy, you're not flipping through the Florida clips every day -- but typically, when a vice presidential nominee is announced, there is a huge bump, everybody is happy, excited, there's energy around it. 
 
This has been a stumbling-out-of-the-starting block situation for them, where, in Florida, there were -- people in Florida were woken up every day to this -- since he was announced -- to headlines like, Miami Herald:  "Ryan Could Be A Drag On Romney In Florida"; St. Petersburg Blog:  "Ryan Won't Be With Romney In Florida Tomorrow; Is He Medi-Scared?" -- quite a play on words -- Tampa Tribune:  "Romney's VP Choice Could Be Risky In Swing State Of Florida."  That’s not typically what you get, and we know it's because their radical budget could have a devastating impact on not just seniors -- but that is one area where it certainly could -- but college students.  And this is an area where we know we'll continue to be having a debate.
 
Q    Is that something that the President will start addressing as well today, or otherwise on the trail -- specifically Medicare in general and Congressman Ryan?
 
MS. PSAKI:  Mitt Romney is our opponent, as you know.  And to the degree Paul Ryan is -- Paul Ryan of course is his running mate, as you also know.  And it really -- him picking Paul Ryan further solidifies his beliefs, his embrace of the radical budget, his embrace of these “let's go back to the 1950s” approaches to women's issues. 
 
The President is going to be talking about wind today, and the difference between his vision and the Romney/Ryan vision.  So that’s what you'll hear from him today.  But it's clear there's a contrast on their budgets -- I mean, I'm sorry, on their approaches to the economy, including their approach to the budget.  And we know that will continue to be part of the debate.
 
Q    Why doesn’t he just address it, then?  Why doesn’t he talk about Medicare if that’s what everybody is concerned about?
 
MS. PSAKI:  We have almost 90 days left.  You never know.  I'm not going to get ahead of where we are today.  Today we're talking about wind, but in Florida they're talking about Medicare.  In other states, they're talking about the drastic impact on women's issues.  In other states, they're talking about how this will impact student aid. 
 
We know this is an important part of the debate.  Mitt Romney's position is Paul Ryan's position.  They're running on the same ticket, and their approach to Medicare and their approach to health care would be devastating for people across this country.
 
Q    Can you give us some examples, as far as like the women's issues that you guys are concerned about, what are some of these things that Romney and Ryan have in mind that are bad?
 
MS. PSAKI:  Well, how long do you have?  (Laughter.)  Look, I think they've been very clear that they want to go back to a time when women could not make choices about their own health care; where contraception is not a part of what employers are providing.  They've made this an issue that has taken us back in time, and that’s something that women across the country are concerned about.  You heard Sandra Fluke introduce the President last week.  And also, I'll add in equal pay, ensuring women have equal pay.  That’s not a priority for the Republican ticket, and I think it raises a lot of red flags for women across the country.
 
Q    Jay, on the production tax credit, if Congress fails to act, is there anything that the administration can do on its own administratively or with an executive order?  And if so, is that on the table?
 
MR. CARNEY:  Well, I would say broadly that when it comes to taking measures to help our economy grow and help sectors of our economy like wind energy production, the President is always evaluating every option, including administrative options. 
 
However, Congress has the responsibility and the authority to act on renewal of the production tax credit, and it's in Congress's court to take this action.  The President strongly supports it; there is bipartisan support.  You've heard Republican officials, both in Iowa and elsewhere, say how surprised they are by the opposition in Washington from leaders in the House and Senate, including, for example, Paul Ryan, who don’t support renewal of this important wind energy tax credit. 
 
And I think what is shocking about it -- because it goes to the all-of-the-above energy strategy that the President has put in place -- is that they don’t support an energy tax credit that has bipartisan support out in the country that helps an industry that is growing in the 21st century and will be an increasingly important part of our energy portfolio in the 21st century, but they refuse to forego or support the elimination of loopholes and tax benefits, and subsidies for oil and gas companies, which, of course, as you know, over the past several years have enjoyed historically high profits.  I think that says a lot about their backward-looking view when it comes to our energy future.
 
Q    Does that credit go back to '05?  Is that why that date -- you gave a stat of how much more production there has been since '05.  Is that when the --
 
MR. CARNEY:  I'd have to check.  I'm not sure how old the tax credit is, but it has enjoyed bipartisan support in the past.
 
Q    Will we hear the President say anything about ethanol while he's in Iowa?
 
MS. PSAKI:  He spoke about it yesterday when he was meeting with some rural reporters. 
 
Q    What did he say?
 
MS. PSAKI:  Let me look up and see if I can get you something from that.  Ethanol is -- he has been a strong supporter of ethanol and cellulosic ethanol.  He absolutely believes in it, he thinks it's a driver of the economy here and a key component of renewable energy.  I'll check and see if there's any plans to include it in remarks otherwise and see if I can get you something more specific.
 
Q    Were the local reporters asking him, specifically in the drought conditions, about like livestock feed cost and stuff?  Or -- 
 
MS. PSAKI:  No, just about access -- just about renewable energy, given it's such an important issue here in Iowa, and all the ways that they can grow those industries in Iowa.
 
One thing just to add on your health care question, or women's question -- and this is a fairly obvious one, I can't believe I forgot to mention -- the fact that Mitt Romney wants to repeal the Affordable Care Act would have a devastating impact on women, not just on cost but on the elimination -- right now, women can get pre-screenings for mammograms, Pap smears.  They also want to defund Planned Parenthood.  The list goes on and on -- but those are two key ones I would also add.
 
Q    When you listed off the ways that the Ryan budget would affect seniors who are now over 55, those first things were things that fell in the category of repealing the Affordable Care Act, right?
 
MS. PSAKI:  Yes.
 
MR. CARNEY:  That’s very much part of the Ryan budget.  And I think an elemental fact that has to be reckoned with here is that the Romney/Ryan approach, the Republican approach to Medicare is one that ends it as we know it over time, not to make investments in energy or education or innovation, but to provide substantial new tax cuts to the wealthiest Americans.  The savings that are found, that are withdrawn from Medicare in the Republican plan come from cost-shifting, as opposed to the savings that have been put forward by the President through the Affordable Care Act and through his own budget proposals.
 
The end result, as the Congressional Budget Office has said, is an extra $6,200 per year per senior for their health care costs.  And seniors across the country simply, by and large, cannot afford that.  And what happens when you voucherize the program, as a matter of policy, is that, as Jen mentioned, younger, healthier seniors take advantage of private plans, which drive up -- and private plans don’t want older, less healthy seniors, and they remain in traditional Medicare creating a situation where traditional Medicare is not financially stable, and it creates what's called in the business a "death spiral" for Medicare.  That is not a happy message, I think, to take to America's seniors.
 
Q    -- today in his remarks in terms of defending his posture on --
 
MS. PSAKI:  The remarks focus on the wind tax credit, but I’m happy to get you or anybody specifics on his record versus Mitt Romney’s record so let me know.
 
Q    Anything on the White House beer since we’re -- the tape is rolling?
 
Q    Yes, explain that.
 
Q    He surprised all of us -- what’s the deal?
 
MR. CARNEY:  What do you mean, what’s the deal?  It’s been written about and talked about before that the White -- that there is a home brew, if you will, at the White House.
 
Q    Does he regularly travel with it?
 
Q    Does he drink it?
 
Q    -- moving this at interstate commerce.  Does the Treasury Department know about this?  (Laughter.)
 
MR. CARNEY:  I have to take those questions.
 
Q    Have you tasted it, Jay?  What does it taste like?
 
MR. CARNEY:  It is superb.  It is quite good.
 
Q    Who’s the beer master?
 
Q    Is it light beer?  Heavy?
 
MR. CARNEY:  I think the President said there are two types -- there’s a light and a dark.  I think I’ve only tried the light, and it’s quite refreshing.
 
Q    Does the President drink it sometimes?
 
MR. CARNEY:  I have seen him, yes, have a --
 
Q    During the beer summit, the White House beer was not observed.
 
MS. PSAKI:  I think that may have been pre --
 
MR. CARNEY:  I think that may have been before they had White House beer.
 
Q    Any other distilleries in the White House we don’t know about?  (Laughter.)
 
MR. CARNEY:  There’s a lot going on behind the trees on the South Lawn.
 
MS. PSAKI:  Quiñoa for healthy living.
 
Q    Who’s the beer master?
 
MR. CARNEY:  I’ll have to -- I have exhausted my knowledge about this subject.  (Laughter.)  Usually, when somebody hands me a beer I don’t ask how it was made.  I just drink it.
 
MS. PSAKI:  I will add, since some of you asked, last night at the fair, a combination of David Axelrod, David Plouffe, myself, Jon Favreau, Alyssa Mastromonaco, and Eugene Kang probably ate half a dozen turkey legs, a dozen fried Oreos, four fried Snickers, fried Twinkies, fried ho-hos -- we really did it up at the fair.  We’re all still functioning today.  The fried Oreos, I think, is a group favorite so if you have the chance to go out --
 
MR. CARNEY:  Jen left out that they had a few beers, too.
 
MS. PSAKI:  We did.  (Laughter.)  We’re all above 21.

END
11:17 A.M. CDT