The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2013

Readout of the President's Call with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

The President spoke to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe today to discuss regional security and economic issues.  They pledged to continue to work together closely toward the elimination of North Korea’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.  The leaders discussed the President’s recent meetings with President Xi Jinping of China, and agreed on the importance of ensuring stability and pursuing dialogue as it relates to the East China Sea.  The President stressed that the United States looks forward to being able to welcome Japan to the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations as early as possible once current TPP members complete their domestic requirements.  Finally, the two leaders expressed the shared desire to work together closely at the up-coming G8 Summit in Northern Ireland.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2013

Remarks by the President at a DNC Event -- Miami, FL

Private Residence
Miami, Florida

6:08 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Everybody, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Well, Tom, thank you so much for that introduction and the great support that you’ve given me, and the incredible innovation that you and your company represents. 
 
There are a couple of other people I want to thank.  In addition to Shasta and Azza, who’s back there and is growing like a weed -- (laughter) -- we’ve got our outstanding DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz -- Florida’s own.  (Applause.)  Where’s Debbie?  She was here.  I don’t know where she is now.
 
Our DNC Finance Chair -- don’t blame him for the fact that he’s from San Antonio -- Henry Muñoz is here.  (Applause.)  Our Florida Finance Chair, J.P. Austin, is here.  (Applause.)  And our Florida Democratic Party Chair, Allison Tant, is here.  (Applause.) 
 
So the story that Tom describes is the story of America.  Somebody starts off selling lumber on the back of a pickup truck and they end up in Florida with some really nice artwork.  (Laughter.)  But in so many ways, Tom has lived out the American Dream, but there are two elements that Tom describes that go to the heart of why I think most of you are here today.
 
Number one:  the idea that anybody can make it if they’ve got a good idea.  That’s what America is about.  That you don’t have to be born into fame and fortune in order to succeed.  If you work hard, we have the most open, most innovative, most entrepreneurial society on Earth. 
 
Number two:  that we bet on technology.  That’s what’s always driven progress in this country -- that we believe in the idea that we can do something better.  That we may have figured out how to mass-produce automobiles, but we also can figure out how to mass-produce better automobiles.  That we can invent communications systems that ultimately bring the entire world together.  And that’s always been part of who we are -- at the cutting edge.
 
And then there’s a third thing that Tom represents, and that is a belief that there’s no contradiction between doing well and doing good.  The idea that those of us who have been blessed in this society -- we work hard, we succeed -- we’ve got to give thing back.  And that there are broader issues about how we make sure that we’re passing on to the next generation the same opportunities that were given to us.
 
Now, those are all American values.  But part of the reason we’re here is because we believe that the Democratic Party best represents those values right now.  I always say this:  that hasn’t always been the case.  I come from Illinois, and we had a pretty good Republican President named Lincoln. 
 
But right now I think that when you look at who’s pushing to make sure that we’re investing in research and technology; who’s serious about discovering the new sources of energy -- energy of the future and not just energy of the past; who’s serious about making sure that every young person has educational opportunities, so that if they work hard they can succeed -- that’s us.  That’s what the Democratic Party is all about.
 
And most of all, who believes that every single person in this country -- not just some of us -- but everybody should have a chance at success.  No matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter what your last name, no matter who you love -- if you work hard, if you take responsibility, you can succeed.  That’s what we stand for. 
 
That’s why I ran in 2008.  That’s why I ran for reelection in 2012.  And obviously, we’ve made enormous progress over the last four and a half years, with the help of folks like Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, making sure that every single person in America can get affordable, accessible health care we’re implementing right now; making sure that we double fuel efficiency standards on cars and double the production of clean energy.
 
Hey, Azza.  You want to come up and say something?  (Laughter.)  Daddy is right over here.  Yes, she’s right over there.  (Laughter.)  You can’t beat daughters.  I mean, sons are okay, but -- (applause). 
 
We were able to restore growth to an economy that was crashing:  Thirty-nine consecutive months of job growth.  The stock market exceeding where it was before the financial crisis.  Housing beginning to bounce back.  So we’ve made progress.  But what we also know is that we’ve still got an awful lot of work to do.  And the only way we’re going to get that done is if I stay focused, as President, on those issues that got people to send me to Washington -- making sure that we’re focused on bringing manufacturing back; making sure that we’re focused on making college more affordable; making sure that we’re reforming our K-12 system so that our kids get what they need; making sure that we’re investing in clean energy; dealing with climate change.  But I can’t do it by myself.  I’ve got to have partners. 
 
Now, in some cases, we’re seeing Republicans willing to work with us and compromise.  I’m pleased to see that we got a good vote this week so far on immigration.  That immigration bill is on the floor, and I think we have an enormous opportunity to get a bipartisan immigration bill done.  And that will be not just an enormous political achievement, but an important economic foundation for us to continue to attract the best and the brightest from all around the world.
 
But, sadly, all too often, we’re not getting much cooperation from the other side.  They seem more interested in winning the next election than helping the next generation.  And so I will spend the next three and a half years doing everything I can to work with anybody -- Democrat, Republican or independent -- to advance the cause of middle-class families and everybody who’s willing to work hard to get into the middle class.  (Applause.)  I will be doing that.  But I tell you what, it would be a lot easier if I had a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate to do it.  (Applause.)
 
So to all of you who have invested in me and invested in our vision for the future, I want to say thank you.  But I also want to tell you that we’ve got a lot more work to do, and it’s going to be absolutely critical that everybody here feels the same urgency and intensity over the next year and a half leading up to the midterm elections, as you did in 2008 and 2012.
 
If you do, then we can take back the House; we can keep the Senate in Democratic hands.  That will allow me to appoint outstanding judges to the federal bench.  That will allow us to make sure that we are advancing issues like climate change that are critically important for the next generation.  And it can be done -- but it can only be done with you.
 
And for all that you’ve done, but also for all that you’re going to be doing, I want to just say how much I appreciate it, and I’m looking forward to us partnering together for several more years so that we can get that whole agenda in place and make sure that Azza and all her peers can look back and say, you know what, our parents and our grandparents, they took care of business.
 
So thank you very much, everybody.  Thank you.  (Applause.)
 
END
6:18 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2013

Remarks by the President at a DNC Event

Private Residence
Miami Beach, Florida

8:26 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  (Applause.)  Hello, everybody!

AUDIENCE:  Hello!

THE PRESIDENT:  It is good to be back in Miami.  (Applause.) Don’t worry, I still think it’s going to be a seven-game series. (Applause.)  I’m just saying.  (Laughter.)  I know everybody in Miami is feeling a little stressed right now, but -- (laughter) -- you’ve got two great teams playing. 

I want to, first of all, just say thank you to Joe for hosting us.  Opening up your house is a big deal on any occasion. When you’ve got Secret Service and everybody else running around, moving furniture, potentially bumping into that painting that’s probably worth a lot of money -- (laughter) -- that makes you more stressed.  So can you all please move away from the painting?  (Laughter.)  Just wanted to make that point.  You’re welcome, Joe.  All right.

A couple of other people that I want to mention.  We’ve got Debbie Wasserman Schultz here, the great Congresswoman and head of our DNC.  (Applause.)  We’ve got our DNC Finance Chair, Henry Muñoz, who’s here.  (Applause.)  And we have the Florida Democratic Party Chair, Allison Tant is here.  (Applause.)  And I am here.  (Applause.)  And you are here.  (Applause.)  So we’ve got a good party going on here tonight. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes, we do!

THE PRESIDENT:  (Laughter.)  Happy birthday.  (Laughter.) 

It’s wonderful to be out of Washington and have a chance to see folks who are doing all kinds of great work in their communities.  As I was taking pictures with some people, I talked to doctors, I talked to folks who are active in the community, people who are working on behalf of immigration reform, people who are working on behalf of low-income families, teachers.  And so we’ve got a pretty good group here of folks who, aside from politics, are making a difference every single day.  And that’s what America is about, is neighbors helping neighbors, friends helping friends, communities figuring out how can we continually make ourselves a better place for our kids and for our grandkids. 
And after having gone through the worst recession since the Great Depression, America, all across the country in communities north, south, east and west, are starting to slowly see recovery. We’ve now created jobs for 39 consecutive months -- close to 7 million jobs.  (Applause.)  We have seen housing begin to come back.  The stock market has recovered.  The economy is growing.  We’re producing more energy than we have in years.  We’re importing less than we have in decades.  We’ve doubled our production of clean energy.  We’ve doubles the fuel-efficiency standards on cars. 

Across the board, people are feeling like, all right, America is moving and it’s moving in the right direction.  But what we also know --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Good job, Mr. President.  Good job.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  What we also know is, is that we’ve got a lot more work to do.  Because all across the country, we still have people who are looking for work and can’t find it.  We still have young people in schools that aren’t learning what they need to compete in the 21st century.  We still have young people who are burdened by massive college costs.  We still have infrastructure that needs to be rebuilt.  We’ve got research projects that could help to revolutionize our economy, but are not being adequately funded.  We have folks whose homes are still underwater and they’re still struggling.  And people are concerned about the possibilities of retiring with dignity and respect. 

So we’ve got a lot more work to do.  And the reason I’m here today is to ask for your help.  I’m very proud of the record that we’ve been able to put together over the last four and half years, making sure that every American in this country gets health care, and we are implementing health care reform so that every single American -- (applause) -- is able to get health care and won’t go bankrupt when they get sick.

We’re very proud of the work we’ve done on financial reform, setting up, for example, a consumer finance agency that for the first time will be protecting consumers from unscrupulous mortgage lenders or financial institutions.  I couldn't be prouder of us repealing "don't ask, don't tell,” -- (applause) -- and being at the forefront of making sure that in this country, it doesn't matter who you love; it matters whether you want to serve the country that you love.  (Applause.) 

We’re making progress on reforming education.  We’ve put billions of dollars that were previously going to banks into helping young people go to college.  We’re making progress.  But with all the stuff that remains to be done, I can’t do it by myself.  Our system of government was designed to separate powers, and so you’ve got three co-equal branches.  And I can propose a whole bunch of good stuff, things that I know will make a difference in the lives of middle-class families and everybody who’s working to get into the middle class.  But if don't have the kind of cooperation from Congress that I need, then all too often those are just plans on the shelf.

Now, I’ve run my last campaign -- and Michelle is very happy about that.  (Laughter.)  And so what that means is I think you can have confidence that all I care about right now is governing. All I care about right now is making sure that the country is stronger, more prosperous three years from now, four years from now, 10 years from now, 20 years from now than it was before I took office.  And I will work with everybody who’s got that same attitude.

So the good news is, for example, right now Congress is working on a serious effort to reform our broken immigration system.  And I actually am pretty confident that before the summer is over, I can sign into law comprehensive immigration reform that will strengthen our borders, fix our legal immigration system, and make sure that those who are here and are undocumented can earn their way -- in an arduous process, but earn their way -- to be full-fledged members of our country. 

And that’s an example of what we can accomplish when we work on a bipartisan basis.  Unfortunately, all too often, Republicans aren’t interested in the compromise that’s required to get things done.  They’ve got a different philosophical view on a whole lot of issues.  I don't think the vision that they have is one that would make the country stronger and more prosperous, but I understand they’re entitled to their opinion. 

And no party has a monopoly on wisdom, but when you get to the point where the other party will not compromise at all; when you get to the point where you’ve got another party that is more interested in trying to roll back health care for 30 million Americans than provide health care for 30 million Americans; when you have a party that is trying to roll back Wall Street reform and trying to -- instead of trying to implement it so that we don't have another batch of Wall Street bailouts; when you have a situation where folks are trying to make sure that women don't have the capacity to choose health care for themselves and make their own health care decisions, and, in some cases, are on the wrong side of the issue when it comes to equality for the LGBT community -- when folks aren’t interested in compromising, then I want to make sure that I’ve got people there who are ready to do some work.

I want members of Congress who are looking out for you, not looking out for special interests, not looking out for folks who, frankly, are doing just fine.  But I want to make sure that we’ve got people who are looking out for those who need help, and those who are committed to growing this economy in a broad-based way for everybody so that every child in America -- doesn't matter what they look like, where they come from, what their last name is -- that they can succeed.  (Applause.)  That's our goal.  That's the kind of Congress I want. 

And in order for that to happen, I'm going to need all of you to be just as engaged as you were in 2012 and 2008.  Sometimes, the presidential campaigns are the ones that get a lot of notice and a lot of fanfare.  And what happens, particularly among Democrats, is when it's not a presidential year our turnout drops off.  That's what happened in 2010.  You had this big gap between the number of people who vote on a presidential year and those who vote on a non-presidential year.  We can't think in those terms.  It's like if -- those of you who are basketball fans, you can't take off -- (laughter) -- you can't just play in the fourth quarter, you've got to play all the quarters.  (Laughter.)  You've got to play hard the whole time, not just part of the time.  Well, the same is true when it comes to being engaged in the political process.

And so I'm spending a lot of time traveling around the country.  I was over in North Carolina looking at a school district that had transformed itself -- gotten rid of textbooks, bought every child in the school district a laptop, and are now performing higher than every school district except one in North Carolina even though they're spending less money than almost every school district. 

I was in Austin, Texas and seeing an incubator where young entrepreneurs are inventing new products and new systems, in part because of the research dollars that are flowing from the federal government and are creating new businesses and jobs that will keep America at the cutting edge.

I have the honor of serving as Commander-in-Chief and meeting young men and women all across the country and all around the world who are putting their lives on the line every single day to protect us. 

And I meet young people everywhere who are so inspiring because they have this innate optimism about what's possible in this country.  They're not willing to settle for environmental degradation.  They're not willing to settle for inequality.  They're not willing to settle for people being treated differently because -- or being bullied because of their sexual orientation. 

And these young people, when you talk to them, it reminds you -- just like it reminds you when you talk to our men and women in uniform, just like it reminds you when you talk to some of our small business owners -- America has got all the cards we need to succeed as long as everybody is involved.  As long as everybody is engaged.  As long as the vision that has driven this country all these years expresses itself not only in our neighborhoods, not only in our workplaces, not only in our churches or synagogues or mosques, not only in our day-to-day lives, but also expresses itself in Washington -- expresses itself in Congress.  That's what we're fighting for.

So I want to make sure everybody here understands our work is not done and I'm not going to be able to do it by myself.  We're going to need great members of Congress who are passionate and motivated and thinking about how we build a thriving, growing middle class and providing ladders of opportunity for people to get into the middle class.  And in order for me to have those members of Congress, I'm going to need all of you active.  (Applause.)  So let's get to work.  I hope you're still fired up. 

I love you, Miami.  (Applause.)  Good luck in Game Four.  (Applause.)

END
8:41 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 12, 2013

Remarks by the President at Markey for Senate Rally -- Boston, MA

Reggie Lewis Track and Athletic Center
Roxbury Crossing, Massachusetts

1:27 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Boston!  (Applause.)  It is great to be back in Boston.  (Applause.)  Good to be back in Massachusetts.  (Applause.)  And, most of all, it is great to be here with the next senator from Massachusetts -- Ed Markey.  (Applause.)  

First of all, I want to thank Ed for that great introduction.  (Applause.)  Because I am here with my great friends from Boston, because I'm here to campaign on behalf of somebody who will be an outstanding member of the United States Senate, I am not going to talk trash about the hockey game.  (Laughter.)  I'm not going to say anything about the outstanding qualities of the Chicago Blackhawks.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE:  Boooo --

THE PRESIDENT:  I'm not going to say anything.  I'm not going to do it.  (Laughter.)  Because I don't want to make you all feel bad.  (Laughter.)  I want you to feel good. 

Part of the reason you should feel good is not only do you have an outstanding congressional delegation, you also have a great Governor -- my good friend, Deval Patrick.  (Applause.)   You’ve got one of the finest mayors in the United States of America -- we love Tom Menino.  (Applause.)  I was just backstage talking to Tom, and he doesn’t just inspire Boston and make it a better place, he inspires the country.  And we’re grateful for his lifetime of service.

The last time I saw Tom, the last time I saw a lot of you was for the memorial service honoring the victims of the Marathon bombing.  So this morning, before I came here, I wanted to spend some time with some Bostonians, so we stopped by Charlie’s Sandwich Shop -- (applause) -- and I got a burger and fries.  And we were saying hi to everybody and hugging folks, and Ed was with me.  And one of the people I met in the shop just by happenstance was a young man whose family had been injured by the bombing.  And he was with a nurse who had been at Mass General the day those folks got brought in.  And she was on her day off.  But I gave her a big hug and I reminded her of how much what she did had meant to so many people all throughout the city and she was an example of the spirit of Boston during a very difficult time. 
And I asked people, how is the city doing?  And they said, you know, we're bouncing back.  Boylston Street may be open again.  Life may be back to normal in a lot of ways.  But we know there's still too many middle-class families that aren't seeing their hard work rewarded, too many young people who are looking for work and can't find it, too many Americans who feel like the rungs on the ladder of opportunity have grown farther and farther apart.  And that’s why Ed and I are focused on building the true engine of long-term economic growth -- and that is a rising, thriving middle class.  (Applause.)   

And every day I wake up, I ask three questions:  How do I make America a magnet for good jobs?  How do we make sure our workers earn the skills and education they need for those jobs?  How do we make sure those jobs are paying a decent living?  And the answer to that is, government can't do it by itself.  Obviously, the private sector is the driver of our economy.  It's the engine of our growth. 

But when people say the whole problem is government, they don't understand government can help by establishing smart priorities, by making smart choices, by investing in American manufacturing so we're bringing more of our jobs back from overseas -- (applause) -- investing in our roads and our bridges and our ports to make sure that we are staying competitive all around the world; educating our children from the earliest years, keeping them safe from gun violence; rethinking our high schools, making college more affordable -- (applause) -- making sure we stay at the cutting edge in science and technology; securing our energy future; addressing climate change.  There are some things that government can do that will help middle-class families, and that's what Ed Markey is committed to doing.  (Applause.)

We can do all this.  We have all the plans.  We have all the policies.  We have solutions to our challenges.  We have all the ingredients for success.  This is not only the greatest nation on Earth in the past, this is going to be the greatest nation on Earth for the foreseeable future.  There's no country on Earth that would not gladly trade places with the United States.  But what’s holding us back right now is inaction in Washington, gridlock in Washington -- too many folks in Washington who are putting the next election ahead of the next generation.  (Applause.)

Now, Boston, I want you to know I've run my last campaign.  Michelle is very happy about that.  (Laughter.)  So my only concern is making sure that we advance the interests of the broadest number of Americans and we leave our children a stronger, safer, more prosperous country than the one we inherited.  That’s all I care about.  (Applause.)  And that means I’m willing to work with anybody -- I’ll work with Republicans, Democrats, independents -- anybody who wants to make progress. I’m ready to get going.  I want to work with them.  (Applause.)

So, for example, right now on immigration, we’ve got a good bipartisan bill moving through the Senate that strengthens our borders and reforms the system so that everybody is playing by the same rules -- reform that will allow us to continue to attract talent from all around the world, the best and the brightest.  And whenever Republicans are ready to work with me, I’m ready to work with them.  (Applause.)  I want to govern not just politic.  (Applause.)

And I notice on gun violence, there are a lot of Republicans out there who recognize that we need some common-sense gun safety measures.  Some Republicans may be rethinking the stances that they took in the past.  That’s the good news.  We want to encourage that.  But the fact of the matter is that a whole bunch of Republicans out there are not interested in getting things done.  They think compromise is a dirty word.  They think the problem we’ve got is just working people who join unions -- that that’s what holding us back.  They think environmental regulations are what’s holding us back.  They think that we’re spending, I guess, too much money on science and research and technology. 

And because of those attitudes, we’ve got to have some Democrats like Ed Markey, who will stand up and do the right thing.  That’s what we need.  (Applause.) 

Ed mentioned that the idea of being a Democrat -- look, I don’t believe that any single party has a monopoly on wisdom.  My favorite President is a guy from Illinois who founded the Republican Party, effectively -- Abraham Lincoln, our first Republican President.  (Applause.)  But what does make me a Democrat is the basic idea that in this country, no matter what you look like, no matter where you come from, no matter who you love, you should be able to get ahead if you’re willing to work hard and act responsibly.  (Applause.)

You should be able to buy a home and send your kids to college, and save a little bit for retirement, make sure your kids get a good education, not go bankrupt when you get sick.  Most Americans aren’t asking for a lot.  They know they’ve got to take care of themselves.  They just want to make sure that if they're working hard, they can get ahead.  That's the essence of what it means to be a Democrat.

And that's why we’ve got to have folks like Ed Markey, who are going to help keep weapons of war off the streets and out of our schools; make it harder for criminals to get a gun in their hands.

That's why we’ve got to have a Democrat who is going to make sure that we implement the Affordable Care Act -- because in a nation this wealthy, nobody should have to go without affordable, accessible health care.  They don't have to do it in Massachusetts.  They shouldn’t have to do it anywhere else.  (Applause.)  It’s the right thing to do, and we need Ed Markey to make sure that it gets implemented.  (Applause.)

We’re fighting to make sure that when it comes to women’s health, no employer or insurance company or politician gets to decide your health care.  Women should make decisions about their health care, not some politician in Washington.  (Applause.)

We need somebody who is going to be supportive of the Consumer Financial Protection Board that Elizabeth Warren and I started talking about even before I was elected President and that we’ve now implemented to make sure you’re not getting cheated by unscrupulous financial practices.  We need somebody who is going to support that robustly.  That's what Ed is going to do.

We don't need politicians who are going to roll back these rights.  We need somebody like Ed Markey who is going to fight to secure them, no matter how many times the Republicans in Washington want to refight the old battles.

Do you know that the House Republicans have held nearly 40 votes to repeal Obamacare?  They did another one just two weeks ago because they figured that they were a couple new representatives that hadn’t had a chance to vote against Obamacare.  That's not a productive thing to do, people. 

This law is going to mean big things for the economic security of middle-class families.  We should be spending time figuring out how to spread the word that if you don't have health insurance, you can now get it. 

We need a senator from Massachusetts who will help me, work with me, to deal with climate change in an honest, realistic way. (Applause.)  Ed has been fighting this battle for decades.  If we want our children and our grandchildren to live in the same beautiful planet, the same abundance and natural glory that we have enjoyed in our lives, we’ve got to double down on our investment in science and basic research.  We can't just develop the energy sources of the past.  We’ve got to develop the energy sources of the future.  

We’ve got the tools and the capabilities to make huge strides.  We’ve already doubled the production of clean energy.  We’ve already doubled fuel-efficiency standards on cars.  We've got to keep on going forward, not backwards.  And that's what Ed Markey is going to help us do.  (Applause.)

We've ended a war in Iraq; we're winding down the war in Afghanistan responsibly.  Now we're going to have to take care of our veterans and keep Americans safe.  And I will keep working with the other side of the aisle on these issues.  But I want somebody like Ed Markey who every single day is going to be fighting on behalf of our veterans, going to be fighting on behalf of our first responders. 

These budget battles we have in Washington, they have implications for whether or not we're helping cities and states fund their firefighters, fund their police officers.  And everybody here in Boston knows how much those first responders mean to us when a crisis has hit.  (Applause.)  And we've got to make sure we're there for them.  (Applause.)

So, look, here’s the bottom line.  We've gone through some tough times over these last few years and so many of you put your faith in me in 2008 and 2012 -- (applause) -- the folks here in Massachusetts were very kind to me back in 2004, when nobody could pronounce my name.  (Laughter.) 

And every single day, I think about all of you.  I look out on the faces in this crowd -- some of you I know, some of you have knocked on doors for me, some of you poured your heart and soul into our efforts. 

But here’s the thing that I think all of us understand -- the job of rebuilding America, the job of making sure our kids have a great education, the job of making sure everybody has health care, the job of making sure that financial institutions treat everybody fairly, the job of making sure our veterans have the care that they need, the job of making sure we have a bright energy future, the job of preserving our environment, the job of making sure we stay on the cutting-edge when it comes to innovation -- that job is not mine alone.  I can't do it by myself.  I've got to have folks with me who care as passionately about these things as I do.  (Applause.)  I've got to have folks in the United States Senate who are willing to stand up for working people just like I have.  I need folks in the United States Senate who, every day, are waking up thinking about the people who sent them there, and trying to figure out how do I make sure that they are getting a brighter future.

That's who Ed Markey is.  I need Ed Markey in the United States Senate.  (Applause.) 

So this election is going to come down to turnout.  We've got a whole lot of Democrats in this state and a whole lot of Obama voters, but you can't just turnout during a presidential election.  You've got to turn out in this election.  You can't think, oh, I did my work in 2012.  You've got some work to do right now in 2013.  (Applause.)  You can't just pat your back and say, well, I knocked on some doors back in November.  I need you knocking on some doors right now in June.  (Applause.) 

And if you work with the same focus and the same passion -- if you are knocking on some doors and making some phone calls, if you're talking to your friends and you're talking to your neighbors -- if you're talking to cousin Jimmy who doesn't always vote unless you give him a phone call -- if you are making sure that people know Ed Markey's remarkable record in Congress, then I guarantee you he will be the next United States senator from Massachusetts.  (Applause.)  He'll join Elizabeth Warren.  He'll carry on the legacy of Ted Kennedy and John Kerry.  He will be my partner, and we will continue the march forward on behalf of not just this generation, but future generations. 

Thank you.  Let's get to work.  God bless you. 

END
1:51 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 11, 2013

Remarks by President Obama and President Humala of Peru After Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

12:16 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  I'm very happy to welcome President Humala and his delegation to the Oval Office.  We've been able to work together and interact in a wide range of multilateral forums, but this is the first time that I've been able to have the President here in Washington. 

Peru is one of our strongest and most reliable partners in the hemisphere.  We have a strong commercial and trading relationship.  We cooperate on a wide range of security issues, including our counter-narcotics efforts.  And we spent most of our discussion focused on how we can further deepen this important bilateral relationship. 

I want to congratulate President Humala on being able to sustain strong growth rates in Peru, and his focus on broad-based economic growth that includes all people.  As a consequence, Peru has been able to see not only increased growth but also reduced poverty and steps to reduce inequality. 

For both the United States and Peru, growth is also dependent on our continued expansion in the global marketplace, and that’s why I'm very glad that Peru and the United States are working so closely together in finalizing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which offers the possibility of opening up markets throughout the Asia Pacific region with high standards and protections for labor and the environment. 

We've also agreed to a number of bilateral programs that will strengthen our cooperation.  For example, as part of my 100,000 Strong in the Americas program, we're going to deepen education exchange programs between our two countries, and we're also focusing on how we work together to include small businesses and medium-sized businesses in a hemisphere-wide network that allows those businesses to access markets throughout the region. 

And we also talked about how we can deepen at a strategic level our work together to continue to combat the scourge of transnational drug networks that have an adverse impact not only in Peru, but throughout the region.

So overall, the state of our relationship is very strong.  I think it will become even stronger as a result of some of the initiatives that we have shaped in this meeting.  And I'm very glad that President Humala was able to visit us.  I also wish the Peruvian soccer team the best of luck this evening.  (Laughter.) 

PRESIDENT HUMALA:  (As interpreted.)  Thank you very much, President Obama.  My visit here is a sign of the strength that we want to carry out in our relationships between the United States and Peru. 

We have found in your administration an open environment in which we can build on all the strategic areas so as to strengthen our bonds.  I am convinced that under your administration we will substantively and qualitatively fight against the scourge of drugs. 

But that has not been the only topic that we have addressed during our talk.  We have also discussed about education, training, science, technology, and strengthening the capacities of our young population.  We wish to move forward on exchange programs and scholarships not only with the United States, but also with the states of the union, so that way we can provide young people more opportunities. 

We have agreed on the importance of building democracy on respecting human rights, on improving economic openness, on working on trade, because this allows us to grow our economies and to develop further.  In addition, we have highlighted that Peru is an important trade partner with the United States.  We provide economic growth.  We have economic trust.  We also provide legal stability. 

Finally, we have invited President Obama, despite his busy agenda, to visit Peru.  I hope he does find the time to come down and visit us. 

We would like to thank you for your well wishes for the match this afternoon.  The referee is from the U.S.  (Laughter.)  No, I'm just kidding.  I'm just kidding.  (Laughter.)  This is not true.  I'm just kidding.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  If it was, hopefully the Peruvian team will be so strong that it doesn't need help from the referee.  (Laughter.)

END
12:33 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 11, 2013

Remarks by the President on Immigration Reform

East Room

10:38 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  Welcome to the White House.  It is a pleasure to have so many distinguished Americans today from so many different walks of life.  We’ve got Democrats and Republicans; we've got labor and business leaders up on stage; we have law enforcement and clergy -- Americans who don’t see eye-to-eye on every issue, in fact, in some cases, don't see eye-to-eye on just about any issue -- (laughter) -- but who are today standing united in support of the legislation that is front and center in Congress this week -- a bipartisan bill to fix our broken immigration system.

And I have to say -- please give Tolu another round of applause.  (Applause.)  It takes a lot of courage to do what Tolu did -- to step out of the shadows, to share her story, and to hope that, despite the risks, she could make a difference.  But Tolu I think is representative of so many DREAMers out there who have worked so hard -- and I've had a chance to meet so many of them who’ve been willing to give a face to the undocumented and have inspired a movement across America.  And with each step, they’ve reminded us -- time and again -- what this debate is all about.  This is not an abstract debate.  This is about incredible young people who understand themselves to be Americans, who have done everything right but have still been hampered in achieving their American Dream.

And they remind us that we're a nation of immigrants.  Throughout our history, the promise we found in those who come from every corner of the globe has always been one of our greatest strengths.  It’s kept our workforce vibrant and dynamic.  It’s kept our businesses on the cutting edge.  It’s helped build the greatest economic engine that the world has ever known. 

When I speak to other world leaders, one of the biggest advantages we have economically is our demographics.  We're constantly replenishing ourselves with talent from across the globe.  No other country can match that history.  And what was true years ago is still true today -- who’s beeping over there?  (Laughter.)  You’re feeling kind of self-conscious, aren’t you?  (Laughter.)  It’s okay. 

In recent years, one in four of America’s new small business owners were immigrants.  One in four high-tech startups in America were founded by immigrants.  Forty percent of Fortune 500 companies were started by a first- or second-generation American. Think about that -- almost half of the Fortune 500 companies when they were started were started by first- or second-generation immigrants.  So immigration isn’t just part of our national character.  It is a driving force in our economy that creates jobs and prosperity for all of our citizens.

Now, here’s the thing.  Over the past two decades, our immigration system hasn’t kept pace with changing times and hasn’t matched up with our most cherished values. 

Right now, our immigration system invites the best and the brightest from all over the world to come and study at our top universities, and then once they finish -- once they’ve gotten the training they need to build a new invention or create a new business -- our system too often tells them to go back home so that other countries can reap the benefits, the new jobs, the new businesses, the new industries.  That’s not smart.  But that’s the broken system we have today. 

Right now, our immigration system keeps families apart for years at a time.  Even for folks who, technically, under the legal immigration system, should be eligible to become citizens but it is so long and so cumbersome, so byzantine, that families end up being separated for years.  Because of a backlog in visas, people who come here legally -- who are ready to give it their all to earn their place in America -- end up waiting for years to join their loved ones here in the United States.  It’s not right. But that’s the broken system we have today. 

Right now, our immigration system has no credible way of dealing with the 11 million men and women who are in this country illegally.  And, yes, they broke the rules; they didn’t wait their turn.  They shouldn’t be let off easy.  They shouldn’t be allowed to game the system.  But at the same time, the vast majority of these individuals aren’t looking for any trouble.  They’re just looking to provide for their families, contribute to their communities. 

They’re our neighbors.  We know their kids.  Too often, they’re forced to do what they do in a shadow economy where shady employers can exploit them by paying less than the minimum wage, making them work without overtime, not giving them any benefits. That pushes down standards for all workers.  It’s bad for everybody.  Because all the businesses that do play by the rules, that hire people legally, that pay them fairly -- they’re at a competitive disadvantage.  American workers end up being at a competitive disadvantage.  It’s not fair.  But that’s the broken system that we have today.

Now, over the past four years, we’ve tried to patch up some of the worst cracks in the system.  We made border security a top priority.  Today, we have twice as many border patrol agents as we did in 2004.  We have more boots on the ground along our southern border than at any time in our history.  And in part, by using technology more effectively, illegal crossings are near their lowest level in decades.    

We focused our enforcement efforts on criminals who are here illegally and who are endangering our communities.  And today, deportation of criminals is at its highest level ever.

And having put border security in place, having refocused on those who could do our communities harm, we also then took up the cause of the DREAMers, young people like Tolu who were brought to this country as children.  We said that if you’re able to meet some basic criteria, like pursuing a higher education, then we’ll consider offering you the chance to come out of the shadows so you can continue to work here, and study here, and contribute to our communities legally.

So my administration has done what we can on our own.  And we’ve got members of my administration here who’ve done outstanding work over the past few years to try to close up some of the gaps that exist in the system.  But the system is still broken.  And to truly deal with this issue, Congress needs to act.  And that moment is now. 

This week, the Senate will consider a common-sense, bipartisan bill that is the best chance we’ve had in years to fix our broken immigration system.  It will build on what we’ve done and continue to strengthen our borders.  It will make sure that businesses and workers are all playing by the same set of rules, and it includes tough penalties for those who don’t.  It’s fair for middle-class families, by making sure that those who are brought into the system pay their fair share in taxes and for services.  And it’s fair for those who try to immigrate legally by stopping those who try to skip the line.  It’s the right thing to do.

Now, this bill isn’t perfect.  It’s a compromise.  And going forward, nobody is going to get everything that they want -- not Democrats, not Republicans, not me.  But this is a bill that’s largely consistent with the principles that I and the people on this stage have laid out for common-sense reform. 

First of all, if passed, this bill would be the biggest commitment to border security in our nation’s history.  It would put another $6.5 billion -- on top of what we’re already spending -- towards stronger, smarter security along our borders.  It would increase criminal penalties against smugglers and traffickers.  It would finally give every employer a reliable way to check that every person they’re hiring is here legally.  And it would hold employers more accountable if they knowingly hire undocumented workers.  So it strengthens border security, but also enforcement within our borders.

I know there’s a lot of talk right now about border security, so let me repeat -- today, illegal crossings are near their lowest level in decades.  And if passed, the Senate bill as currently written and as hitting the floor would put in place the toughest border enforcement plan that America has ever seen.  So nobody is taking border enforcement lightly.  That’s part of this bill.   

Number two, this bill would provide a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million individuals who are in this country illegally.  So that pathway is arduous.  You've got to pass background checks.  You've got to learn English.  You've got to pay taxes and a penalty.  And then you've got to go to the back of the line behind everybody who’s done things the right way and have tried to come here legally.

So this won’t be a quick process.  It will take at least 13 years before the vast majority of these individuals are able to even apply for citizenship.  So this is no cakewalk.  But it’s the only way we can make sure that everyone who’s here is playing by the same rules as ordinary families -- paying taxes and getting their own health insurance. 

That’s why, for immigration reform to work, it must be clear from the outset that there is a pathway to citizenship.  If we’re asking everybody to play by the same rules, you got to give people a sense of certainty that they go through all these sacrifices, do all this, that there’s at the end of the horizon, the opportunity -- not the guarantee, but the opportunity -- to be part of this American family.  And by the way, a majority of Americans support this idea.

Number three, this bill would modernize the legal immigration system so that, alongside training American workers for the jobs of tomorrow, we’re also attracting the highly skilled entrepreneurs and engineers from around the world who will ultimately grow our economy.  And this bill would help make sure that our people don’t have to wait years before their loved ones are able to join them here in America.

So that’s what immigration reform looks like:  Smarter enforcement; a pathway to earned citizenship; improvements to our legal system.  They’re all common-sense steps.  They’ve got bipartisan support.  They’ve got the support of a broad cross-section of leaders from every walk of life.  So there’s no reason Congress can’t get this done by the end of the summer. 

Remember, the process that led to this bill was open and inclusive.  For months, the bipartisan Gang of Eight looked at every issue, reconciled competing ideas, built a compromise that works.  Then the Judiciary Committee held numerous hearings.  More than a hundred amendments were added, often with bipartisan support.  The good news is every day that goes by, more and more Republicans and Democrats are coming out to support this common-sense immigration reform bill.

And I’m sure the bill will go through a few more changes in the weeks to come.  But this much is clear:  If you genuinely believe we need to fix our broken immigration system, there’s no good reason to stand in the way of this bill.  A lot of people -- Democrats and Republicans -- have done a lot of good work on this bill.  So if you’re serious about actually fixing the system, then this is the vehicle to do it. 

If you’re not serious about it, if you think that a broken system is the best America can do, then I guess it might make sense to try to block it.  But if you're actually serious and sincere about fixing a broken system, this is the vehicle to do it.  And now is the time to get it done.  There is no good reason to play procedural games or engage in obstruction just to block the best chance we’ve had in years to address this problem in a way that’s fair to middle-class families, to business owners, to legal immigrants. 

And there’s no good reason to undo the progress we’ve already made -- especially when it comes to extreme steps like stripping protections from DREAMers that my administration has provided, or asking law enforcement to treat them the same way they treat violent criminals.  That’s not who we are. 

We owe it to America to do better.  We owe it to the DREAMers to do better.  We owe it to the young people like Tolu and Diego Sanchez, who’s with us here today.  Where's Diego?  Right here.  Diego came here from Argentina with his parents when he was just a kid, and growing up, America was his home.  This is where he went to school.  This is where he made friends.  This is where he built a life.  You ask Diego and he’ll tell you he feels American in every way -- except one; on paper.   

In high school, Diego found out that he was undocumented.  Think about that.  With all the stuff you're already dealing with in high school -- (laughter) -- and suddenly, oh, man, really?  (Laughter.)  So he had done everything right -- stayed out of trouble, excelled in class, contributed to his community -- feeling hopeful about his future, and suddenly he finds out he's got to live in fear of deportation. Watching his friends get their licenses knowing he couldn’t get one himself.  Seeing his classmates apply for summer jobs knowing he couldn’t do that either. 

When Diego heard that we were going to offer a chance for folks like him to emerge from the shadows, he went and signed up. All he wanted, he said, was a chance to, “live a normal life” and to “contribute to the country I love.”  And Diego, this year, was approved for deferred action.  A few weeks ago, he graduated from St. Thomas University, where he was student body president and “Student of the Year.”  (Applause.) 

So now he’s set his sights higher -- master's degree and then law school so he can pursue a career in public policy, help America shape its future.  Why wouldn’t we want to do the right thing by Diego?  What rationale is there out there that wouldn’t want to make sure Diego achieves his dreams?  Because if he does, that helps us all achieve our dreams.

So in the weeks to come, you'll hear some opponents of immigration reform try to gin up fear and create division and spread the same old rumors and untruths that we’ve heard before. And when that happens, I want you to think about Tolu.  I want you to think about Diego.  And I want you to think about your own parents and your own grandparents and your own great grandparents, and all the men and women and children who came here.  The notion that somehow those who came through Ellis Island had all their papers right -- (laughter) -- had checked every box and followed procedures as they were getting on that boat -- they were looking for a better life just like these families.  And they want to earn their way into the American story. 

And if you’re willing to stand with them -- and if you’re willing to stand with all these outstanding leaders up here -- then now is the time to make your voice heard.  You need to call and email and tweet your senators and tell them, don't kick this problem down the road.  Come together.  Work together.  Do your job not only to fix a broken immigration system once and for all, but to leave something better for all the generations to come, to make sure we continue to be a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  Do the right thing.  

Thanks.  God bless you.  God bless America.

END
11:02 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 10, 2013

Remarks by the President Nominating Jason Furman as Chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers

State Dining Room

2:14 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, all of you.  It’s now been nearly five years since an economic crisis and a punishing recession came together to cost far too many Americans their jobs, and their homes, and the sense of security that they had built up over time.  And by the time I took office, my team and I were facing bubbles that had burst; markets that had cratered; bank after bank on the verge of collapse.  And the heartbeat of American manufacturing, our auto industry, was flatlining.  And all this meant that hundreds of thousands of Americans were losing their jobs each month. So this was a scary time. And nobody had any idea where the bottom would be.

Four and a half years later, our businesses have created nearly 7 million new jobs over the past 36 months.  The American auto industry has come roaring back.  We’re producing more of our own energy, we’re consuming less that we import from other countries.  Our deficits are shrinking rapidly.  The cost of health care is slowing.  The housing market is rebounding.  People’s retirement savings are growing.  The wealth that was lost from that recession has now been recovered. 

All of this progress is a testament to the grit and resolve of the American people, most of all.  But it’s also due in some measurable way to the incredible dedication of the men and women who helped to engineer America’s response.  And two of those people are standing next to me, two very smart economists:  Alan Krueger and Jason Furman.

Today, I can announce that Alan is heading back to teach his beloved students at Michelle’s alma mater -- Princeton University.  When they get together all they can talk about is Princeton and they’re all very proud, and those of us who didn’t go to Princeton have to put up with it.  (Laughter.)  And I’m proud to say that Jason Furman has agreed to replace Alan as the Chairman of my Council of Economic Advisers.

During the crisis, Alan stepped in initially to help engineer our response as Assistant Secretary and chief economist at the Treasury Department.  He was so good that we then had to beg him to come back, extend his tour, to serve as the Chairman of my Council of Economic Advisers, where he’s been the driving force behind actions that we’ve taken to help restart the flow of lending to small businesses, and create new jobs, and arm workers with the skills they need to fill them, to reduce income inequality, to rebuild our aging infrastructure, and to bring down our deficits in a responsible way. 

And Alan is driven by the basic bargain at the heart of our economy -- the idea that hard work should be rewarded.  He’s motivated by the principle that no one who works full-time in the greatest nation on Earth should have to raise their families in poverty or below poverty levels.  His commitment to a rising, thriving middle class shines through in his often passionate presentations and -- at least for an economist they’re passionate.  (Laughter.)  And in the policies that he’s pushed, and I know this will continue to be a focus of his research. 

Alan’s wife and son are here today, and I know that they’re all looking forward to having Alan back.  (Laughter.)  And now that Alan has some free time, he can return to another burning passion of his -- “Rockonomics.”  The economics of rock and roll.  This is something that Alan actually cares about -- seriously, on Wednesday he’s giving a speech at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  He’s got a t-shirt under his suit -- (laughter) -- with a big tongue sticking out.  (Laughter.)  Don’t show it.  (Laughter and applause.) 

So Alan has become one of my most trusted advisors.  He’s become a wonderful friend.  I’m sad to see him go.  But I know that he will continue to do outstanding work and, fortunately, he’ll still be available for us to consult with him periodically because he’s a constant font of good ideas about how we can further help the American people.  So thank you very much, Alan, for all the good work that you’ve done.  (Applause.)  

I’m also proud to nominate another outstanding economist to take his place.  Jason Furman is one of the most brilliant economic minds of his generation, don’t take my word for it -- you can talk to other economists who know a lot more than I do about it.  He’s won the respect and admiration from his peers across the political spectrum.  His Ph.D. thesis advisor, Greg Mankiw, chaired the Council of Economic Advisers under George W. Bush.  Nobel Prize Winner Joe Stiglitz, on the other side of the economic spectrum, hired Jason to work for the CEA under President Clinton.

After leaving President Clinton’s White House, Jason finished his Ph.D. in economics, quickly acquired a reputation as a world-class scholar and researcher.  But public service kept calling, and Jason kept answering that call because he believes deeply in it.  So from working at the World Bank on issues of inequality and international finance to developing new proposals to strengthen our health and retirement programs, he helped to shape some of our most important economic policy debates. 

And when I asked him to join my team in 2008, even though his baby daughter -- that’s right -- (laughter) -- you were this big -- had just been born, he agreed to serve once again.  And over the last five years I’ve come to trust not only his head, but also his heart, because Jason never forgets who it is that we’re fighting for:  middle-class families, folks who are working hard to climb their way into the middle class, the next generation. 

And when the stakes are highest, there's no one I'd rather turn to for straightforward, unvarnished advice that helps me to do my job.  He understands all sides of an argument, not just one side of it.  He's worked tirelessly on just about every major economic challenge of the past four and a half years, from averting a second depression, to fighting for tax cuts that help millions of working families make ends meet, to creating new incentives for businesses to hire, to reducing our deficits in a balanced way that benefits the middle class.

And so, Eve, Jason's wife, who is an accomplished writer herself, has put up with a lot of hours with Jason away.  Henry and Louisa, who are here, they've made a lot of sacrifices so that their husband and dad could be here working for the American people.  So I appreciate you guys for sharing daddy.  (Laughter.)  Just a little bit longer.  (Laughter.)  And the reason it's important is because while we've cleared away the rubble of crisis and laid a new foundation for growth, our work is nowhere near done. 

Even though the economy is growing, too many middle-class families still feel like they're working harder and harder and can't get ahead.  Inequality is still growing in our society.  Too many young people aren't sure whether they'll be able to match the living standards of their parents.  We have too many kids in poverty in this country still. 

There are some basic steps that we can take to strengthen the position of working people in this country, to help our economy grow faster, to make sure that it's more competitive.  And some of that requires political will.  Some of it requires an abiding passion for making sure everybody in this country has a fair shot.  But it also requires good economists.  I know it's called a dismal science, but I don’t find it that dismal.  (Laughter.)  I think it's actually pretty interesting.  Alan and Jason appreciate that.  (Laughter.)  So sometimes the rest of my staff thinks, oh, Obama is getting together with his economists and they're going to have a wonkfest for the next hour.  (Laughter.) 

But this stuff matters.  It's not just numbers on a page.  It makes a difference in terms of whether or not people get a chance at life, and also, how do we optimize opportunity and make sure that it -- we don’t have a contradiction between an efficient, growing, free-market economy, and one in which everybody gets a fair shot and where we're caring for the vulnerable and the disabled and folks in our society who need help.

So a growing economy that creates good middle-class jobs, that rewards hard work and responsibility, that’s our North Star.  Jason shares that focus.  I know Alan shares that passion.  And Jason's new role as the Chairman of the Economic -- Council of Economic Advisors, he'll be working with some of our country's leading economists, including Jim Stock, who has joined us.  And I'm relying on them to provide analysis and recommendations with just one thing in mind: What's going to do the most good for the most people in this country -- not what's best for a political party, not what's best for a special interest.  I don’t have another election.  It's not what's best for me -- what's best for our middle class, and everybody who is working hard to get there.  That’s what the American people deserve. 

So I would urge the Senate to swiftly confirm Jason Furman. And I want to, again, thank Alan for his outstanding service.  I want to thank Jason and his family for continuing to serve the country they love.  And for all the economists in the room, thank you for the occasionally under-appreciated work that you do.  (Laughter.)

Thank you.  (Applause.) 

END  
2:25 P.M EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 10, 2013

Remarks by the President on the 50th Anniversary of the Equal Pay Act

East Room

11:53 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Everybody have a seat.  Welcome to the White House.  It is wonderful to see all of you.  Thank you, Joe, for that kind introduction.  Thank you, Valerie, for the great leadership you’ve shown on this.  And to all of you -- business leaders and advocates, members of Congress, who are here, members of my administration -- I am so glad that all of you could be here to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Equal Pay Act. 

When you think about it, we’re not just celebrating a law.  We’re honoring the heroes who made that law possible -- the fierce determination of Americans who saw a wrong and worked to right it.  There were women who were sick and tired of being sick and tired -- (laughter) -- of seeing the same jobs advertised with different pay scales.  Women who were tired of being treated like second-class workers.  Women like Dorothy Height and Congresswoman Edna Kelly -- (applause) -- and Esther Peterson, all who pushed to make the Equal Pay Act a reality. 

And, today, we recognize the work of those brave women.  But until equal pay truly is a reality, we’re also here to recommit ourselves to the work that remains to be done.

Fifty years ago today, President Kennedy signed the Equal Pay Act into law, right here in the White House.  He said it was basic to our democracy.  It’s the idea that all of us are created equal.  And as I said in my inaugural address this year, our journey to equality is not complete until our wives, our mothers, our daughters can earn a living equal to their efforts.

The day that the bill was signed into law, women earned 59 cents for every dollar a man earned on average.  Today, it’s about 77 cents.  So it was 59 and now it’s 77 cents.  It’s even less, by the way, if you’re an African American or a Latina.  So I guess that’s progress, but does anybody here think that’s good enough? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  I assume everybody thinks we can do better.

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We can.

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, we can.  (Laughter and applause.)

Over the course of her career, a working woman with a college degree will earn on average hundreds of thousands of dollars less than a man who does the same work.  Now, that’s wrong.  I don’t want that for Malia and Sasha.  I don’t want that for your daughters.  I don’t want that to be an example that any child growing up ends up accepting as somehow the norm.  I want every child to grow up knowing that a woman’s hard work is valued and rewarded just as much as any man’s.

Now, what’s important to realize also, though, is this is not just an issue of fairness.  This is a family issue.  This is a middle-class issue.  This is an economic issue.  Just last week, a report confirmed what we already know:  that women are increasingly the breadwinners for American families.  Women are now the primary source of income for nearly 40 percent of American families.  Forty percent -- almost half. 

That’s not something to panic about, or to be afraid about  -– that’s a sign of the progress and the strides that we’ve made.  But what it does mean is that when more women are bringing home the bacon, they shouldn’t just be getting a little bit of bacon.  (Laughter.)  If they’re bringing home more of the income and that income is less than a fair share, that means that families have less to get by on for childcare or health care, or gas or groceries.  It makes it harder for middle-class families to save and retire.  It leaves small businesses with customers who have less money in their pockets -- which is not good for the economy.  That’s not a good example to set for our sons and daughters, but it’s also not a good recipe for long-term, stable economic growth.

So to anyone who says 77 cents on the dollar sounds pretty close to equal, I say, you’re math is bad.  (Laughter.)  You wouldn’t like it if your vote only counted in three out of four elections.  (Laughter.)  You wouldn’t like it if your daughters or sons went to school but they only got taught three out of four days a week, or four out of five days a week.  You wouldn’t like it if you were forced to work every fourth day without pay.  Men would be complaining about that.  (Laughter.)  They wouldn’t think that was equal or fair.

So this is the 21st century.  It’s time to close that gap.  That’s why the first bill I signed into law was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act.  (Applause.)

That’s why, as Valerie mentioned, I created the first-ever White House Council on Women and Girls, which is working to close that gap.  (Applause.)  And Valerie’s council -- this council is doing a great job in bringing the experiences of women into our federal policies as well.

It’s why I established a National Equal Pay Task Force to help crack down on violations of equal pay laws, which, by the way, they’re doing at a record rate.  And, through education and outreach, they’re also helping employers develop tools to comply with the nation’s equal pay laws on their own.  And that’s why, earlier this year, I signed a presidential memorandum directing the federal government to close that gap for good for its employees.  (Applause.)  We have to set an example.

It’s also why we’re using the latest technology to help workers get the information they need to figure out if they’re underpaid.  And thanks to innovators like Rachel and Laquitta, who are up here, we can now say, “There’s an app for that.”  (Laughter.)   

But as long as this gap persists, we’re going to have more work to do.  And now is the time to keep up the work that all those trailblazers started 50 years ago.

Now is the time for Congress to step up and pass the Paycheck Fairness Act so women have better tools to fight for equal pay for equal work.  (Applause.)  

Now is the time for us to encourage more young women to pursue math and science education.  Now is the time for us to hire more STEM teachers so all our children are prepared for the high-tech, high-wage jobs of tomorrow. 

Now is the time to make sure businesses offer men and women the flexibility to be good employees and good parents.  And I really want to commend Deloitte and SumAll, and the CEOs who are with us here today, they are creating exactly the kinds of innovative workplaces that help hard-working Americans thrive, and they’re committed to pay equity.  And so when you have a chance to talk to Joe, say thank you.  And the CEOs who are out there, if you want a first-class company that is tapping into the talents and resources of all your employees, make sure that you’re putting in place systems so that they all feel like they’re being treated fairly and equally.  It’s a simple principle and it’s a powerful one.

And now is the time to make sure that we are putting in place a minimum wage that you can live on -- (applause) -- because 60 percent of those making the minimum wage are women. 

If we do all this -- and this will be part of our broader agenda to create good jobs and to strengthen middle-class security, to keep rebuilding an economy that works for everybody, that gives every American the chance to get ahead, no matter who you are or what you look like, or what your last name is and who you love. 

That’s what I’m going to keep on fighting for.  That’s what you’re going to keep on fighting for.  And we have all of you and your predecessors to thank for the incredible progress this country has made in eliminating the barriers and injustices that might keep our daughters from enjoying the same rights, same chances, and same freedoms as our sons.  I’m proud of you.

Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END
12:02 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 08, 2013

Remarks by President Obama and President Xi Jinping of the People's Republic of China After Bilateral Meeting

Sunnylands Retreat
Rancho Mirage, California

8:09 P.M. PDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Everybody ready?  Well, I know we’re a little behind, but that’s mainly because President Xi and I had a very constructive conversation on a whole range of strategic issues, from North Korea to cyberspace to international institutions.  And I’m very much looking forward to continuing the conversation, not only tonight at dinner but also tomorrow. 

But I thought we’d take a quick break just to take a question from both the U.S. and Chinese press.  So what I’ll do is I’ll start with Julie Pace and then President Xi can call on a Chinese counterpart.

Q    Thank you, Mr. President.  How damaging has Chinese cyber-hacking been to the U.S.?  And did you warn your counterpart about any specific consequences if those actions continue?  And also, while there are obviously differences between China’s alleged actions and your government’s surveillance programs, do you think that the new NSA revelations undermine your position on these issues at all during these talks?

And President Xi, did --

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Why don’t you let the interpreter --

Q    And President Xi, did you acknowledge in your talks with President Obama that China has been launching cyber attacks against the U.S.?  Do you also believe that the U.S. is launching similar attacks against China?  And if so, can you tell us what any of the targets may have been?  Thank you.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, Julie, first of all, we haven’t had, yet, in-depth discussions about the cybersecurity issue.  We’re speaking at the 40,000-foot level, and we’ll have more intensive discussions during this evening’s dinner.

What both President Xi and I recognize is that because of these incredible advances in technology, that the issue of cybersecurity and the need for rules and common approaches to cybersecurity are going to be increasingly important as part of bilateral relationships and multilateral relationships.

In some ways, these are uncharted waters and you don’t have the kinds of protocols that have governed military issues, for example, and arms issues, where nations have a lot of experience in trying to negotiate what’s acceptable and what’s not.  And it’s critical, as two of the largest economies and military powers in the world, that China and the United States arrive at a firm understanding of how we work together on these issues. 

But I think it’s important, Julie, to get to the second part of your question, to distinguish between the deep concerns we have as a government around theft of intellectual property or hacking into systems that might disrupt those systems -- whether it’s our financial systems, our critical infrastructure and so forth -- versus some of the issues that have been raised around NSA programs. 

When it comes to those cybersecurity issues like hacking or theft, those are not issues that are unique to the U.S.-China relationship.  Those are issues that are of international concern.  Oftentimes it’s non-state actors who are engaging in these issues as well.  And we’re going to have to work very hard to build a system of defenses and protections, both in the private sector and in the public sector, even as we negotiate with other countries around setting up common rules of the road.

And as China continues in its development process and more of its economy is based on research and innovation and entrepreneurship, they’re going to have similar concerns, which is why I believe we can work together on this rather than at cross-purposes. 

Now, the NSA program, as I discussed this morning, is a very limited issue, but it does have broad implications for our society because you’ve got a lot of data out there, a lot of communications that are in cyberspace.  And how we deal with both identifying potential terrorists or criminals, how the private sector deals with potential theft, and how the federal government, state governments, local governments and the private sector coordinate to keep out some of these malicious forces while still preserving the openness and the incredible power of the Internet and the web and these new telecommunications systems -- that’s a complicated and important piece of business.  But it’s different from these issues of theft and hacking. 

And every government is then inevitably going to be involved in these issues, just like big companies are going to be involved in these issues.  I mean, you’ve got private companies that have a lot more data and a lot more details about people’s emails and telephone calls than the federal government does.  And if we’re called upon not only to make sure that we’re anticipating terrorist communications but we’re also called upon to work with the private sector to prevent theft out of ATMs, et cetera, then we’re going to have to find ways to deal with this big data in ways that are consistent with our values; in ways that protect people’s privacy, that ensure oversight, and strike the right balance. 

And as I indicated this morning, that’s a conversation that I welcome having.

PRESIDENT XI:  (As interpreted.)  As President Obama said, in our meeting this afternoon we just briefly touched upon the issue of cybersecurity.  And the Chinese government is firm in upholding cybersecurity and we have major concerns about cybersecurity. 

In the few days before President Obama and I meet today, I note sharp increased media coverage of the issue of cybersecurity.  This might give people the sense or feeling that cybersecurity as a threat mainly comes from China or that the issue of cybersecurity is the biggest problem in the China-U.S. relationship. 

The application of new technology is a double-edged sword.  On the one hand, it will drive progress in ensuring better material and cultural life for the people.  On the other hand, it might create some problems for regulators and it might infringe upon the rights of states, enterprises, societies and individuals.

We need to pay close attention to this issue and study ways to effectively resolve this issue.  And this matter can actually be an area for China and the United States to work together with each other in a pragmatic way.  And I'm happy to learn that within the context of the China-U.S. strategic and economic dialogue, a working group has been established to discuss cybersecurity issues.  So this is an issue that the two sides will continue to discuss.

By conducting good-faith cooperation we can remove misgivings and make information security and cybersecurity a positive area of cooperation between China and the U.S.  Because China and the United States both have a need and both share a concern, and China is a victim of cyber attacks and we hope that earnest measures can be taken to resolve this matter.

Thank you.

Q    I’m with China Central Television and my question for President Xi is, what are the main issues that were discussed in the longer-than-expected meeting this afternoon?  And what are the major areas of consensus that have emerged from the discussion?  And last year, when you were visiting the United States, you raised the concept of the two sides working together to explore what you call a new model of major country relationship, something that is unprecedented in the relationship and that can inspire future generations.  And after this concept was raised, there has been much discussion and comment on it, both in China and the United States and in the world more broadly.  So did you have further discussion on this issue in your meeting this afternoon?

And my question for President Obama is, what will the United States do to contribute to the building of a new model of major country relationship between China and the U.S.?

PRESIDENT XI:  (As interpreted.)  In the first meeting that I’ve had with President Obama this afternoon, we had an in-depth, sincere and candid discussion on the domestic and foreign policies of China and the United States, on our joint work to build a new model of major country relationship, and our international and regional issues of mutual interest.  And the President and I reached important consensus on these issues.

I stated very clearly to President Obama that China will be firmly committed to the path of peaceful development and China will be firm in deepening reform and opening up the country wider to the world.  China will work hard to realize the Chinese dream of the great national renewal and will work hard to push forward the noble cause of peace and development for all mankind.

By the Chinese dream, we seek to have economic prosperity, national renewal and people’s well-being.  The Chinese dream is about cooperation, development, peace and win-win, and it is connected to the American Dream and the beautiful dreams people in other countries may have.

President Obama and I both believe that in the age of economic globalization and facing the objective need of countries sticking together in the face of difficulties, China and the United States must find a new path -- one that is different from the inevitable confrontation and conflict between the major countries of the past.  And that is to say the two sides must work together to build a new model of major country relationship based on mutual respect and win-win cooperation for the benefit of the Chinese and American peoples, and people elsewhere in the world. 

The international community looks to China and the United States to deliver this.  When China and the United States work together, we can be an anchor for world stability and the propeller of world peace.

I stand ready to work with President Obama to expand on all levels of exchanges between the two sides.  I look forward to maintaining close communication with the President through mutual visits, bilateral meetings, exchange of letters and phone calls. And I invited President Obama to come to China at an appropriate time for a similar meeting like this.  And we look forward to visiting each other country.

At the same time, the two sides will work hard to make progress in the various bilateral mechanisms, such as the strategic and economic dialogue and the high-level consultation on people-to-people exchange.  Also, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Chinese Minister of National Defense will both make visits to the United States within the year.

Our two sides should also step up exchanges and cooperation in economy and trade, energy, environment, people-to-people, and cultural fields, as well as at the sub-national level, so that we can deepen the shared interests of the two countries and expand them to all areas. 

We should also improve and strengthen the military-to-military relationship between the two countries and promote the building of a new model of military relationship between the two sides.  The two sides should also improve coordination microeconomic policies so that by strengthening cooperation, we can contribute to our respective development at home, and promote strong, sustainable and balanced economic growth in the Asia Pacific region and the world at large.

And I’m confident in our joint effort to build a new model of major country relationship.  I believe success hinges on the human effort.  Firstly, both sides have the political will to build this relationship.  Secondly, our cooperation in the last 40 years provides a good foundation for us to build on.  Thirdly, between China and the United States, there are over 90 intergovernmental mechanisms which provide the institutional underpinning for our efforts. 

Fourth, there is strong public support for this kind of relationship between China and the United States.  There are 220 pairs of sister provinces, states and cities between China and the U.S.  There are 190,000 Chinese students in the United States, and 20,000 American students in China. 

And 5th, there is enormous scope for future cooperation between China and the U.S.

Of course, this endeavor is unprecedented and one that will inspire future generations.  So we need to deepen our mutual understanding, strengthen our mutual trust, further develop our cooperation and manage our differences so that we can avoid the traditional path of inevitable confrontation between major countries and really embark on a new path.

The Chinese nation and American nation are great nations, and the Chinese people and American people are great peoples.  As long as we stand high and look far, as long as we make specific progress and accumulate them over time, as long as we maintain confidence and determination, as long as we have wisdom and patience, I'm confident that we will succeed in achieving this historical mission.

I'm sorry for going too long.  Thank you. 

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, I think President Xi summarized very well the scope of our conversations.  We spoke about some very specific issues -- for example, President Xi mentioned the importance of military-to-military communications.  In the past, we've had high-level diplomatic communications about economic and strategic issues, but we haven't always had as effective communications between our militaries.  And at a time when there's so much activity around the world, it's very important that we each understand our strategic objectives at the military as well as the political levels.  So that's an example of concrete progress that can advance this new model of relations between the United States and China.

So we'll be taking steps to institutionalize and regularize such discussions.  But more broadly, I think President Xi identified the essence of our discussions in which we shared our respective visions for our countries' futures and agreed that we're more likely to achieve our objectives of prosperity and security of our people if we are working together cooperatively, rather than engaged in conflict. 

And I emphasized my firm belief to President Xi that it is very much in the interest of the United States for China to continue its peaceful rise, because if China is successful, that helps to drive the world economy and it puts China in the position to work with us as equal partners in dealing with many of the global challenges that no single nation can address by itself.

So, for example, neither country by itself can deal with the challenge of climate change.  That's an issue that we'll have to deal with together.  China as the largest country, as it continues to develop, will be a larger and larger carbon emitter unless we find new mechanisms for green growth.  The United States, we have the largest carbon footprint per capita in the world; we've got to bring down our carbon levels in order to accommodate continued growth.  And so that will translate then into opportunities for specific work around green technologies and research and development, and interactions between our scientists so that we can, together, help advance the goal of a sustainable planet, even as we continue to grow and develop.

We've got a lot of work to do to take these broad understandings down to the level of specifics, and that will require further discussions not only today and tomorrow, but for weeks, months, years to come.  But what I'm very encouraged about is that both President Xi and myself recognize we have a unique opportunity to take the U.S.-China relationship to a new level.  And I am absolutely committed to making sure that we don't miss that opportunity.

Thank you very much, everybody.

END
8:47 P.M. PDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
June 08, 2013

WEEKLY ADDRESS: Time to Pass Commonsense Immigration Reform

WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama said that the United States Senate will soon take action to fix our broken immigration system with a commonsense bill. The President urged the Senate to act quickly to pass this bill so that we can continue to live up to our traditions as a nation of laws, and also a nation of immigrants.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, June 8, 2013.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
The Weekly Address
Mooresville, North Carolina
June 8, 2013

Hi, everybody.  In the next few days, America will take an important step towards fixing our broken immigration system.  The entire United States Senate will begin debating a commonsense immigration reform bill that has bipartisan support.

See, we define ourselves as a nation of immigrants.  The promise we find in those who come from every corner of the globe has always been one of our greatest strengths.  It’s kept our workforce vibrant and dynamic.  It’s kept our businesses on the cutting edge.  And it’s helped build the greatest economic engine the world has ever known. 

But for years, our out-of-date immigration system has actually harmed our economy and threatened our security.

Now, over the past four years, we’ve taken steps to try and patch up some of the worst cracks in the system. 

We strengthened security on the southern border by putting more boots on the ground than at any time in our history.  And, in part, by using technology more effectively – today, illegal crossings are near their lowest level in decades.    

We focused enforcement efforts on criminals who are here illegally – who endanger our communities – and today, we deport more criminals than ever before.

And we took up the cause of “Dreamers,” the young people who were brought to this country as children.  We said that if they’re able to meet certain criteria, we’d consider offering them the chance to come out of the shadows so they can continue to work here, and study here, and contribute to our communities legally. 

But if we’re going to truly fix a broken system, we need Congress to act in a comprehensive way.  And that’s why what’s happening next week is so important.

The bill before the Senate isn’t perfect.  It’s a compromise.  Nobody will get everything they want – not Democrats, not Republicans, not me.  But it is a bill that’s largely consistent with the principles I’ve repeatedly laid out for commonsense immigration reform.

This bill would continue to strengthen security at our borders, increase criminal penalties against smugglers and traffickers, and hold employers more accountable if they knowingly hire undocumented workers.  If enacted, it would represent the most ambitious enforcement plan in recent memory.

This bill would provide a pathway to earned citizenship for the 11 million individuals who are in this country illegally – a pathway that includes passing a background check, learning English, paying taxes and a penalty, and then going to the back of the line behind everyone who’s playing by the rules and trying to come here legally.   

This bill would modernize the legal immigration system so that, alongside training American workers for the jobs of tomorrow, we’re also attracting highly-skilled entrepreneurs and engineers who will grow our economy.  And so that our people don’t have to wait years before their loved ones are able to join them in this country we love.

That’s what immigration reform looks like.  Smarter enforcement.  A pathway to earned citizenship.  Improvements to the legal immigration system.   They’re all commonsense steps.  They’ve got broad support – from Republicans and Democrats, CEOs and labor leaders, law enforcement and clergy.  So there is no reason that Congress can’t work together to send a bill to my desk by the end of the summer. 

We know the opponents of reform are going to do everything they can to prevent that.  They’ll try to stoke fear and create division.  They’ll try to play politics with an issue that the vast majority of Americans want addressed.  And if they succeed, we will lose this chance to finally fix an immigration system that is badly broken.    

So if you agree that now is the time for commonsense reform, reach out to your Representatives.  Tell them we have to get this done so that everyone is playing by the same rules.  Tell them we have the power to do this in a way that lives up to our traditions as a nation of laws, and a nation of immigrants. 

In the end, that’s what this is all about.  Men and women who want nothing more than the chance to earn their way into the American story, just like so many of our ancestors did.  Throughout our history, that has only made us stronger.  And it’s how we’ll make sure that America’s best days always lie ahead. 

Thanks.  And have a great weekend.