Remarks by the Vice President on U.S.-Brazil Relations, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Pier Maua
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

12:24 P.M. (Local)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Thank you all, very, very much.  And, sir, I may need to borrow you hat before this is over. 

Ladies and gentlemen, I’m delighted to be here and impressed to see such a large crowd.  Everyone I’ve spoken to so far in Rio keeps apologizing for the weather.  This is wonderful as far as I’m concerned.  (Laughter.) 

It’s a truly -- I need not tell anyone here, this is truly a marvelous, marvelous city.  And it’s not just the welcoming spirit of the Brazilian people or the mix of cultures and ethnicities, it’s the vibrancy, the inclusive democracy; seizing the opportunities that you all can taste and feel and smell that portend for a future that's even brighter than what exists today.

I’ve been traveling across the Americas, and I find something interesting.  I’ve been doing this job a long, long time as you can tell; I’m a very old man.  But I was elected when I was 29 years told to the United States Senate, and my portfolio has been American foreign policy.  So I’ve traveled the hemisphere and the world over the last 40 years.  And it’s astounding to see the transformation that not only Brazil has gone through, but that the hemisphere is going through.

Political conflicts are now most often resolved at the ballot box.  Democratic elections are the norm, not the exception.  There are now 275 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean who are part of the middle class.  If you look at it in perspective of the last three, four decades, it’s truly astounding.  Things are changing.  The economies of the region are growing.  Brazil, Mexico, Argentina, members of the G20.  Brazil is about to become the director general of the WTO. 

There’s a new sense of dynamism across the Americas.  In the 1990s, we began in talking about Europe -- as I traveled Europe in my capacity as Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee with a focus on Europe, we talked about after the Wall came down, the promise of a Europe for the first time since the nation state, a Europe that was whole, free and at peace.  Well, today I think we can say with some degree of certainty that we can envision the Americas -- the Americas which are middle class, secure, democratic from the Arctic Circle to the Straits of Magellan.

In the U.S. the discussion is no longer what it was when I was first elected as a young man:  What could we do for the Americas?  That's long since gone.  The issue now is:  What can we do together?  What can we do together? 

And President Obama and I believe that the times present an incredible opportunity for a new era of relations between the United States and the Americas.  We’ve never had so many capable partners.  And American attitudes have changed as well.  But none -- no partner is more significant in this endeavor than Brazil.

The size of these new opportunities, of the middle class, a secure and democratic region requires broader, deeper relationships with this great country and quite frankly all the countries in the hemisphere.  And that's not going to happen without sustained interaction and consultation.

That's why I’m here in Brazil today.  That's why the President has asked me to extend an invitation to your President who I’ll be meeting tomorrow to come to the United States in October for the only state visit that will occur in Washington this year. 

Ladies and gentlemen, that's why the President has visited recently Mexico, Costa Rica.  That's why he’s made six trips to Latin America and the Caribbean, and that's why I’ve traveled within the Americas on four separate occasions, why I met yesterday with the CARICOM nations; before that, with President Santos in Bogota.  And the President has asked me to -- future trips in the fall and into the winter.  It’s real simple:  We want to engage more.  We think there’s great opportunity.  We’re optimistic.

Brazil has long since taken its place as one of the world’s great democratic economic powers.  You’re the seventh largest economy in the world -- larger than India; larger than Russia.  The story of your journey is truly remarkable in the last 20 years.  In 20 years in the making, you built upon the most important resource that this great country has -- your human capital.

You broke the back of inflation.  You lifted 40 million people out of poverty to the middle class, which is now 100 million strong.  Your democratic and social innovations; your Zero Hunger Program; your bolsa familia; your homeownership programs -- they’re studied and copied around the world.  They’re studied and copied around the world, from Guatemala to Ghana.

You’re tapping your enormous natural resources, but also getting a greater share of your energy from clean and renewable energy sources than any other country in the world.  The rest of the world looks at you with envy, at the progress you’ve made. The hemisphere has much to learn from your experience.

But I believe the most important lesson is not any of the specific economic formulas that you’ve employed to raise the living standard of all your people or any social program that is being replicated.  You taught something to the rest of the world, and this hemisphere in particular, that the United States has strongly believed from our inception.  You demonstrated that there is no need for a nation to choose between democracy and development.  You have demonstrated there is no need to choose between market-based economies and smart social policy.  That is a debate raging in other parts of the world.  But you, Brazil, have demonstrated that it is not the false choices that are being offered in other countries in this hemisphere and other countries around the world.  And the world has begun to recognize your contribution.

The bad news for you all is the world has recognized your contribution.  You can no longer claim, we are a developing nation.  You have developed.  And I can tell you from experience, the bad news with that is, what goes with that is worldwide responsibility to speak, to speak out.

But the world has also recognized -- we were talking with the President -- the World Cup in 2014, the Olympics in 2016, as they say in the southern part of my country, y’all are doing something right.  (Laughter.)  It’s pretty remarkable.  The millions of visitors who come to Brazil, many through this very port, marvel at all these cranes and construction and all that’s going on, all the activity.  You immediately get a sense when you debark and/or land in Brazil that your country has incredible dynamism.  You can feel it.  You can taste it. 

But what I suspect many don’t understand is that that dynamism, although happening more here than anywhere else, is also happening outside of Brazil.  It’s happening up and down this hemisphere.  It’s happening from Colombia to Peru to Chile.  It hasn’t reached the level that you have, but it’s happening.  It’s happening. 

And for those of you who may have read the accounts of the demise of America, the United States, as I said to then-President Hu in the Great Hall of the People in China when he was empathizing with telling me that he was sure we’d come back, I would point out -- it’s never been a good bet to bet against the United States of America.  Never.

And what’s happening in my country, which is coming back from the deepest recession it’s had since the Great Depression -- we’ve added back $16 trillion in wealth, much of which had been lost to our population as a consequence of the crisis.  We’ve had -- from the time we’ve taken office, the fifth month in -- every month, consecutive months of job growth.  Not as strong some months as we wanted, but consecutive.

The foundations of our economy are stronger than ever.  As you observe, you have great natural resources.  We will be energy independent.  We have not only tapped and found, but learned how to extract 100 years of shale gas, natural gas that can meet our needs totally if we chose to do that over time. 

The best research and universities are still located in our hemisphere and in our country.  And the most vibrant startups and venture capital markets still exist for all the problems we have had.  We -- like Brazilians, we are optimistic about our future, and we are certain of our capacity, as you are. 

The United States and Brazil represent two of the largest, most innovative, dynamic economies in the world today.  It is true both of us can continue to prosper whether or not we deepen our economic relations.  But imagine, just imagine what these two dynamic economies could do with greater trade and investment for our people, for the hemisphere, for the world. 

Look, I know many in Brazil -- for many in Brazil, the United States doesn’t start with a clean slate.  There’s some good reason for that skepticism.  That skepticism still exists and it’s understandable.  But the world has changed.  We're moving past old alignments, leaving behind old suspicions and building new relationships.  I don't ask you to judge us by my words or the words of the President; judge us by our deeds. 

The United States and Brazil have made a good start in the Obama-Biden administration over the past four years.  Our Presidents, our Secretaries of Defense -- as the military can tell you -- our Secretaries of State, our Special Trade Representatives -- and all 10 of our Cabinet members have visited this country since we took office.  That is not by accident, it’s by design.  And it’s unprecedented.  And it’s a reflection of the value we place on Brazil and the effort to deepen relations.

During that time, we've signed energy and space cooperation and defense agreements.  But I think the leaders of both our countries recognize there still is a gigantic gap between where we are and what we're capable of.  We have an opportunity to set out an ambitious agenda on things that matter most to our people -- to mark in 2013 the start of a new era of U.S.-Brazilian relations. 

I like to talk about what I consider the four issues that will help us get to where we have the potential to arrive.  First is our economic relationship.  It has already realized benefits for both our nations.  American companies are competing for opportunities to do business in Brazil.  Two-thirds of Brazil’s exports to the United States are high-end, value-added goods.  We're making things together.  We both know there’s a future in biofuels and aviation.  Embraer and Boeing are jointly researching and testing the development of biofuels and the capability to use it as jet fuel.  If they’re successful, the market is limitless.

Trade between the two of us now exceeds $100 billion a year.  But I suspect any of you economists in the audience, and business leaders in the audience, know there’s no reason why that cannot be $400 billion to $500 billion a year.  Imagine all the good-paying jobs that will be created in Brazil and the United States that flow from more open trade, especially at a time when both our countries have to work harder to create jobs and stimulate growth in a slow global economy.  Ladies and gentlemen, to get there, though, we both have to do a lot more work to expand that trade.

We appreciate the leadership role Brazil is playing in the World Trade Organization.  We believe this is the foundation upon which we can both build our countries’ values at the WTO.  And as a G20 member, Brazil has a critical role in making sure everyone is doing their part and playing by the rules, promoting strong, balanced, and sustainable growth, and to resist the urge in difficult economic times for protectionism.

But in this increasingly interdependent world, it’s amazing how rapidly it continues to be globalized.  Just when you think it’s about as far as it could go, it’s stunning, and to many, it’s frightening.  But it’s stunning.  We believe in this new world there’s additional complementary steps we can take beyond the G20 and the WTO to expand trading relationship worldwide that will benefit us all.  And we’re attempting to do just that.

That’s why in the United States, the President is working to finish this year a vast new Trans-Pacific Partnership, an economic partnership.  That’s why we’re pursuing an ambitious new economic agreement with the European Union, where we already have $1 trillion in two-way trade in goods and services, and $4 trillion in investment.

But we know -- we know there can be so much more.  And we’re going for it, collectively.  That’s why we’re negotiating global agreements to open services and expand the spread of information technology.  In all of these, the ingredients are the same:  greater market access, greater intellectual property protection, fewer regulatory barriers, higher standards, new disciplines to make sure that everyone plays by the same rules.  But in both our countries we have vested interests who are not excited about this expansion.

And the door is wide open for Brazil to be not only part of this but a leader in this incredible expansion.  I would argue there’s no period in modern history when there’s been as much activity to expand trade around the world.

But to state the obvious, it’s up to Brazil to decide whether to pursue this path or whether to seize the possibilities and accept the responsibilities that go with it.

What’s true for trade is also true for foreign direct investment.  Collectively we have reduced the obstacles to investment, and the key is providing greater predictability and confidence for those countries willing to invest in each of our countries.  But that requires transparent dispute resolution mechanisms, fair and equitable treatment of all investors. 

We welcome -- I want to make this clear -- we welcome, we seek greater Brazilian investment in the United States.  We welcome it.  We need it.  We want you invested.  We’re seeking to expand investment across the board.  I’ve had hours of discussions in his capacity as Vice President and mine as Vice President with now President Xi about how do we expand more foreign direct investment in both countries.

That's why we’re also pursuing new bilateral investment treaties with China, as well as India.  Again, for those who are accustomed to the world before it changed, some of this is frightening.  Some of this is threatening, but all of it’s necessary.  It’s necessary. 

Second, there’s much more we can do together on energy, as I look out on this port.  We have different strengths -- Brazil and the United States -- and combined, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. 

You’ve been a world leader in biofuels and renewable energy, and we’re learning from you.  We’re learning from you, and we’re adjusting to what we thought had to be greater protection.  We have certain expertise ourselves.  You possess it as well.  But I would argue we have as much expertise in deepwater extraction and unconventional fuels and petrochemicals as any nation in the world.  And we stand ready to be your partner.

We have found cooperation with other countries in these areas has benefited not only them, but it’s benefited us as well; and in no way threatened anyone’s sovereignty, but expanded opportunity in both countries.

Again, it’s for Brazil to decide whether it makes sense for you to put in place the rules that allow Brazil to take advantage of this expertise.  Your decision.

Third, let me talk about the work we can do together in the region and around the world.  Because as I said earlier, no longer can Brazil talk about being an emerging power:  You have emerged and everybody has noticed.  You’ve emerged and you’ve engaged on food security, nonproliferation, peacekeeping, conflict prevention, anti-corruption efforts.  You’ve emerged and you’ve engaged and you’ve had a positive impact on the world.

Brazil is not just a donor nation, but a leader in global development -- from your country’s $900 million write-down of African debt, to our joint projects to fight hunger and poverty in Honduras, Ghana, Mozambique.  But there’s so much more we can do together.

As I said for all your accomplishments the most significant among them in my view is that you’ve shown that countries do not have to engage in the false choice between development and democracy.  Great democracies like yours and mine should be promoting democratic values around the world.  And as the leader of the global south, there are situations where you have considerably more credibility and different opportunities to do that than we do or any other country whether it’s in your own neighborhood or far away.  The transitions in North Africa, you can play a positive role.

That's why we look to you to recognize the difference between undue interference in other nations’ affairs and deepening democracy and human rights when they’re under attack.

On all these great issues between us -- from trade and investment to energy to human rights -- we’ll have our disagreements.  All countries do no matter how close they are.  But I want you to know, whether we disagree, we start from a position of respect. 

The things that brings me to the fourth point -- ultimately, all the deepest and strongest international ties, relationships, rest upon a foundation of trust, on seeing each other for who we are:  the good and the bad.  Warts and all.  And the most consequential way to establish that trust is not just a relationship between leaders increasing, but to deepen people-to-people ties.  That’s how we each build constituencies in one another’s countries for this partnership.  And that’s what sustains us when disagreements between our governments exist -- and they will. 

And so we need to keep tapping our people’s shared passion for innovation and education and democracy.  Both our societies have recognized that the future will go to the most innovative, best-educated populations in the world.

My wife, who’s with me, is a full-time educator as Second Lady.  She teaches 15 credits a semester at one of our community colleges.  She has an expression; she says, “Any country that out-educates us will out-compete us.”  That’s why President Obama has proposed the 100,000 Strong Initiative to welcome 100,000 students from the Americas to the United States to study at U.S. universities and send an equal number throughout the region. 

That’s why your President has launched Brazil’s “Science Without Borders” initiative.  Five thousand of your talented young students today, Brazilian students, are studying science, technology, engineering, and math at U.S. universities in 46 of our states.  And we look forward to receiving thousands more.

And, of course, the lifeblood of people-to-people ties is access to one another’s shores for tourists, businessmen, students, families.  That’s why we’ve launched the “consular surge” to help Brazilians get tourist visas faster than ever before, cutting wait times for tourist visas, as we have done, from 14 weeks to two days.  That’s why we’ve opened two new consulates in your country. 

History has delivered as both to a moment where the possibilities are immense.  And as every student of history knows, these moments have occurred before in human history, but they don’t last very long.  We either take advantage of them or they pass us by. 

I am absolutely confident together we can seize this moment and take some of the tough decisions on the economy, energy, global affairs.  It will be worth it, because words alone don’t bring about a new era in our relationship; we have to work at it.  And we have a lot of work to do.

So I’m here today to say, we’re ready.  I believe the wind is at both our backs.  The best days of this partnership are on the rise and they’re ahead of us.  Both our countries are countries of possibilities.  So let’s go find them together.  Let’s go explore them. 

May God bless you all.  May God bless the Brazilian people and may God protect our troops.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END
12:50 P.M. (Local)

Remarks to the Press by Vice President Joe Biden in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

REMARKS BY VICE PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN,
IN STATEMENT TO THE PRESS

Diplomatic Center
Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

3:47 P.M. AST

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Thank you very much.  Good afternoon, everyone.  Mr. President, Madam Prime Minister, distinguished leaders of Caribbean countries, I want to thank you all -- and I mean all of you -- for what for me was a very fruitful and good meeting.  I learned a great deal, and I've also learned we have a lot more work to do together.

And I want to thank all the leaders who traveled here.  Madam Prime Minister, you hosted this.  We contacted you on a relatively short notice -- all of you -- to see if you’d be willing -- President Obama asked me if I had an opportunity whether I'd have a chance to meet with each of you, and I thank you for your hospitality and doing it on such short notice.

I'm here because President Obama wanted me to have an opportunity to dialogue with all of you and because our country is deeply invested and wants to become more deeply invested in a partnership with all the nations of the Caribbean.

Our search for growth, jobs and affordable supplies of energy, our fight against transnational crime, and the protection of our climate and our environment -- all of these issues, all of these issues have no respect for borders and they affect all of our borders.  They directly affect the people of my country and each and every one of yours.

Economically, the President and I are aware that island nations face special difficulties.  The cost of doing business can be higher.  Goods are more expensive.  And in a globalized world, everything can become more attenuated.  And so through Caribbean Basin Initiative, we've eliminated tariffs on 85 percent of your goods, and now we're looking for additional ways -- and you’ve discussed some of them with me today -- to help create growth and diversity in the economies within the Caribbean.

Today I will sign, on behalf of my country, a trade and investment framework agreement with the Caribbean community that will give us all a vehicle -- a vehicle to overcome special, specific, practical barriers to trade and investment, and accommodate those changes as rapidly as possible. 

Our goal is not simply growth, but it’s growth that reaches everybody.  And we spoke today about everything from anti-poverty measures, to support for small businesses, to greater opportunities and protections for all citizens, regardless of their gender and regardless of their sexual orientation.  And we'll continue to invest with you on education and innovation. 

We had a significant discussion at lunch with a bunch of us -- it was impromptu but somewhat detailed about the strategies that exist in your countries and mine to improve educational access, include educational excellence and access to higher education.  Because that’s how, as my wife, who is with me -- not here, but here today I believe visited a school -- she’s on this trip with me.  She’s a full-time professor at a community college as the Second Lady.  And she has an expression -- she says, any country that out-educates you will out-compete you.  Any country that out-educates you will out-compete you.  So it’s ultimately about having the best education, best educated populaces we can have.

And we're going to continue to invest in education and innovation.  And I think we discussed again today some novel arenas in which we can do more than we're doing now, because that's how we'll succeed in the 21st century. 

Through the Caribbean Idea Marketplace competition, we're connecting diaspora business leaders in the United States in particular with Caribbean entrepreneurs.  And as we work to meet President Obama’s challenge, we welcome 100,000 -- 100,000 -- students from across the Americas, and we hope to send the same number of American students to the rest of the Americas.  We're working very hard to include more students throughout the Caribbean.

We also spoke today about how to lower costs of energy and increase -- increase -- the share that comes from renewable energy.  There’s probably no group of nations better situated to take advantage of renewable energy possibilities than here in the Caribbean.  And we know that many Caribbean nations pay three times more for energy than we do in the United States of America.  The United States and many other countries are working together on this, looking to invest in connected regional grids to create economies of scale and renewable energy -- economies of scale that are driven by renewable energy.

Last week, we signed an MOU with Trinidad and Tobago to launch a renewable energy research center here in Trinidad and Tobago for the Caribbean writ large.  And we hope to promote clean technologies and energy efficiencies throughout the Caribbean. 

We also discussed citizen security, and I made clear the U.S. approaches this as a shared responsibility.  For the press I would say what my colleagues know, I’ve spent a considerable portion of my public life as Chairman of the Judiciary Committee and Foreign Relations Committee in my years in the United States Senate, fashioning the initiative we had in the ‘80s and the ‘90s with regard to Central Command and its engagement in the Caribbean, as well as Plan Colombia that impacts on -- impacted on the Caribbean at the time -- positively, I might add.

And in the process of that, we discussed approaches that need to be taken and the desire -- I’ll say it bluntly -- the desire for more input, more resources from the United States, because the truth is, ladies and gentlemen, we were so successful collectively in the decades of the ‘80s and ‘90s that the preferred route to get to the United States from South America of cocaine and some heroin and other products was no longer through the Caribbean but through the isthmus and up through Central America.

And now, because of the significant initiatives we have with our Central American friends, the concern is legitimately shared by many that they may -- it may move back into the Caribbean in a greater scale than exists now.  And toward that end, we’ve invested more than $30 billion under this administration to reduce drug -- demands for drugs in my country, which would also -- is part of our responsibility and our obligation.

We know that as other nations in the hemisphere make strides against drug trafficking, the threat as I said may increasingly shift back toward the Caribbean.  That’s why in 2009, we launched the Caribbean Basin Security Initiative.  And that’s why, even in a time of tight budgets in my country, we’re increasing our investment, which already stands at over $200 million.

And even as we gather today, our law enforcement agencies are taking part in joint Tradewinds security exercises, hosted by St. Lucia, and also engaged in training exercises in specific countries as well.

In each of these areas -- economics, security, and energy -- the nations of the Caribbean will go further and faster when not only they work -- we work with you, but when they work together. 

You’ve already created, Mr. President, an initiative and an innovative model for regional cooperation by pooling risks to respond to global disasters to -- excuse me -- to natural disasters.  And therefore I think that the whole region is better equipped in the future to deal with these pending problems.

And finally, I want to emphasize that these relationships aren’t just about how our governments interact.  They're about people; they are -- who are constantly traveling between our respective countries; 3.6 million members of a hardworking, Caribbean diaspora call home the United States of America today.  And as a consequence, they send more than $8 billion in remittances back to their home countries in the Caribbean. 

But they're also part of the lifeblood and the dynamism of our communities and our country.  I believe in international relations, as in any relationship, it comes down to respect.  Do we respect one another?  And do we show respect?

For my country, that means reforming our immigration system so the 11 million -- 11 million -- undocumented men, women and many children, who came through no choice of their own, can come out of the shadows and be full participants in American life because they are already in many cases participating and contributing to the growth and prosperity of my country, but required to constantly live in fear and live in the shadows.

It’s about time, and the President and I have been calling for this for a long time, even back in the days when he was a senator and I was in the Senate, it’s about time they're afforded the dignity they deserve. 

And respecting your people who are living in my country is part of how we will show respect for you and for quite frankly all of the Americas.  But it’s not just 11 million people in the shadows from the Americas.  They're from all over the world.  They're from Ireland.  They're from Japan.  They're from Africa.  And it’s about time -- it’s about time we reform the system and afford them the dignity they deserve.

So I want to thank you all for the important discussion, at least important to me, and the very warm welcome, but more importantly the frankness and directness we were able to engage in.  I hope you felt as I did that it was completely open, completely frank and completely straightforward -- even where we disagreed.  That's how friends should treat friends, and we need you.  We need you.  And I hope you’ll find a place in your hearts, in your economies, in your quest for energy, in your quest for societalization of your economies that we can play a part with you.

And so, ladies and gentlemen, again, let me conclude, Madam Prime Minister, by thanking you for the incredible hospitality of your government and the people of Trinidad and Tobago.  And I’ll only say it’s good to be back in Trinidad and Tobago, but I have one regret, but it’s good news for you, I can't stay.  (Laughter.)  I would like very much to stay.

So I’m asking you -- I’m heading to Brazil for several days in our initiatives throughout all of the Americas, I’m asking each of you heads of state, would you please write a note to President Obama telling him it’s critical that I come back to Trinidad and Tobago and then visit each of your islands to stay for at least a couple of weeks.  (Applause.)  I would like very much to do that.  Anyway, thank you for your hospitality.  We have a lot of work to do, and we are anxious to work with you.  Thank you.

END
4:00 P.M. AST

Remarks by the President in Asbury Park, NJ

Asbury Park Convention Hall
Asbury Park, New Jersey

1:26 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, New Jersey!  (Applause.)  It is good to be back in Jersey.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back!  (Applause.) 

Let me, first of all, say thank you to Governor Christie for that introduction and the great work he’s done here.  (Applause.) Your Mayor, Ed Johnson, is here as well and has been working tirelessly on your behalf.  (Applause.)  We’ve got three great representatives in Congress from New Jersey -- Rush Holt, Frank Pallone, Donald Payne, Jr.  (Applause.)

Now, last week, my advisors asked me -- they said, Mr. President, do you want to spend next Tuesday in Washington, or would you rather spend it at the Jersey Shore?  (Applause.)  And I’ve got to say I’ve got to make some tough decisions as President, but this wasn’t one of them.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  I appreciate that.  (Applause.)  

Governor Christie and I just spent some time on the Point Pleasant boardwalk.  I got a chance to see the world’s tallest sandcastle being built.  We played some Touchdown Fever -- I got to say, Christie got it in the tire the first try -- (laughter)  -- although I did pay for his throws.  (Laughter.)  I played a little Frog Bog, and Governor Christie’s kids taught me the right technique for hitting the hammer to get those frogs in the buckets the way I was supposed to.  (Laughter.)  And, of course, I met with folks who are still rebuilding after Sandy. 

Now, we all understand there’s still a lot of work to be done.  There are homes to rebuild.  There are businesses to reopen.  There are landmarks and beaches and boardwalks that aren’t all the way back yet.  But thanks to the hard work of an awful lot of people, we’ve got wonderful shops and restaurants and arcades that are opening their doors.  And I saw what thousands of Americans saw over Memorial Day Weekend:  You are stronger than the storm.  (Applause.)  After all you’ve dealt with, after all you’ve been through, the Jersey Shore is back and it is open for business, and they want all Americans to know that they’re ready to welcome you here.  (Applause.)

And I’ve got to say, if they ever let me have any fun, I’d have some fun here.  (Laughter and applause.)  I was telling my staff on the ride over, I could see being a little younger -- (laughter) -- and having some fun on the Jersey Shore.  (Applause.)  I can’t do that anymore.  (Laughter.)  Maybe after I leave office.  (Laughter and applause.)

I think a friend of mine from here once put it pretty well:  “Down the shore, everything’s all right.”  (Applause.)  He’s the only guy a President still has to call “The Boss.”  (Laughter.)  Other than the First Lady.  (Laughter.)   

But for generations, that’s what this place has been about. Life isn’t always easy.  We’re a people who have to work hard and do what it takes to provide for our families -- but when you come here, everything’s all right.  And whether you spend a lifetime here, or a weekend, or a summer, the Shore holds a special place in your heart and a special place in America’s mythology, America’s memory.

When I was here seven months ago, Hurricane Sandy had just hammered communities all across the East Coast, and lives were lost, and homes and businesses were destroyed, and folks were hurting.  And I remember something Chris said back then.  He said, “We cannot permit that sorrow to replace the resilience that I know all New Jerseyans have.”

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes, we do!

THE PRESIDENT:  And it didn’t.  You didn’t let it.  You kept going.  Because these towns have a special character -- not just in the summer but all year round.  From the moment the hurricane hit, first responders worked around the clock to save lives and property.  And neighbors opened their homes and their hearts to one another.  And you came together as citizens to rebuild. 

And we’re not done yet, and I want to make sure everybody understands that, because for somebody who hasn’t seen their home rebuilt yet or is still trying to get their business up and running again, after all those losses, we don't want them to think that somehow we’ve checked a box and we’ve moved on.  That's part of the reason I came back, to let people know we’re going to keep on going until we finish.  (Applause.) 

But if anybody wondered whether the Shore could ever be all right again, you got your answer this weekend.  (Applause.)  From Sea Bright to Bay Head, from Belmar to Seaside Heights, folks were hanging out on balconies and beaches.  Shows were sold out at the Stone Pony.  (Applause.)  Kids were eating ice cream and going on rides, going and eating some more ice cream.  (Laughter.)  Guys were trying to win those big stuffed animals to impress a special girl.  So like I said, the Jersey Shore is back in business. 

The work is not over, though.  Seven months ago, I promised you that your country would have your back.  I told you we would not quit until the job was done, and I meant it.  I meant it.  (Applause.) 

Craig Fugate, the head of FEMA, he couldn’t be here today, but I want to thank him and his team for their ongoing work.  FEMA was here before Sandy made landfall; they’re still here today.  They’re working with the Governor’s team and with the task force I set up to support families and communities who still need help.  Since the storm hit, we’ve provided billions of dollars to families and state and local governments across the region, and more is on the way. 

And even as my team is helping communities recover from the last hurricane season, they’re already starting to prepare for the next hurricane season, which starts this Saturday -- because if there’s one thing that we learned last year, it’s that when a storm hits, we’ve got to be ready.  Education, preparation -- that's what makes a difference.  That's what saves lives.  And anyone who wants to make sure they’re ready -- for a hurricane or any other disaster -- I want them to visit something -- a website called Ready.gov.  Make a plan.  It’s never too early.

We’ve also got to remember that rebuilding efforts like these aren’t measured in weeks or months, but they're measured in years.  That’s why just this past Thursday, we announced billions of new relief aid for New York and New Jersey transit agencies.  And that's why the Army Corps of Engineers is working to restore beaches and strengthen the Shore’s natural defenses.  That's why last year I joined Governor Christie and your representatives, fighting to get a relief package through Congress.  We’re going to keep doing what it takes to rebuild all the way and make it better than it was before, make it stronger than it was before, make it more resilient than it was before.  (Applause.)  

So, Jersey, you’ve still got a long road ahead, but when you look out on this beach -- this beautiful beach here, even in the rain, it looks good.  You look out over the horizon, you can count on the fact that you won’t be alone.  Your fellow citizens will be there for you -- just like we’ll be there for folks in Breezy Point and Staten Island -- (applause) -- and obviously, we’re going to be there for the folks in Monroe [sic], Oklahoma, after the devastation of last week.  (Applause.)

Part of the reason I wanted to come back here was not just to send a message to New Jersey, but send a message to folks in Oklahoma:  When we make a commitment that we’ve got your back, we mean it -- (applause) -- and we’re not going to finish until the work is done.  Because that’s who we are.  We help each other as Americans through the bad times, and we sure make the most of the good times.  (Applause.)

So let’s have some good times on the New Jersey Shore this summer.  (Applause.)  And next summer and the summer after that, and all year long, America, bring your family and friends.  Spend a little money on the Jersey Shore.  (Applause.)  You’ll find some of the friendliest folks on Earth, some of the best beaches on Earth.  And you’ll see that even after a tough couple of months, this place is as special as ever, and down the Shore, everything is still all right.  (Applause.) 

Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  God bless America.  (Applause.) 
   
1:35 P.M. EDT
END

Remarks by the President Commemorating Memorial Day

Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington, Virginia

11:31 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Please be seated.  Thank you very much.  Good morning, everybody.  I want to thank Secretary Chuck Hagel, not only for the introduction but, Chuck, for your lifetime of service -- from sergeant in the Army to Secretary of Defense, but always a man who carries with you the memory of friends and fallen heroes from Vietnam.  We’re grateful to you. 

I want to thank General Dempsey, Major General Linnington, Kathryn Condon, who has served Arlington with extraordinary  dedication and grace and who will be leaving us, but we are so grateful for the work that she’s done; for Chaplain Brainerd, Secretary Shinseki, all our guests.  And most of all, to members of our armed services and our veterans; to the families and friends of the fallen who we honor today; to Americans from all across the country who have come to pay your respects:  I have to say it is always a great honor to spend this Memorial Day with you at this sacred place where we honor our fallen heroes -- those who we remember fondly in our memories, and those known only to God.

Beyond these quiet hills, across that special bridge, is a city of monuments dedicated to visionary leaders and singular moments in the life of our Republic.  But it is here, on this hallowed ground, where we choose to build a monument to a constant thread in the American character -- the truth that our nation endures because it has always been home to men and women who are willing to give their all, and lay down their very lives, to preserve and protect this land that we love.

That character -- that selflessness -- beats in the hearts of the very first patriots who died for a democracy they had never known and would never see.  It lived on in the men and women who fought to hold our union together, and in those who fought to defend it abroad -- from the beaches of Europe to the mountains and jungles of Asia.  This year, as we mark the 60th anniversary of the end of fighting in Korea, we offer a special salute to all those who served and gave their lives in the Korean War.  And over the last decade, we’ve seen the character of our country again -- in the nearly 7,000 Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice on battlefields and city streets half a world away.

Last Memorial Day, I stood here and spoke about how, for the first time in nine years, Americans were no longer fighting and dying in Iraq.  Today, a transition is underway in Afghanistan, and our troops are coming home.  Fewer Americans are making the ultimate sacrifice in Afghanistan, and that’s progress for which we are profoundly grateful.  And this time next year, we will mark the final Memorial Day of our war in Afghanistan. 

And so, as I said last week, America stands at a crossroads.  But even as we turn the page on a decade of conflict, even as we look forward, let us never forget, as we gather here today, that our nation is still at war.

It should be self-evident.  And in generations past, it was.  And during World War II, millions of Americans contributed to the war effort -- soldiers like my own grandfather; women like my grandmother, who worked the assembly lines.  During the Vietnam War, just about everybody knew somebody -- a brother, a son, a friend -- who served in harm’s way.

Today, it’s different.  Perhaps it’s a tribute to our remarkable all-volunteer force, made up of men and women who step forward to serve and do so with extraordinary skill and valor.  Perhaps it’s a testament to our advanced technologies, which allow smaller numbers of troops to wield greater and greater power.  But regardless of the reason, this truth cannot be ignored that today most Americans are not directly touched by war.

As a consequence, not all Americans may always see or fully grasp the depth of sacrifice, the profound costs that are made in our name -- right now, as we speak, every day.  Our troops and our military families understand this, and they mention to me their concern about whether the country fully appreciates what’s happening.  I think about a letter I received from a Naval officer, a reservist who had just returned from a deployment to Afghanistan.  And he wrote me, “I’m concerned that our work in Afghanistan is fading from memory.”  And he went on to ask that we do more to keep this conflict “alive and focused in the hearts and minds of our own people.”

And he’s right.  As we gather here today, at this very moment, more than 60,000 of our fellow Americans still serve far from home in Afghanistan.  They’re still going out on patrol, still living in spartan forward operating bases, still risking their lives to carry out their mission.  And when they give their lives, they are still being laid to rest in cemeteries in the quiet corners across our country, including here in Arlington.

Captain Sara Cullen had a smile that could light up a room and a love of country that led her to West Point.  And after graduation, Sara became a Black Hawk pilot -- and married a former Black Hawk pilot.  She was just 27 years old when she and four other soldiers were killed in a helicopter crash during a training mission near Kandahar.  This past April, Sara was laid to rest here, in Section 60.  Today, Sara is remembered by her mother, Lynn, who says she is “proud of her daughter’s life, proud of her faith and proud of her service to our country.”  (Applause.)

Staff Sergeant Frankie Phillips came from a military family and was as tough as they come.  A combat medic, Frankie was on patrol in Afghanistan three weeks ago when his vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb.  He was so humble that his parents never knew how many lives he had saved until soldiers started showing up at his funeral from thousands of miles away.  And last week, Frankie was laid to rest just a few rows over from Sara. 

Staff Sergeant Eric Christian was a born leader.  A member of the Marine Corps Special Operations Command, Eric had served five tours of duty, but kept going back because he felt responsible for his teammates and was determined to finish the mission.  On May 4th, Eric gave his life after escorting a high-ranking U.S. official to meet with Afghan leaders.  Later, his family got a letter from a Marine who had served two tours with Eric.  In it, the Marine wrote, “There were people who measured their success based on how many enemies they killed or how many missions they led to conquer a foe.  Eric based his success on how many of his friends he brought home, and he brought home many -- including me.”  Eric was laid to rest here at Arlington, just six days ago.  (Applause.)

So today, we remember their service.  Today, just steps from where these brave Americans lie in eternal peace, we declare, as a proud and grateful nation, that their sacrifice will never be forgotten.  And just as we honor them, we hold their families close.  Because for the parents who lose a child; for the husbands and wives who lose a partner; for the children who lose a parent, every loss is devastating.  And for those of us who bear the solemn responsibility of sending these men and women into harm’s way, we know the consequences all too well.  I feel it every time I meet a wounded warrior, every time I visit Walter Reed, and every time I grieve with a Gold Star family. 

And that’s why, on this day, we remember our sacred obligation to those who laid down their lives so we could live ours:  to finish the job these men and women started by keeping our promise to those who wear America’s uniform -- to give our troops the resources they need; to keep faith with our veterans and their families, now and always; to never stop searching for those who have gone missing or who are held as prisoners of war. 

But on a more basic level, every American can do something even simpler.  As we go about our daily lives, we must remember that our countrymen are still serving, still fighting, still putting their lives on the line for all of us. 

Last fall, I received a letter from Candie Averette, of Charlotte, North Carolina.  Both of her sons are Marines.  Her oldest served two tours in Iraq.  Her youngest was in Afghanistan at the time.  He was, in her words, “100 percent devoted to his deployment and wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

Reading Candie’s letter, it was clear she was extraordinarily proud of the life her boys had chosen.  But she also had a request on behalf of all the mothers just like her.  She said, “Please don’t forget about my child and every other Marine and soldier over there who proudly choose to defend their country.” 

A mother’s plea -- please don’t forget.  On this Memorial Day, and every day, let us be true and meet that promise.  Let it be our task, every single one of us, to honor the strength and the resolve and the love these brave Americans felt for each other and for our country.  Let us never forget to always remember and to be worthy of the sacrifice they make in our name. 

May God bless the fallen and all those who serve.  And may God continue to bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

END
11:44 A.M. EDT