Remarks by the President and Prime Minister Kenny at St. Patrick's Day Reception

East Room

5:47 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Good evening, everybody.
 
AUDIENCE:  Good evening.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Welcome to St. Patrick’s Week here at the White House -- not just today, we get a week.  
 
I want to welcome back our good friend Taoiseach Kenny and his wonderful wife Fionnuala.  We are so glad that they are here, and we want to thank them for bringing some genuine Irish shamrocks.  I want to say a special thanks to Michael Collins, who has done such an outstanding job here as the Irish Ambassador to the United States.  This is his last St. Patrick’s Day in America before heading to Germany, so we want to wish him and his lovely wife all the best.  (Applause.) 
 
I also want to welcome First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness of Northern Ireland, who are with us here today.  And as I said earlier, I am very much looking forward to visiting Northern Ireland for the G8 Summit in June.  (Applause.) 
 
We have way too many Irish and Irish American and wannabe Irish Americans in the house for me to name -- (laughter) -- but I will say that the next four years are shaping up to be very green ones here in the White House.  (Applause.)  My new Chief of Staff is a McDonough.  My National Security Advisor is a Donilon.  Our new CIA Director is a Brennan.  My new head speech writer is a Keenan.  And Joe Biden has very kindly agreed to stay on as Irishman-in-Chief.  (Laughter.) 
 
Joe couldn’t be here tonight because he is on his way back from the installation of Pope Francis in Rome.  For those of you who know Joe, literally the only thing that could keep him away from St. Patrick’s Day at the White House is the installation of a new Pope.  (Laughter.)  So he sends his best. 
 
Ever since the first son or daughter of the Emerald Isle set foot here on American soil, this day has served as a reminder of just how many threads of green are woven into the red, white, and blue.  And in times of war and peace, good times and bad, Americans have always found a way to celebrate that heritage. 
 
During the Civil War, a quartermaster for the Irish Brigade was sent to Washington to secure a St. Patrick’s Day dinner consisting of a side of roasted ox, a pig stuffed with boiled turkeys and 35 hams.  And even during the Great Depression, when food was scarce and families were struggling, a judge in New York informed the district attorney that he would not try any cases on St. Patrick’s Day in which the defendant or the lawyers were Irish.  (Laughter.)   
 
Now, just to be clear, I looked into continuing some of these traditions -- no, I could not get the White House chefs to go along or the Attorney General to go along with these traditions.  (Laughter.)  So tonight, we’re going in a slightly different direction, but we do so mindful of the fact that even in times of trouble, if we’re lucky enough to be Irish –- even if it’s only in spirit –- then we’re lucky enough.  And that’s reason to give thanks.
 
Looking out on this room, it’s clear just how much America owes to our brothers and sisters from across the Atlantic, and how many of us -- myself included -- wouldn't be here if it were not for the brave souls who set off for the New World with no earthly idea of what awaited them on the other side.
 
And it’s a reminder of just how many trials the people of Ireland have endured, from hunger and troubles, to the economic challenges of recent years.  It’s yet another reason why we need to build an immigration system for the 21st century -- (applause) -- one that works for families and businesses and our economy.  But it’s also a tribute to the incredible resilience of the Irish character and the enormous power of faith -- in God, in one another, and in the possibility of a better life. 
 
It was that faith that brought millions of Irish to our shores, but that faith alone didn’t join our two nations in common cause.  It was how the Irish put that faith into practice in their new nation.  They wanted a government of and by and for the people, so they helped us design one.  And they understood the importance of saving the Union, so they fought and died for the cause.  They saw potential in our railways, bridges and skyscrapers, so they poured their sweat and blood into building them.  And they believed that each of us has an obligation, not just to ourselves, but to each other and to our country.  So that’s how they lived their lives here in America.
 
A great nation is one that contributes more to the world than it takes out, and by that definition, America owes a profound debt of gratitude to the great nation or Ireland.  And together, our people have never stopped dreaming of a better future and never stopped working to make that dream a reality. 
 
We saw that again in October, when Hurricane Sandy set off one of the worst residential fires in New York City’s history.  Hundreds of homes were left charred and flooded, and many families were suddenly faced with the task of picking up the pieces and rebuilding their lives, including in Breezy Point, a neighborhood with a large Irish American population.  In fact, more than half of Breezy Point residents can trace their families to the old country, and the folks back in the old country were not about to sit by and watch their American brothers and sisters struggle alone. 
 
So they pitched in.  Gaelic rock stars raised money.  Athletes from the Gaelic Games did construction work and brought the Sam Maguire chalice with them to lift spirits.  The Irish Tenors came over to sing Christmas carols.  The Irish government pledged hundreds of thousands of dollars, not just to help the residents of Breezy Point, but to help folks rebuild across the region.  And the Taoiseach himself was in Breezy Point on Sunday to attend mass.  (Applause.)
 
As one official said, New York has been very good to the Irish; now the Irish are giving back to New York.  And that’s the story of America and Ireland:  We look out for each other, we have each other’s backs, and we recognize that no challenge is too great and no obstacle is too high if you’ve got a friend beside you and a nation behind you.  That’s been our history; that will be our future.
 
So I hope everyone has a wonderful time.  There’s an old Irish saying that the recipe for a long life is to leave the table hungry, leave the bed sleepy, leave the bar thirsty.  (Laughter.)  We’ll see if that works tonight.  Happy Saint Patrick’s Day, everybody.  (Applause.)
 
And now I’d like to introduce my good friend and our honored guest, Taoiseach Kenny.  (Applause.)
 
PRIME MINISTER KENNY:  (Speaks Irish.)  Mr. President, First Lady, Happy Saint Patrick’s week to you, your families and the American people.  I’m delighted to be here.  I want to join with the President in wishing Ambassador Michael Collins and his wife, Marie, the very best.  Thank you for your service to this country and to Ireland.  (Applause.)
 
I’d like to add to that the service given by Ambassador Dan Rooney and his wife, Patricia, from the United States to Ireland.  Two wonderful people also.  (Applause.)  And thank you, Mr. President, for your warm welcome that you’ve given to Fionnuala and to me, to the Tánaiste and Carol, and indeed everyone in the Irish delegation.  It really is a privilege, and wonderful to be back.  Our warmest congratulations on your second term.  (Applause.)  Perhaps there will be a second visit home in due course.  (Laughter.)
 
For generations, now, there’s been a very special relationship between the President of the United States and the Irish people.  In fact, if the truth could be confirmed -- and it’s difficult to do so -- there are reports that President Lincoln himself is living in County Wicklow -- (laughter) -- and he’s married to Arthur Miller’s daughter.  (Laughter.)
 
In 1963, President Kennedy came home to Ireland.  He told our parliament about the Irish Brigade, the Fighting 69th.  Thanks to him, that brigade’s green flag speaks almost as eloquently as he did, at Leinster House today.  From Bull Run to Fredericksburg to Gettysburg, the Fighting 69th distinguished themselves on the battleground, showing outstanding courage and resilience and intelligence.  And for you, Mr. President, their battle cry in Irish was, “Fág an Bealach.”  "Clear the way."  Can you say that?  Fág an Bealach.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Fág an Bealach.  (Applause.)
 
PRIME MINISTER KENNY:  Generations on, it rings out loud and clear on the other side of the Atlantic, because after difficult years, we, the Irish people, are at last clearing the way.  Táimid ag fágaint an bealach:  To a brighter, better, more prosperous future, both this time for all our people. 
 
Mr. President, a chairde Gael, we’ve still a long way to go on our journey to national recovery.  But tonight I’m proud to say here in the White House that confidence is returning to our country and to our people. 
 
Here this evening with this bowl of shamrock that contains traditional Irish shamrock, we’ve got a perfect example of that new confidence and that new hope.  Because unlike the bowl that James Joyce spoke of at the Atlantic, “the bowl of bitter tears,” or President Kennedy, this bowl here was made by Sean Egan, unemployed four years ago.  He spent 300 hours creating this in a labor of love.
 
It sparkles with the story of who we are now.  It glistens with the story of what we once brought here on the risky yet life-giving journey to America, not only those memories of place and home and family, but our songs, our music, our stories, sung and recited until they were threadbare so that new generations -- many of you here -- could actually make them your own. 
 
Just as we Irish made our own of America, today in Ireland, we do as we have always done.  As a nation, we make joy from sadness.  As a country, we forge success from difficulty.  As a republic, we create ourselves anew.  And as we do, we remember and we honor the old. 
 
They say that if you laid out a timber memorial for every Irish man, woman and child buried at sea on the Famine Crossing that you could walk from Cork to Boston.  They say, as we say in Irish, that they’re “idir eadartha” – “in between” -- between past and future, between two nations, two republics who stand proud and determined and strong either side of the Atlantic Ocean; exhilarated indeed by the possibilities of science, intrigued by the potential of discovery, and curious about the secrets and the powers of invention; united in our passionate belief in the capacity of experiment and thought and imagination and, indeed, intuition itself to transform our world.
 
And when the crew of the International Space Station -- who are on Twitter -- (laughter) -- these days, when they look on this world, on our planet and see it go a little greener, chances are they don't just think American, they don't just think British or Indonesian or any place else, they might well think that down there, that's our human family, the family of man, and they are at home. 
 
And because we are, Mr. President, for all we build, for all we make in finance, in politics, in business or economics, we know because of these connections that our real wealth are the reserves of love and kindness and insight and understanding and courage and compassion that were so carefully attained and accrued over those many long years.  And as we celebrate St. Patrick and St. Patrick’s Week, let us build on those reserves to build better nations, better people and a better world.  They're here, Mr. President.  The sun is new every day.  And may it shine brightly on our peoples and on all that we undertake together in the cause of each other.
 
So in your responsibilities all around the world, the many onerous responsibilities you carry, we wish you good fortune and good health and success.  In the words of the Fighting 69th, "Our union, our country, and Ireland forever.  Fág an bealach.  (Applause.)
 
END
6:00 P.M. EDT
 

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Kenny of Ireland Before a Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

10:41 A.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, it is a great pleasure to welcome back Taoiseach Kenny to the Oval Office, to the White House and his entire delegation.  Obviously, we cherish this opportunity once a year to reaffirm the incredible bond between the United States and Ireland.  This year, it also gives us an excuse to stretch out St. Patrick’s Day for a couple of extra days, which is always good.

This is now my fifth time to welcome the Taoiseach to the Oval Office.  I’ve had the occasion to visit Ireland as well -- one of the truly wonderful trips that I’ve taken as President of the United States.  And the reason that these meetings go so well is because of the incredible bond and history between our two countries.

Obviously, the contributions of Irish Americans to the United States is legendary.  But what is also true is that we have an incredibly strong partnership on economic issues, on security issues.  The Taoiseach has shown great leadership during difficult times in Ireland.  And we’re seeing progress in the Irish economy.  That’s good for the U.S. economy because we have a lot of trade, a lot of investment in Ireland. 

There was a story this morning about a deal between Ryanair and Boeing in which we’ll be selling a whole lot of airplanes to Ireland.  And it’s an example of how the progress that’s made in Ireland benefits jobs and businesses here in the United States.  Obviously, the Taoiseach is very interested, as well as in continuing to attract direct investment from the United States to Ireland.  So this will be a major topic of discussion.

Ireland also punches above its weight internationally when it comes to humanitarian assistance, peacekeeping.  Irish troops are in many very difficult places in the world and provide the kinds of stabilization and humanitarian efforts that make all the difference and save lives.

And so I am very much looking forward to having a good conversation.  I’m sure we will also touch on the issue of Northern Ireland in which we have continued to see progress coming out of the Good Friday agreements, but we also have to recognize that there’s a lot more work to be done before there’s true unity of effort in that country.  And I know that both in discussions with the Taoiseach as well as in talking to the ministers who are here from Northern Ireland, we’ll have an opportunity to find out how the United States can be helpful in that overall effort as well.

So, again, Taoiseach, I want to welcome you.  Thank you for giving me an excuse to break out my green tie.  (Laughter.)  And I'm sure that we'll have a wonderful lunch up on Capitol Hill and once again be able to reaffirm the incredible friendship between our peoples. 

PRIME MINISTER KENNY:  Thank you, Mr. President.  Could I to say that it’s a particular privilege to be able to come here to the White House to visit President Obama to continue this wonderful tradition that the American government over the years has shown to Ireland because of the particular and unique relationship between our countries covering many centuries.

I come here both as Taoiseach, but also as the presidency of the European Union.  I suppose I should say this because I’ll never get the chance again, it’s great to be on presidential terms here.  (Laughter.)  The President of the United States, an Irishman, and the President of Europe, an Irishman, meeting in the Oval Office.  (Laughter.) 

But I would like to say seriously, it’s an opportunity for me to brief the President on the progress being made in challenging times for the Irish government, following a very clear and strategic plan.  It's also an opportunity to brief the President on issues of the European Union and the progress being made by the European Council, with particular reference to the EU-U.S. trade -- participation and free trade, to which the President referred in his State of the Union address.  I’d like to follow that through with him.  Also, to brief the President on opportunities in respect of Northern Ireland, immigration -- undocumented Irish -- and, of course, the general perspectives both for the world economy.  And as the President is moving to the Middle East this evening, I can give him an update on the recent meeting and discussion that the European Council held there.

Besides, it’s a real opportunity to celebrate St. Patrick's Week.  I have a second tie for the President, if he so wishes.  And, of course, there is a standing open invitation to President Obama to come back to Ireland whenever is convenient and appropriate and when he so wishes.  And maybe the next time, when our economies are moving in a more positive direction, we might actually have time to take out the sticks on the golf course.  I’m looking forward to that sometime in the future.

So to First Lady Michelle, the children, Malia and Sasha, we wish the President continued success and good fortune in the very onerous responsibilities that he lay up on his shoulders as the leader of the free world.  And it's a pleasure and a privilege to be in the Oval Office.  

END 
10:46 A.M. EDT

Remarks By The President at Women's History Month Reception

The East Room

East Room

5:04 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  And can everybody please give Amanda another big round of applause?  (Applause.)  It seems to me she would be pretty good at sales.  (Laughter.)  I was sold just listening to her right there.  

Thank you, Amanda, for sharing your story, the wonderful introduction. It is an honor to welcome all of you here to the White House. 

Now, let’s be clear, I am used to being surrounded every day by talented, accomplished women -- (applause) -- from all the meetings I have in the West Wing to the dinner table with Michelle, Malia and Sasha. (Laughter.) But I have to say, even for somebody who is accustomed to it, this is a pretty exceptional group that I’m looking around here.

We've got business leaders like Abbe Raven, CEO of the A&E Networks.  (Applause.)  There she is right there. We've got activists like Dolores Huerta and Lilly Ledbetter.  (Applause.)  All-star athletes like Tamika Catchings.  (Applause.)  And outstanding public servants from Congress and my administration, including Valerie Jarrett, who serves as our chair of the Council for Women and Girls here at the White House.  (Applause.) 

And when I look around this room, it is hard to believe that 100 years ago this month, thousands of women were marching right outside this house demanding one of our most fundamental right:  the right to vote, to have a say in our democracy.  And today, a century later, its rooms are full of accomplished women who have overcome discrimination, shattered glass ceilings, and become outstanding role models for all of our sons and daughters. And that means we've come a long way, and that’s thanks to the efforts of so many people like you. 

Because of the hard work and exemplary leadership of the women in this room, military families have protected family and medical leave.  Women have legal recourse to fight against pay discrimination, as Amanda took advantage of.  Women have the opportunity to serve on the front lines of our military conflicts, and that means that they're getting paid and promoted equally.  Women have the opportunity to make their own choices about their health.

We're also seeing expanded opportunity for women to reach their full potential all around the world.  That’s in large part because four years ago, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton -- (applause) -- a tireless advocate for women herself, designated an Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues whose sole job it is to make sure that women and girls are a central part of every aspect of our foreign policy, that their concerns are considered at the highest level of our diplomatic decision-making.

For four years, the incredible Melanne Verveer held that role.  (Applause.)  Where is Melanne?  Is she here?  All right, well, she’s incredible.  Take my word for it.  (Laughter.)  We’re so grateful for her service, along with the millions of women around the world that she helped to amplify and helped to fight alongside on the causes that are so important.  But with Melanne leaving on, we’ve got some big shoes to fill.  So today, I am very pleased to announce that I will be nominating Cathy Russell as our next Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women’s Issues.  (Applause.)

Cathy is a longtime advocate for women, for justice, for fairness. She’s worked on preventing violence against women here and around the world. Throughout my first term, she’s served as chief of staff to Dr. Jill Biden.  (Applause.)  She’s worked tirelessly alongside Michelle and Jill to make sure that our military families get every single benefit and bit of assistance that they so richly deserve and have earned.  I’m certain that Jill will miss Cathy, but I know she joins me in saying that we could not be prouder of Cathy’s hard work and her advocacy.  And we know that she’s going to be a powerful voice on behalf of women and girls around the world.  So thank you, Cathy, for your continued service.  (Applause.)

It’s women like Cathy, like Jill, like Amanda, like Michelle, like all of you, that inspire so much progress each and every day.  And I’ve got to tell you, all of you inspire me to make sure that I’m doing everything that I can as President to carry on that progress, and to do everything we can to ensure equality and opportunity for all women.

Just last week, I was proud to sign the reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act -– (applause) -- a law, by the way, that Cathy helped to make possible in the first place, securing for women the protections and the services to help them live their lives free from fear of violence and free to pursue their own measure of happiness. 

And that’s what everybody deserves in this country -– the opportunity to make of their lives what they will, no matter who they are, what they look like, whether they are boys or girls, women or men.  That’s why I ran for President in the first place –- to put the same rights and opportunities within the reach of all of our daughters and sons.  And while there’s still a lot of work to be done, I am confident that we can reach that goal, that we can make sure that every single door is open, every dream is within reach -- for Malia, for Sasha, for your daughters, for your granddaughters -- to make sure that they never feel like there are barriers in front of them, and that if they work hard, they can make it. 

So I want to thank all of you for your incredible advocacy.  I could not be prouder of you.  I’m glad that you had a chance to join us.  I understand that we had some great panels earlier today, and I expect this conversation and, more importantly, the work will continue for many years to come.

So thank you very much, everybody.  Enjoy the reception.  (Applause.)

END                5:15 P.M. EDT

Remarks by the President on American Energy -- Lemont, Illinois

Argonne National Laboratory
Lemont, Illinois

1:31 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hello, Illinois!  Hello!  It is good to be home!  (Applause.)

Well, let me begin by thanking Ann for the great introduction, the great work she’s doing, the leadership she’s showing with her team on so many different, amazing technological breakthroughs.  I want to thank Dr. Isaacs and Dr. Crabtree for giving me a great tour of your facilities. 

It’s not every day that I get to walk into a thermal test chamber.  (Laughter.)  I told my girls that I was going to go into a thermal test chamber and they were pretty excited.  I told them I’d come out looking like the Hulk.  (Laughter.)  They didn’t believe that. 

I want to thank my friend and your friend -- a truly great U.S. Senator, Senator Dick Durbin -- huge supporter of Argonne.  (Applause.)  An outstanding member of Congress who actually could explain some of the stuff that's going on here -- Bill Foster is here.  (Applause.)  Congressman Bobby Rush, a big supporter of Argonne -- glad he’s here.  (Applause.)  We’ve got a number of state and local officials with us, including your Mayor, Brian Reaves.  (Applause.) 

And I could not come to Argonne without bringing my own Nobel Prize-winning scientist, someone who has served our country so well over the past four years -- our Energy Secretary, Dr. Steven Chu.  (Applause.) 

Now, I’m here today to talk about what should be our top priority as a nation, and that's reigniting the true engine of America’s economic growth -- a rising, thriving middle class and an economy built on innovation.  In my State of the Union address, I said our most important task was to drive that economic growth, and I meant it.  And every day, we should be asking ourselves three questions:  How do we make America a magnet for good jobs?  How do we equip our people with the skills and training to do those jobs?  And how do we make sure that hard work leads to a decent living? 

Those of you who have chairs -- I wasn’t sure everybody had chairs there.  (Laughter.)  Please feel free to sit down -- I'm sorry.  Everybody was standing and I thought Argonne -- one of the effects of the sequester, you had to -- (laughter) -- get rid of chairs.  (Applause.)  That's good, I'm glad we've got some chairs. 

So I chose Argonne National Lab because right now, few areas hold more promise for creating good jobs and growing our economy than how we use American energy. 

After years of talking about it, we’re finally poised to take control of our energy future.  We produce more oil than we have in 15 years.  We import less oil than we have in 20 years.  We’ve doubled the amount of renewable energy that we generate from sources like wind and solar -- with tens of thousands of good jobs to show for it.  We’re producing more natural gas than we ever have before -- with hundreds of thousands of good jobs to show for it.  We supported the first new nuclear power plant in America since the 1970s.  And we’re sending less carbon pollution into the environment than we have in nearly 20 years.

So we’re making real progress across the board.  And it’s possible, in part, because of labs like this and outstanding scientists like so many of you, entrepreneurs, innovators -- all of you who are working together to take your discoveries and turn them into a business. 

So think about this:  Just a few years ago, the American auto industry was flat-lining.  Today, thanks in part to discoveries made right here at Argonne, some of the most high-tech, fuel-efficient, pretty spiffy cars in the world are once again designed, engineered and built here in the United States. 

And that’s why we have to keep investing in scientific research.  It’s why we have to maintain our edge -- because the work you’re doing today will end up in the products that we make and sell tomorrow.  You’re helping to secure our energy future.  And if we do it well, then that’s going to help us avoid some of the perils of climate change and leave a healthier planet for our kids.  But to do it, we’ve got to make sure that we’re making the right choices in Washington. 

Just the other day, Dr. Isaacs and directors of two of our other national laboratories wrote about the effects of the so-called sequester -- these across-the-board budget cuts put in place two weeks ago -- and specifically the effects it will have on America’s scientific research.  And one of the reasons I was opposed to these cuts is because they don’t distinguish between wasteful programs and vital investments.  They don’t trim the fat; they cut into muscle and into bone -- like research and development being done right here that not only gives a great place for young researchers to come and ply their trade, but also ends up creating all kinds of spinoffs that create good jobs and good wages.   

So Dr. Isaacs said these cuts will force him to stop any new project that’s coming down the line.  And I’m quoting him now -- he says, “This sudden halt on new starts will freeze American science in place while the rest of the world races forward, and it will knock a generation of young scientists off their stride, ultimately costing billions of dollars in missed future opportunities.”  I mean, essentially because of this sequester, we’re looking at two years where we don’t start new research.  And at a time when every month you’ve got to replace your smartphone because something new has come up, imagine what that means when China and Germany and Japan are all continuing to plump up their basic research, and we’re just sitting there doing nothing. 

We can’t afford to miss these opportunities while the rest of the world races forward.  We have to seize these opportunities.  I want the next great job-creating breakthroughs -- whether it’s in energy or nanotechnology or bioengineering -- I want those breakthroughs to be right here in the United States of America, creating American jobs and maintaining our technological lead.  (Applause.)  

So I just want to be clear -- these cuts will harm, not help, our economy.  They aren’t the smart way to cut our deficits.  And that’s why I’m reaching out to Republicans and Democrats to come together around a balanced approach, a smart, phased-in approach to deficit reduction that includes smart spending cuts and entitlement reforms and new revenue, and that won’t hurt our middle class or slow economic growth.  And if we do that, then we can move beyond governing from crisis to crisis to crisis, and we keep our focus on policies that actually create jobs and grow our economy, and move forward to face all of the other challenges we face, from fixing our broken immigration system to educating our kids to keeping them safe from gun violence. 

And few pieces of business are more important for us than getting our energy future right.  So here at Argonne, and other labs around the country, scientists are working on getting us where we need to get 10 years from now, 20 years from now.  Today, what most Americans feel first when it comes to energy prices -- or energy issues are prices that they pay at the pump. And over the past few weeks, we saw -- we went through another spike in gas prices.  And people are nodding here.  They weren’t happy about it.  The problem is this happens every year.  It happened last year, the year before that.  And it’s a serious blow to family budgets.  It feels like you’re getting hit with a new tax coming right out of your pocket.  And every time it happens, politicians -- they dust off their three-point plans for $2 gas, but nothing happens and then we go through the same cycle again. 

But here’s the thing:  Over the past four years, we haven’t just talked about it, we’ve actually started doing something about it.  We’ve worked with the auto companies to put in place the toughest fuel economy standards in our history.  And what that means is, by the middle of the next decade, our cars will go twice as far on a gallon of gas.  And the standards that we set are part of what’s driving some of the amazing scientists and engineers who are working here at Argonne Labs.  We’ve set some achievable but ambitious goals.  So in the middle of the next decade, we expect that you’ll fill up half as often, which means you spend half as much.  And over the life of a new car, the average family will save more than $8,000 at the pump.  That's worth applauding.  That's big news.  (Applause.) 

In fact, a new report issued today shows that America is becoming a global leader in advanced vehicles.  You walk into any dealership today, and you’ll see twice as many hybrids to choose from as there were five years ago.  You’ll see seven times as many cars that can go 40 miles a gallon or more.  And as costs go down, sales are going up.

Last year, General Motors sold more hybrid vehicles than ever before.  Ford is selling some of the most fuel-efficient cars so quickly that dealers are having a tough time keeping up with the demand.  So by investing in our energy security, we’re helping our businesses succeed and we’re creating good middle-class jobs right here in America.

So we’re making progress, but the only way to really break this cycle of spiking gas prices, the only way to break that cycle for good is to shift our cars entirely -- our cars and trucks -- off oil.  That’s why, in my State of the Union address, I called on Congress to set up an Energy Security Trust to fund research into new technologies that will help us reach that goal. 
Now, I’d like to take credit for this idea because it’s a good idea, but I can’t.  Basically, my proposal builds off a proposal that was put forward by a non-partisan coalition that includes retired generals and admirals and leading CEOs.  And these leaders came together around a simple idea -- much of our energy is drawn from lands and waters that we, the public, own together.  So what they’ve proposed is let’s take some of our oil and gas revenues from public lands and put it towards research that will benefit the public so we can support American ingenuity without adding a dime to our deficit.

We can support scientists who are designing new engines that are more energy efficient; support scientists that are developing cheaper batteries that can go farther on a single charge; support scientists and engineers that are devising new ways to fuel our cars and trucks with new sources of clean energy -- like advanced biofuels and natural gas -- so drivers can one day go coast to coast without using a drop of oil. 

And the reason so many different people from the private sector, the public sector, our military support this idea is because it’s not just about saving money; it’s also about saving the environment, but it’s also about our national security.  For military officials -- like General Paul Kelley, a former Commandant of the Marine Corps -- this is about national security.  Our reliance on oil makes us way too dependent on other parts of the world, many of which are very volatile.  For business leaders -- like Fred Smith, the CEO of FedEx -- this is about economic security, because when fuel prices shoot up, it’s harder to plan investments, expand operations, create new jobs. 

So these leaders all say we need to fix this.  This is not a Democratic idea or a Republican idea.  This is just a smart idea. And we should be taking their advice.  Let’s set up an Energy Security Trust that helps us free our families and our businesses from painful spikes in gas once and for all.  (Applause.)  Let’s do that.  We can do it.  We’ve done it before.  We innovated here at Argonne.   

And in the meantime, we’ll keep moving on the all-of-the-above energy strategy that we’ve been working on for the last couple years, where we're producing more oil and gas here at home but we're also producing more biofuels, we're also producing more fuel-efficient vehicles; more solar power; more wind power.  We're working to make sure that here in America we're building cars and homes and businesses that waste less energy. 

We can do this.  The nature of America's miraculous rise has been our drive, our restless spirit, our willingness to reach out to new horizons, our willingness to take risks, our willingness to innovate.  We are not satisfied just because things -- this is how things have been.  We're going to try something that maybe we just imagine now, but if we work at it, we'll achieve it.  That’s the nature of America.  That’s what Argonne National Lab is about.  That’s what this facility is about.  (Applause.)  

Two decades ago, scientists at Argonne, led by Mike Thackeray, who’s here today -- where is Mike?  There he is right here.  (Applause.)  Mike started work on a rechargeable lithium battery for cars.  And some folks at the time said the idea wasn’t worth the effort.  They said that even if you had the technology, the car would cost too much, it wouldn’t go far enough. 

But Mike and his team knew better.  They knew you could do better.  And America, our government, our federal government made it a priority, and we funded those efforts.  And Mike went to work.  And when others gave up, the team kept on at it.  And when development hit a snag, the team found solutions.  And a few years ago, all of this hard work paid off, and scientists here at Argonne helped create a lithium ion battery that costs less, lasts longer than any that had come before. 

So what was just an idea two decades ago is now rolling off assembly lines in cutting-edge fuel efficient cars that you can plug in at night.  Well, imagine all the ideas right now with all of these young scientists and engineers that 20 years ago -- or 20 years from now will be offering solutions to our problems that we can't even comprehend -- as long as we're still funding these young scientists and engineers; as long as the pipeline for research is maintained; as long as we recognize there are some things we do together as a country because individually we can't do it -- and, by the way, the private sector on its own will not invest in this research because it's too expensive.  It's too risky.  They can't afford it in terms of their bottom lines.

So we've got to support it.  And we'll all benefit from it, and our kids will benefit from it, and our grandkids will benefit from it.  That’s who we are.  That’s been the American story. 

We don’t stand still, we look forward.  We invent.  We build.  We turn new ideas into new industries.  We change the way we can live our lives here at home and around the world.  That’s how we sent a man to the moon.  That’s how we invented the Internet. 

When somebody tells us we can't, we say, yes we can.  And I'm telling all of you, I am absolutely confident that America is poised to succeed in the same way as long as we don’t lose that spirit of innovation and recognize that we can only do it together.  And I'm going to work as hard as I can every single day to make sure that we do.

So congratulations, Argonne.  (Applause.)  Let's keep it up.  Thank you.  God bless you.  God bless America.

END  
1:50 P.M. CDT