The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2010

Remarks by the President on General Motors

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

4:14 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  Good afternoon.  Today, one of the toughest tales of the recession took another big step towards becoming a success story.

General Motors relaunched itself as a public company, cutting the government’s stake in the company by nearly half.  What’s more, American taxpayers are now positioned to recover more than my administration invested in GM.

And that’s a very good thing.  Last year, we told GM’s management and workers that if they made the tough decisions necessary to make themselves more competitive in the 21st century -- decisions requiring real leadership, fresh thinking and also some shared sacrifice –- then we would stand by them.  And because they did, the American auto industry -– an industry that’s been the proud symbol of America’s manufacturing might for a century; an industry that helped to build our middle class -– is once again on the rise.

Our automakers are in the midst of their strongest period of job growth in more than a decade.  Since GM and Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy, the industry has created more than 75,000 new jobs.  For the first time in six years, Ford, GM and Chrysler are all operating at a profit.  In fact, last week, GM announced its best quarter in over 11 years.  And most importantly, American workers are back at the assembly line manufacturing the high-quality, fuel-efficient, American-made cars of tomorrow, capable of going toe to toe with any other manufacturer in the world.

Just two years ago, this seemed impossible.  In fact, there were plenty of doubters and naysayers who said it couldn’t be done, who were prepared to throw in the towel and read the American auto industry last rites.  Independent estimates suggested, however, that had we taken that step, had we given up, we would have lost more than 1 million jobs across all 50 states.  It would have also resulted in economic chaos, devastating communities across the country and costing governments tens of billions of dollars in additional social safety net benefits and lost revenue.

That wasn’t an acceptable option –- to throw up our hands and to quit.  That’s not what we do.  This is a country of optimistic and determined people who don’t give up when times are tough.  We do what’s necessary to move forward.

So these last two years haven’t been easy on anybody.  They haven’t been without pain or sacrifice, as the tough restructuring of GM reminds us.  And obviously we’ve still got a long road ahead and a lot of work to do -– to rebuild this economy, to put people back to work, to make America more competitive for the future and to secure the American Dream for our children and our grandchildren.

But we are finally beginning to see some of these tough decisions that we made in the midst of crisis pay off.  And I’m absolutely confident that we’re going to keep on making progress.  I believe we’re going to get through this tougher and stronger than we were before.  Because just as I had faith in the ability of our autoworkers to persevere and succeed, I have faith in the American people’s ability to persevere and succeed.  And I have faith that America’s best days and America’s -- and American manufacturing’s best days are still ahead of us.

Finally, I just want to embarrass a couple of people.  Ron Bloom and Brian Deese are key members of the team that helped to engineer this rescue of GM and Chrysler.  So it had not been for these two gentlemen, a whole lot of people might be out of work right now.  We are very proud of them and I figured that I’d go ahead -- you can see they’re all looking sheepish -- point them out to you.

So thank you very much, everybody.

END
4:18 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2010

Remarks by the First Lady at "Let's Move!" Student Briefing

Maple Avenue Elementary School
Newark, New Jersey

1:50 P.M. EDT
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Well, this is exciting because one of the important components of “Let’s Move!” -- we started this huge campaign to combat childhood obesity.  Our goal was to eliminate it in a generation so that kids born today grow up with better habits, better ideas for how to keep themselves going.  And we really enlisted the support of everyone. 
 
And our visit here to Newark today kind of symbolizes how “Let’s Move!” is coming together because we’ve Mayor Booker here who has really taken the lead here in Newark that is dealing with this issue.  And he’s pulled in everyone -- the superintendents, the police officers, the local community, parents.  And Newark is a shining example of how cities can really take the lead and make this issue key.
 
But it takes all of us.  It takes parents, it takes teachers, it takes school cafeteria workers.  But more importantly, it takes the energy and ideas of young people.
 
And that's another reason why today is so special and why this conversation is so special, because you guys, all of you sitting around, are leaders in your own communities and in your own schools, really demonstrating how with some very small, modest ideas and a little leadership, you can make changes right where you live.  And we’re going to hear from you guys.
 
So we’re going to stop talking.  Robert kind of got things kicked off to give us an example of some of the things he’s doing, but I know each of you have some ideas that you want to share. 
 
And so I'll turn it back over to Mayor Booker, and we’ll hear from each of you, but I want to thank you all for your energy.  I want to thank Mayor Booker.  I want to thank Principal Washington of Maple Avenue School who is here.  This is the school where we’re in.  Principal, thank you so much.  You guys are doing some phenomenal things here, and we’re just grateful to the students, staff and parents here for allowing us to be here, but also leading the way.  So thank you so much.  We’re very proud of you all.
 
PRINCIPAL WASHINGTON:  Thank you.
 
MRS. OBAMA:  All right.
 
END
1:52 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2010

Remarks by the First Lady at "Let's Move!" Student Event

Maple Avenue Elementary School
Newark, New Jersey

2:25 P.M. EST

MRS. OBAMA:  Wow!  (Applause.)  Oh, my goodness, this is very exciting.  (Laughter.)  How are you guys doing?  (Applause.) Are we excited?

STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Are we fired up?

STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, we are just very, very proud of you all. And we are just honored to be here.  But I want to start by thanking Hydia, one of your classmates -- right?  Let’s give Hydia a big round of applause for her very kind introduction.  (Applause.)  She did an outstanding job, and she is a wonderful representative of you guys.

And I got to meet a few of the students here.  You guys are some -- you're a sharp crew.  Very, very impressed.  (Applause.) Very impressed.   

I also want to thank everyone from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation for all their help in this effort and putting this program together today.  I also want to thank your mayor, Cory Booker.  He is amazing.  (Applause.)  Your mayor is doing just a phenomenal job of leading the way for other cities around the country -- because we want every city in this country to embrace this effort and to do the comprehensive work that Mayor Booker is doing here today.  So he is a true leader.  And he has been a phenomenal partner to me.  And you guys are very lucky to have someone as intelligent and committed -- and funny  -- (laughter) -- he is funny -- as Mayor Booker.  So we're just honored to have him with us today.

And I want to thank Principal Washington.  Let’s give her a round of applause.  (Applause.)  Thank you for hosting us.  And to all of the teachers and the faculty and any parents and grandparents and extended family members of Maple Avenue who are here who helped make this day special, and to all the elected officials and all the important people throughout Newark who are here to honor you all -- you see all these lights and cameras here?  They’re here because of you all.  And we're just -- we're excited about what we can do with you guys.

Now, I have to tell you that spending time with young people like all of you is my absolute favorite thing that I do as First Lady.  It is my favorite thing -- because I love to hear your energy.  It fills me up.  So when I'm tired, I hear you guys screaming and you're shouting and you're ready to go, that pumps me up.  I'm excited to hear your imagination, because you guys say some of the most wonderful things.  You have some of the best observations.  It’s just exciting to talk to you.  I love hearing about what you’re learning in school and what you hope to be when you grow up -- because it keeps us focused on what’s really important, because everything we do in this country must be for you all.  So we want to know that you're taking it in and you're thinking about life, and you're making big plans, and as the President says, that you're dreaming big, huge, gigantic dreams.

In smart, passionate young people like all of you, we see the future of this country.  You all are it.  I see the discoveries that you’re going to make, and the businesses that you’re going to build.  In you, I see all the exciting books that you’ll write when you get older, and all the people that you’re going to help.  So you all inspire me.  And you just don't inspire me; you inspire the President and all leaders across the country.  So never doubt the power of your voices. 

But I also know that in order for all of you guys to do all that we expect for you to do in the future, that you're going to need lots and lots of energy, right?  You got to be healthy if you're going to change the world, right?
 
STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  And to have energy, you got to eat right.  Right?  You got to eat good food.  You got to move your body.  You got to exercise, right?

STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  So that you grow up healthy and strong.  So we need you to be that way.  The problem, though, is that right now a lot of kids aren’t eating healthy.  You know some kids, right? Not everybody is doing what they're supposed to do.  They're not eating their vegetables.  They're going down the street and having chips for breakfast and soda pop for every meal of the day, right?

STUDENTS:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  That fruit drink, that red stuff that turns your mouth all red -- too much of that.  And you spend a little too much time watching TV.  I’m sorry, I know you're excited, but sometimes you got to turn the TV off.  I know.  (Laughter.)  I’m sorry to bear bad news.  But you’re playing too many video games.

STUDENTS:  What?

MRS. OBAMA:  I know.  (Laughter.)  What?  (Laughter.)  You sound like my kids.  (Laughter.)  Yes, you’re doing too much of that instead of running around.  That's what kids -- you all supposed to be running, moving, jumping around, sweating, dancing.  You do that, too? 
    
STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, you got to do more of it.  (Laughter.)  And this isn’t just bad -- some of these habits -- for your bodies.  The real problem is that it’s bad for your minds.  You didn't know that, right?  This isn’t just about how you look or feel.  This has nothing to do with that.  The important thing is that this can mess with your heads. 

Did you know that kids who do regular physical activity actually do better in school?  Did you all know that?

STUDENTS:  No.

MRS. OBAMA:  Some teachers did.  But they actually do better on papers and tests and all sorts of academic stuff when they're exercising.  And that's one of the reasons why we started Let’s Move.  And Let’s Move is a nationwide campaign -- and some of you got some cool shirts -- that we want to help kids all across the country lead healthier lives right from the beginning.  So we think that if you develop habits now, that you’ll carry these on throughout your life.  And when it’s time for you to go to college and you’re away from your families, you’ll know how to eat right and stay healthy.

We’re working to get more nutritious breakfasts and lunches and snacks into school lunchrooms so that you have more fresh fruits and vegetables in school and less sugar, fat and salt.  We’re trying to get kids to exercise more every day –- at recess, at gym, and by walking and biking to school and maybe doing some more stuff at home. 

And we’re working with all kinds of people all across the country to help make this happen.  Your mayor, as I said, Mayor Booker is playing a leading role in this effort.  He has been helping us not just in Washington, but he’s leading the charge right here in New Jersey by starting “Let’s Move Newark.” 

Your teachers and your principals, they're all doing their part.  They're doing great work, as well.  They're educating you guys about good nutrition and good eating habits.

But the important thing for today that I want you all to remember is that this effort is not just about what grownups can do.  It’s not just about grownups leading the way.

What I had a chance to do was to talk to a bunch of young people, like all of you -- people like Chassidy and Hydia and others -- a few of your classmates, like Ryan Harris and Malimah Chance and Sihorama Ramos and Evan Thomas -- let’s give them all a round of applause.  (Applause.)

I got a chance to sit down with each of them, and they were so articulate and poised and confident.  But they talked to me about all the exciting things that are going on right here at Maple Avenue School. 

I hear that you’re growing vegetables right in your own classrooms -- is that right?

STUDENTS:  Yes.

MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, I hear that you’re making action plans with your parents -- this is a good thing.  A lot of you are taking these ideas home and you’re helping your families make healthy choices.  I talked to a couple of people who said their parents are now trying to lose weight, and instead of frying fish, folks are baking fish.  Yes, they told us all your business.  (Laughter.)  We heard all about it.

I hear that you’ve got a Classroom Challenge Project -- is that right -- where you get points for making good choices, both at home and at school.  Is that right?

STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  How many people have gotten points through the challenge?  Excellent.  Excellent.

And you guys aren’t the only kids who are making a real difference in this country.  You’re not alone in what you all are doing.  Kids across the country are doing all kinds of wonderful things to lead their schools and communities.

You met Chassidy Sumler, who just spoke, who’s from Flora, Mississippi.  She visits local schools and health fairs.  And she has taken this on as a personal mission.  She’s been ahead of the curve.  She’s been working on childhood obesity for four years already, talking to kids and parents at fairs about making simple changes, like eating more fruits and vegetables and playing outside -- really simple things.  But she is an articulate spokesperson and she is committed to making a difference in the entire state of Mississippi.  Chassidy is an outstanding representative.

But there’s also Robert Hsu who’s here today from Novi, Michigan.  And I got to hear from Robert, as well.  He told us that his entire school of 2,200 students -- 2,200 students -- he got them to sign a pledge committing themselves to leading a healthier lifestyle.  And I want both Robert and Chassidy to stand up so that we can thank them.  (Applause.)  Chassidy, I know you’re up here.  Robert, where are you?  There’s Robert -- very shy over in the corner.  (Applause.)

But they’re not the only people.  I heard about a little nine-year-old girl, Madeline Cumbey, from Fort Wayne, Indiana.  She started an after-school group called the Smart2BFit club where she and her friends learn how to make a different healthy snack every week -- something pretty simple. 

Another kid, 14-year-old Carson Miller from Santa Fe, New Mexico, she went before her state legislature to tell them how important it is to get healthier food into school cafeterias.  So she took her argument all the way to the government.

These kids are the same age as all of you.  And they’re no smarter, they’re no more articulate, they’re no more imaginative than all of you, but they’re already making a difference -- and they didn’t let age stop them.  They had something to say and they made it a point to keep talking until somebody listened.  They wanted to make a difference so that they -- so they went and figured out how to get that done.  And I bet that if you asked every one of them, they’d tell you that they had a bunch of fun doing it as well.  I know people like Chassidy, the fact that she’s gotten an opportunity to meet with the First Lady and speak to the national press just because of her efforts, that’s pretty cool, right?

STUDENTS:  Yes. 

MRS. OBAMA:  So just imagine what you all could do. 

But I want you to know that we are working hard in Washington to also help.  I’m working with senators and representatives in Congress.  So one of the things we need to get done is to pass the Child Nutrition Reauthorization bill.  I’m going to talk about that until that gets done.  It’s a law that will help us get healthier school breakfasts and lunches to many, many more kids across this country who right now don’t have access to nutritious food in schools.  And we hope to get that bill passed soon so that kids like all of you get the nutritious foods that they need.

But as you’ve seen here today, there’s also plenty that you all can do even if you’re not in Washington.  And you don’t need to be a President or a mayor or First Lady to do it.  You all can influence your families right now.  You can influence your schools and your communities right now.  You can do it by just setting an example.  That one young man said that he’s helped to talk some of his friends into making better choices.

So you can begin to be those role models in the lives of kids around you.  You can do that.  You don’t have to change the whole world at once.  You can change what happens to your friend who sits next to you in class.  You can change what happens in your own house.  You can help your grandparents think about cooking differently.  You can encourage your parents to exercise with you, maybe walk up the stairs.  That’s what we’re doing in our house.  We’ve sworn off the elevator.  So we walk up the stairs.  The kids don’t like it, but we’re doing it.  (Laughter.)

Little things that each of you can do and you can have a big, huge impact.  But remember, we’re doing this all for you, because if you develop these habits now, you won’t have to worry about it when you’re my age.  And you’ll be able to teach your kids and your grandkids better habits as well.

So know, Maple Avenue, we’re very proud of you all.  We want you to keep doing well because we need you to be the future.  We need you to be ready to take charge.  We need you to take over when the mayor and I are old and tired and we can’t do this stuff anymore.  We need you to be ready, and being ready means you need to be active, healthy, and fit.  So are you guys with me?

STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Are you ready to move?

STUDENTS:  Yes!

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, let’s move!

STUDENTS:  Yes!

END
2:43 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 18, 2010

Remarks by the President at a Meeting on the New START Treaty

Roosevelt Room

10:36 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  I want to begin by thanking the incredible leaders who are around this table, not only the Vice President and the Secretary of State, but also some of the most able statesmen from both parties that we’ve had in modern American history who are sitting around this table.

We are here to discuss the importance of ratifying the START treaty.  And let me be clear:  It is in the national security imperative -- it is a national security imperative that the United States ratify the New START treaty this year.

There is no higher national security priority for the lame duck session of Congress.  The stakes for American national security are clear, and they are high.  The New START treaty responsibly reduces the number of nuclear weapons and launchers that the United States and Russia deploy, while fully maintaining America’s nuclear deterrent.

If we ratify this treaty, we’re going to have a verification regime in place to track Russia’s strategic nuclear weapons, including U.S. inspectors on the ground.  If we don’t, then we don’t have a verification regime -– no inspectors, no insights into Russia’s strategic arsenal, no framework for cooperation between the world’s two nuclear superpowers.  As Ronald Reagan said, we have to trust, but we also have to verify.  In order for us to verify, we’ve got to have a treaty.

The New START treaty is also a cornerstone of our relations with Russia.  And this goes beyond nuclear security.  Russia has been fundamental to our efforts to put strong sanctions in place to put pressure on Iran to deal with its nuclear program.  It’s been critical in supporting our troops in Afghanistan through the Northern Distribution Network.  It’s been critical in working with us to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials around the world, and to enhance European security. 

We cannot afford to gamble on our ability to verify Russia’s strategic nuclear arms.  And we can’t jeopardize the progress that we’ve made in securing vulnerable nuclear materials, or in maintaining a strong sanctions regime against Iran.  These are all national interests of the highest order.

Let me also say -- and I think the group around the table will confirm -- that this New START treaty is completely in line with a tradition of bipartisan cooperation on this issue.  This is not a Democratic concept; this is not a Republican concept.  This is a concept of American national security that has been promoted by Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, and now my administration.

We’ve taken the time to do this right.  To ensure that the treaty got a fair hearing, we submitted to the Senate last spring.  Because of the leadership of John Kerry and Dick Lugar, there have been 18 hearings on this subject.  There have been multiple briefings.  It has been fully and carefully vetted, and has the full endorsement of our nation’s military leadership.  Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Hoss Cartwright is here and will confirm that this is in our national security interests.

My administration is also prepared to go the extra mile to ensure that our remaining stockpile and nuclear infrastructure is modernized -- which I know is a key concern of many around this table and also many on Capitol Hill.  We’ve committed to invest $80 billion on the effort to modernize over the next decade.  And based on our consultations with Senator Kyl, we’ve agreed to request an additional $4.1 billion over the next five years.

So the key point here is this is not about politics -– it’s about national security.  This is not a matter that can be delayed.  Every month that goes by without a treaty means that we are not able to verify what’s going on on the ground in Russia.  And if we delay indefinitely, American leadership on nonproliferation and America’s national security will be weakened.

Now, as Senator Reid said yesterday, there is time on the Senate calendar to get this treaty ratified this year.  So I’ve asked Vice President Biden to focus on this issue day and night until it gets done.  It’s important to our national security to let this treaty go up for a vote.  I’m confident that it’s the right thing to do.  The people around this table think it’s the right thing to do. 

I would welcome the press to query the leadership here, people who have been national security advisors, secretaries of state, and key advisors -- defense secretaries for Democratic and Republican administrations, and they will confirm that this is the right thing to do. 

So we’ve got a lot on our plate during this lame duck session.  I recognize that given the difficulties in the economy that there may be those, perhaps Democrats and Republicans on the Hill, who think this is not a top priority.  I would not be emphasizing this and these folks would not have traveled all this way if we didn’t feel that this was absolutely important to get done now.

And so I’m looking forward to strong cooperation between Democrats and Republicans on Capitol Hill, as exemplified by John Kerry and Dick Lugar, to get this done over the course of the next several weeks.

All right?  Thank you very much.

Q Do you have the votes in the Senate?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m confident that we should be able to get the votes.  Keep in mind that every President since Ronald Reagan has presented a arms treaty with Russia and been able to get ratification.  And for the most part, these treaties have been debated on the merits; the majority of them have passed overwhelmingly with bipartisan support.  There’s no reason that we shouldn’t be able to get that done this time as well.

END
10:42 A.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 17, 2010

Remarks by the President in Presenting National Medals of Science and National Medals of Technology and Innovation

East Room

5:25 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much, everybody.  Wonderful to see you.  Please, everyone sit down, sit down.  We've got a lot of work to do here.  (Laughter.)  Have a seat.

Welcome to the White House.  It is a great honor to be joined by so many leading researchers and innovators.  I want to give some special thanks to a few members of my Cabinet, members of Congress who are here today:  Secretary Gary Locke, our Commerce Secretary is here.  Members of Congress -- we have Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, and Bart Gordon of Tennessee.  Please give them a big round of applause for their great work.  (Applause.)  

We also have NASA Administrator Bolden who is here.  (Applause.)  Charlie.  Dr. Subra Suresh, who’s the Director of our National Science Foundation, is here.  (Applause.)  Mr. Dave Kappos, who’s the Director of the Patent and Trademark Office.  (Applause.)  He was here.  He may have had some work to do.  (Laughter.)  

Dr. Patrick Gallagher, who is the Director of our National Institute of Standards and Technology.  (Applause.)  And Dr. Larry Strickling, Administrator of the National Telecommunications and Information Administration.  (Applause.)

Now, the achievements of the men and women who are onstage today stand as a testament to the ingenuity, to their zeal for discovery, and to the willingness to give of themselves and to sacrifice in order to expand the reach of human understanding.

     All of us have benefited from their work.  The scientists in this room helped develop the semiconductors and microprocessors that have propelled the Information Age.  They’ve modeled the inner workings of the human mind and the complex processes that shape the Earth’s climate.  They’ve conducted pioneering research -- from mathematics to quantum physics -- into the sometimes strange and unexpected laws that govern our universe.  
 
     Folks here can also claim inventions like the digital camera, which has revolutionized photography -- as all these folks back here will testify.  (Laughter.)  As well as superglue, which, in addition to fascinating children -- (laughter) -- has actually saved lives as a means of sealing wounds.  
 
And the men and women we celebrate today have helped to unlock the secrets of genetics and disease, of nanotechnology and solar energy, of chemistry and biology -- breakthroughs that provide so many benefits and hold so much potential, from new sources of electricity to new ways of diagnosing and treating illness.
 
     Along the way, many of these folks have broken down barriers for women and minorities who’ve traditionally been underrepresented in scientific fields -- but obviously are no less capable of contributing to the scientific enterprise.  
 
Just as an example, at the start of her career, decades ago, Esther Cornwell [sic] was hired as an assistant engineer.  But soon after she was told that this position wasn’t open to a woman.  She had to serve as an engineer’s assistant instead.  Of course, that didn’t stop her from becoming a pioneer in semiconductors and materials science.
 
     It’s no exaggeration to say that the scientists and innovators in this room have saved lives, improved our health and well-being, helped unleash whole new industries and millions of jobs, transformed the way we work and learn and communicate.  And this incredible contribution serves as proof not only of their incredible creativity and skill but of the promise of science itself.  
 
     Every day, in research laboratories and on proving grounds, in private labs and university campuses, men and women conduct the difficult, often frustrating work of discovery.  It isn’t easy.  It may take years to prove a hypothesis correct -- or decades to learn that it isn’t correct.  Often the competition can be fierce -- whether in designing a product or securing a grant.  And rarely do those who give their all to this pursuit receive the attention or the acclaim they deserve.  
 
     Yet it is in these labs -- often late at night, often fueled by a dangerous combination of coffee and obsession -- (laughter) -- that our future is being won.  For in a global economy, the key to our prosperity will never be to compete by paying our workers less or building cheaper, lower-quality products.  That's not our advantage.  The key to our success -- as it has always been -- will be to compete by developing new products, by generating new industries, by maintaining our role as the world’s engine of scientific discovery and technological innovation.  It’s absolutely essential to our future.
 
     And that’s why we’re here today, and why I look forward to events like these.  I believe one of the most important jobs that I have as President is to restore science to its rightful place. (Applause.)  That means strengthening our commitment to research. It means ensuring that our government makes decisions based on the best evidence, rather than politics.  It means reforming and improving math and science education -- and encouraging the private sector to inspire young people to pursue careers in science and engineering.  
 
And it means fostering a climate of innovation and entrepreneurship -- from incentives in clean energy to tax breaks to start-ups.  I’d also point out that’s not just a job for government.  Creating this climate depends on all of us, including businesses and universities and nonprofits.
 
     One of the most important ways in which we can restore science to its rightful place is by celebrating the contributions of men and women like all of you.  Because that’s how we’ll excite a new generation to follow in your footsteps.  That’s how we can spark the imagination of a young person who just might change the world.  I was reminded of how important this is just a few weeks ago.  We held a science fair here at the White House.  Some of you may have heard about it.  
 
     We welcome all the time championship sports teams to the White House to celebrate their victories.  I thought we ought to do the same thing for the winners of science fairs and robotic contests and math competitions -- because those young people often don’t get the credit that they deserve.  Nobody rushes on the field and dumps Gatorade on them -- (laughter) -- when you win a science award.  Maybe they should.  (Laughter.)    
 
     So I got to meet these incredibly talented and enthusiastic young men and women.  There was a team of high school kids from Tennessee that had designed a self-powered water purification system.  We had robots running all over through the State Dining Room.  (Laughter.)  
 
The last young person I spoke to was a young woman from Texas -- she was 16 years old.  She was studying biology as a freshman, decided she was interested in cancer research, so taught herself chemistry during the summer; then designed a science project to look at new cancer drugs, based on some experimental drugs that are activated by light.  They could allow a more focused treatment that targets the cancer cells while living, healthy cells remain unharmed.  
 
     She goes on to design her own drug; wins the international science competition.  And she told me that she and her high school science teacher are being approached by laboratories across the country to collaborate -- (laughter) -- on this potential new cancer treatment.  This is a true story -- 16 years old, taught herself chemistry.  Incredibly inspiring.
 
And at a time of significant challenge in this country -- at a moment when people are feeling so much hardship in their lives -- this has to give us hope for the future.  It ought to remind us of the incredible potential of this country and its people -- as long as we unlock it; as long as we put resources into it and we celebrate it and we encourage it, we embrace it.
 
     You know, Carl Sagan once said, “Science is a way of thinking much more than it is a body of knowledge.”  That way of thinking -- that combination of curiosity and skepticism, the sense of wonder and the willingness to test our assumptions -- it’s what, at root, we are honoring today.  It’s what has spurred countless advances and conferred untold benefits on our society. And it’s an idea that has driven our success for as long as we have been a nation.  
 
     And I’m confident that this spirit of discovery and invention will continue to help us succeed in the years and decades to come.  And our country owes every one of our laureates with us today a big measure of thanks for nurturing that spirit and expanding the boundaries of human knowledge.
 
     So it is now my privilege to present the National Medals of Science and the National Medals of Technology and Innovation.
 
(The citations are read.)
 
     Yakir Aharonov.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Yakir Aharonov, Chapman University, for his contributions to the foundations of quantum physics and for drawing out unexpected implications of that field ranging from the Aharonov-Bohm effect to the theory of weak measurement.  
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Stephen J. Benkovic.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Stephen J. Benkovic, Pennsylvania State University, for his research contributions in the field of bioorganic chemistry, which have changed our understanding of how enzymes function and advanced the identification of targets and strategies for drug design.
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Esther M. Conwell.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Esther M. Conwell, University of Rochester, for her broad contributions to understanding electron and hole transport in semiconducting materials, which helped to enable commercial applications of semiconductor and organic electronic devices, and for extending her analysis to studying the electronic properties of DNA.  
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Marye Anne Fox.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Marye Anne Fox, University of California San Diego, for her research contributions in the areas of organic photochemistry and electrochemistry, and for enhancing our understanding of excited-state and charge-transfer processes with interdisciplinary applications in material science, solar energy conversion, and environmental chemistry.  
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Susan Lee Lindquist.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Susan Lee Lindquist, Whitehead Institute, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, for her studies of protein folding, demonstrating that alternative protein conformations and aggregations can have profound and unexpected biological influences, facilitating insights in fields as wide-ranging as human disease, evolution, and biomaterials.  
 
     (The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Mortimer Mishkin.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Mortimer Mishkin, National Institutes of Health, for his contributions to understanding the neural basis of perception and memory in primates, notably the delineation of sensory neocortical processing systems, especially for vision, audition, and somatic sensation, and the organization of memory systems in the brain.  
 
     (The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)  
 
     David B. Mumford.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to David B. Mumford, Brown University, for his contributions to the field of mathematics, which fundamentally changed algebraic geometry, and for connecting mathematics to other disciplines such as computer vision and neurobiology.
 
     (The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)  
 
     Stanley B. Prusiner.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Stanley B. Prusiner, University of California San Francisco, for his discovery of prions, the causative agent of bovine spongiform encephalopathy and other related neurodegenerative diseases, and his continuing efforts to develop effective methods for detecting and treating prion diseases.
 
     (The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Warren M. Washington.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Warren M. Washington, National Center for Atmospheric Research, for his development and use of global climate models to understand climate and explain the role of human activities and natural processes in the Earth’s climate system, and for his work to support a diverse science and engineering workforce.
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Amnon Yariv.  The 2009 National Medal of Science to Amnon Yariv, California Institute of Technology, for foundational contributions to photonics and quantum electronics, including the demonstration of the semiconductor distributed feedback laser that underpins today’s high-speed, optical fiber communications.
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Harry W. Coover.  The 2009 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Harry W. Coover, Eastman Chemical Company, for his invention of cyanoacrylates -- novel adhesives known widely to consumers as “super glues” -- (laughter) -- which today play significant roles in medicine and industry.
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Helen M. Free.  The 2009 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Helen M. Free, Miles Laboratories, for her seminal contributions to diagnostic chemistry through development of dip-and-read urinalysis, which gave rise to a technological revolution in convenient, reliable, point-of-care tests and patience self-monitoring.  
 
(The medal is presented.)  (Applause.)
 
     Steven J. Sasson.  The 2009 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Steven J. Sasson, Eastman Kodak Company, for the invention of the digital camera, which has revolutionized -- (laughter) -- which has revolutionized the way images are captured, stored, and created, creating new opportunities in commerce, education, and global communication.
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  This picture better be good.  (Laughter and applause.)  
 
     Federico Faggin, Marcian E. Hoff Jr., and Stanley Mazor.  The 2009 National Medal of Technology and Innovation to Federico Faggin, Marcian E. Hoff Jr., and Stanley Mazor, Intel Corporation, for the conception, design and application of the first microprocessor, which was commercially adopted and became the universal building block of digital electronic systems, significantly impacting the global economy and people’s day-to-day lives.  
 
(The medals are presented.)  (Applause.)
      
     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, let me make two closing points.  Number one, I feel really smart just standing up here with these folks.  (Laughter.)  I think it kind of rubbed off on me.  (Laughter.)  
 
     Number two, I want to congratulate our military aide for being able to read all those things.  (Laughter and applause.)  I want to assure you he practiced a lot.  (Laughter.)  
 
     And finally, let me just once again say to all the honorees who are here tonight, you have truly revolutionized the world in ways that are profoundly important to people in their day-to-day lives, but also help to create those steps in human progress that really make us who we are as human beings.  And so we could not be prouder of you, could not be more grateful to you for your contributions.  
 
Please give them one last big round of applause.  (Applause.)  
 
     Everybody, enjoy the party.  (Laughter and applause.)

END
5:47 P.M. EST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 16, 2010

Remarks by the President in Awarding the Medal of Honor to Staff Sergeant Salvatore A. Giunta

East Room

2:07 P.M. EDT

      THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Please be seated.  On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.  Thank you, Chaplain Carver, for that beautiful invocation.

      Of all the privileges that come with serving as President of the United States, I have none greater than serving as Commander-in-Chief of the finest military that the world has ever known.  And of all the military decorations that a President and a nation can bestow, there is none higher than the Medal of Honor.

      Today is particularly special.  Since the end of the Vietnam War, the Medal of Honor has been awarded nine times for conspicuous gallantry in an ongoing or recent conflict.  Sadly, our nation has been unable to present this decoration to the recipients themselves, because each gave his life -- his last full measure of devotion -- for our country.  Indeed, as President, I have presented the Medal of Honor three times -- and each time to the families of a fallen hero.

      Today, therefore, marks the first time in nearly 40 years that the recipient of the Medal of Honor for an ongoing conflict has been able to come to the White House and accept this recognition in person.  It is my privilege to present our nation’s highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor, to a soldier as humble as he is heroic: Staff Sergeant Salvatore A. Giunta.

      Now, I’m going to go off-script here for a second and just say I really like this guy.  (Laughter and applause.)  I think anybody -- we all just get a sense of people and who they are, and when you meet Sal and you meet his family, you are just absolutely convinced that this is what America is all about.  And it just makes you proud.  And so this is a joyous occasion for me -- something that I have been looking forward to.

      The Medal of Honor reflects the gratitude of an entire nation.  So we are also joined here today by several members of Congress, including both senators and several representatives from Staff Sergeant Giunta’s home state of Iowa.  We are also joined by leaders from across my administration and the Department of Defense, including the Secretary of Defense, Robert Gates; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike Mullen.  Where’s Mike?  There he is, right there.  Army Secretary John McHugh; and Chief of Staff of the Army, General George Casey.

      We are especially honored to be joined by Staff Sergeant Giunta’s fellow soldiers, his teammates and brothers from Battle Company, 2d of the 503d of the 173d Airborne Brigade; and several members of that rarest of fraternities that now welcomes him into its ranks -- the Medal of Honor Society.  Please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

      We also welcome the friends and family who made Staff Sergeant Giunta into the man that he is, including his lovely wife, Jenny; and his parents, Steven and Rosemary; as well as his siblings, who are here.  It was his mother, after all, who apparently taught him as a young boy in small-town Iowa how to remove the screen from his bedroom window in case of fire.  (Laughter.)  What she didn’t know was that by teaching Sal how to jump from his bedroom and sneaking off in the dead of night, she was unleashing a future paratrooper -- (laughter) -- who would one day fight in the rugged mountains of Afghanistan 7,000 miles away.

      During the first of his two tours of duty in Afghanistan, Staff Sergeant Giunta was forced early on to come to terms with the loss of comrades and friends.  His team leader at the time gave him a piece of advice:  “You just try -- you just got to try to do everything you can when it’s your time to do it.”  You’ve just got to try to do everything you can when it’s your time to do it.

      Salvatore Giunta’s time came on October 25, 2007.  He was a Specialist then, just 22 years old.

      Sal and his platoon were several days into a mission in the Korengal Valley -- the most dangerous valley in northeast Afghanistan.  The moon was full.  The light it cast was enough to travel by without using their night-vision goggles.  With heavy gear on their backs, and air support overhead, they made their way single file down a rocky ridge crest, along terrain so steep that sliding was sometimes easier than walking.

      They hadn’t traveled a quarter mile before the silence was shattered.  It was an ambush, so close that the cracks of the guns and the whizz of the bullets were simultaneous.  Tracer fire hammered the ridge at hundreds of rounds per minute -- “more,” Sal said later, “than the stars in the sky.”

      The Apache gunships above saw it all, but couldn’t engage with the enemy so close to our soldiers.  The next platoon heard the shooting, but were too far away to join the fight in time.

      And the two lead men were hit by enemy fire and knocked down instantly.  When the third was struck in the helmet and fell to the ground, Sal charged headlong into the wall of bullets to pull him to safety behind what little cover there was.  As he did, Sal was hit twice -- one round slamming into his body armor, the other shattering a weapon slung across his back.

      They were pinned down, and two wounded Americans still lay up ahead.  So Sal and his comrades regrouped and counterattacked.  They threw grenades, using the explosions as cover to run forward, shooting at the muzzle flashes still erupting from the trees.  Then they did it again.  And again.  Throwing grenades, charging ahead.  Finally, they reached one of their men.  He’d been shot twice in the leg, but he had kept returning fire until his gun jammed.

      As another soldier tended to his wounds, Sal sprinted ahead, at every step meeting relentless enemy fire with his own.  He crested a hill alone, with no cover but the dust kicked up by the storm of bullets still biting into the ground.  There, he saw a chilling sight:  the silhouettes of two insurgents carrying the other wounded American away -- who happened to be one of Sal’s best friends.  Sal never broke stride.  He leapt forward.  He took aim.  He killed one of the insurgents and wounded the other, who ran off.

      Sal found his friend alive, but badly wounded.  Sal had saved him from the enemy -- now he had to try to save his life.  Even as bullets impacted all around him, Sal grabbed his friend by the vest and dragged him to cover.  For nearly half an hour, Sal worked to stop the bleeding and help his friend breathe until the MEDEVAC arrived to lift the wounded from the ridge.  American gunships worked to clear the enemy from the hills.  And with the battle over, First Platoon picked up their gear and resumed their march through the valley.  They continued their mission.

      It had been as intense and violent a firefight as any soldier will experience.  By the time it was finished, every member of First Platoon had shrapnel or a bullet hole in their gear.  Five were wounded.  And two gave their lives:  Sal’s friend, Sergeant Joshua C. Brennan, and the platoon medic, Specialist Hugo V. Mendoza.

      Now, the parents of Joshua and Hugo are here today.  And I know that there are no words that, even three years later, can ease the ache in your hearts or repay the debt that America owes to you.  But on behalf of a grateful nation, let me express profound thanks to your sons’ service and their sacrifice.  And could the parents of Joshua and Hugo please stand briefly?  (Applause.)

      Now, I already mentioned I like this guy, Sal.  And as I found out myself when I first spoke with him on the phone and when we met in the Oval Office today, he is a low-key guy, a humble guy, and he doesn’t seek the limelight.  And he’ll tell you that he didn’t do anything special; that he was just doing his job; that any of his brothers in the unit would do the same thing.  In fact, he just lived up to what his team leader instructed him to do years before:  “You do everything you can.”

      Staff Sergeant Giunta, repeatedly and without hesitation, you charged forward through extreme enemy fire, embodying the warrior ethos that says, “I will never leave a fallen comrade.”  Your actions disrupted a devastating ambush before it could claim more lives.  Your courage prevented the capture of an American soldier and brought that soldier back to his family.  You may believe that you don’t deserve this honor, but it was your fellow soldiers who recommended you for it.  In fact, your commander specifically said in his recommendation that you lived up to the standards of the most decorated American soldier of World War II, Audie Murphy, who famously repelled an overwhelming enemy attack by himself for one simple reason:  “They were killing my friends.”

      That’s why Salvatore Giunta risked his life for his fellow soldiers -- because they would risk their lives for him.  That’s what fueled his bravery -- not just the urgent impulse to have their backs, but the absolute confidence that they had his.  One of them, Sal has said -- of these young men that he was with, he said, “They are just as much of me as I am.”  They are just as much of me as I am.

      So I would ask Sal’s team, all of Battle Company who were with him that day, to please stand and be recognized as well.  (Applause.)  Gentlemen, thank you for your service.  We’re all in your debt.  And I’m proud to be your Commander-in-Chief.

      These are the soldiers of our Armed Forces.  Highly trained.  Battle-hardened.  Each with specialized roles and responsibilities, but all with one thing in common -- they volunteered.  In an era when it’s never been more tempting to chase personal ambition or narrow self-interest, they chose the opposite.  They felt a tug; they answered a call; they said, “I’ll go.”  And for the better part of a decade, they have endured tour after tour in distant and difficult places; they have protected us from danger; they have given others the opportunity to earn a better and more secure life.

      They are the courageous men and women serving in Afghanistan even as we speak.  They keep clear focus on their mission:  to deny safe haven for terrorists who would attack our country, to break the back of the Taliban insurgency, to build the Afghans’ capacity to defend themselves.  They possess the steely resolve to see their mission through.  They are made of the same strong stuff as the troops in this room, and I am absolutely confident that they will continue to succeed in the missions that we give them, in Afghanistan and beyond.

      After all, our brave servicemen and women and their families have done everything they’ve been asked to do.  They have been everything that we have asked them to be.  “If I am a hero,” Sal has said, “then every man who stands around me, every woman in the military, every person who defends this country is.”  And he’s right.

      This medal today is a testament to his uncommon valor, but also to the parents and the community that raised him; the military that trained him; and all the men and women who served by his side.

      All of them deserve our enduring thanks and gratitude. They represent a small fraction of the American population, but they and the families who await their safe return carry far more than their fair share of our burden.  They fight halfway around the globe, but they do it in hopes that our children and our grandchildren won’t have to.

      They are the very best part of us.  They are our friends, our family, our neighbors, our classmates, our coworkers.  They are why our banner still waves, our founding principles still shine, and our country -- the United States of America -- still stands as a force for good all over the world.

      So, please join me in welcoming Staff Sergeant Salvatore A. Giunta for the reading of the citation.

      MILITARY AIDE:  The President of the United States of America, authorized by act of Congress, March 3, 1863, has awarded, in the name of Congress, the Medal of Honor to then Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta, United States Army.

      Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta distinguished himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity, at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, in action, with an armed enemy in the Korengal Valley, Afghanistan, on October 25, 2007.

      While conducting a patrol as team leader, with Company B, 2d Battalion Airborne, 503d Infantry Regiment, Specialist Giunta and his team were navigating through harsh terrain when they were ambushed by a well-armed and well-coordinated insurgent force.

      While under heavy enemy fire, Specialist Giunta immediately sprinted towards cover and engaged the enemy.  Seeing that his squad leader had fallen, and believing that he had been injured, Specialist Giunta exposed himself to withering enemy fire and raced towards his squad leader, helped him to cover and administered medical aid.

      While administering first aid, enemy fire struck Special Giunta’s body armor and his secondary weapon.  Without regard to the ongoing fire, Specialist Giunta engaged the enemy before prepping and throwing grenades, using the explosions for cover in order to conceal his position.

      Attempting to reach additional wounded fellow soldiers who were separated from the squad, Specialist Giunta and his team encountered a barrage of enemy fire that forced them to the ground.  The team continued forward, and upon reaching the wounded soldiers, Specialist Giunta realized that another soldier was still separated from the element.  Specialist Giunta then advanced forward on his own initiative.  As he crested the top of a hill, he observed two insurgents carrying away an American soldier.  He immediately engaged the enemy, killing one and wounding the other.  Upon reaching the wounded soldier, he began to provide medical aid, as his squad caught up and provided security.

      Specialist Giunta’s unwavering courage, selflessness and decisive leadership while under extreme enemy fire were integral to his platoon’s ability to defeat an enemy ambush and recover a fellow American soldier from the enemy.

      Specialist Salvatore A. Giunta’s extraordinary heroism and selflessness above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, Company B, 2d Battalion Airborne, 503d Infantry Regiment and the United States Army.

      [The medal is awarded.]

      (Applause.)

                             END           2:27 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2010

Remarks by President Obama and President Medvedev of Russia After Bilateral Meeting in Yokohama, Japan

InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel, Yokohama, Japan

9:45 A.M. JST

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Let me just say it is wonderful once again to meet with my friend, Dmitri.  I think we've built up an excellent relationship over the past two years, working on a whole range of issues.  We had a very productive discussion here.

      Obviously the focus of APEC and our previous meeting in Seoul at the G20 has been on international economic issues.  And we stressed our interest in working with Russia on a range of bilateral and multilateral economic issues.  I think that President Medvedev is doing an outstanding job trying to reform and move Russia forward on a whole range of economic issues, and we're working closely with them on Russia’s interest in potentially joining the WTO.

      In addition, we spoke about a range of security issues.  I reiterated my commitment to get the START Treaty done during the lame duck session, and I've communicated to Congress that it is a top priority.  We also discussed the fact that President Medvedev is personally going to be attending the NATO summit in Lisbon, and it allows us to restart the NATO-Russia Council and a host of consultations so that we can reduce tensions and increase cooperation on various security matters in the European theater.

      I want to again thank President Medvedev on his cooperation with respect to Afghanistan.  There has been excellent transit cooperation in recent months and we think we can build on that in our discussions next week.  And on a range of international issues and hotspots from Sudan to the Middle East, we think that Russia has been a excellent partner.

      So we appreciate all the good work that President Medvedev and his team are doing, and I look forward to seeing him next week.  Both he and I are racking up a lot of miles on our airplanes these days.  But there’s a lot of work to do.  And I’m glad to have him as an excellent partner on a whole range of these issues.

      PRESIDENT MEDVEDEV:  (As translated.)  I would like also to say that it has been very pleasant for me to have this meeting and to discuss a whole range of bilateral and multilateral issues with my colleague, President of the United States of America Barack Obama.

      Indeed, we have built on a very good relationship.  We understand each other very well.  It’s very important to attain agreement on a whole range of issues.  Those issues are always quite a few.  We started with bilateral relations here.  Of late, we have seriously moved forward the question of Russia WTO accession.  And I perceive this as a tribute to the team in effect in the U.S. of America, which has fulfilled all the agreements reached during my visit to Washington, D.C.  And I hope this process will continue and promptly Russia will join WTO.

      Now, as regards other issues at hand, indeed, we certainly discussed regional matters, international issues.  One of the important topics for the coming days will be the meeting in Lisbon, which will take place very shortly, and where the Russia-NATO summit will be held.  We stated the improvement of relations between Russia and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.  And this is useful both to our countries and all parties involved.

      And now we’re discussing a whole range of issues involved, including the so-called European ABM.  We have exchanged views as to what could be done here and we have agreed to give instructions to our aides and ministers to pursue this work further.  At the summit certainly we’ll discuss this matter, too.

      Besides, we have been fruitfully cooperating in various regional fora such as G20, which was to address international issues and to attain goals even if the situation in the economy of our countries still remains quite difficult.  And I know that my friend Barack Obama has been involved in this 24 hours per day.  I would like to wish him success in this area since the status of a U.S. economy greatly affects the general state of the international economy.

      And finally, we touched upon various international challenges which remain the same, and we agreed to coordinate our work in this field and we’ll work very actively and closely like we did recently.

      Thank you.

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Okay.  Thank you, everybody.

                             END           9:51 A.M. JST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2010

MENSAJE SEMANAL: El Presidente Obama propone reforma de asignaciones para proyectos particulares

WASHINGTON – En su mensaje de esta semana, el Presidente Obama instó al Congreso a que le haga frente al asunto de las asignaciones para proyectos particulares que se insertan sin el debido análisis en las propuestas legislativas de gasto. El Presidente ha hecho llamados una y otra vez para que se establezcan nuevos límites sobre dichas asignaciones, y su gobierno ya ha tomado medidas para elevar los estándares de transparencia, incluyendo la página de Internet www.earmarks.gov. Esta semana, el gobierno actualizó www.earmarks.gov, con mayor información sobre cómo se gastaron las asignaciones del año pasado, y que facilita identificar qué miembros del Congreso lucharon por determinada asignación. En este difícil momento, trabajar de manera bipartidista para hacerle frente a este asunto demostrará el compromiso del gobierno con la responsabilidad fiscal, sacará a la luz una mala costumbre de Washington que despilfarra miles de millones de dólares aportados por los contribuyentes y será un paso para recuperar la confianza del público.

Se puede encontrar el audio completo del discurso AQUÍ. Se puede ver el video por Internet en www.whitehouse.gov.

Declaraciones del Presidente Barack Obama
Mensaje semanal
13 de noviembre, 2010

Este fin de semana, estoy concluyendo una gira por Asia con el propósito de abrir nuevos mercados para productos estadounidenses en esta región de rápido crecimiento. La batalla económica por estos mercados es feroz, y enfrentamos grandes competidores. Pero como he dicho muchas veces, Estados Unidos no aspira a segundo lugar. El futuro por el que estamos luchando no es el del mayor importador del mundo, que consume productos hechos en otros sitios, sino del mayor generador de ideas y productos vendidos en todo el mundo.

Abrir nuevos mercados no sólo ayudará a las empresas de Estados Unidos a generar nuevos empleos para trabajadores estadounidenses, sino que también nos ayudará a reducir el déficit, porque la mayor herramienta para solucionar nuestros problemas fiscales es el sólido crecimiento económico. Este tipo de crecimiento requerirá que nos aseguremos de que nuestros estudiantes reciban la mejor educación posible; que estemos a la vanguardia de la investigación y el desarrollo, y que reconstruyamos nuestras carreteras y vías férreas, pistas de aterrizaje y puertos para que nuestra infraestructura esté al nivel de los desafíos del siglo XXI. 

Dado el déficit acumulado en la última década, no podemos darnos el lujo de realizar estas inversiones a no ser que también estemos dispuestos a recortar los que no necesitamos. Por eso le he presentado al Congreso un plan para congelar el gasto durante tres años y estoy listo a ofrecer maneras adicionales de ahorrar. Pero mientras trabajamos para reformar nuestro presupuesto, el Congreso también debe poner de su parte. Concuerdo con miembros del Congreso, tanto republicanos como demócratas, que han dicho recientemente que en este difícil momento no podemos tener asignaciones para proyectos particulares. Se trata de rubros que miembros del Congreso insertan en medidas de gasto sin el debido análisis.

Ahora bien, algunas de estas asignaciones respaldan proyectos que valen la pena en nuestras comunidades locales. Pero muchos de ellos no. No podemos financiar puentes que no van a ninguna parte como el que se planeaba hace unos años en Alaska. Las asignaciones para proyectos especiales como éste representan una porción relativamente pequeña de nuestro gasto federal en general. Pero para demostrar nuestro compromiso con la responsabilidad fiscal, hacerles frente tendría un impacto importante.

Como senador, ayudé a eliminar las asignaciones anónimas y creé nuevas medidas de transparencia para que los estadounidenses puedan mantenerse más al tanto de cómo se gasta su dinero. Como Presidente, una y otra vez he propuesto nuevos límites a las asignaciones para proyectos especiales. Hemos reducido en más de $3,000 millones el costo de dichas asignaciones. Y hemos puesto en vigor estándares más altos de transparencia al brindar la mayor información posible en earmarks.gov. De hecho, esta semana, actualizamos el sitio con más información sobre cómo se gastó el dinero de las asignaciones para proyectos especiales del año pasado y facilitamos identificar qué miembros del Congreso lucharon por determinada asignación.

Ahora tenemos la oportunidad de avanzar incluso más. Tenemos la oportunidad de no sólo sacar a la luz una mala costumbre de Washington que despilfarra miles de millones de dólares aportados por los contribuyentes, sino de tomar medidas para volver a ser merecedores de la confianza del público. Tenemos la oportunidad de promover los intereses del pueblo estadounidense, no de republicanos o demócratas; de llevar a nuestro país por el camino de la disciplina fiscal y responsabilidad, que producirá un futuro más brillante para todos. Y espero que podamos salvar diferencias de partido para forjar dicho futuro.

Gracias a todos y que tengan un buen fin de semana.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2010

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Kan of Japan in Statements to the Press in Yokohama, Japan

InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel, Yokohama, Japan

11:32 A.M. JST

      PRIME MINISTER KAN:  (As translated.)  First of all, I'd like to welcome President Obama warmly to Japan.  Exactly one year ago, the President visited Japan on the first leg of his visit to Asia, and I'm very happy to welcome him here in Yokohama as he visits Japan once again, this time to wrap up his Asia trip, during which he’s visited many Asian countries.

      We were able to have a very fruitful discussion today.  First, Japan and the United States, at this meeting of APEC, of pan-Pacific countries, we shall step up our cooperation.  So we agreed on doing that.  And in Japan’s relations with China and Russia, recently we've faced some problems, and the United States has supported Japan throughout, so I expressed my appreciation to him for that.

      For the peace and security of the countries in the region, the presence of the United States and the presence of the U.S. military I believe is becoming only increasingly important.  And that is not only my sense but I think the sense of many countries, many neighboring countries in this region.  So that is one point that I made to him.

      And we discussed various issues between Japan and the United States, including host-nation support and we are producing agreements on Okinawa.  Following the conclusion of the gubernatorial election in Okinawa, I shall be making my maximum efforts on the basis of the May 28th Japan-U.S. agreement, and that I shall be making my utmost efforts.  That is what I told the President as well.

      On the economic front, with regard to comprehensive economic partnership agreement, I explained that Japan is steering significantly towards opening up itself and that he stated he would welcome this.

      With regard to TPP, of course we have to also consider the other participating countries, but we would like to get down to consultations with the participating countries of TPP.  And the President also expressed his support that -- will support our efforts or consultations in order to glean information about TPP.

      We did engage in very broad-ranging discussions as the changes may take place around the world.  I believe it is important that countries around the world comply with the internationally accepted rules.  And the President suggested that Japan is a model country in that respect.

      And on the question of permanent membership on the Security Council of the U.N. in the future, the President also stated his support for Japan.

      Next year, sometime in the coming spring, the President kindly invited me to visit Washington, D.C.  This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Japan-U.S. Security Pact.  By the time I visit Washington, D.C., I hope I will be able to issue a joint statement which is very broad-ranging, and so we agreed that we’ll launch working-level efforts towards that end.

      Tomorrow, the President will be visiting Kamakura to, I understand, enjoy his good, old memories.  And I wish him a very pleasant stay so that he’ll be able to return to the United States with pleasant memories of this trip.

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you very much, Prime Minister Kan, for your warm welcome and hospitality.  And to the people of Yokohama, it is wonderful to be here.  Japan was my first stop in Asia as President last year, and it is a pleasure to be back for the APEC summit.  And I’m very appreciative to all the people of Japan and send warm regards from the American people.

      As allies for half a century, the partnership between Japan and the United States has been the foundation for our security and our prosperity -- not only for our two countries, but also for the region.  It’s allowed us to become two of the world’s largest economies.  It has made Japan the second largest trading partner outside of North America.

      We are bound by our people -- our families, our businesses, students and tourists who bring us closer every day.  We are partners in Asia and around the world.  And as Prime Minister Kan noted, I expressed my deep appreciation for the fact that Japan is really a model citizen internationally and works in support of international rules and norms that can make all of us more prosperous and more secure.  And so I’m very grateful for this partnership.

      And as Prime Minister said, we had a very productive meeting on a whole range of challenges that we face together.  We are deepening our economic relationship.  I’m pleased that the Open Skies Agreement that enters into force today will expand air service between our two countries and strengthen the ties between our peoples and our businesses.

      We’re launching new partnerships in pursuit of the clean energy economies of the future.  Following our work together, at the G20, the Prime Minister and I discussed our close cooperation in APEC and I thanked him for the hard work that Japan has done in preparation for our meetings here.

      I have a special interest in a successful summit, since I will be the host of the next APEC meeting in Honolulu next year.

      We discussed the need to expand trade and open markets across the region.  I very much welcomed the Prime Minister’s interest in liberalizing trade and his promotion of domestic reforms.  He explained that these steps could put Japan on the road to membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and I very much welcomed Japan’s interests.  And we agreed that our government will be consulting closely on these matters in the months to come.

      With regard to our shared security, we affirmed our commitment to our alliance, which marks its 50th anniversary this year.  Five decades of experience make this clear:  Japan and the United States are stronger when we stand together.  I’m pleased that our teams have completed an agreement in principle outlining Japan’s commitment to host-nation support, including continued financial investments in the alliance.

      And, Mr. Prime Minister, I want to thank you for this important demonstration of Japan’s commitment to our alliance and to regional peace and stability.

      The commitment of the United States to the defense of Japan is unshakeable.  Our alliances, bases, and forward presence are essential not only to Japan’s security, but as Prime Minister noted, they help us ensure stability and address regional challenges across Northeast Asia.

      For this reason, the Prime Minister and I agreed to keep moving forward on our roadmap on realignment so that we can meet Japan’s defense needs and also address the needs of Japanese communities that host our bases.  And I’m confident that we can continue to work together to ensure both.

      As partners around the world, we reviewed the range of security challenges we face together, including our cooperation on the prevention of the spread of nuclear weapons and the need to secure the world’s vulnerable nuclear materials.  I discussed our progress in Afghanistan and expressed my appreciation to Japan.  Japan is the largest donor of assistance for reconstruction and development.  And I told the Prime Minister how much we value Japan’s willingness to accept the obligations of leadership, including its contributions to the United Nations.
      And as the Prime Minister noted, we discussed the issue of Security Council reform.  I reiterated our longstanding view that Japan stands as a model of the kind of country we would want to see as a permanent member of the Security Council and I look forward to a reformed Security Council that includes Japan as a permanent member.

      Finally, I’m delighted that the Prime Minister has accepted my invitation to visit the United States in the first half of next year.  We’ve instructed our governments to intensify their efforts to deepen and modernize our alliance, and I hope that by the time the Prime Minister arrives in Washington we’ll be able to lay out a joint vision that can guide our partnership for decades to come.

      Just to close, the Prime Minister mentioned that as a young boy I had the occasion to visit Japan, including touring the Amida Buddha at Kamakura.  I am looking forward to an opportunity to return tomorrow and again experience the extraordinary aspects of Japanese culture.

      So, again, to all the people of Japan, thank you so much for your hospitality and your friendship.  And, Mr. President, I’m very much looking forward to us working together not only at this summit but on a whole range of bilateral issues in the years to come.

      Thank you.

      PRIME MINISTER KAN:  Thank you.  (Applause.)

                             END              11:44 A.M. JST

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
November 13, 2010

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Gillard of Australia After Bilateral Meeting in Yokohama, Japan

InterContinental Yokohama Grand Hotel, Yokohama, Japan

12:20 P.M. JST

      PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Well, let me just say very briefly, I’ve had a chance to speak previously with Prime Minister Gillard on the phone.  It is a wonderful opportunity for me to meet her during the course of both the G20 and now in our first face-to-face meeting.  The United States does not have a closer or better ally than Australia.  We are grateful for all the work that we do together.

      I expressed my personal thanks to the people of Australia through the Prime Minister for the enormous sacrifices that are being made in Afghanistan by Australian troops.  We, I think, are going to be discussing these issues further when we see each other at the Lisbon summit.  But obviously all of us have an interest in bringing about a good outcome in that region that ensures our safety and security over the long term.

      On the economic front, I reiterated to the Prime Minister how important the Asia Pacific region is to our economy and to world economic growth.  Australia is a central player in that economy.  And so we are going to continue to explore ways that we can work together to expand trade, expand investment, ensure that everybody is playing by the rules of the road in the region, and cooperating effectively.  The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a good example of the kind of collaboration between our two countries that I think can expand opportunity for all peoples.

      So I am just grateful to have this opportunity to speak with the Prime Minister.  I’ve extended an invitation to her to visit the United States sometime early next year, and we’ll find a date, and hopefully we can build on some of the discussions that we’ve already had to further enhance our bilateral cooperation.

      So, Prime Minister, thank you and to your entire delegation for the good work that you’ve done.  And I look forward to seeing you in Washington.

      PRIME MINISTER GILLARD:  Thank you.  And I have to say to President Obama -- we’ve had the opportunity to be at the G20 over the last few days and had the opportunity for a few brief discussions there and we will see each other in Lisbon next weekend.  Our two countries are great mates, to use our terminology, and as great mates we are continuing to work together in our region and beyond.

      We have had the opportunity to talk about Afghanistan, and I do want to take this opportunity to pass on the condolences of the Australian people for the losses that you have suffered there.  But we are working together there and will have time next weekend at Lisbon to talk about the transition strategy.

      We’ve also had the opportunity to reflect on the discussions we had at AUSMIN about the American force posture review and the work that we are doing on new challenges like cybersecurity.  And we’ve had the opportunity to talk about our engagement in the region, where the U.S. engagement is strengthening through forums like the East Asia Summit.

      And we are on the same page on trade, so we very much look forward to the discussions of the Trans-Pacific Partnership during the course of the APEC meetings.

      So a very good opportunity to have a good discussion about the areas where our two countries are collaborating now and -- for the future.  Thank you.

                             END           12:24 P.M. JST