The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 29, 2010

Remarks by the President on Education Reform at the National Urban League Centennial Conference

Washington Convention Center
Washington, D.C.

10:09 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Everybody, please have a seat.  Have a seat.  Take a load off.  (Applause.)  Thank you. 

Good morning, Urban Leaguers. 

AUDIENCE:  Good morning.

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes.  It is wonderful to be here with all of you.  It is wonderful to be here.  And let me begin by congratulating Marc Morial for his outstanding leadership, his great friendship.  (Applause.)  I want to thank the entire National Urban League on your centennial.  From your founding, amid the great migration, to the struggles of the civil rights movement, to the battles of today, the Urban League has been on the ground, in our communities, working quietly -– day in, day out -– without fanfare; opening up opportunity, rolling back inequality, making our union just a little more perfect.  America is a better place because of the Urban League.  And I'm grateful to all of you for the outstanding contributions that you’ve made. (Applause.)  

The last time I spoke with you was during your Orlando conference in August -- (applause) -- got Orlando in the house.  (laughter) -- Orlando conference back in August of 2008.  I didn’t have any gray hair back then.  (Laughter.)  Say that's all right?  (Laughter and applause.)  But I want to remind you what things were like in August of 2008.  Our economy was in freefall. We had just seen seven straight months of job loss.  Foreclosures were sweeping the nation.  And we were on the verge of a financial crisis that threatened to plunge our economy into a second Great Depression.

So, from the moment I took office, we had to act immediately to prevent an even greater catastrophe.  And I knew that not everything we did would be popular.  Sometimes when we do things, the scribes, the pundits here in Washington, they act surprised. They say, why would you do such a thing, it doesn’t poll well.  And I have to explain to them I’ve got my own pollsters.  (Laughter and applause.)  But I wasn’t elected just to do what’s popular; I was elected do what was right.  That's what you supported me for.  (Applause.)

And because of what we did, America, as a whole, is in a different place today.  Our economy is growing, instead of shrinking.  Our private sector has been adding jobs for six straight months, instead of losing them.  (Applause.)

Yesterday a report was put out by two prominent economists  -- one of them John McCain’s old economist -- that said if we hadn’t taken the actions that we took, we would have had an additional 8 million people lose their jobs. 

Now, that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods yet.  Every sector of our economy was shaking by the crisis; every demographic group felt its impact.  And as has been true in the wake of other recent recessions, this one had an especially brutal impact on minority communities -- communities that were already struggling long before the financial crisis hit.

The African American unemployment rate was already much higher, the incomes and wealth of African American families already lower.  There was less of a cushion.  Many minority communities -- whether in big cities or rural towns -- had seen businesses and opportunities vanish for years, stores boarded up, young people hanging out on the street corners without prospects for the future.

So when we came in to office, we focused not just on rescuing our economy in the short run, but rebuilding our economy for the long run -- creating an economy that lifts up all Americans.  (Applause.)   Not just some, but all.

That’s why we passed health insurance reform that will give every American -- (applause) -- more choices, more control over their health care; will narrow the cruel disparities between Americans of different backgrounds.  That’s why we passed Wall Street reform -- not only to make sure that taxpayers aren’t paying for somebody else’s foolishness, but also to protect consumers from predatory credit cards and lending practices, regulating everything from mortgages to payday loans; making sure that we’re protecting our economy from the recklessness and irresponsibility of a few.  (Applause.)
 
Across agencies, we’re taking on the structural inequalities that have held so many of our fellow citizens back, whether it’s making more housing available and more affordable, making sure civil rights and anti-discrimination laws are enforced, making sure our crime policy is not only tough, but also smart.  So yesterday, we took an important step forward when Congress passed a fair sentencing bill that I look forward to signing into law -- (applause) -- a bipartisan bill to help right a longstanding wrong by narrowing sentencing disparities between those convicted of crack cocaine and powder cocaine.  It’s the right thing to do. (Applause.)  We’ve gotten that done.

So we’ve made progress.  And yet, for all of our progress -– progress that’s come through the efforts of groups like the Urban League; progress that makes it possible for me to stand here as President -- we were reminded this past week that we still got work to do when it comes to promoting the values of fairness and equality and mutual understanding that must bind us together as a nation. 

Now, last week, I had the chance to talk to Shirley Sherrod -– an exemplary woman whose experiences mark both the challenges we have faced and the progress that we’ve made.  She deserves better than what happened last week -- (applause) -- when a bogus controversy based on selective and deceiving excerpts of a speech led her -- led to her forced resignation. 

Now, many are to blame for the reaction and overreaction that followed these comments -– including my own administration. And what I said to Shirley was that the full story she was trying to tell –- a story about overcoming our own biases and recognizing ourselves in folks who, on the surface, seem different -– is exactly the kind of story we need to hear in America.  (Applause.) 

It’s exactly what we need to hear because we’ve all got our biases.  And rather than jump to conclusions and point fingers, and play some of the games that are played on cable TV, we should all look inward and try to examine what’s in our own hearts.  (Applause.)  We should all make more of an effort to discuss with one another, in a truthful and mature and responsible way, the divides that still exist -- the discrimination that's still out there, the prejudices that still hold us back -- a discussion that needs to take place not on cable TV, not just through a bunch of academic symposia or fancy commissions or panels, not through political posturing, but around kitchen tables, and water coolers, and church basements, and in our schools, and with our kids all across the country.  (Applause.)

If we can have that conversation in our own lives, if we can take an opportunity to learn from our imperfections and our mistakes, to grow as individuals and as a country, and if we engage in the hard work of translating words into deeds -- because words are easy and deeds are hard -- then I’m confident that we can move forward together and make this country a little more perfect than it was before.  (Applause.)

Now, since we’re on the topic of speaking honestly with one another, I want to devote the balance of my time, the balance of my remarks, to an issue that I believe will largely determine not only African American success, but the success of our nation in the 21st century -- and that is whether we are offering our children the very best education possible.  (Applause.)

I know some argue that as we emerge from a recession, my administration should focus solely on economic issues.  They said that during health care as if health care had nothing to do with economics; said it during financial reform as if financial reform had nothing to do with economics; and now they're saying it as we work on education issues.  But education is an economic issue -- if not “the” economic issue of our time.  (Applause.)

It’s an economic issue when the unemployment rate for folks who’ve never gone to college is almost double what it is for those who have gone to college.  (Applause.)  It’s an economic issue when eight in 10 new jobs will require workforce training or a higher education by the end of this decade.  It’s an economic issue when countries that out-educate us today are going to out-compete us tomorrow.

Now, for years, we’ve recognized that education is a prerequisite for prosperity.  And yet, we’ve tolerated a status quo where America lags behind other nations.  Just last week, we learned that in a single generation, America went from number one to 12th in college completion rates for young adults.  Used to be number one, now we’re number 12. 

At the same time, our 8th graders trail about eight -- 10 other nations -- 10 other nations in science and math.  Meanwhile, when it comes to black students, African American students trail not only almost every other developed nation abroad, but they badly trail their white classmates here at home -- an achievement gap that is widening the income gap between black and white, between rich and poor. 

We’ve talked about it, we know about it, but we haven’t done enough about it.  And this status quo is morally inexcusable, it s economically indefensible, and all of us are going to have to roll up our sleeves to change it.  (Applause.)

And that's why -- that is why, from day one of this administration, we’ve made excellence in American education -- excellence for all our students -- a top priority.  And no one has shown more leadership on this issue than my Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, who is here today.  (Applause.)

I chose Arne not only because he’s a great ballplayer --  (laughter) -- Arne and I play a little bit on the weekends -- I choose Arne because I knew that for him, closing the achievement gap, unlocking the potential of every child, isn’t just a job, it’s been the cause of his life.

Now, because a higher education has never been more important –- or more expensive -– it’s absolutely essential that we put a college degree within reach for anyone who wants it.  And that’s why we’re making higher education more affordable, so we can meet the goals I’ve set of producing a higher share of college graduates than any other nation by 2020.  I want us to be back at number one instead of number 12.  (Applause.) 

And in pursuit of that goal, we eliminated taxpayer subsidies to big banks.  We saved tens of billions of dollars, and we used those savings to open the door to additional financial aid -- to open the door for college to millions more students.  This is something that a lot of you may not be aware of, but we have added tens of billions of dollars that were going to bank middlemen, so that that money is now going to students -- millions more students who are getting scholarships to go to college.  (Applause.)  That’s already been done.

We’re making loan repayment more manageable, so young people don’t graduate -- like Michelle and me -- with such big loan payments every month.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thank you!

THE PRESIDENT:  You’re welcome.  Right there.  (Laughter.)  You can relate.  (Laughter.) 

And we’re reinvesting in our Historically Black Colleges and Universities.  (Applause.)  Our HBCUs, we are reinvesting in them, while at the same time reforming and strengthening our community college, which are great, undervalued assets -- (applause) -- great assets that are a lifeline to so many working families in every community across America.

But here’s the thing.  Even if we do all this good stuff for higher education, too many of our children see college as nothing but a distant dream -– because their education went off the rails long before they turned 18.  These are young people who’ve been relegated to failing schools in struggling communities, where there are too many obstacles, too few role models -– communities that I represented as a state senator; communities that I fought to lift up as a community organizer.

I remember going to a school back in my organizing days and seeing children -- young children, maybe five or six -- eyes were brimming with hope, had such big dreams for the future.  You’d ask them, what do you want to be when you grow up?  They’d want to be a doctor; they’d want to be a lawyer.  And then I remember the principal telling me that soon, all that would change.  The hope would start fading from their eyes as they started to realize that maybe their dreams wouldn’t come to pass -- not because they weren’t smart enough, not because they weren’t talented enough, but because through a turn of fate they happened to be born in the wrong neighborhood.  They became victim of low expectations, a community that was not supporting educational excellence.

And it was heartbreaking.  It is heartbreaking.  And it reinforced in me a fundamental belief that we’ve got an obligation to lift up every child in every school in this country, especially those who are starting out furthest behind.  (Applause.) 

That’s why I want to challenge our states to offer better early learning options to make sure our children aren’t wasting their most formative years -- (applause) -- so that they can enter into kindergarten already ready to learn -- knowing their colors, knowing their numbers, knowing their shapes, knowing how to sit still.  (Laughter.)  Right?  That’s no joke.  You got to learn that, especially when you’re a boy.  (Laughter.)  That’s why we placed such heavy emphasis on the education our children are getting from kindergarten through 12th grade.

Now, over the past 18 months, the single most important thing we’ve done -- and we’ve done a lot.  I mean, the Recovery Act put a lot of money into schools, saved a lot of teacher jobs, made sure that schools didn’t have to cut back even more drastically in every community across this country.  But I think the single most important thing we’ve done is to launch an initiative called Race to the Top.  (Applause.)  We said to states, if you are committed to outstanding teaching, to successful schools, to higher standards, to better assessments -– if you’re committed to excellence for all children -– you will be eligible for a grant to help you attain that goal.

And so far, the results have been promising and they have been powerful.  In an effort to compete for this extra money, 32 states reformed their education laws before we even spent a dime. The competition leveraged change at the state level.  And because the standards we set were high, only a couple of states actually won the grant in the first round, which meant that the states that didn’t get the money, they’ve now strengthened their applications, made additional reforms.  Now 36 have applied in the second round, and 18 states plus the District of Columbia are in the running to get a second grant.  (Applause.) 

So understand what’s happened.  In each successive round, we’ve leveraged change across the country.  And even students in those districts that haven’t gotten a grant, they’ve still benefited from the reforms that were initiated.  And this process has sown the seeds of achievement.  It’s forced teachers and principals and officials and parents to forge agreements on tough, and often uncomfortable issues -- to raise their sights and embrace education.

For the most part, states, educators, reformers, they’ve responded with great enthusiasm around this promise of excellence.  But I know there’s also been some controversy about Race to the Top.  Part of it, I believe, reflects a general resistance to change.  We get comfortable with the status quo even when the status quo isn’t good.  We make excuses for why things have to be the way they are.  And when you try to shake things up, some people aren’t happy. 

There have been criticisms from some folks in the civil rights community about particular elements of Race to the Top.  So I want to address some of those today.  I told you we’re going to have an honest conversation.

First, I know there’s a concern that Race to the Top doesn’t do enough for minority kids, because the argument is, well, if there’s a competition, then somehow some states or some school districts will get more help than others.  Let me tell you, what’s not working for black kids and Hispanic kids and Native American kids across this country is the status quo.  That's what’s not working.  (Applause.)  What’s not working is what we’ve been doing for decades now.

So the charge that Race to the Top isn’t targeted at those young people most in need is absolutely false because lifting up quality for all our children -- black, white, Hispanic -- that is the central premise of Race to the Top.  And you can’t win one of these grants unless you’ve got a plan to deal with those schools that are failing and those young people who aren’t doing well.  Every state and every school district is directly incentivized to deal with schools that have been forgotten, been given up on. 

I also want to directly speak to the issue of teachers.  We may have some teachers here in the house.  (Applause.)  I know Urban League has got some teachers.  Nothing is more important than teachers.  (Applause.)  My sister is a teacher.  I’m here because of great teachers.  The whole premise of Race to the Top is that teachers are the single most important factor in a child’s education from the moment they step into the classroom.  And I know firsthand that the vast majority of teachers are working tirelessly, are passionate about their students, are often digging into their own pockets for basic supplies, are going above and beyond the call of duty. 

So I want teachers to have higher salaries.  I want them to have more support.  I want them to be trained like the professionals they are –- with rigorous residencies like the ones that doctors go through.   (Applause.)  I want to give them a career ladder so they’ve opportunities to advance, and earn real financial security.  I don't want talented young people to say I’d love to teach but I can’t afford it.  (Applause.) 

I want them to have a fulfilling and supportive workplace environment.  I want them to have the resources -- from basic supplies to reasonable class sizes -- that help them succeed.   And instead of a culture where we’re always idolizing sports stars or celebrities, I want us to build a culture where we idolize the people who are shaping our children’s future.  (Applause.)  I want some teachers on the covers of some of those magazines.  (Applause.)  Some teachers on MTV, featured.  (Applause.)

I was on the “The View” yesterday, and somebody asked me who Snooki was.  I said, I don't know who Snooki is.  (Laughter.)  But I know some really good teachers that you guys should be talking about.  (Laughter and applause.)  I didn't say the teacher part, but I just -- (laughter.)  The question is, who are we lifting up?  Who are we promoting?  Who are we saying is important? 

So I am 110 percent behind our teachers.  (Applause.)  But all I’m asking in return -- as a President, as a parent, and as a citizen -- is some measure of accountability.  (Applause.)  So even as we applaud teachers for their hard work, we’ve got to make sure we’re seeing results in the classroom.  If we’re not seeing results in the classroom, then let’s work with teachers to help them become more effective.  If that doesn’t work, let’s find the right teacher for that classroom.  (Applause.)

Arne makes the point very simply:  Our children get only one chance at an education, so we need to get it right.

I want to commend some of the teachers unions across this country who are working with us to improve teaching -- like the Delaware Education Association, which is working with state leaders as part of their Race to the Top efforts, not only to set aside 90 minutes of collaboration time a week to improve instruction, but to strengthen teacher development and evaluation.  That's the right way to go.

So, for anyone who wants to use Race to the Top to blame or punish teachers -- you’re missing the point.  Our goal isn’t to fire or admonish teachers; our goal is accountability.  It’s to provide teachers with the support they need to be as effective as they can be, and to create a better environment for teachers and students alike. 

Now, there’s also the question of how hard our teachers should push students in the classroom.  Nations in Asia and Europe have answered this question, in part by creating standards to make sure their teachers and students are performing at the same high levels throughout their nation.  That’s one of the reasons that their children are doing better than ours.  But here at home, there’s often a controversy about national standards, common standards -- that violates the principle of local control. Now, there’s a history to local control that we need to think about, but that -- that’s the argument.

So here’s what Race to the Top says:  Instead of Washington imposing standards from the top down, let’s challenge states to adopt common standards voluntarily, from the bottom up.  That doesn’t mean more standards; it means higher standards, better standards, standards that clarify what our teachers are expected to teach and what our children are expected to learn -– so high school graduates are actually prepared for college and a career. I do not want to see young people get a diploma but they can’t read that diploma.  (Applause.) 

Now, so far, about 30 states have come together to embrace and develop common standards, high standards.  More states are expected to do so in the coming weeks.  And by the way, this is different from No Child Left Behind, because what that did was it gave the states the wrong incentives.  A bunch of states watered down their standards so that school districts wouldn’t be penalized when their students fell short.  And what’s happened now is, at least two states -– Illinois and Oklahoma –- that lowered standards in response to No Child Behind -- No Child Left Behind -- are now raising those standards back up, partly in response to Race to the Top.

And part of making sure our young people meet these high standards is designing tests that accurately measure whether they are learning.  Now, here, too, there’s been some controversy.  When we talk about testing, parents worry that it means more teaching to the test.  Some worry that tests are culturally biased. Teachers worry that they’ll be evaluated solely on the basis of a single standardized test.  Everybody thinks that’s unfair.  It is unfair. 

But that’s not what Race to the Top is about.  What Race to the Top says is, there’s nothing wrong with testing -– we just need better tests applied in a way that helps teachers and students, instead of stifling what teachers and students do in the classroom.  Tests that don’t dictate what’s taught, but tell us what has been learned.  Tests that measure how well our children are mastering essential skills and answering complex questions.  And tests that track how well our students are growing academically, so we can catch when they’re falling behind and help them before they just get passed along.  (Applause.) 

Because of Race to the Top, states are also finding innovative ways to move beyond having just a snapshot of where students are, and towards a real-time picture that shows how far they’ve come and how far they have to go.  And armed with this information, teachers can get what amounts to a game tape that they can study to enhance their teaching and their focus on areas where students need help the most.

Now, sometimes a school’s problems run so deep that you can do the better assessments and the higher standards and a more challenging curriculum, and that’s not enough.  If a school isn’t producing graduates with even the most basic skills –- year after year after year after year -– something needs to be done differently.  You know, the definition, somebody once said, of madness is you do the same thing over and over again and keep expecting a different result.  If we want success for our country, we can’t accept failure in our schools decade after decade.

And that’s why we’re challenging states to turn around our 5,000 lowest performing schools.  And I don’t think it’s any secret that most of those are serving African American or Hispanic kids.  We’re investing over $4 billion to help them do that, to transform those schools -– $4 billion, which even in Washington is real money.  (Applause.)  This isn’t about -- unlike No Child Left Behind, this isn’t about labeling a troubled school a failure and then just throwing up your hands and saying, well, we’re giving up on you.  It’s about investing in that school’s future, and recruiting the whole community to help turn it around, and identifying viable options for how to move forward.

Now, in some cases, that’s going to mean restarting the school under different management as a charter school -– as an independent public school formed by parents, teachers, and civic leaders who’ve got broad leeway to innovate.  And some people don’t like charter schools.  They say, well, that’s going to take away money from other public schools that also need support.  Charter schools aren’t a magic bullet, but I want to give states and school districts the chance to try new things.  If a charter school works, then let’s apply those lessons elsewhere.  And if a charter school doesn’t work, we’ll hold it accountable; we’ll shut it down.

So, no, I don’t support all charter schools, but I do support good charter schools.  I’ll give you an example.  There’s a charter school called Mastery in Philadelphia.  And in just two years, three of the schools that Mastery has taken over have seen reading and math levels nearly double –- in some cases, triple.  Chaka Fattah is here, so he knows what I’m talking about.  One school called Pickett went from just 14 percent of students being proficient in math to almost 70 percent.  (Applause.)  Now -- and here’s the kicker -- at the same time academic performance improved, violence dropped by 80 percent -– 80 percent.  And that’s no coincidence.  (Applause.)

Now, if a school like Mastery can do it, if Pickett can do it, every troubled school can do it.  But that means we’re going to have to shake some things up.  Setting high standards, common standards, empowering students to meet them; partnering with our teachers to achieve excellence in the classroom; educating our children -- all of them -- to graduate ready for college, ready for a career, ready to make most of their lives -- none of this should be controversial.  There should be a fuss if we weren’t doing these things.  There should be a fuss if Arne Duncan wasn’t trying to shake things up.  (Applause.)

So Race to the Top, isn’t simply the name of an initiative. It sums up what’s happening in our schools.  It’s the single most ambitious, meaningful education reform effort we’ve attempted in this country in generations.

And I know there are a number of other steps we need to take to lift up our education system -- like saving teachers’ jobs across this country from layoffs -- and I’ll continue fighting to take those steps and save those jobs.  But I’ll also continue to fight for Race to the Top with everything I’ve got, including using a veto to prevent some folks from watering it down.  (Applause.)

Now, let me wrap up by saying this.  I know there are some who say that Race to the Top won’t work.  There are cynics and naysayers who argue that the problems in our education system are too entrenched, that think that we’ll just fall back into the same old arguments and divides that have held us back for so long.  And it is true, as I’ve said since I ran for President, and that everybody here knows firsthand, change is hard.  I don't know if you’ve noticed.  That's why I’ve got all this gray hair. (Laughter.) 

Fixing what was broken in our health care system is not easy.  Fixing what was broken on Wall Street is not easy.  Fixing what’s broken in our education system is not easy.  We won’t see results overnight.  It may take a decade for these changes to pay off.  But that’s not a reason not to make them.  It’s a reason to start making them right now, to feel a sense of urgency -- the fierce urgency of now.  (Applause.)

We also know that as significant as these reforms are, there’s going to be one more ingredient to really make a difference:  parents are going to have to get more involved in their children’s education.  (Applause.)  Now, in the past, even that statement has sparked controversy.  Folks say, well, why are you talking about parents?  Parents need help, too.  I know that. Parents need jobs.  They need housing.  They need -- in some cases -- social services.  They may have substance abuse problems.  We’re working on all those fronts. 

Then some people say, well, why are you always talking about parental responsibility in front of black folks?  (Laughter and applause.)  And I say, I talk about parent responsibility wherever I talk about education. 

Michelle and I happen to be black parents, so -- (laughter and applause) -- I may -- I may add a little umph to it when I’m talking to black parents.  (Laughter.)  

But to paraphrase Dr. King, education isn’t an either/or proposition.  It’s a both/and proposition.  It will take both more focus from our parents, and better schooling.  It will take both more money, and more reform.  It will take both a collective commitment, and a personal commitment.

So, yes, our federal government has responsibilities that it has to meet, and I will keep on making sure the federal government meets those responsibilities.  Our governors, our superintendants, our states, our school districts have responsibilities to meet.  And parents have responsibilities that they have to meet.  And our children have responsibilities that they have to meet.  (Applause.)

It’s not just parents.  It’s the children, too.  Our kids need to understand nobody is going to hand them a future.  (Applause.)  An education is not something you just tip your head and they pour it in your ear.  (Laughter.)   You’ve got to want it.  You’ve got to reach out and claim that future for yourself. And you can’t make excuses.  (Applause.)

I know life is tough for a lot of young people in this country.  The places where Urban League is working to make a difference, you see it every day.  I’m coming from the Southside of Chicago.  (Applause.)  So I know -- I see what young people are going through there.  And at certain points in our lives, young black men and women may feel the sting of discrimination.  Too many of them may feel trapped in a community where drugs and violence and unemployment are pervasive, and they are forced to wrestle with things that no child should have to face. 

There are all kinds of reasons for our children to say, “No, I can’t.”  But our job is to say to them, “Yes, you can.”  (Applause.)  Yes, you can overcome.  Yes, you can persevere.  Yes, you can make what you will out of your lives.  (Applause.) 

I know they can, because I know the character of America’s young people.  I saw them volunteer on my campaign.  They asked me questions in town hall meetings.  They write me letters about their trials and aspirations.

I got a letter recently postmarked Covington, Kentucky.  It was from Na’Dreya Lattimore, 10 years old -- about the same age as Sasha.  And she told me about how her school had closed, so she had enrolled in another.  Then she had bumped up against other barriers to what she felt was her potential.  So Na’Dreya was explaining to me how we need to improve our education system. She closed by saying this:

“One more thing,” she said.  (Laughter.)  It was a long letter.  (Laughter.)  “You need to look at us differently.  We are not black, we’re not white, biracial, Hispanic, Asian, or any other nationality.”  No, she wrote -– “We are the future.”  (Applause.) 

Na’Dreya, you are right.  And that’s why I will keep fighting to lead us out of this storm.  But I’m also going to keep fighting alongside the Urban League to make America more perfect, so that young people like Na’Dreya -- people of every race, in every region -- are going to be able to reach for that American Dream.  They’re going to know that there are brighter days ahead; that their future is full of boundless possibilities. I believe that, and I know the Urban League does, too.

Thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.) 

END
10:53 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 28, 2010

Remarks by the President on Small Business Jobs Initiatives

Tastee Sub Shop
Edison, New Jersey

2:42 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I just had a terrific meeting with these small business owners here at Tastee Sub Shop.  And I want to thank Dave and Carl for hosting us here today.  And I highly recommend everybody buy a sandwich while you’re here, although as I said before, I can’t eat a 12-inch these days, now that I’m 49 -- well, I will be in a week.

We talked about some of the difficulties that people have had making payroll and turning a profit during this recession.  And we talked about what we can do to make it easier for small businesses to grow. 

All of these folks here know why that’s important.  Small businesses create two out of every three jobs in this country.  So our recovery depends on them.  And if we want to keep America moving forward, we need to keep investing in our small businesses. 

This is, by the way, more than -- is more important than just our economy.  It’s also about who we are as a people.  Because America has always been a place where if you’ve had a good idea and you’re willing to really work hard for it, you can see it through and you can succeed.  That’s what gives the worker the courage to leave her job to become her own boss.  It’s what propels people to risk their savings on an idea that they believe might just change the world.  I was hearing from Tom here about how he was having trouble finding work 30, 40 years ago, and decided that he would take over a business that only had two employees.  And now he’s an employer for a whole bunch of folks and he’s going to be passing on his business to his family.  And that’s the American story.

This town, Edison, is named after somebody who was not only one of history’s greatest inventors but also a pretty savvy small business owner.  And the small business people who are here with me today exemplify that same entrepreneurial spirit.  And all of these companies have seen their share of challenges.  All of these small business owners have had to improvise and adapt over the years, especially in tough times, and that includes over the last couple years.

So Tom and Catherine Horsburgh were telling me that they got through the downturn.  In order to do so, they had to market their products to types of businesses that they hadn’t sold to before.  Brian Bovio’s company had to let some people go when the recession hit.  But in the two years since, he’s transformed his business, and now he’s making people’s homes more energy efficient to save money on their utility bills -- and he’s been able to start hiring again.  He is very interested in making sure that the HOMESTAR proposal that we’ve put into Congress actually passes, because not only will that help to expand his business but it’s also going to help Americans save energy not only in this part of the country but all across the country.

Now, all of this hasn’t been easy.  The recession has meant that folks are spending less.  It means that small businesses have had a tougher time getting credit and getting loans.  And that’s why when I took office, we put in place an economic plan specifically to help small businesses.  And we were guided by a simple idea:  Government can’t guarantee success, but it can knock down barriers that keep entrepreneurs from opening or expanding.  For example, the lack of affordable credit -- that’s something the government can do something about.  Government can’t replace the millions of jobs that we lost in the recession, but it can create the conditions for small businesses to hire more people through steps like tax breaks. 

That’s why we’ve cut taxes for America’s small businesses eight times.  Eight times have we cut taxes for small businesses all across the country.  Because of a bill I signed into law a few months ago, businesses are now eligible for tax cuts when they hire unemployed workers -- something that could benefit every business represented behind me.  Companies are also able to write off more of their investments in new equipment, which Tom and Catherine have taken advantage of.  As part of the health reform package, 4 million small business owners recently received a postcard in their mailbox telling them that this year they could be eligible for a health care tax credit that’s worth perhaps tens of thousands of dollars. 

And I was just talking to Dave, who does the right thing by his employees and is providing health insurance -- they actually are not paying a significant share for that health insurance.  Dave and Carl are doing the right thing by those workers.  He’s now going to be eligible to potentially get up to 35 percent tax relief on those -- premium that he’s paying, and that could make, obviously, an enormous difference in terms of his bottom line and may mean that he can hire some additional workers.

Our economic plan has also supported nearly 70,000 new loans to small businesses.  One of these loans made it possible for Tom and Catherine to purchase new equipment.  We’ve waived fees on new SBA loans to save folks money on payments.  And that reduced Theo’s costs when he opened his new restaurant.  His family had a business, a family restaurant.  He opened his own and it saved him more than $20,000 in waived fees -- money that’s now gone into that new restaurant and its 60 new employees. 

So all told, these and other steps are making a difference.  But when you listen to the struggles that small business owners are still facing, it’s clear that we need to do more.  And that’s why I’m urging the Senate to approve a jobs bill that will do two big things for small businesses:  cut taxes and make more loans available.  That’s what Dave and Carl and Theo and Brian and Tom and Catherine tell me they can use.  And that’s what I’ve heard from small businesses all across America.

     If this bill becomes law, small businesses and start-ups will see the positive benefits right away.  It eliminates capital gains taxes for key investments in small firms.  It will increase the deductions that small businesses can take for new equipment and other expenses.  I know Tom and Catherine are looking at expanding to a larger facility; this could help them do that.

This bill will also make more credit available.  Everywhere I go, I hear from small business owners who simply cannot get the credit they need to hire and expand.  And we’ve been hearing from smaller community banks that they want to lend to these folks but need more capital to do it.  So the initiatives in this bill will help them meet those challenges.  And it will increase -- allow them to increase loan sizes, and make sure that we continue to waive fees for SBA loans that have helped a number of the people standing behind me.

Now, let me just make one last point.  I know it’s no secret that we’ve confronted a lot of partisan politics over the past year and a half.  We’ve seen a fair amount of obstruction that’s had more to do with gaining political advantage than helping the country.  But surely, Democrats and Republicans ought to be able to agree on this bill.  When I had a conversation with Mitch McConnell and John Boehner yesterday, I told them that the provisions of this bill are things that the Republican Party has said it’s supported for years:  helping small businesses, cutting taxes, making credit available.  This is as American as apple pie.  Small businesses are the backbone of our economy.  They are central to our identity as a nation.  They are going to lead this recovery.  The folks standing beside me are going to lead this recovery.

So as I said yesterday in a meeting with congressional leaders at the White House, I expect us to get this done before they go on vacation, for the folks standing behind me and for small businesses and their employees all across the country.

All right?  Thank you very much, everybody.  Thank you, guys.

                        END           2:50 P.M. EDT

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2010

Declaraciones del Presidente Barack Obama tras Reunion con Lideres de Ambos Partidos

El Presidente: Buenas tardes a todos. Acabo de concluir una conversación productiva con los líderes de ambos partidos en el Congreso.

Fue parte de una serie de reuniones frecuentes que propuse en el Discurso sobre el Estado de la Nación, porque considero que es importante que nos juntemos y hablemos con franqueza sobre los desafíos que enfrentamos, que resolvamos algunos de los asuntos en que no estamos de acuerdo, y que determinemos, espero, en lo que sí concordamos.

Nuestra conversación de hoy se centró en un asunto que se menciona a diario en las mesas familiares de todo el país, que es la manera de generar los empleos que la gente necesita para mantener a su familia.

Pienso que eso parte de hacer todo lo posible para respaldar a las pequeñas empresas. Las tiendas, los restaurantes, las empresas nuevas y otras pequeñas empresas son las que crean dos de cada tres empleos nuevos en este país y pasan a ser las grandes compañías que transforman sectores enteros, aquí en Estados Unidos y en todo el mundo.

Pero sabemos que muchas de estas empresas todavía no pueden obtener los préstamos y el capital que necesitan para mantener abiertas sus puertas y contratar a nuevos trabajadores.

Por eso hemos propuesto nuevas medidas para conseguirles ayuda: eliminar los impuestos a las ganancias de capital por inversiones, facilitar que los pequeños emisores de préstamos apoyen a las pequeñas empresas, expandir los exitosos programas de la Dirección de Pequeñas Empresas (Small Business Administration o SBA) a fin de ayudar a dichas empresas a obtener acceso al capital que necesitan.

Es así que generamos empleos: al invertir en los innovadores y empresarios que siempre han impulsado nuestra prosperidad.

Éste es el tipo de medidas de sentido común que gente de ambos partidos ha apoyado en el pasado, medidas para recortar los impuestos y propiciar el crecimiento del sector privado y la inversión. Y espero que en días próximos, volvamos a encontrar terreno común y logremos la aprobación de esta medida. No debemos permitir que las pequeñas empresas de Estados Unidos caigan presa de la política partidista, definitivamente, no en este momento tan crucial.

También hablamos sobre la necesidad de avanzar con la reforma energética. El Senado está listo a tomar medidas antes del receso de agosto, a promover legislación para responder al derrame de petróleo de BP y generar nuevos empleos basados en la energía limpia.

Esa legislación es un paso importante en el sentido correcto. Pero quiero destacar que es apenas el primer paso. Y tengo la intención de seguir promoviendo una reforma más extensa, incluida legislación sobre el clima, porque si hemos aprendido algo de la tragedia del golfo, es que nuestra actual política energética es insostenible.

Y no podemos darnos el lujo de permanecer de brazos cruzados mientras nuestra dependencia del petróleo extranjero aumenta, mientras seguimos bombeando contaminantes mortíferos que amenazan nuestro aire y agua y la vida y el sustento de nuestra gente. Y no podemos simplemente permanecer de brazos cruzados mientras dejamos que China se apresura a generar los empleos e industrias del futuro basados en energía limpia.

Nosotros deberíamos estar desarrollando esas fuentes de energía renovable y generando esos empleos bien remunerados y de alta capacitación aquí en Estados Unidos.

Eso es lo que se lograría con una reforma energética y climática integral. Y es por eso que tengo la intención de seguir insistiendo en este asunto.

También exhorté a los líderes de la Cámara de Representantes para que aprueben el financiamiento necesario para apoyar nuestros esfuerzos en Afganistán y Pakistán. Sé que se ha escrito mucho sobre esto en días recientes como resultado de la divulgación de una considerable cantidad de documentos sobre Afganistán que tratan del periodo del 2004 al 2009.

Aunque me preocupa la divulgación de información confidencial desde el campo de batalla que tiene el potencial de poner a personas u operativos en peligro, el hecho es que estos documentos no revelan ninguna información que no se haya mencionado ya en el debate público sobre Afganistán; de hecho, son indicios de los mismos desafíos que me llevaron a realizar un análisis extenso de nuestra política en el otoño.

Entonces, permítanme destacar lo que he dicho muchas veces: Durante siete años, no logramos implementar una estrategia adecuada al desafío que representaba esa región, la región desde la cual se coordinaron los ataques del 11 de septiembre y desde la cual se han planeado otros ataques contra Estados Unidos y nuestros amigos y aliados.

Por eso aumentamos considerablemente nuestro compromiso allí, insistimos en mayor responsabilidad de parte de nuestros socios en Afganistán y Pakistán, formulamos una nueva estrategia que puede funcionar y movilizamos un equipo para poner en práctica ese plan que incluye a uno de nuestros mejores generales. Ahora debemos llevar a cabo dicha estrategia.
 
Y como les dije a los líderes, espero que la Cámara de Representantes se sume al Senado hoy, que votó unánimemente a favor de estos fondos, para asegurarnos de que nuestras tropas tengan los recursos que necesitan y que podamos hacer lo necesario para nuestra seguridad nacional.

Finalmente, durante la reunión de hoy, le pedí al senador McConnell y a otros en el Senado que trabajaran con nosotros para llenar las vacantes que continúan afectando a nuestro Poder Judicial.

En este momento, tenemos a candidatos que esperan desde hace ocho meses ser confirmados como jueces. La mayoría de esta gente recibió votos unánimes o casi unánimes de los comités, tanto por demócratas como republicanos. Tanto demócratas como republicanos acordaron que cuentan con las calificaciones para el cargo. Sin embargo, algunos miembros de la minoría han usado procedimientos parlamentarios una y otra vez para negarles una votación en el plenario del Senado.

   Si queremos que nuestro sistema judicial funcione, si queremos impartir justicia en nuestras cortes, entonces necesitamos jueces en nuestros tribunales. Y espero que en los meses venideros, podamos trabajar juntos para asegurar un proceso más expeditivo en el Senado.

   Ahora bien, no nos quedan muchos días antes de que el Congreso concluya sus labores del año. Y todos comprenden que estamos a menos de 100 días de una elección. Es durante este tiempo que el ruido y el parloteo sobre a quién favorecen las encuestas y cuál partido está ganando amenazan con ahogar todo lo demás.

   Pero la gente por la cual trabajamos, que nos envió aquí a trabajar, nos envió aquí por un motivo. Nos enviaron aquí para escuchar sus voces. Nos enviaron aquí para representar sus intereses, no los nuestros. Nos enviaron aquí para que seamos líderes. Y espero que en meses próximos, hagamos todo lo posible para estar a la altura de esa responsabilidad. Muchas gracias.

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 27, 2010

Remarks by the President After Bipartisan Leadership Meeting

Rose Garden

12:30 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  I just concluded a productive discussion with the leaders of both parties in Congress. 

This was one of a series of regular meetings that I called for in the State of the Union because I think it’s important for us to come together and speak frankly about the challenges we face and to work through areas where we don’t agree; hopefully find some areas where we do.

Our conversation today focused on an issue that’s being discussed every day at kitchen tables across this country -- and that’s how do we create jobs that people need to support their families. 

I believe that starts with doing everything we can to support small businesses.  These are the stores, the restaurants, the start-ups and other companies that create two out of every three new jobs in this country -- and that grow into the big businesses that transform industries, here in America and around the world. 

But we know that many of these businesses still can’t get the loans and the capital they need to keep their doors open and hire new workers. 

That’s why we’ve proposed steps to get them that help -- eliminating capital gains taxes on investments, making it easier for small lenders to support small businesses, expanding successful SBA programs to help these businesses access the capital that they need. 

This is how we create jobs -- by investing in the innovators and entrepreneurs that have always driven our prosperity. 

These are the kind of common-sense steps that folks from both parties have supported in the past -- steps to cut taxes and spur private sector growth and investment.  And I hope that in the coming days, we’ll once again find common ground and get this legislation passed.  We shouldn’t let America’s small businesses be held hostage to partisan politics -- and certainly not at this critical time.

We also talked about the need to move forward on energy reform.  The Senate is now poised to act before the August recess, advancing legislation to respond to the BP oil spill and create new clean energy jobs. 

That legislation is an important step in the right direction.  But I want to emphasize it’s only the first step.  And I intend to keep pushing for broader reform, including climate legislation, because if we’ve learned anything from the tragedy in the Gulf, it’s that our current energy policy is unsustainable. 

And we can’t afford to stand by as our dependence on foreign oil deepens, as we keep on pumping out the deadly pollutants that threaten our air and our water and the lives and livelihoods of our people.  And we can’t stand by as we let China race ahead to create the clean energy jobs and industries of the future.  We should be developing those renewable energy sources, and creating those high-wage, high-skill jobs right here in the United States of America. 

That’s what comprehensive energy and climate reform would do.  And that’s why I intend to keep pushing this issue forward.

I also urged the House leaders to pass the necessary funding to support our efforts in Afghanistan and Pakistan.  I know much has been written about this in recent days as a result of the substantial leak of documents from Afghanistan covering a period from 2004 to 2009.

While I’m concerned about the disclosure of sensitive information from the battlefield that could potentially jeopardize individuals or operations, the fact is these documents don’t reveal any issues that haven’t already informed our public debate on Afghanistan; indeed, they point to the same challenges that led me to conduct an extensive review of our policy last fall.

So let me underscore what I’ve said many times:  For seven years, we failed to implement a strategy adequate to the challenge in this region, the region from which the 9/11 attacks were waged and other attacks against the United States and our friends and allies have been planned. 

That’s why we’ve substantially increased our commitment there, insisted upon greater accountability from our partners in Afghanistan and Pakistan, developed a new strategy that can work, and put in place a team, including one of our finest generals, to execute that plan.  Now we have to see that strategy through.
 
And as I told the leaders, I hope the House will act today to join the Senate, which voted unanimously in favor of this funding, to ensure that our troops have the resources they need and that we’re able to do what’s necessary for our national security.

Finally, during our meeting today, I urged Senator McConnell and others in the Senate to work with us to fill the vacancies that continue to plague our judiciary.  Right now, we’ve got nominees who’ve been waiting up to eight months to be confirmed as judges.  Most of these folks were voted out of committee unanimously, or nearly unanimously, by both Democrats and Republicans.  Both Democrats and Republicans agreed that they were qualified to serve.  Nevertheless, some in the minority have used parliamentary procedures time and again to deny them a vote in the full Senate. 

     If we want our judicial system to work -- if we want to deliver justice in our courts -- then we need judges on our benches.  And I hope that in the coming months, we’ll be able to work together to ensure a timelier process in the Senate. 

     Now, we don’t have many days left before Congress is out for the year.  And everyone understands that we’re less than 100 days from an election.  It’s during this time that the noise and the chatter about who’s up in the polls and which party is ahead threatens to drown out just about everything else. 

     But the folks we serve -- who sent us here to serve, they sent us here for a reason.  They sent us here to listen to their voices.  They sent us here to represent their interests -- not our own.  They sent us here to lead.  And I hope that in the coming months, we’ll do everything in our power to live up to that responsibility.  Thanks very much.

                        END                12:37 P.M. EDT
 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 26, 2010

Remarks by the President on 20th Anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act

South Lawn

6:26 P.M. EDT
 
     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Good evening, everybody.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  Well, we have a gorgeous day to celebrate an extraordinary event in the life of this nation.  Welcome, all of you, to our White House.  And thank you, Robert, for the wonderful introduction.  It is a pleasure and honor to be with all of you on the 20th anniversary of one of the most comprehensive civil rights bills in the history of this country -- the Americans with Disabilities Act.  (Applause.)
 
I see so many champions of this law here today.  I wish I had time to acknowledge each and every one of you.  I want to thank all of you.  But I also want to thank our Cabinet Secretaries and the members of my administration here today who are working to advance the goals of the ADA so that it is not just the letter of the law, but the spirit of the law, that's being applied all across this country.  (Applause.)
 
I want to thank the members of Congress in attendance who fought to make ADA possible and to keep improving it throughout the years.  (Applause.)  I want to acknowledge Dick Thornburgh, who worked hard to make this happen as Attorney General under President George H.W. Bush.  (Applause.)
 
And by the way, I had a chance to speak to President Bush before I came out here, and he sends heartfelt regards to all of you.  And it’s -- he’s extraordinarily proud of the law that was passed.  He was very humble about his own role, but I think it’s worth acknowledging the great work that he did.  (Applause.)
 
We also remember those we’ve lost who helped make this law possible -- like our old friend, Ted Kennedy.  (Applause.)  And I see Patrick here.  And Justin Dart, Jr., a man folks call the father of the ADA -- whose wife Yoshiko, is here.  (Applause.)  Yoshiko, so nice to see you.  (Applause.)
 
I also notice that Elizabeth Dole is here, and I had a chance to speak to Bob Dole, as well, and thank him for the extraordinary role that he played in advancing this legislation.  (Applause.)
 
Let me also say that Congressman Jim Langevin wanted to be here today, but he’s currently presiding over the House chamber -- the first time in our history somebody using a wheelchair has done so.  (Applause.)
 
Today, as we commemorate what the ADA accomplished, we celebrate who the ADA was all about.  It was about the young girl in Washington State who just wanted to see a movie at her hometown theater, but was turned away because she had cerebral palsy; or the young man in Indiana who showed up at a worksite, able to do the work, excited for the opportunity, but was turned away and called a cripple because of a minor disability he had already trained himself to work with; or the student in California who was eager and able to attend the college of his dreams, and refused to let the iron grip of polio keep him from the classroom -- each of whom became integral to this cause.
 
And it was about all of you.  You understand these stories because you or someone you loved lived them.  And that sparked a movement.  It began when Americans no longer saw their own disabilities as a barrier to their success, and set out to tear down the physical and social barriers that were.  It grew when you realized you weren’t alone.  It became a massive wave of bottom-up change that swept across the country as you refused to accept the world as it was.  And when you were told, no, don’t try, you can’the -- you responded with that age-old American creed:  Yes, we can.  (Applause.)
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, we can!
 
Sit-ins in San Francisco.  Demonstrations in Denver.  Protests in Washington, D.C., at Gallaudet, and before Congress.  People marched, and organized, and testified.  And laws changed, and minds changed, and progress was won.  (Applause.)  
 
Now, that’s not to say it was easy.  You didn’t always have folks in Washington to fight on your behalf.  And when you did, they weren’t as powerful, as well-connected, as well-funded as the lobbyists who lined up to kill any attempt at change.  And at first, you might have thought, what does anyone in Washington know or care about my battle?  But what you knew from your own experience is that disability touches us all.  If one in six Americans has a disability, then odds are the rest of us love somebody with a disability.
 
I was telling a story to a group that was in the Oval Office before I came out here about Michelle’s father who had MS.  By the time I met him, he had to use two canes just to walk.  He was stricken with MS when he was 30 years old, but he never missed a day of work; had to wake up an hour early to get dressed --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  So what.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  -- to get to the job, but that was his attitude -- so what.  He could do it.  Didn't miss a dance recital.  Did not miss a ball game of his son.  Everybody has got a story like that somewhere in their family.
 
And that’s how you rallied an unlikely assortment of leaders in Congress and in the White House to the cause.  Congressmen like Steny Hoyer, who knew his wife Judy’s battle with epilepsy; and Tony Coehlo, who waged his own; and Jim Sensenbrenner, whose wife, Cheryl, is a tremendous leader and advocate for the community.  And they're both here today.  (Applause.)
 
Senators like Tom Harkin, who’s here today, and who signed -- (applause) -- who signed part of a speech on the ADA so his deaf brother, Frank, would understand.  And Ted Kennedy, whose sister had a severe intellectual disability and whose son lost a leg to cancer.  And Bob Dole, who was wounded serving heroically in World War II.  Senior officials in the White House, and even the President himself.
 
They understood this injustice from the depths of their own experience.  They also understood that by allowing this injustice to stand, we were depriving of our nation -- we were depriving our nation and our economy of the full talents and contributions of tens of millions of Americans with disabilities.
 
That is how the ADA came to be, when, to his enduring credit, President George H.W. Bush signed it into law, on this lawn, on this day, 20 years ago.  That’s how you changed America.  (Applause.)
 
Equal access -- to the classroom, the workplace, and the transportation required to get there.  Equal opportunity -- to live full and independent lives the way we choose.  Not dependence -- but independence.  That’s what the ADA was all about.  (Applause.)
 
But while it was a historic milestone in the journey to equality, it wasn’t the end.  There was, and is, more to do.  And that’s why today I’m announcing one of the most important updates to the ADA since its original enactment in 1991.
 
Today, the Department of Justice is publishing two new rules protecting disability-based discrimination -- or prohibiting disability-based discrimination by more than 80,000 state and local government entities, and 7 million private businesses.  (Applause.)  And beginning 18 months from now, all new buildings must be constructed in a way that’s compliant with the new 2010 standards for the design of doors and windows and elevators and bathrooms -- (applause) -- buildings like stores and restaurants and schools and stadiums and hospitals and hotels and theaters.  (Applause.)
 
My predecessor’s administration proposed these rules six years ago.  And in those six years, they’ve been improved upon with more than 4,000 comments from the public.  We’ve heard from all sides.  And that’s allowed us to do this in a way that makes sense economically and allows appropriate flexibility while ensuring Americans with disabilities full participation in our society.
 
And for the very first time, these rules will cover recreational facilities like amusement parks and marinas and gyms and golf facilities and swimming pools -- (applause) -- and municipal facilities like courtrooms and prisons.  (Applause.)  From now on, businesses must follow practices that allow individuals with disabilities an equal chance to purchase tickets for accessible seating at sporting events and concerts.  (Applause.)
 
And our work goes on.  Even as we speak, Attorney General Eric Holder is preparing new rules to ensure accessibility of websites.  (Applause.)
 
AUDIENCE:  Yes, we can.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, we can.
 
We’re also placing a new focus on hiring Americans with disabilities across the federal government.  (Applause.)  Today, only 5 percent of the federal workforce is made up of Americans with disabilities -- far below the proportion of Americans with disabilities in the general population.  In a few moments, I’ll sign an executive order that will establish the federal government as a model employer of individuals with disabilities.  (Applause.)  So we’re going to boost recruitment, we’re going to boost training, we’re going to boost retention.  We’ll better train hiring managers.  Each agency will have a senior official who’s accountable for achieving the goals we’ve set.  And I expect regular reports.  And we’re going to post our progress online so that you can hold us accountable, too.  (Applause.)
 
And these new steps build on the progress my administration has already made.
 
To see it that no one who signs up to fight for our country is ever excluded from its promise, we’ve made major investments in improving the care and treatment for our wounded warriors.  (Applause.)  To ensure full access to participation in our democracy and our economy, we’re working to make all government websites accessible to persons with disabilities.  (Applause.)
 
We’re expanding broadband Internet access to Americans who are deaf and hard of hearing.  We’ve followed through with a promise I made to create three new disability offices at the State Department and Department of Transportation and at FEMA.
 
And to promote equal rights across the globe, the United States of America joined 140 other nations in signing the U.N.  Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities -- the first new human rights convention of the 21st century.  (Applause.)
 
America was the first nation on Earth to comprehensively declare equality for its citizens with disabilities.  We should join the rest of the world to declare it again -- and when I submit our ratification package to Congress, I expect passage to be swift.  (Applause.)
 
And to advance the right to live independently, I launched the Year of Community Living, on the 10th anniversary of the Olmstead decision -- a decision that declared the involuntary institutional isolation of people with disabilities unlawful discrimination under the ADA.  (Applause.)
 
So HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius and HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan have worked together to improve access to affordable housing and community supports and independent living arrangements for people with disabilities.  And we continued a program that successfully helps people with disabilities transition to the community of their choice.  (Applause.)  And I’m proud of the work that the Department of Justice is doing to enforce Olmstead across the country.
 
And we’ve finally broken down one discriminatory barrier that the ADA left in place.  Because for too long, our health care system denied coverage to tens of millions of Americans with preexisting conditions -- including Americans with disabilities.  It was time to change that.  And we did.  Yes, we did.  (Applause.)
 
So the Affordable Care Act I signed into law four months ago will give every American more control over their health care -– and it will do more to give Americans with disabilities control over their own lives than any legislation since the ADA.  I know many of you know the frustration of fighting with an insurance company.  That’s why this law finally shifts the balance of power from them to you and to other consumers.  (Applause.)
 
No more denying coverage to children based on a preexisting condition or disability.  No more lifetime limits on coverage.  No more dropping your coverage when you get sick and need it the most because your insurance company found an unintentional error in your paperwork.  (Applause.)  And because Americans with disabilities are living longer and more independently, this law will establish better long-term care choices for Americans with disabilities as a consequence of the CLASS Act, an idea Ted Kennedy championed for years.  (Applause.)
 
Equal access.  Equal opportunity.  The freedom to make our lives what we will.  These aren’t principles that belong to any one group or any one political party.  They are common principles.  They are American principles.  No matter who we are -- young, old, rich, poor, black, white, Latino, Asian, Native American, gay, straight, disabled or not -- these are the principles we cherish as citizens of the United States of America.  (Applause.)
 
They were guaranteed to us in our founding documents.  One of the signers of those documents was a man named Stephen Hopkins.  He was a patriot, a scholar, a nine-time governor of Rhode Island.  It’s also said he had a form of palsy.  And on July 4, 1776, as he grasped his pen to sign his name to the Declaration of Independence, he said, “My hand trembles.  But my heart does not.”  My hand trembles.  But my heart does not.
 
Life, liberty,  the pursuit of happiness.  Words that began our never-ending journey to form a more perfect union.  To look out for one another.  To advance opportunity and prosperity for all of our people.  To constantly expand the meaning of life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness.  To move America forward.  That’s what we did with the ADA.  That is what we do today.  And that’s what we’re going to do tomorrow -- together.
 
So, thank you.  God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  Let me sign this order.  (Applause.)
                                     END                          6:44 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 26, 2010

Declaraciones del Presidente Sobre la Ley de Divulgacion (Disclose Act)

Jardín de Rosas

2:49 P.M. EDT

   EL PRESIDENTE: Buenas tardes a todos. Mañana habrá una votación sumamente importante en el Senado sobre cuánta influencia los intereses especiales deben tener en nuestra democracia. Debido a la decisión de la Corte Suprema este año en el caso de Citizens United, ahora se permite que grandes corporaciones –incluso las controladas por entidades extranjeras– gasten sumas ilimitadas de dinero en elecciones estadounidenses. Pueden comprar avisos de televisión por millones de dólares y, lo peor, ni siquiera tienen que divulgar quién en efecto paga los anuncios. En cambio, un grupo se puede esconder detrás de un nombre como “Ciudadanos en Busca de un Futuro Mejor”, incluso cuando “Compañías en Busca de Menor Supervisión” sería un nombre más exacto. Estos misteriosos grupos ya están recaudando fondos y ahorrando decenas de millones de dólares para ejercer influencia en las elecciones del otoño.

Ahora bien, imagínense el poder que esto les dará a los intereses especiales sobre los políticos. Los cabilderos de las corporaciones les podrán decir a los miembros del Congreso que si no votan de cierta manera, enfrentarán una embestida de anuncios negativos en su próxima campaña. Y en demasiados casos, nadie realmente sabrá quiénes están detrás de dichos anuncios. 

Por lo tanto, la Cámara de Representantes ya ha aprobado un proyecto de ley con el respaldo de miembros de ambos partidos que cambiaría todo esto antes de las próximas elecciones. La Ley DISCLOSE simplemente requeriría que las empresas que sacan anuncios políticos revelen quiénes financian sus actividades. De esa manera, cuando los intereses especiales comiencen a transmitir, quienes sacan y financian los anuncios, como el CEO de la empresa o el mayor contribuyente de una organización, se verían forzados a salir en ellos y aceptar responsabilidad por ellos. Y se les impondrían restricciones a las corporaciones y entidades controladas por extranjeros con respecto a gastos para ejercer influencia en elecciones estadounidenses, como solía ser.

Ahora bien, uno pensaría que hacer estas reformas es algo que tiene sentido, particularmente ya que principalmente se trata de asegurarse de que se sepa quiénes financian estos anuncios para que los estadounidenses puedan tomar decisiones independientes. Nadie está diciendo que no pueden sacar anuncios, sino simplemente nos estamos asegurando de que la gente sepa quiénes en realidad son los responsables por financiar estos anuncios. Y uno pensaría que reducir la influencia empresarial y extranjera en nuestras elecciones no es un asunto partidista. Pero por supuesto que se trata de Washington en el 2010. Y los líderes republicanos en el Senado nuevamente usan todas las tácticas y todas las maniobras posibles para impedir que siquiera se realice una votación, sea positiva o negativa, con respecto a la Ley DISCLOSE. Hicieron lo mismo con el seguro por desempleo para los estadounidenses que han perdido el trabajo durante esta recesión. Están haciendo lo mismo al bloquear los créditos tributarios y asistencia con préstamos para dueños de pequeñas empresas. En un asunto tras otro, nosotros tratamos de hacer que Estados Unidos avance, y ellos siguen tratando de hacernos retroceder.

En un momento de tantos desafíos para Estados Unidos, no podemos darnos el lujo de esta politiquería. Millones de estadounidenses se esfuerzan por sobrevivir, y no debe ahogar su voz la millonaria publicidad secreta de los intereses especiales. Se debe dejar oír las voces de los estadounidenses.

Un voto para oponerse a estas reformas no es sino un voto para permitir la toma de control de nuestras elecciones por corporaciones e intereses especiales. Es nocivo para nuestra democracia. Es precisamente eso lo que llevó a un Presidente republicano llamado Theodore Roosevelt a acometer este asunto hace un siglo. 

   En ese momento, el Presidente Roosevelt advirtió de los peligros del gasto ilimitado por empresas en nuestro sistema político. Es más, lo describió como “una de las principales fuentes de corrupción en nuestros asuntos políticos”. Y propuso límites estrictos para la influencia corporativa en las elecciones, no porque se oponía a que expresaran sus puntos de vista en los recintos de la democracia, sino porque no quería que se acallaran las voces de todos los demás.

   Dijo, “Todos los intereses especiales tienen derecho a justicia, pero ninguno tiene derecho… ninguno tiene derecho de votar en el Congreso o a una voz en un tribunal o a representación en un cargo público”, porque comprendía que no son votantes individuales, sino amalgamas de intereses especiales. Tienen el derecho de contratar a sus cabilderos. Tienen el derecho de presentar su punto de vista. Incluso tienen el derecho de hacer publicidad. Pero lo menos que deberíamos saber es quiénes son.

Entonces, el martes enfrentamos el tipo de desafío del que Teddy Roosevelt habló hace un siglo. Tenemos una oportunidad similar de impedir que los intereses especiales obtengan incluso más influencia en Washington. No debe ser un asunto demócrata o un asunto republicano. Este asunto es cuestión de si vamos a tener o no un gobierno que trabaja para los estadounidenses comunes y corriente; un gobierno de, por y para el pueblo.

Por eso son importantes estas reformas y por eso insto al Senado a que apruebe la ley DISCLOSE.

Gracias.

            END      2:55 P.M. EDT

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 26, 2010

Remarks by the President on the DISCLOSE Act

Rose Garden

2:49 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Tomorrow there’s going to be a very important vote in the Senate about how much influence special interests should have over our democracy.  Because of the Supreme Court’s decision earlier this year in the Citizens United case, big corporations –- even foreign-controlled ones –- are now allowed to spend unlimited amounts of money on American elections.  They can buy millions of dollars worth of TV ads –- and worst of all, they don’t even have to reveal who’s actually paying for the ads.  Instead, a group can hide behind a name like “Citizens for a Better Future,” even if a more accurate name would be “Companies for Weaker Oversight.”  These shadow groups are already forming and building war chests of tens of millions of dollars to influence the fall elections. 

Now, imagine the power this will give special interests over politicians.  Corporate lobbyists will be able to tell members of Congress if they don’t vote the right way, they will face an onslaught of negative ads in their next campaign.  And all too often, no one will actually know who’s really behind those ads.   

So the House has already passed a bipartisan bill that would change all this before the next election.  The DISCLOSE Act would simply require corporate political advertisers to reveal who’s funding their activities.  So when special interests take to the airwaves, whoever is running and funding the ad would have to appear in the advertisement and claim responsibility for it -– like a company’s CEO or the organization’s biggest contributor.  And foreign-controlled corporations and entities would be restricted from spending money to influence American elections -- just as they were in the past.

Now, you’d think that making these reforms would be a matter of common sense, particularly since they primarily involve just making sure that folks who are financing these ads are disclosed so that the American people can make up their own minds.  Nobody is saying you can’t run the ads -- just make sure that people know who in fact is behind financing these ads.  And you’d think that reducing corporate and even foreign influence over our elections would not be a partisan issue.  But of course, this is Washington in 2010.  And the Republican leadership in the Senate is once again using every tactic and every maneuver they can to prevent the DISCLOSE Act from even coming up for an up or down vote.  Just like they did with unemployment insurance for Americans who’d lost their jobs in this recession.  Just like they’re doing by blocking tax credits and lending assistance for small business owners.  On issue after issue, we are trying to move America forward, and they keep on trying to take us back. 

At a time of such challenge for America, we can’t afford these political games.  Millions of Americans are struggling to get by, and their voices shouldn’t be drowned out by millions of dollars in secret, special interest advertising.  The American people’s voices should be heard. 

A vote to oppose these reforms is nothing less than a vote to allow corporate and special interest takeovers of our elections.  It is damaging to our democracy.  It is precisely what led a Republican President named Theodore Roosevelt to tackle this issue a century ago.   

Back then, President Roosevelt warned of the dangers of limitless corporate spending in our political system.  He actually called it “one of the principal sources of corruption in our political affairs.”  And he proposed strict limits on corporate influence in elections not because he was opposed to them expressing their views in the halls of democracy, but he didn’t want everybody else being drowned out. 

He said, “Every special interest is entitled to justice, but no one is entitled” -- “not one is entitled to a vote in Congress, or a voice on the bench, or to representation in any public office,” because he understood those weren’t individual voters -- these are amalgams of special interests.  They have the right to hire their lobbyists.  They have the right to put forward their view.  They even have the right to advertise.  But the least we should be able to do is know who they are.

So on Tuesday we face the sort of challenge that Teddy Roosevelt talked about over a century ago.  We’ve got a similar opportunity to prevent special interests from gaining even more clout in Washington.  This should not be a Democratic issue or a Republican issue.  This is an issue that goes to whether or not we’re going to have a government that works for ordinary Americans; a government of, by and for the people.

That’s why these reforms are so important, and that’s why I urge the Senate to pass the DISCLOSE Act.

Thank you.

END
2:55 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2010

Remarks by the First Lady at Christening of U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Stratton in Pascagoula, Mississippi

Port of Pascagoula, Pascagoula, Mississippi

 11:15 A.M. CDT 

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you all.  Thank you.  Thanks so much.  Mike, thank you for that very kind introduction.  I think you gave me a few promotions along the way, but that’s okay, I’ll take them.  (Laughter.)  

And to you and all of the shipbuilders and their families who are here today -- congratulations on this truly magnificent ship.  It is amazing.

Here in Pascagoula, you have been building ships for centuries.  It’s in your blood.  It’s a proud tradition passed on from generation to generation.  Your hands have given us some of the greatest ships in the United States Navy and Coast Guard.  So whether you’re a welder or a fitter or a burner -- whatever your craft -- today is also a tribute to you and your families, and we thank you, as a grateful nation.  (Applause.)

Secretary Napolitano; Admiral Papp and Linda, and all our outstanding Coast Guard leaders, personnel and their families -- especially those of you from Coast Guard Station Pascagoula; members and friends of the Stratton family; First Lady Marsha Barbour; Representative Taylor; distinguished guests; ladies and gentlemen:

It is an incredible privilege to be with you today.  And I thank you for the great honor of being the first First Lady to sponsor a United States Coast Guard cutter.  (Applause.)  And believe me, I am humbled that its namesake is the first woman to serve as a commissioned officer in the United States Coast Guard -- one of the true pioneers in American history -- Captain Dorothy C. Stratton.  (Applause.) 

The christening of a ship is a tradition that I hear goes back thousands of years.  And according to some legend, one sponsor’s aim was so bad that the bottle hit someone in the audience.  (Laughter.)  So fortunately, these days the bottle is tied tight and we’re way over there.  So all of you in the front row can breathe a sigh of relief. 

Today is a wonderful celebration of an extraordinary life and the meaning that it holds for all of us.  Like most of you, I wasn’t fortunate enough to know Captain Stratton personally.  But I have come to know her story.  And as a woman, and as a mother of two daughters, as an American, I stand in awe of her life of service.  And after all these years later, all of us -- whether you’re a woman or a man, Coast Guard or another service, whether you’re military or civilian -- every American can be inspired by her example.

Because Captain Stratton taught us first about love of country.  See, she didn’t come from a military family.  And she certainly didn’t dream of wearing the uniform.  Instead, she distinguished herself first in academia.  But what happened?  Pearl Harbor was bombed, and our country was at war.  So she volunteered.  And when a colleague at Purdue University said -- and this is a quote -- “Dorothy, you can’t afford to do this,” her reply was simple.  She said, “I can’t afford not to.”

Captain Stratton also taught us about perseverance.  See, for all its opportunities, the SPARs were still limited.  They couldn’t give men orders, which is an absolute problem.  (Laughter.)  They couldn’t serve overseas, or even go to sea.  Later in life, she would say, “I’m sometimes referred to as the commanding officer of the SPARs.  Actually, I had no command authority.  All I had was the power of persuasion.” 

And that’s just how Captain Stratton taught us about the power of a single individual to bring about real change.  She traveled the country, giving speeches, recruiting other women, including, for the first time in the Coast Guard, African American women.  To so many of those young women, she became their mentor, she became their champion and their inspiration.  And she built them into a proud 11,000-strong Coast Guard Women’s Reserve.  (Applause.)

And Captain Stratton taught us what’s possible when people are given the opportunity to show their potential.  The SPARs were designed to free up men for the war.  But it also freed a new generation of women to believe in themselves -- as radio operators, air traffic controllers, parachute riggers and machinists.  These women were strong, independent, confident.  As Captain Stratton said, “All we asked was for the Coast Guard just to give the women a chance.  They gave the women the chance, and the women made good.”  (Applause.) 

And perhaps -- perhaps most remarkably, Captain Stratton broke all of these barriers in just four short years. Yet those four years gave birth to a legacy that lives on even today.

Her legacy lives on first in the love of her family, including those who join us today, who I’m looking forward to meeting -- her niece Barbara, her nephew Richard, and their families, and Captain Stratton’s dear friend, Sally Watlington.  We want to thank you all for being here, for keeping her memory alive.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.) 

But her legacy lives on in the admiration of her fellow SPARs -- these amazing women who marched and drilled and trained and proved themselves more than worthy of America’s uniform.  And as one of them said with pride, “We were full-fledged and we were salty.  By gosh, we were Coast Guard.” 

And while most of those original 11,000 are no longer with us, we are truly honored to be joined today by more than 20 surviving SPARs.  They have traveled, I understand, from all across the country to be with us. And again, I’d like to join in a tribute to you all.  Thank you so much.  You are extraordinary women -- part of the Greatest Generation.  (Applause.)

The legacy of Captain Stratton and her SPARs lives on in all those who followed in their footsteps.  After World War II, it would be another 30 years before women started to be fully admitted to the Coast Guard and other services.  But ask any of those women -- including those here today -- and they’ll tell you that it was Captain Stratton, the SPARs and the women of World War II who opened the door so that they could walk through and proudly serve this country. 

Today, women not only serve on ships, they command them; serve as Vice Commandant of the Coast Guard.   They have proven their courage in battle in Iraq and Afghanistan.  I was proud to welcome to the White House some of the women who broke that “brass ceiling” -- including Army General Ann Dunwoody, the first woman in American history to achieve the rank of four-star general.  (Applause.)  So today -- today it is absolutely clear for all to see that women in uniform are indispensable to American military. 

We see it in today’s Coast Guard -- men and women, officer and enlisted, Active, Reserve -- succeeding together as one team -- “Team Coast Guard.”  And true to their motto, they are “Always Ready” -- securing our coasts; protecting our ports; stopping drugs that would end up on our streets; responding to disasters, as we saw in Haiti; and serving in every one of America’s wars, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

We’ve seen this same spirit right here in the Gulf Coast.  Our Coast Guard men and women were the first on the scene when that rig exploded, and they have been here ever since.  And I had the pleasure of meeting with some of them this morning.  They make us proud.  They come from all over the country to help with the largest response of its kind in American history. 

And it’s important to know that many of them are reservists, so they got their orders, they kissed their families good-bye, they deployed on very little notice.  And they are making a difference every day, and they’re keeping even more oil off the beaches.  So along with all our men and women in uniform who are lending a hand, they deserve our thanks.  We are so proud as a nation of what you all are doing.  (Applause. 

We’re all relieved that the leak appears to have been stopped for now.  And today, I can share some more good news.  About one-third of the federal waters in the Gulf that were closed to fishing -- more than 25,000 square miles -- have been reopened.  (Applause.)  Also, the seafood from these waters has been tested and it is safe to eat.  (Applause.)  But I want you to know that the President, his administration, they are doing everything they can to get you all back fishing right here in Mississippi, too.  (Applause.)  And our Coast Guard, our country, we are going to stand with you as long as it takes to clean this up and to help this region recover. 

But, of course, this is not over.  In Pascagoula and all along the coast, I know that you and your families are still hurting.  So I want the whole country to know what I’ve been saying -- there are beaches down here, and they are open, and they are beautiful.  And even though there may be some bad weather in the next few days, the best way that this country can help this region is to come down here, right, come here -- (applause) -- visit, support these communities.  And, yes, in fact, the President and I, we are going to come on down.  (Applause.)  We’re happy to announce yesterday that we’ll be coming down to the Gulf.  I’m not sure where, because that’s another life -- they plan my life and they send me off.  (Laughter.)  But we’re going to come down for a little family vacation next month.  And we can’t wait.  (Applause.)

The point is, we are all together in this.  We have to be.  Here in Pascagoula and the Gulf Coast, you guys already know this.  Over the years, you’ve seen some really tough times and some terrible storms.  But you have always pulled through because you’ve always pulled together.  We can’t do it alone.  You know that as neighbors, as Americans, we all have a responsibility to each other. 

So, too, when it comes to one of my defining missions as First Lady, and that is supporting our incredible men and women in uniform and their families. 

I have issued a national challenge -- a challenge to every sector of American society to mobilize and take action to support and engage our military families.  It’s a challenge not just to government, but to the private sector, to communities, and most importantly, to every single individual citizen.  See, one percent of Americans may be fighting in our wars and protecting our country, but 100 percent of Americans need to be supporting our troops and their families.  And, see, the thing is -- (applause) -- everyone can do something.  Everyone can play a part.

And Captain Stratton knew this, because it was the story of her life -- an amazing 107-year life.  For as long as she could, she was still giving back.  She was still finding ways to serve her country; still encouraging and engaging with the Coast Guard that she loved; still inspiring the next generation -- serving as a role model, not just to our daughters and our granddaughters, but, yes, to our sons and our grandsons, too.

And the thing is, that may be her greatest legacy of all.  And if you’ve ever been to our nation’s capital, you can see this for yourself.  There’s -- right there at the entrance at Arlington National Cemetery, where so many of America’s fallen heroes rest, stands this beautiful tribute -- it’s the Women in Military Service of America Memorial.  It’s beautiful.  It honors the service of all those brave women who have served to keep us free.

And if you climb the granite steps and you stroll along the curved walkways, you’ll come across words etched forever in glass.  And they are the words of Captain Dorothy C. Stratton, and they read:  “We wanted to serve our country in times of need.  The Coast Guard gave us this opportunity and we did our job well.”

So, to the SPARs who join us today, thank you for your job done so very well.  (Applause.)  To the Coast Guard and to the crew of the Stratton, thank you.  Thank you for the honor of being associated with you and your families, which I will treasure for the rest of my life.  And thank you to all of you.  Thank you for the job that you all do every day to keep America and its ships so strong and so proud. 

God bless you all.  God bless America.  And Semper Paratus!

    Thank you so much. 

                   END           11:32 A.M. CDT

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2010

Remarks by the President on the Economy

Roosevelt Room

12:10 P.M. EDT 

     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody.  Trying a little change of venue here, mix it up.  

     I want to talk about the progress that we made this week on three fronts, as we work to repair the damage to our economy from this recession and build a stronger foundation for the future.

     First, I signed a Wall Street reform bill that will protect consumers and our entire economy from the recklessness and irresponsibility that led to the worst recession since the Great Depression.  It’s a reform that will help us put a stop to the abusive practices of mortgage lenders and credit card companies, and ensure that people get the straight, unvarnished information that they need before they take out a loan or open a credit card. It will bring the shadowy deals that caused the financial crisis into the light of day.  And it will end taxpayer bailouts of Wall Street firms and give shareholders a say on executive compensation.

     The need for this reform, by the way, was underscored by the report issued by Ken Feinberg this morning, identifying a number of financial companies that continue to pay out lavish bonuses at the height of the financial crisis even as they accepted billions of dollars in taxpayer assistance. 

     Second, I signed a law that will improve our ability to crack down on improper payments made by our government.  Every year the government wastes tens of billions of dollars -- taxpayer dollars -- on erroneous payments to companies that haven't paid their taxes, or to prison inmates, or even to people who died a long time ago.  Today we have the technology to block these payments.  And the law I signed will give us new tools to do so.  I've set a target to save at least $50 billion in -- by 2012, savings that are more important today than ever because we simply don't have any money to waste. 

     Third, we finally overcame the procedural blockade of a partisan minority in the Senate to restore unemployment insurance for about 2.5 million Americans who are out of work and looking for a job. 

     So, taken together, we made enormous progress this week on Wall Street reform, on making sure that we're eliminating waste and abuse in government, and in providing immediate assistance to people who are out there looking for work.  

But ultimately, our goal is to make sure the people who are looking for a job can find a job.  And that's why it’s so important for the Senate to pass the additional steps that I’ve asked for to cut taxes and expand lending for America’s small businesses, our most important engine for hiring and for growth. And a small business jobs bill that contains these measures may come up for a final vote in the Senate in the next few days. 

     With this small business bill, we’ll set up a new lending fund to help community banks offer small businessmen and women the loans they need to grow and to hire.  We’ll help states encourage more private sector loans to small businesses in industries like manufacturing or construction that have been especially hard hit by this recession.  We’ll expand our most successful small business initiatives and more than double the size of loans our small business owners can take out. 

     And to unlock the growth of our entrepreneurs, we’ll finally do what I’ve been advocating since I ran for President, which is to eliminate capital gains taxes entirely for key investments in small businesses. 

     Now, last night, after a series of partisan delays, the Senate took an important step forward by supporting a lending fund in the overall small business jobs bill.  I want to thanks Senators Mary Landrieu and George Lemieux for their leadership and advocacy on behalf of the millions of small business people for whom this will make a meaningful difference.  I was heartened that Senator LeMieux and Senator George Voinovich crossed party lines to help pass this lending provision last night, and I hope we can now finish the job and pass the small business jobs plan without delay and without additional partisan wrangling. 

     You know, the small businessmen and women who write to me every day, and the folks who I’ve met with across this country, they can’t afford any more political games.  They need us to do what they sent us here to do.  They didn't send us here to wage a never-ending campaign.  They didn't send us here to do what’s best for our political party.  They sent us here to do what’s best for the United States of America and all its citizens, whether Democrats or Republicans or independents.  In other words, they sent us here to govern.  And that's what I hope we will do in the remaining days before the Congress takes its August recess. 

     Thank you very much.             

                                  END                12:15 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
July 23, 2010

Remarks by the First Lady at a Coast Guard Gulf Coast Oil Spill Briefing in Pascagoula, Mississippi

Jackson County Emergency Operations Center

Pascagoula, Mississippi

9:40 A.M. CDT

MRS. OBAMA:  I am pleased and honored to be here in Pascagoula and back in Mississippi.  My first visit was to Jackson, and the Governor and the First Lady were so warm and gracious, and our time at that school I’ll never forget.  So I’m glad to be back.

And I want to thank the leaders here of Pascagoula for giving me such a warm welcome.  I’m delighted to be here.  I’m here for a couple of reasons.  Later on today, I have the honor of christening a U.S. Coast Guard cutter, the Stratton, named after Captain Dorothy Stratton, one of the finest women in uniform, and I’m very excited and honored to do that.  I think I’m the first First Lady to christen a U.S. Coast Guard cutter ship.

MRS. BARBOUR:  You are, in the history of the U.S.A.

MRS. OBAMA:  So I just hope that I don’t break anything other than that bottle -- (laughter) -- later today.

MRS. BARBOUR:  But break it.

MRS. OBAMA:  But I’m going to break it!  (Laughter.)  I was in the pitcher’s mound throwing a few days ago, so I think my arm is warmed up.

But I’m also here because I wanted to get a better sense of how things are going here around the spill, and I also wanted to highlight and just sort of thank all of our U.S. Coast Guardsmen and women for their service.  I mean, this has been a tough row to hoe.  This has been a difficult assignment on so many levels.  But it’s so important for the country to know that you all were the first folks on the ground, and you have been here from the very beginning -- I understand working nonstop for 12- to 16-hour days. 

And it’s important for the country to realize that many U.S. Coast Guardsmen and women are reservists, which means that they were out there living their lives and got the call to be deployed, and they’ve been away from their families for months now.  And I now that there are some difficulties in that as well.

But we are grateful to you all for the work that you’ve done.  You’ve done just a tremendous job in responding and keeping the outcomes of this crisis limited.  And we’re just proud and grateful.

So I want to make sure that our country knows that you all are doing a phenomenal job, and you’re doing it while you’re sacrificing -- your families are sacrificing as well.

So I want to get a good sense of how things are going, not just with the efforts here but also how things are going for you and your families.

So I want this to be a broader conversation.  I want to know about the spill, about the challenges, what I can take back to the President, to the administration. 

But I also want to get a sense of some of the challenges that you’re facing and things we can do.  As you know, I’ve made supporting military families one of my top priorities, and it’s important for me to know how things are going and what we can do to highlight and to shed light and to help provide some support to you and your families and to do a better job of it.  So I want this conversation to be twofold.

And finally, I just want to make sure that the people in the Gulf, not just here in Pascagoula but throughout the state of Mississippi and all across the Gulf, people should know that this administration has done a great job in response, but they know that our work is not over yet.  We’ve gotten some good news -- the spill has been contained.  The cleanup effort is going very well, as we have all heard.  But this isn’t over yet.  And this administration is going to stand with the people of the Gulf until folks are made whole again.

END
9:45 A.M. CDT