The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 08, 2010

Interview of the President by Sergey Brilev of Channel Rossiya, Russian Television

Diplomatic Reception Room

(Conducted May 6, 2010)

1:50 P.M. EDT

Q    President Obama, thanks so much for having me here.

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.

Q    I've got several important issues in Russian-American bilateral relations, which we will of course discuss.  But first let me come back to the events which happened 65 years ago.  Now, Russia is, of course, a country which lost more than 20 million people; Russia proper, 70 percent of the losses of the USSR.  And it’s self-sufficient to say second world war and Russia.  But it’s also an important issue here.  What do you tell your children, for instance, about the second world war?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, we have personal connections.  My grandfather fought in World War II.  He was part of Patton’s Army.  And my great-uncle, my grandmother’s brother, was one of those who liberated Buchenwald.  And so obviously those memories are very important.  And the May 9th commemoration in Russia is so important because it reminds us of the extraordinary sacrifices that the then-Soviet Union made and the strength of the alliance between the U.S. and the Russian people.

In fact, our current ambassador in Moscow, Ambassador Beyrle, his grandfather briefly fought with the Soviet Army.  He was part of U.S. operations there; was captured, escaped into the Soviet Union, and ended up fighting with the Soviet Union Army for a time.  And that I think symbolizes how the joint allied efforts helped to defeat fascism and it is one of the most important military alliances of all time.

Q    Now that we are into reset, given today’s certain responses, which are the common enemies of today?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, obviously terrorism is one of them.  Immediately after the tragic events in Moscow I called President Medvedev and pledged that the United States would work in any way that Moscow thought made sense in helping to find the perpetrators of this terrible act.

We just recently had an attempted terrorist act in New York and it’s a signal I think that whether these activities are happening in Moscow or they’re happening in New York, that countries have to work together to make sure that these terrorists are apprehended, that their networks are destroyed, that their sources of financing dry up.

And no single country is going to be able to do that on their own; countries are going to have to work together.  And that is something that I’m very much looking to increasing cooperation between the United States and Russia.

Beyond that, though, I think it’s important to recognize that the whole concept of reset between U.S. and Russian relations is not just on issues of security.  We have a lot of security issues that we have to discuss.  Obviously, I’m very proud of the START Treaty and our efforts to reduce our nuclear arsenals.  But one of the things that President Medvedev and I have discussed is how can we really ramp up our commercial, our trade, our economic ties?  How can we help to promote the innovation agenda in Russia?  What are we doing around high-tech industries that can produce jobs and raise standards of livings for both the Russian people and the United States?  And that’s an area where I think you’re going to see a lot of work and a lot of cooperation. 

One of things we’re very excited about is we set up a presidential commission with 16 active groups on everything from energy to high-tech.  And I recently extended an invitation to President Medvedev to visit the United States in late June.  And one of the things we hope he’s going to be able to do is not just visit Washington, but also travel, for example, to Silicon Valley and see how the connections between universities and venture capital and business has been able to create some of the extraordinary inventions that all of us use today.

Q    Now that you mentioned the START Treaty, when are we going to ratify it?  And what are the chances?

THE PRESIDENT:  My hope is that we ratify it this year on our side and --

Q    During this Congress or after the election?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, I’d like to see it happen before the election.  Obviously it’s technical and I think it’s appropriate for the Senate to examine it, but we’re going to be putting forward the text of the treaty, the annexes, all the necessary materials before the Senate in short order.  And our hope is, is that they will be able to review it quickly and recognize that this is an important step in the efforts of both the United States and Russia to meet our obligations under the Non-Proliferation Treaty to lower our stockpiles, at the same time as we work together to hold other countries accountable on obligations regarding the Non-Proliferation Treaty.

Q    Well, that was the point actually of signing the treaty -- to save money and also to convince the rest of the world.  But then after what Mr. Ahmadinejad had to say this week, are we convincing the rest of the world?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, look, I think Iran and North Korea are two special cases.  I think most countries around the world have recognized that the core principles of the Non-Proliferation Treaty -- the NPT -- would say that countries are -- that have nuclear weapons should try to reduce their reliance on nuclear weapons; that countries that don’t have them should forgo them; and that everybody has the right to peaceful nuclear energy.  That principle has been embraced by a lot of countries.  And there are countries like South Africa, for example, that had gone fairly far down the path of developing a nuclear weapon and decided this didn’t make sense for us.

North Korea and Iran are two outliers -- countries that have insisted on flouting international rules and U.N. Security Council resolutions; aren’t cooperating the way they need to with the IAEA.  And so I’ve been very heartened by the cooperation that we’ve seen so far between the United States, Russia, the other members of the P5-plus-1, in terms of imposing the kinds of pressure and sanctions that are necessary to get Iran to choose a more responsible path that will lead it back into the heart of the international community.

Q    Having signed the treaty, and having carried out several other things within the reset framework agenda, we have achieved a better mutual understanding.  How can you convert it into something of a substance in such particular area as European security?  Because also, NATO is a solution for those countries which are in, but NATO is not a solution for self-sufficient countries like Russia.  What’s to do be done there?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, President Medvedev has put forward some ideas about a new security architecture in Europe.  We’re examining them.  I take them very seriously.  But I think that the most important thing at this point is to work with the institutions we have to see if we can rebuild the trust that for some time had been lost. 

So, for example, I have been supportive of NATO-Russia consultation in a much more systematic way than has been observed over the last several years.

My sense is, is that all the parties in Europe, all the members of the NATO Alliance, want to have a strong, cooperative relationship with Russia.  There are certain core principles that we think have to be observed within that cooperative framework:  a respect for territorial integrity of internationally recognized borders; a belief that a country’s core sovereignty includes its ability to choose how it allies itself; a rejection of the notion of spheres of influence, whether it’s U.S. spheres or European spheres or Russian spheres.

Within those broad principles, though, if you look -- going back to your earlier question -- the real threats against Russian well-being or U.S. well-being to a large degree are at this point much more aligned than they’ve ever been.  It has to do with non-state actors.  It has to do with the proliferation of nuclear weapons.  It has to do with environmental catastrophes.  It has to do with an integrated economy in which if you see a crisis in Greece taking place, that can affect world markets.  These are all issues in which cooperation rather than antagonism are the order of the day.

And I think President Medvedev recognizes this.  I've been very impressed with him.  I think he is a strong leader, a good man, very thoughtful.  I find it very easy to do business with him, and I think we've established a relationship, a real trust that can be hopefully bearing fruit in the negotiations and conversations that we have in years to come.

Q    I'll use this opportunity now that you mentioned Greece and the economic crisis.  I had a free day yesterday preparing for this interview, so I went fishing to Maryland.  I met someone called Dave Shelby (phonetic) I think, the captain of the boat.  I caught a 24-pounder -- (laughter.)  He said to me that he’s got 30 percent less clients -- well, then, of course, the fuel is up a dollar per gallon.  And I was comparing his economic comments with my position, and strangely enough and luckily enough, I can actually afford more things in America these days because of the ruble which is so stronger than the -- comparatively than euro and dollar were meant to be.

Where do you see the dollar, given the circumstances with the global economic crisis?  Would you like to see a weaker dollar -- although it doesn’t sound nice for the American public, but still -- internationally speaking, a stronger dollar?  Where are you?

THE PRESIDENT:  My basic principle is to focus on the fundamentals of the economy.  We have a market-based mechanism for determining the value of currencies.  I think that if we have a strong U.S. economy we're going to have a strong dollar.  And obviously we've just gone through a very difficult period -- the whole world has.  We've seen stabilization and the U.S. economy is slowly strengthening in ways that I think if you’d asked a year ago we might have said that it was going to take longer than it has for that stabilization to take place.

I am very concerned about what’s happening in Europe.  But I think it is an issue that the Europeans recognize is very serious.  Greece is taking some very difficult measures -- at least they’ve put forward a plan that calls for difficult measures.  And if we can stabilize Europe that will be good for the United States and that will be good for Russia as well. 

But the key point today is the degree of integration among all economies.  That's why I have said, and the United States is actively pursuing, the belief that the G20 framework is so important; that we have to recognize that China, Brazil, Indonesia, South Africa, all these countries that traditionally have been viewed as on the periphery of economic decision-making, they are now at the core -- India -- are huge economies.  And what happens there is going to impact us in the same way that what happens in Moscow or New York is going to impact them.

Q    The G20 shall indeed substitute the G8.

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, my belief is, is that there’s going to be a transition period, but that the G20 represents the economic framework of the future.

Q    Lastly -- so lucky to be in front of the U.S. President, but still I have to ask one last question.  The adoption issue -- well, I do not support those who say, well, Americans killing Russian children.  This is not the case.  Absolute majority of the children adopted from Russia have their lives here.  Even more important is the fact that more and more Russians are adopting Russian children in Russia.  In fact, there are more Russians than Americans these days doing such things.  But then, still 17 kids have been killed -- or, well, died in this country.  It is an issue, especially after this American woman sent Artem Saveliev to Russia.  What’s to be done?

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, first of all, obviously, what happened with the small number of children who have been adversely affected is terrible.  And we can’t minimize what’s happened.  As you point out, there have been tens of thousands of Russian children adopted by U.S. families.  The overwhelming majority are leading happy, healthy lives.  But ultimately, the policy has to be what’s best for children -- whether they’re living in Russia or they’re living in the United States.

What we’ve done is to set up a bilateral discussion between our State Department and counterparts in Russian to find out how do we create an agreement in which children are protected.  And I think that’s ultimately the goal.  And as the father of two children, obviously, it breaks my heart to think about children who have been vulnerable, have probably already gone through difficult situations and then are subjected to even more difficult situations in the past.  But as you point out, I think it’s also important to recognize that in the overwhelming majority of cases, adoptions are the absolute best thing for the child.  And we want to make sure that we preserve the best of the system while eliminating these abuses.

Q    Mr. President, thanks so much, indeed.

THE PRESIDENT:  I enjoyed it.  Thank you.

END
2:05 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2010

Declaraciones del Presidente sobre las cifras laborales del mes

Entrada Sur

11:03 A.M. EDT
 
   EL PRESIDENTE: Bien. Buenos días a todos. Con una frecuencia que parece ser diaria, nos inundan datos estadísticos, pronósticos e informes y datos relacionados con el bienestar económico. Pero desde los primeros días de este gobierno, en medio de la peor crisis económica desde la Gran Depresión, he dicho que la medida más exacta de progreso es si estamos generando empleo o no. Eso es lo importante en la vida de la gente. Lo importante es si alguien que necesita trabajo puede encontrar empleo, si la gente puede mantener a su familia y ahorrar para el futuro y lograr cierta medida de seguridad económica.
 
   Todo lo que hemos hecho ha sido con este objetivo en mente. Y hoy, me complace reportar que hemos recibido noticias muy alentadoras. En abril, la economía agregó 290,000 empleos, y una gran mayoría –aproximadamente 230,000– provino del sector privado. Éste es el mayor aumento mensual en cuatro años. Y en febrero y marzo, generamos 121,000 empleos más de lo que se calculó anteriormente, lo que significa que hemos visto generación de empleo durante cuatro meses consecutivos. Estas cifras son particularmente alentadoras cuando se toma en cuenta dónde estaban hace un año, que la economía caía en picada. En la peor parte de la retracción, aproximadamente cuando asumí la presidencia, estábamos perdiendo un promedio de 750,000 empleos mensuales.
 
   Entonces, esta noticia viene inmediatamente después del informe de la semana pasada de que la producción general de nuestra economía –nuestro PIB– está aumentando. Ahora sabemos que la economía ha estado creciendo durante la mayor parte de los últimos doce meses. Y este estable crecimiento está comenzando a darles a las empresas la confianza para ampliar sus operaciones y contratar a gente nueva.
 
   También debo mencionar que la tasa de desempleo aumentó ligeramente de 9.7 a 9.9 [por ciento]. Dada la solidez de estas cifras laborales, esto parecería ser contradictorio, pero este aumento refleja mayormente el hecho de que trabajadores que habían abandonado la fuerza laboral del todo ahora están viendo empleos otra vez …están buscando empleo nuevamente, alentados por mejores posibilidades.
 
   Ahora, quiero hacer hincapié en esto: La crisis económica que hemos enfrentado ha causado grandes perjuicios a familias y empresas en todo el país y tomará un tiempo repararlos y reconstruir. En el transcurso de esta recesión, se han perdido más de 8 millones de empleos. Entonces, hay mucha gente por allí que aún pasa verdaderos apuros. Y debemos tener en mente que a pesar de las cifras laborales de hoy, que son bienvenidas, queda mucho trabajo por hacer. Tomará tiempo lograr la generación laboral contundente y sostenida que es necesaria. Y por supuesto, mucho antes de que esta recesión nos afectara, durante una década, las familias de clase media ya venían percibiendo una menor seguridad económica.
   
   O sea que sí, nos queda mucho que hacer. Pero también hemos logrado mucho. Y podemos ver que las difíciles y a veces poco populares medidas que hemos tomado en el último año están teniendo un impacto. La productividad ha aumentado. El número de horas que la gente trabaja ha aumentado. Ambos son indicios de que posiblemente las empresas contraten a más trabajadores en los próximos meses. Vimos el mayor aumento en empleo industrial desde 1998. Y podemos ver los beneficios de nuestra Ley para la Recuperación en las sólidas cifras de la construcción y otros sectores en el informe laboral, en los que hemos hecho importantes inversiones para generar y preservar empleos.
 
   Por supuesto, que hay límites a lo que el gobierno puede hacer. El verdadero motor de la generación laboral en este país siempre será el sector privado. Por eso nos complace mucho ver la sólida generación de empleo en el sector privado.
 
  Lo que el gobierno puede hacer es ayudar a crear las condiciones para que las empresas vuelvan a contratar. Lo que puede hacer es desarrollar la infraestructura y ofrecer incentivos que permitan que las pequeñas empresas agreguen trabajadores, que ayuden a los empresarios a apostar a una idea, que lleve a los industriales a establecerse no en el extranjero sino aquí mismo en Estados Unidos de Norteamérica.
 
   Y eso es lo que hemos estado haciendo. En este momento, están entrando en vigor una serie de incentivos tributarios y otras medidas para promover la contratación. Gracias a una ley que promulgué hace unas semanas, las empresas ahora reúnen los requisitos para créditos tributarios por contratar a trabajadores desempleados. Las empresas también podrán deducir más de sus inversiones en equipo nuevo. Y estamos propiciando inversiones adicionales en renovación de escuelas, proyectos de energía limpia y construcción de carreteras, lo cual generará empleos y a la vez sentará nuevas bases para un crecimiento duradero.
 
   Además, como parte de la reforma de salud, 4 millones de pequeñas empresas recientemente recibieron una postal por correo que les decía que reúnen los requisitos para un crédito tributario este año. Tiene un valor de quizá decenas de miles de dólares para cada una de estas compañías. Y será un alivio bienvenido para los dueños de pequeñas empresas, quienes a menudo han tenido que escoger entre la atención médica y la contratación.
 
   Entonces, esto es lo que ya ha entrado en vigor. Pero aún queda más por hacer. En mi discurso sobre el Estado de la Nación, propuse un fondo para otorgarles préstamos por $30,000 millones a las pequeñas empresas, lo que ayudaría a aumentar el flujo de crédito a pequeñas empresas muy afectadas por la disminución en otorgamiento de préstamos tras la crisis económica. Y obviamente, las pequeñas empresas son una fuente importante de generación de empleo.
 
  Esta mañana, remitimos una propuesta legislativa al Congreso sobre este fondo, el que ahora incluye un nuevo programa de créditos estatales a pequeñas empresas. Este programa estatal, que fue concebido con la ayuda de gobernadores y miembros tanto de la Cámara de Representantes como el Senado, ayudará a aumentar el otorgamiento de préstamos a pequeñas empresas e industriales en un momento en que el déficit presupuestal está llevando a los estados a recortar programas de préstamo de vital importancia. 
 
   Asimismo, ya que los gobiernos estatales y locales enfrentan enormes brechas presupuestales, estamos viendo el despido de maestros, policías, bomberos y otros funcionarios públicos esenciales, lo cual no sólo afecta la economía, sino también la comunidad y economía en general. Por lo tanto, estamos trabajando con el Congreso para encontrar maneras de mantener a nuestros maestros en las aulas, a los agentes de policía trabajando en las calles y a los bomberos de guardia.
 
   Hace unos meses, también propuse darle a la gente reembolsos para que aumenten la eficiencia energética de su casa. Esto no sólo les ahorrará dinero a las familias, sino que generará empleos en los afectados sectores de construcción y producción industrial, ya que productos como ventanas y aislamiento se fabrican mayormente en Estados Unidos de Norteamérica. Me dio gusto ver ayer votos de ambos partidos para aprobar esta propuesta, llamada “Home Star”, en la Cámara de Representantes. Insto al Senado a que también tome una decisión. Y hago un llamamiento al Congreso para que expanda el crédito tributario por la producción de energía limpia, que está ayudando a generar empleo en todo Estados Unidos en la producción de turbinas eólicas y paneles solares.
 
   Incluso al tomar estas medidas para aumentar la contratación a corto y largo plazo, tenemos en mente también otros factores económicos que pueden surgir. Por lo tanto, quiero hablar sobre la actividad inusual en el mercado que tuvo lugar ayer en Wall Street. Las entidades normativas lo están evaluando de cerca, pues les concierne la protección de los inversionistas y evitar que esto vuelva a suceder. Y darán a conocer sus conclusiones para que el público las evalúe, además de recomendaciones sobre medidas apropiadas.
 
   También hablé esta mañana con la Canciller Merkel de Alemania sobre los acontecimientos económicos y financieros en Europa. Estuvimos de acuerdo sobre la importancia de una sólida respuesta política por los países afectados y una sólida respuesta financiera por la comunidad internacional. Dejé en claro que Estados Unidos apoya dichos esfuerzos y continuará cooperando con las autoridades europeas y el Fondo Monetario Internacional durante este crucial periodo.
 
   Entonces, las cifras sobre el empleo de esta semana son un alivio para los estadounidenses que encontraron trabajo. Pero son de poco consuelo para quienes todavía no lo tienen. Por lo tanto, a quienes aún buscan empleo, les doy mi palabra que continuaré luchando todos los días para generar empleo y oportunidades para la gente. Todos los miembros de mi equipo parados al lado mío también se toman muy en serio esta misión. No descansaremos hasta que hayamos dejado atrás este capítulo difícil. Y no descansaré hasta que ustedes y millones de sus vecinos afectados por el vendaval económico puedan encontrar un buen empleo y ver días mejores.
 
   Muchas gracias a todos.
 
FIN      11:11 A.M. EDT
 

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2010

Remarks by The First Lady at Mother's Day Tea

State Dining Room

3:15 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, isn’t this lovely -- and very civilized.  (Laughter.)  Hello everyone, and thank you so much for joining us here at the White House as we gather to celebrate Mother’s Day and honor all of the extraordinary women in our lives.

Today is also Military Spouses Appreciation Day, and we have some of the spouses and mothers of military members who are here with us, so let’s give them a round of applause.  (Applause.)  We are forever grateful for your service and inspired by your strength.  So we -- as always, Jill and I remain supportive.  We will continue to do everything we can to support your efforts.  And I know Jill is here.  Where is Jill?  There you are.  (Laughter.)  There she is.  Let’s give Jill a round of applause, too.  (Applause.)

I also want to thank former First Lady Rosalynn Carter for being here.  Mrs. Carter, where are you?  I can’t keep up with everyone.  (Applause.)

Mrs. Carter, you have been just a wonderful support and a source of knowledge for me during my time here.  You have been so generous.  We try to have lunch together whenever you come into the city, and I just have to say that the time that we spend together means a great deal.  So I cannot tell you how much I appreciate your support.

As many of you know, Mrs. Carter is an advocate for mental health work.  She’s just written a book, and we’re going to be doing more work together on post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health.  So she hasn’t stopped moving yet.  (Laughter.)  You can’t keep her down.

Mrs. Carter -- yes?

Q    (Inaudible.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Thank you. 

And Mrs. Carter is also joined by her granddaughter, Sara.  And we thought we were going to have Mrs. Carter’s great-granddaughter, Josephine.  We were going to have four generations of Carter women, but she got a little fussy -- (laughter) -- and mom was like, she’s got to go home.  (Laughter.)  But maybe next time I'll get to see her.

I’m also pleased that Tricia Nixon Cox is here, President Nixon’s daughter.  Please stand.  (Applause.)  And Susan and Anne Eisenhower who are President Eisenhower’s granddaughters, they are here, as well.  Susan and Anne, please stand.  (Applause.)  

Thank you all for being here.  It means so much.  We have -- the girls’ and I, our favorite picture is your wedding picture -- (laughter) -- that is in the colonnade downstairs.  We all stand and look at that and think about -- (laughter) -- the wedding.  They’re not thinking about marriage, by the way.  Don't write that down on a blog.  (Laughter.)  They just like the picture.  (Laughter.) 

And of course there’s the photo of President Eisenhower meeting with Civil Rights leaders that -- in 1958 that is in the Oval Office. 

So there is much history in this room today and I’m so pleased to welcome these generations of women back to the White House.  It is just an honor to have you all.

If you look around the room, really that’s sort of the theme here today.  We have many generations here this afternoon:  We’ve got teenagers and retirees, we’ve got family members and friends, we’ve got Cabinet Secretaries, and students, and everything else in between. 

And many of you came with a woman who means a great deal to your life.  Yes -- oh, really?  (Laughter and applause.)  So mothers, daughters, granddaughters, mentors, mentees, sisters, best friends, it’s sort of a wonderful combination of women who are important to us.

The people here today showcase just how crucial women are in guiding our families, and in our neighborhoods, and in our country, as well.

They’re the shoulder that we lean on as individuals, but collectively these are the shoulders that form the foundation of our communities.  They’re our friends, our teachers, our mentors, our bosses. 

They find time to drive community projects and car pools.  (Laughter.)  They lead our businesses and our birthday parties.  Our lives and our communities are blessed by everything, big and small, that mothers and mother figures give us every single day.

And that’s really what Mother’s day is all about: showing our gratitude for all that they do. 

And it’s about attempting to give back just some of the love and the care that these women have given us.  And that’s really a big ticket to fill on just a single day.  I mean, when you think about it and try to do the math, I mean, do 15 or 20 sleepless nights during high school equal a bouquet of flowers?  (Laughter.)  Maybe some chocolates or a brunch?  (Laughter.)  I don't know, I don’t know.  (Laughter.)  See, the mothers with teenagers really laughed at that one.  (Laughter.)  I don't quite know that yet. 

The answer is really there’s no way to quantify just how important these mothers, these women are in our lives.  And there’s no way that I could ever fully measure all that my own mommy has done for me.  This is my mommy.  (Applause.) 

This woman who tries to take absolutely no credit for who I am for some reason, she is my rock.  She has pulled me up when I’ve stumbled.  She’s pulled me back when I’ve run out of line, talking a little too much.  She’ll snap me up.  She really does push me to be the best woman that I can be, truly, as a professional, and as a mother, and as a friend.  And she has always, always, always been there for me.  And as our family have grown, she’s managed to expand her love for all of us. 

And raising our girls in the White House with my mom -- oh, not going to do this -- (laughter) -- is a beautiful experience.  And the opportunity to have three generations living in the White House, it’s beautiful.  And I’m pretty sure the President is happy about it, too.  (Laughter.)

In this world there is so much going on, we know that we’re blessed, the Obamas.  We are.  Even though we live in the White House, we know that our day-to-day family interaction isn’t really different from families living in Atlanta or Sioux Falls or Tucson, because everyone is busy.  Ours is just televised.  Everyone is doing the best job that they can to raise their kids.  Everyone is looking for support.

And in his Mother’s Day proclamation in 1979, President Carter wrote:  “In this time when the family is subjected to many new pressures, the job of nurturing future generations is often both more difficult and more important than ever.”  And it’s as true today that proclamation as it was 31 years ago.  Really, one person cannot do it alone.  And for any of us who think we can or should, we should just get over it.

We all need the support of someone in our lives.

For as singularly as important as my mother has been in my life, there are so many other women who have also played significant roles in my development. 

The new perspectives that I learned from teachers and co-workers has really helped to shape me, too.  So it doesn’t always have to be a mother or a grandmother.  We each have those people in our lives who have given us a sense of ourselves by giving us a piece of themselves. 

And that’s one of the reasons why we started the White House Leadership and Mentoring Initiative here, even with our busy schedules.  And the women who work here are busy.  We believe in the importance of giving our young mentees a piece of ourselves.

And we’ve got some of our mentees here with us today, and I want you all to stand.  I want our mentees to stand.  (Applause.)  You all look so pretty!  (Applause.)  They don't usually get this dressed up when they come regularly.  (Laughter.)  So I barely recognize you.  (Laughter.)  You all can sit down. 

These promising young women have been with us for the past few months, and we’ve had our share of fun stuff that we’ve done.  We’ve gone to events together.  A few of them have gotten to ride in my motorcade with me.  It’s kind of cool every now and then, right?  (Laughter.)  They’ve come out to some of my events.  We’ve gotten to eat the desserts from the last State Dinner before anybody else.  (Laughter.)  Remember that?  We’ve done some community service together.  You guys hustled to get some food packaged.  I was quite impressed -- very focused.  And we met with Supreme Court justices.  Wasn’t that amazing?  Justice Ginsburg and Sotomayor spent a long time with us, and it was pretty powerful.

But this program isn’t just about doing fun stuff together.  It’s also about ensuring that these women really see their possibilities, right?  It’s about helping them realize that they can be leaders of tomorrow, and that's what we expect, and showing them that they can create their own opportunities.  That's what we talk about, right?

We want them to imagine the possibility that they could one day be a Cabinet Secretary, or an officer in the military who mentors a young girl once a week.  We want them to imagine being business leaders who balance their kids and their professional lives.

And there are so many of these stories right here in this room.  Now, they may have different characters and soundtracks, right, but whether you grew up on Bing Crosby, Aretha Franklin or Beyonce -- (laughter) -- each story here is important.

We share so much as women.  The advice we’ve received from someone who cared.  The friend who helped us clear hurdles that we thought were too high.  The way our mother looked at us when we made her proud –- and when we made her not so proud.  (Laughter.)  You all know the look, right?  (Laughter.)  

So today is really a day to enjoy one another.  I encourage you all to share some of those stories.  As I always say to my mentees:  Talk, ask questions, poke, prod, open your mouth.  And, you know, let’s just celebrate each other.

Thank you all for taking the time to come.  Thank you, Mommy.  (Laughter.)  I love you.  And let’s have some tea.  (Applause.)   

END
3:27 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2010

Remarks by The First Lady and Dr. Biden to the Women's Leadership Forum Issues Conference

Washington Hilton
Washington, D.C.

1:05 P.M. EDT

DR. BIDEN:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Thank you, Denise, for that warm introduction.  And thank you to the Women’s Leadership Forum conference hosts and organizers who have worked so hard to make this event possible.  It’s great to be with you here today. 

It’s been an incredible journey since the last time Michelle and I were with you in Chicago.  (Applause.)  I remember being so inspired by the tremendous spirit of the amazing women in that room -- women who played a critical role in the 2008 election.  There’s no question that we would not be here today without each of your efforts.  (Applause.)  No, I should thank you.  (Applause.)

No doubt, many things have changed since October of 2008.  But what brings us back here together today is our collective commitment to improving the lives of all Americans.

And I can tell you, all over this country, every day, women are making extraordinary efforts to improve their lives and the lives of others.
 
Last week, I met Carla Mannes at a community college meeting I was hosting in Arizona.  Carla is a single mom who spent the last 25-plus years raising four children, working around the clock and successfully putting them through school.  Over the years Carla tried to return to school herself, but the timing was never quite right.

She confessed to me that she thought of herself as -- she didn’t think of herself as very smart because she didn’t have a degree, and the last 10 years have really been a difficult financial struggle for her and her family. 

Last summer, Carla gave it another shot and enrolled in classes at her local community college, this time with an undeniable passion and commitment to finish.

Carla is on the path towards a degree in Social Work, and her goal is to mentor young women who feel unloved and discarded.

Last semester, Carla earned a 4.0.  (Applause.)

I also recently met two young women from California, Kaylei Deakin and Moranda Hern.  Both are high school seniors and daughters of National Guardsmen. 

Together, they formed the “Sisterhood of the Traveling Battle Dress Uniforms” -- (laughter) -- I know, it’s cute -- a support network for young women going through similar experiences of sadness and loss while their fathers and mothers are deployed.  But that wasn’t enough.  They went on to organize a conference for daughters of military members, focusing on issues ranging from self-esteem, self-image, career plans, and relationships.

I am profoundly moved by the women I meet, whether in my travels or in my classroom each day, by their determination to learn, and their quest to make a better life for themselves and their families.

And, I know we are all here today because we believe in the efforts of this administration, along with the dedication of groups like WLF, will support these women and their families.

And, speaking of incredible women, I am here to introduce a woman whom I am fortunate enough to call my friend, Michelle Obama.  (Applause.)

I really believe that fate brought the two of us together, and I am so grateful to have the opportunity to partner with Michelle on many of the critical issues facing this country today.

We all know that Michelle is a dedicated and devoted mother, wife, a brilliant lawyer, and a groundbreaking First Lady.  In the short time we have been in office, she has opened up the White House to tens of thousands of Americans and given new meaning to the phrase: “the People’s House.”

Both domestically and on the world stage, she is a role model and mentor to women and men alike.

Please join me in welcoming my dear friend, the First Lady of the United States, Michelle Obama.  (Applause.)

MRS. OBAMA:  Wow.  (Applause.)  Well, hello!  (Applause.)  Thank you all so much.  Please.  (Applause.)  Thanks so much.  It is so good to see you all.  Thank you so much.  It is a pleasure to be here with all of you today. 

Let me begin by thanking Jill for that extremely kind introduction.  Jill has been such an extraordinary partner in our work to support military families.  More importantly she has been just a terrific friend in this journey.  It’s just been truly a thrill for me to have her by my side, sometimes in front.  So let’s give Jill another round of applause.  (Applause.)

I want to recognize a few more people.  I want to recognize our DNC Chair, Governor Tim Kaine.  Tim.  (Applause.)  And on this Mother’s Day he is here with his lovely wife and my dear friend, Ann, and his mom, Kathy.  (Applause.)  

And I also want to thank Senators Gillibrand and our DNC Vice Chair, Representative Wasserman-Schultz.  (Applause.)  Also to the outstanding Congresswoman Carol Maloney.  It’s good to see you, have you here.  (Applause.)  I don’t know where everyone is sitting, but they’re here.  And to the founding members and co-chairs of the Women’s Leadership Forum, I get a chance to hug and see all of you.  You are doing tremendous work.  We are grateful and proud of everything you’re doing.

So, now, some of you may remember that the last time we were together, as Jill said, it was back in late October of 2008.  You remember that?  (Applause.)  And you were all meeting in my hometown, Chicago.  And it was just -- (applause) -- it was good, it was really good!  (Applause.)  It was just a couple of weeks before the election, and Barack and I had been traveling, flying all over the country, everywhere, every corner, talking to folks and doing everything that we could to do to persuade people to get out the vote, and to vote for who?  Barack Obama.  (Laughter.)

But we were very eager to get back to home for the National Issues Conference, because we knew then about the critical work that you all were doing -- the organizing, raising money, making sure that people got to the polls on November the 4th.  Do you remember those times?  (Laughter.) 

Because of the tireless efforts of all you and folks like you all throughout the country, we saw people getting involved for the very first time.  Remember that?  We saw folks of all ages and backgrounds knocking on doors -- they had never done that before -- making calls, waiting hours in line on Election Day because they wanted to make history. 

And on November the 4th, 2008, that’s exactly what we did.  And my husband and I are so incredibly grateful for everything that you all did to make that possible.  We are truly proud of you for the work that you’ve done. 

But I think it’s fair to say that since that time a few things have happened to us.  (Laughter.)  As you know, our family moved from Chicago right here to Washington, our new hometown, although will never be not our hometown.  And we’ve spent the last year or so, as you know, just settling into our new lives here in this city.

So all of you know, the girls are doing great.  And Mom is doing well too.  She’s enjoying a very active life here in Washington.  And by the way, Bo is adjusting to his newfound celebrity -- (laughter) -- for those of you who care to ask.  He is probably the most important person in the household for kids who visit.

And after all that time on the campaign trail, I have to say that we’re enjoying living above the store -- (laughter) -- so that Dad can come home for nights -- for dinner.  And that’s something that we truly treasure.  It was something that we didn’t have for a long time on the campaign trail.

So a lot has changed since we last met.  But there’s one thing that hasn’t changed.  Back then I talked about the issues that we face -- from the economy, to health care, to education.  And I said that these issues aren’t and they still aren’t about politics.  They’re personal.  And they’re personal for every single one of us in this room, and they’re personal for every single one of us in this country. 

And it’s easy to lose sight of that fact with all the back and forth that goes on here in Washington -- folks yelling at each other on TV so that little things get blown out of proportion and sometimes big, important things don’t always get the attention that they deserve.

But I have to tell you that when Barack and I travel the country now and we spend time with ordinary folks, they don’t have much interest in the scorekeeping that goes on here in Washington.  They really don’t.  They don’t care much about anybody’s poll numbers.  And as my husband has pointed out, never -- not even once -- has someone asked him, “Who won the day?”

The questions they ask have nothing to do with the daily chatter that goes on here, and it has everything to do with the struggles, the real struggles they’re facing in their lives.  They tell us about insurance companies that refuse to pay for the treatment that they need, and they ask us, “What do I do now?”  Or they tell us, “I’ve been out of a job for months.”  And they ask, “What are you going to do to help folks like me?” 

They tell us about factories that are shutting their doors, schools that are failing their kids, and their struggles to try to afford their mortgages, tuition bills, a decent retirement.

And I know that a lot of folks are cynical about whether change is possible.  I know it’s hard.  A lot of folks think that everything that’s said out on the campaign trail is just talk.  They’re skeptical about whether the people they send to Washington will actually stand up for their interests and fight for their hopes and dreams.

But as all of you know, that is exactly what Barack Obama has done every single day since he’s been the President of the United States.  (Applause.) 

You all know that those folks that he met in Iowa and New Hampshire and across this country, they’re the folks that he thinks about when he wakes up every single morning.  They’re the ones that he fights for nearly every waking hour.  This man is working hard.

They are the basis for every decision he makes -- not whether it’s good politics, not whether it’s going to make good headlines, but whether it’s good for them and for their families.

During his campaign, he said clearly that he’d work to get our economy back on track so that businesses could start creating jobs again and families could get ahead. 

And that’s exactly what he’s doing.  During his first months in office, he worked to pass the Recovery Act and rescue our financial system from the brink of collapse. 

And while a lot of folks are still hurting, and they are, and we still have a long way to go, we are finally heading in the right direction. 

Our economy is growing again instead of shrinking.  (Applause.)  And because of the steps that were taken, 2 million Americans are working today who otherwise wouldn’t be. 
    
And about 95 percent of working folks in this country have received a tax cut –- money that they’re using to pay off their bills, and to pay down their mortgages, and to put food on the table for their families. 

Throughout this campaign, Barack promised that he would take on health care reform, because, as he said, it’s just plain wrong that so many folks have been dropped from their coverage when they got sick, or excluded because of pre-existing conditions, or crushed by outrageous costs. 

And guess what, that’s exactly what he did.  (Applause.)  Now, it wasn’t easy.  (Laughter.)  And it certainly wasn’t quick.  But because he stuck with it, and because you all stuck with him, we are finally able to pass a reform that’s going to offer families and small businesses the quality, affordable care that they deserve and they need.  

This reform doesn’t increase our deficits –- it actually helps shrink them.  It ends some of the worst abuses of the insurance industry.  It helps seniors pay for their prescriptions, and lets young people stay on their parents’ insurance until they’re 26. 

And it will give people the peace of mind of no longer having to worry that with just one accident, with just one illness, they’ll lose everything they have.  That’s what health reform is all about.  (Applause.)

My husband said he would fight to ensure that women got equal pay for equal work.  And as you may all remember, the very first bill he signed into law, just nine days after taking office -- I was there -– was the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Restoration Act -- (applause) -- because, as he put it, and I quote, “There are no second class citizens in our workplaces.” 

My husband said that he would appoint judges to our courts who have a record of excellence, integrity, and independence, and who grasp not just the letter of the law, but its impact on our daily lives. 

And that is why Sonia Sotomayor is now making history as Justice Sotomayor in our nation’s highest court.  (Applause.)   

My husband said he’d fight to give every child in this country the education they need to thrive in today’s economy.  And that’s exactly what he’s doing.  He’s working to make college more affordable, to fix student loan systems so that it helps students, and not just banks. 

And his administration has launched a program, you may have heard of it, Race to the Top –- a nationwide challenge where states compete to transform their school and give our kids the chance in life that they deserve.

My husband said he would set a timetable for ending the War in Iraq, and step up the fight against terrorism. He said he’d work to stop the spread of nuclear weapons, and lead the way on climate change, and begin restoring America’s standing in the world.  And let me tell you something, he’s done every single one of those things.  (Applause.)  Every single one of them.  (Applause.)

And I have seen the results first-hand.  I’ve seen it as I’ve traveled around the world, I’ve seen for myself the excitement and the enthusiasm that people are feeling towards our country.  It’s been a truly amazing and humbling experience.

Even with all the challenges that we’ve faced over the past year or so, and all the obstacles that we’ve had to overcome, we have achieved all of this –- and more –- in just the first 15 months.  It’s 15 months, all right?  (Applause.)

So if this is what we can do in 15 months -- did I say 15 months?  (Laughter.)  So just imagine what we can achieve in the next 15 months.  Just imagine what we can do in the next few years.  (Applause.)  See, it’s that kind of determination, that sense of possibility, that keeps Barack Obama going every day. 

And it’s why I’ve been inspired, as well, to use my platform as First Lady to work on issues that I care about that are near and dear to my heart.

That’s why I started our “Let’s Move” initiative to address the epidemic of childhood obesity that we’re seeing all across our country.  (Applause.)

No matter how many times I talk about the statistics, they never fail to take my breath away.  Right now, one in three children in this country is overweight or obese.  And one in three kids will suffer from diabetes at some point in their life. 

So if we’re spending $150 billion a year to treat obesity-related conditions today, just imagine how much we’ll be spending in 10, or 20, or 50 years if we don’t take action right now. 

Imagine the kind of lives our kids will be leading if so many of them are struggling with weight-related illnesses like diabetes and heart disease and cancer.

That’s why we’ve set such an ambitious goal for “Let’s Move”: to solve the problem of childhood obesity in a generation, so that children born today will reach adulthood at a healthy weight. 

We’re working with pediatricians, and food manufacturers, and the FDA to give parents the information they need to make healthy decisions for their kids. 

We’re making critical investments to get healthier food into our schools.  We’re working to eliminate “food deserts” by bringing grocery stores into underserved areas, so that all our families have access to healthy, affordable food right in their own community.  (Applause.)   

And to get kids moving, we’re revamping the President’s Physical Fitness Challenge and we're working with professional athletes to inspire kids to stay physically active not just in school but at home.

I know it’s an ambitious agenda, but we’re already starting to make progress.  Already school food suppliers have agreed to decrease sugar, fat and salt in school meals, and increase fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.  (Applause.)  Schools across the country are meeting our challenge to help kids eat right and exercise and make healthier decisions for themselves. 

State and local officials are sponsoring farmers markets and working to get more fresh foods into their communities.   

And we’re going to keep on working with folks from every part of this society -– mayors, governors, parents, educators, health care professionals -- you name it, because we're going to need every single one of them to help our kids lead active, healthy lives right from the beginning.

Young people are also the focus of my international agenda as well.  And last month, I made my first solo international trip.  Jill and I first went to Haiti, as you know, to offer support and encouragement for the ongoing relief efforts there.  And then I traveled to Mexico to urge young people to engage with their communities and help us meet the pressing challenges of our time. 

And I’ll never forget about a young woman that I met there named Maricela, who I met at a roundtable discussion with young leaders in Mexico City.  She was from a tiny town in Oaxaca.  Her father had passed away, and her mother -- she told a story of how she worked tirelessly to support her and her four siblings; said her mom was always the first one to wake up in the morning, and the last one to go to bed at night.  But she told us about the fact that despite their hardships, her mother was determined to build a better life for her daughter. 

She talked about something her mother told her -- said her mom told her, “It doesn’t matter…whether I sleep or not, but you have to be able to go to school.  That is the only way.  You have to be able to get an education.”

And the thing is, is that this is a story that is told every day all around the world, and right here in America -- a story about the strength and determination of women.  Women who haven’t had much in their own lives, but who know exactly what they want for their children.  Women who work those extra shifts, and make those sacrifices, so their daughters –- and their sons –- can have opportunities they never imagined for themselves.

I’m talking about women like Lilly Ledbetter, who I love, who you know she kept on fighting for equal pay even when she knew that it was too late for herself.  Why?  Because she wanted something more for the women who came after her.  That's the only reason she did it.  (Applause.) 

I’m talking about women like Dr. Dorothy Height, one of my heroes -- (applause) -- who kept up the fight for civil and economic rights up through the final months of her life.  She once said, and I quote, it’s a beautiful quote:  She said, “I want to be remembered as someone who used herself and anything she could touch to work for justice and freedom...I want to be remembered as someone who tried.”

And every day, across this country, so many women wake up every day and try -– using everything they have –- to make life a little better for others. 

And that’s what all of you all are doing with your work for our party -– using what you have to help build a better world for our kids and our grandkids.  And let me tell you something.  We desperately need all of you to stay involved in this work.  You cannot stop -- because we all know that when you need something done, and you ask women to do it, it gets done.  End of story.  (Applause.)   

And in the months leading up to this November and beyond, we’re going to need you to get out there and get it done, because we know that change -- we do know that change doesn’t happen overnight.  We know that progress doesn’t happen without struggle and sacrifice.  This stuff is supposed to be hard.  It takes folks like you, folks who are constantly rejecting the cynicism, casting aside the doubts, and working day after day to continue what we’ve already started. 

And that brings me back to something else that we talked about when we were together back in 2008.  Back then, and all throughout the campaign, I talked about my girls and how they’re the heart of my heart, and the center of my world, how they’re the first thing I think about when I wake up in the morning, and the last thing I think about when I go to bed at night.  It’s still true.  And because of the work that all of you are doing, let me tell you something, when I tuck them into bed at night, I feel so hopeful about the future we’re leaving for them, and for kids like them all across this country. 

I feel hopeful.  I feel like we’re on our way to leaving them a safer, healthier, freer, and more just world, one where they’ll have the opportunities more than ever before to fulfill their dreams. 

So I want to end by just saying thank you.  Thank you for everything you’ve done, for everything that you’re doing, and for everything we're going to need you to do in the months and years ahead.  We are proud of you.  So let’s get it done.

Thank you all so much.  (Applause.) 

END
1:33 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 07, 2010

Remarks by the President on the Monthly Jobs Numbers

South Driveway

11:03 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  All right.  Good morning, everybody.  On what seems like a daily basis, we’re barraged with statistics and forecasts and reports and data related to the health of the economy.  But from the first days of this administration, amidst the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, I’ve said that the truest measure of progress would be whether or not we were creating jobs.  That’s what matters in people’s lives.  What matters is whether someone who needs a job can find work -- whether people can provide for their families and save for the future and achieve some measure of economic security. 

Everything we’ve done has been with this goal in mind.  And today, I’m happy to report that we received some very encouraging news.  In April, the economy added 290,000 jobs, with the vast majority -- approximately 230,000 -- coming from the private sector.  This is the largest monthly increase in four years.  And we created 121,000 more jobs in February and March than previously estimated, which means we’ve now seen job growth for four months in a row.  These numbers are particularly heartening when you consider where we were a year ago, with an economy in freefall.  At the height of the downturn, around the time that I took office, we were losing an average of 750,000 jobs per month.

So this news comes on the heels of a report last week that the overall output of our economy -- our GDP -- is increasing.  We now know that the economy has been growing for the better part of a year.  And this steady growth is starting to give businesses the confidence to expand and to hire new people. 

I should also note that the unemployment rate ticked up slightly from 9.7 to 9.9 [percent].  Given the strength of these job numbers, this may seem contradictory, but this increase is largely a reflection of the fact that workers who had dropped out of the workforce entirely are now seeing jobs again and -- are now seeking jobs again, encouraged by better prospects.

Now, I want to emphasize:  The economic crisis we’ve faced has inflicted a lot of damage on families and businesses across our country, and it’s going to take time to repair and rebuild.  Over the course of this recession, more than 8 million jobs were lost.  So there are a lot of people out there who are still experiencing real hardship.  And we’ve got to be mindful that today’s jobs numbers, while welcome, leave us with a lot of work to do.  It’s going to take time to achieve the strong and sustained job growth that is necessary.  And of course, long before this recession hit, for a decade middle-class families had been experiencing a sense of declining economic security. 

So, yes, we’ve got a ways to go.  But we’ve also come a very long way.  And we can see that the difficult and at times unpopular steps that we’ve taken over the past year are making a difference.  Productivity is up.  The hours people are working are up.  Both are signs the company may be hiring more workers in the months to come.  We saw the largest increase in manufacturing employment since 1998.  And we can see the benefits of our Recovery Act in the strong employment reports from construction and other sectors, where we’ve made key investments in creating and saving jobs. 

Of course, there are limits to what the government can do.  The true engine of job growth in this country will always be the private sector.  That’s why we are very pleased to see the strong employment growth on the private sector side.

What government can do is help create the conditions for companies to hire again.  What it can do is build the infrastructure and offer the incentives that will allow small businesses to add workers, that will help entrepreneurs take a chance on an idea, that will lead manufacturers to set up shop not overseas but right here in United States of America.

And that’s what we’ve been doing.  Right now, a series of tax incentives and other steps to promote hiring are taking effect.  Because of a bill I signed into law a few weeks ago, businesses are now eligible for tax cuts for hiring unemployed workers.  Companies are also able to write off more of their investments in new equipment.  And we’re spurring additional investments in school renovation, clean energy projects, and road construction, which will create jobs while laying a new foundation for lasting growth.

In addition, as part of health reform, 4 million small businesses recently received a postcard in their mailbox telling them that they’re eligible for a health care tax cut this year.  It’s worth perhaps tens of thousands of dollars to each of these companies.  And it will provide welcome relief to small business owners, who too often have to choose between health care and hiring.

So that’s what’s already come online.  But we still have more to do.  In my State of the Union address, I called for a $30 billion small business lending fund, which would help increase the flow of credit to small companies that were hit hard by the decline in lending that followed the financial crisis.  And obviously small businesses are a major source of job creation. 

This morning, we sent draft legislation to Congress on this fund, which now includes a new state small business credit initiative.  This state initiative, which was designed with the help of governors and members of both the House and the Senate, will help expand lending for small businesses and manufacturers at a time when budget shortfalls are leading states to cut back on vitally important lending programs.  

In addition, with state and local governments facing huge budget gaps, we’re seeing layoffs of teachers, police officers, firefighters, and other essential public servants -- which not only harms the economy, but also the community and the economy as a whole.  So we are working with Congress to find ways to keep our teachers in the classrooms, the police officers on the beat, and firefighters on call.

A few months ago, I also proposed giving people rebates to upgrade the energy efficiencies of their home.  This will not only save families money, it will create jobs in the hard-hit construction and manufacturing sectors, since things like windows and insulation are overwhelmingly made in the United States of America.  I was gratified to see a bipartisan vote to pass this proposal, called “Home Star,” in the House of Representatives yesterday.  I’m calling on the Senate to act as well.  And I’m urging Congress to expand the clean energy manufacturing tax credit, which is helping create jobs across America building wind turbines and solar panels. 

Even as we take these steps to increase hiring in the short and long run, we’re also mindful of other economic factors that can emerge.  So I want to speak to the unusual market activity that took place yesterday on Wall Street.  The regulatory authorities are evaluating this closely, with a concern for protecting investors and preventing this from happening again.  And they will make findings of their review public along with recommendations for appropriate action.

I also spoke this morning with German Chancellor Merkel regarding economic and financial developments in Europe.  We agreed on the importance of a strong policy response by the affected countries and a strong financial response from the international community.  I made clear that the United States supports these efforts and will continue to cooperate with European authorities and the IMF during this critical period. 

So this week’s job numbers comes as a relief to Americans who found a job.  But it offers obviously little comfort to those who are still out of work.  So, to those who are out there still looking, I give you my word that I’m going to keep fighting every single day to create jobs and opportunities for people.  Every one of my team that's standing alongside me here has the same sense of mission.  We’re not going to rest until we’ve put this difficult chapter behind us.  And I won’t rest until you, and millions of your neighbors caught up in these storms, are able to find a good job and reach a brighter day.

Thank you very much, everybody.

END
11:11 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Vice President

For Immediate Release
May 06, 2010

Remarks by Vice President Biden to the European Parliament

Parliament Building, Brussels, Belgium

12:30 P.M. (local)

VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Mr. President, thank you for that welcome.  It was a delight to have you in Washington and at the White House.  And it’s a great honor -- and I might add, a privilege -- to be able to address such an esteemed body.  I served in a parliament that only had 535 members total.  This is even a greater honor. 

When President Reagan -- I remember President Reagan’s speech here in 1985, and to quote an Irish poet, William Butler Yeats, speaking of his Ireland in a poem called “Easter Sunday, 1916” he said, “All has changed, changed utterly.  A terrible beauty has been born.”  Much has changed since 1985.  Much has changed, and a terrible beauty has been born. 

As you already know, ladies and gentlemen, not only am I pleased to be back here in Brussels for the second time as Vice President -- as you probably know, some American politicians and American journalists refer to Washington, DC as the “capital of the free world.”  But it seems to me that this great city, which boasts 1,000 years of history and which serves as the capital of Belgium, the home of the European Union, and the headquarters for NATO, this city has its own legitimate claim to that title.
 
As a lawmaker for more than 36 years in our Parliament, I feel particularly honored to address the European Parliament.  President Obama and I were the first running mates in the last 50 years in America to make it to the White House from our legislative bodies.  So we both come to our executive jobs with a deep appreciation for the work you do here in the bastion of European democracy.
 
Together with my former colleagues in the United States Congress, you and I represent more than 800 million people.  Stop and think about that for a moment:  two elected bodies that shape the laws for almost one-eighth of the planet’s population.  That’s truly remarkable.
 
And now under the Lisbon Treaty, you’ve taken on more powers and a broader responsibility that comes with that increased influence.  And we welcome it.  We welcome that, because we, the United States, need strong allies and alliances to help us tackle the problems of the 21st century, many of which are the same but so many are different than the last century. 

Let me state it as plainly as I can:  The Obama-Biden administration has no doubt about the need for and strongly supports a vibrant European Union.  We believe it’s absolutely essential to American prosperity and long-term security.  So have no doubt about that.
 
When I chaired the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee for all those years, I had the opportunity to meet many European lawmakers from the national legislative bodies, including some of you who are in this room today.  So I appreciate -- after all those years, I appreciate what a consequential step it has been to build the only multinational parliament in the world elected by universal suffrage.  So much has changed.
 
And I’m pleased that through the -- through the Transatlantic Legislators’ Dialogue, you are building a strong relationship with the United States Congress.  And I hope that the office you opened in Washington last month is going to enhance those ties.
 
Folks, 65 years ago this week, less than 200 kilometers south of here, Nazi leaders signed an unconditional surrender that brought an end to the Second World War in Europe. 

The next day, celebrations erupted in Times Square and Piccadilly Circus.  Cheering crowds danced along the Champs-Elysees and the town squares throughout the Allied world.  And here in Brussels, a thanksgiving service -- at a thanksgiving service, churchgoers sang the national anthems of Britain, Belgium, and the United States.
 
On that joyous day -- May 8, 1945 -- this continent lay in ruins, ravaged twice by total wars in less than 30 years.  At that moment, a peaceful and united Europe, a European Parliament, must have seemed like a fantasy to anyone alive.
 
     And yet, through the will of your fellow citizens and statesmen like Jean [sic] Henri Spaak, for whom this great hall is named, and Robert Schuman, and Jean Monnet, and the visions that gave birth to a Parliament and earned him the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Lyndon Johnson, here we are assembled in this hall.  Here you are.
 
What began as a simple pact among a half-a-dozen nations to create a common market for coal and steel grew into an economic and political powerhouse; a community dedicated to free thought, free movement, and free enterprise; a Europe that one historian has called, not so much a place but an idea.
 
And I’m here to reaffirm that President Obama and I believe in this idea, and in a better world and better Europe it has already helped to bring about; a Europe where all member states benefit by negotiating trade agreements and fighting environmental degradation with one unified voice; a Europe that bolsters the cultural and political values that my country shares with all of you; a Europe that is whole, a Europe that is free, and a Europe that is at peace.  (Applause.)
 
As President Obama said in Prague a little more than a year ago, a strong Europe makes a stronger partner for the United States, and we need strong partners.  That is why we will do everything we can to support this great endeavor of yours.  Because the past 65 years have shown that when Americans and Europeans devote their energies to common purpose, there is almost nothing we are unable to accomplish.
 
Together, through the Marshall Plan, we rebuilt Europe and made perhaps the greatest investment in human history.  Together, we built the most the world’s most enduring security alliance, NATO, and a military and political force that tied America and Europe together and brought us even closer in the ensuing decades. 

Together, we established the greatest commercial relationship in the world’s history, comprising about 40 percent of global trade and helping usher in an era of unprecedented prosperity and technological innovation.  And together, we have provided relief and hope to those suffering humanitarian catastrophes in more places than I can mention, from the Western Balkans, to the Congo, to our ongoing work in Haiti today.
 
To those skeptics who, in spite of all these accomplishments, continue to question the state of transatlantic relationships or my country’s attitude toward a united Europe, my answer is this:  Even if the United States and the nations all of you represent were not united by shared values and common heritage of many millions of our citizens, myself included, our global interests alone would inexorably bind us together.
 
The relationship between my country and Europe is today as strong, and as important, as all of us -- to all of us as it has ever been.  This century has unleashed new challenges no less dangerous than those that came before in the 20th century.  And together -- together we are taking them on one by one.  They are difficult.  There will be disagreement.  But we are taking them on jointly. 

Climate change, one of the greatest threats our planet faces, the United States and Europe are working to ensure that all countries, and especially the major economies, are contributing to a global solution.  We all look -- we all looked to and we did take a major step forward in Copenhagen.  Now we have to carry out those emission cuts, the financing, and the transparency called for in that accord.  And we must help the most vulnerable nations -- from the Arctic north to the Pacific islands -- that are the harbingers of this looming crisis. 

Across the troubled landscape of Afghanistan and Pakistan, we are working together to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaeda and the Taliban fighters and to train an Afghan army and police force, so that their government can eventually protect its own people and not be a threat to its neighbors. 
 
In order to build Afghanistan’s governing capacity, the United States, the European Union, and its member nations are deploying significant financial resources and civilian resources as well.
 
While sustaining these important missions has not always been popular, you all know as I do it is required.  As leaders, we have an obligation to make the case to our populations that it is necessary for our collective security.  Although believe me, as a politician who has stood for office for the last 38 years, I understand it is not easy.  I assure you, it is no more popular in my country than it is in any one of yours.

     That is also why the United States and Europe are standing side-by-side to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons, a development that would endanger the citizens and menace its neighbors, including some of our closest allies.
 
Together -- together we embarked on an unprecedented path of engagement with the Iranian leaders.  (Applause.)  And, ladies and gentlemen, despite what some skeptics thought, the President meant what he said, that we will reach out our hand to any party that will unclench their fist.  At the outset of this administration, President Obama stated that we are prepared to deal with Iran on the basis of mutual interest and mutual respect.
 
With our allies, we’ve made clear to Iran’s leaders how they could begin to rebuild confidence within the international community, including by granting access to their previously undeclared enrichment facilities and exchanging low enriched uranium for fuel to power a research reactor.
 
But, as the world has now watched and seen, Iranian leaders spurned our collective good-faith efforts and continue to take actions that threaten regional stability.
 
Let me be state it flatly:  Iran’s nuclear program violates its obligations under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and risks sparking a nuclear arms race in the Middle East.  Wouldn’t it be ironic -- wouldn’t it be ironic as the Iron Curtain fell and the mutual threats of nuclear destruction diminished among the superpowers that a new arms race would emerge in some of the most unstable parts in the world.  That would be an irony that our children and our grandchildren and our great-grandchildren would not forgive us, in my view, for allowing it to come to pass. 

In addition, the Iranian leadership supports terrorist organizations and that support continues unabated.  And it continues unconscionably to persecute those of its citizens who peaceably take to the streets in a quest for justice, a betrayal of the duty of all governments in terms of what they owe their citizens.
 
Tehran faces a stark choice: abide by international rules and rejoin the community of responsible nations, which we hope for, or face further consequences and increasing isolation.
 
In the face of the threat Iran poses, we are committed to the security of our allies.  That is why we’ve deployed the phased, adaptive missile defense program to deter and defend against missile attacks on this continent -- on this continent.  (Applause.) 
 
And, ladies and gentlemen, we are also working together inside NATO to prepare for a range of future security threats, including energy security and cyber security.  And we continue to support close security cooperation between NATO and the EU.
 
Last year, the United States and Europe acted quickly and decisively when the world was reeling from a financial crisis more dire than any since the Great Depression.  And in doing so, collectively we helped prevent what people were predicting, the total collapse of the world economy.
 
And today, President Obama and I are closely following the economic and financial crisis in Greece and the European Union’s efforts to deal with it.  We welcome the support package that Europe is considering, in conjunction the International Monetary Fund.  And we will be supportive both directly and through the IMF of your efforts as you rescue Greece.
 
These examples and many others I could have mentioned show why Europe continues to be not just America’s largest trading partner, but our most important ally. 

Ladies and gentlemen, our predecessors came together more than six decades ago this week to begin building institutions designed to ensure that the 21st [sic] century’s darkest chapters would not be repeated in the remainder of that century or in the 21st century.  Those institutions -- this institution -- have been a great success.  But now we have to set our sights on the challenges of this new century, I referenced in the beginning.  “The world has changed, changed utterly.  A terrible beauty has been born.”

Perhaps the most complex threat we face today is that posed by -- to our own citizens by non-state actors and violent extremists, particularly if, God forbid, those violent extremists were able to get their hands on any weapons of mass destruction.
 
This scourge has no respect for borders, none.  No single nation, no matter how strong or how wealthy, how organized or how capable, can meet this threat alone.  It can only be successfully contained if we make common cause.  And that’s precisely what we must do.
 
The new powers granted to this Parliament in the Lisbon Treaty give you a greater role in that struggle and a greater imperative to govern responsibly.
 
The U.S. government and this Parliament have struggled over how best to protect citizens without yielding the foundational rights on which all of our societies are built.  I am absolutely confident that we must and can both protect our citizens and preserve our liberties.
 
Since taking office last year, President Obama and I have been guided by our Constitution’s -- and our Constitution’s imperative to seek a “more perfect union.”
 
Toward that end, one of our first official actions was to end the interrogation practices that produced few results and that we could not, in good conscience, continue.  (Applause.)
 
We ordered the closure of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, which had become a symbol of injustice and a rallying cry for terrorists.  And we appreciate -- (applause) -- and we appreciate the support, difficult it has been for you to take, so many of you have provided in that effort.
 
We did these things because like you, President Obama and I reject the false choice between safety and our ideals.  We believe that upholding our principles only makes us stronger and that compromising them then actually undermines our effort in the broader struggle against violent extremism.  For what is their purpose?  Their purpose is to change what we value, change how we conduct ourselves.
 
Eight days after the September 11th attack, I told a group of thousands of university students in my country that they cannot allow the tragedy of 9/11 to end our way of life, because that’s exactly what the terrorists sought.  I also told them that America cannot prevail in this new struggle by acting alone.  Those words have not only fit the tenor of that time, but I think they’ve proven to be true.  And they are no less true today.
 
I don’t need to tell this audience about Europe’s proud tradition of protecting citizens from government invasion of their privacy, a commitment grounded in respect for the inherent dignity of all people.  We call them inalienable rights.  We wrote them into our Constitution. 

And America’s commitment to privacy is also profound, as profound as yours.  Our Constitution’s Fourth Amendment protects individuals against unreasonable search and seizures by the state, which as one of our most famous jurists -- which one of our most famous jurists once dubbed, “the right to be let alone.”  The Supreme Court of the United States has made clear that privacy is a constitutionally protected and fundamental right.  And like the EU, the Supreme Court has characterized this right as a matter of personal “dignity.”
 
On a personal level, I have for 36 years of my career defended privacy rights in the United States Senate every year, as organizations that rate those most committed to civil liberties.  And every year, I -- and later President Obama -- were characterized as one of those four people picked.  The reason I bother to tell you this is not about me, but about the commitment of our administration to individual rights.  To change now would make a lie of everything I have said I stood for in my country for the past 37 years. 

When I led the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is responsible for confirming the President’s judicial nominees, as I said, I was consistently ranked among the staunchest advocates for civil liberties.  And I made it a priority to determine prospective judges’ views on privacy before deciding whether or not they could go on the court. 
 
But President Obama and I also believe that governments’ primary and most fundamental and most solemn duty is to protect its citizens, the citizens it serves, as well as the rights they hold.
 
President Obama has said that keeping our country safe is the first thing he thinks about when he wakes up in the morning and the last thing he thinks about before he goes to bed at night.  I suspect that is how every world leader looks at their role. 
 
Indeed, no less than privacy, physical safety is also an inalienable right -- physical safety is also an inalienable right.  And a government that abdicates its duty to ensure the safety of its citizens violates their rights no less than a government that silences dissidents or imprisons accused criminals without trial.
 
     And so, folks, even -- even as we gather here today, our enemies are employing every tool they can muster to conduct new and devastating attacks like the ones that struck New York, London, Madrid, and many other places around the globe.
 
To stop them, we must use every legitimate tool available -- law enforcement, military, intelligence, technology -- that’s consistent with our principles, our laws, and our values.  We’re fighting on many fronts, from the brave men and women serving abroad in our militaries to the patient and tireless law enforcement professionals investigating complex and suspicious financial networks. 

Just this week, our customs and border protection -- using passenger information data -- apprehended a suspect in the attempted bombing of New York’s Times Square, as he sought to flee the country.
 
It is vital that we maintain every capacity we have under the law to stop such attacks. 
 
And for that reason, we believe that the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program is essential to our security, as well as to yours -- presumptive of me to say.  It has provided critical leads to counterterrorism investigations on both sides of the Atlantic -- disrupting plots and ultimately saving lives.  It is built -- it has built-in redundancies that ensure personal information is respected and used only for counterterrorism purposes.  But I don’t blame you for questioning it. 
 
We understand your concerns.  As a consequence, we are working together to address them and I’m absolutely confident that we can succeed, to both use the tool and guarantee privacy.  It’s important that we do so, and it’s important that we do so as quickly as possible.
 
As a former United States Senator, I also know how hard it can be to make the hard choices required by global challenges, while staying true to local values.  All of you are going through that every time you vote in this Parliament, I suspect.
 
The longer we are without an agreement on the Terrorist Finance Tracking Program, the greater the risk of a terrorist attack that could have been prevented.  As leaders, we share a responsibility to do everything we can within the law to protect the 800 million people we collectively serve.
 
We have disagreed before.  We will surely disagree again.  But I’m equally convinced that the United States and Europe can meet the challenges of the 21st century, as we did in the 20th century if we talk and listen to one another, if we are honest with one another.  (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, “courage,” Winston Churchill taught us, “is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen.”  While this afternoon I have done all of the speaking, be assured that I -- my government and my President -- that we are back in the business of listening -- listening to our allies.

Ladies and gentlemen, it was no accident that Europe was my first overseas destination as Vice President, and also the President’s.  It is no accident that we’ve already returned several times since then.  The United States needs Europe.  And, I respectfully submit, Europe needs the United States -- we need each other more now than we have ever.  (Applause.)
 
So I view this week’s anniversary as providing a welcome opportunity to reaffirm the bond our peoples forged long ago in the fires of adversity.  Now, as then, in the pursuit of ideals and in the search of partners, Europeans and Americans look to each other before they look to anyone else.
 
Now, as then, we are honored and grateful to be by your side in the struggles yet to come.  So, again, I’m here to state unequivocally, President Obama and Joe Biden strongly support a united, a free, an open Europe.  We strongly support what you are about here.  We wish you god speed.  And may God bless you all and may God protect all of our troops.  Thank you very, very much.  (Applause.)

END
12:58 P.M. (local)

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 05, 2010

Declaraciones del Presidente Barack Obama en la Recepción del Cinco de Mayo

Jardín de Rosas

5:58 P.M. EDT

EL PRESIDENTE: ¡Viva! Buenas noches a todos. Buenas noches. Es un gran honor para Michelle y para mí darles la bienvenida a la Casa Blanca. Y todos ustedes nos trajeron un clima fabuloso, o sea que gracias por ello. (Risas). Gracias. Sé que muchos de ustedes preferirían estar viendo el partido de esta noche, de los Spurs contra “Los Suns” de Phoenix. (Aplausos).
 
Esta noche se suma a la lista de los grandes eventos que hemos tenido en la Casa Blanca para celebrar la cultura latina en Estados Unidos, como nuestro concierto al que quizá algunos de ustedes hayan asistido en el Jardín Sur por el Mes de la Hispanidad: Fiesta Latina. (Aplausos). Y Malia y Sasha probablemente jamás se olvidarán de haber tocado los tambores con Sheila E. (Risas). Michelle, en cambio, preferiría olvidar esta imagen: yo tratando de bailar con Thalía. (Risas). No pensé que lo hice tan mal. (Risas).

SRA. OBAMA: Estuviste bien. (Risas).

EL PRESIDENTE: Pero no habrá… no repetiré ese espectáculo esta noche.
 
PÚBLICO: Ahhhhh… (Risas).

EL PRESIDENTE: Nos reunimos hoy para conmemorar una fecha que se celebra tanto en Estados Unidos como en México. Y es un honor para nosotros contar con la presencia del secretario de Gobernación, Fernando Gómez-Mont y su encantadora esposa, Gloria. Sírvanse darles un gran aplauso. (Aplausos). Es un gusto volver a verlos. Y un gran amigo mío y de los Estados Unidos, el embajador Arturo Sarukhán y su maravillosa esposa, Verónica, quienes también están aquí. (Aplausos). Es un gusto volver a verlos.
 
Ahora bien, los acontecimientos de esta fecha histórica son bien conocidos: hace casi 150 años, en la Batalla de Puebla, un grupo de patriotas mexicanos se enfrentaron a un numeroso ejército europeo y lograron una victoria que sigue inspirando al mundo.
 
Pero pocos saben que el general Zaragoza, líder de esos patriotas, nació en lo que hoy es la ciudad de Goliad en Tejas. De hecho, pueden ir allá hoy en día. ¿Es usted de allí?

MIEMBRO DEL PÚBLICO: Sí.

EL PRESIDENTE: Se puede visitar el lugar donde nació. Es un lugar histórico. Incluye una estatua de 10 pies de alto del general, regalo del pueblo mexicano, que ha sido preservado por el pueblo estadounidense.
 
Entonces, ambos países compartimos la gloria de este día y el orgullo que sentimos por los valiosos aportes de los hispanos a Estados Unidos en toda nuestra historia, entre ellos, hombres y mujeres que nos acompañan esta noche aquí.
 
Nos acompañan abnegados congresistas y miembros del Caucus Hispano del Congreso (Congressional Hispanic Caucus), como también miembros de su equipo. Entre ellos está el senador Bob Menéndez… (Aplausos). Hola, Bob. El representante Xavier Becerra… ¿Dónde está Xavier? (Aplausos). Allí está, allá atrás. La presidenta de comité Nydia Velázquez. ¿Dónde está Nydia? (Aplausos).
 
Nos acompañan sobresalientes miembros de mi gabinete, entre ellos, la secretaria de Trabajo Hilda Solís… (Aplausos). ¡Hilda! También está aquí la Secretaria de Seguridad Nacional Napolitano. (Aplausos). Y aunque ella está… él está en el golfo encabezando nuestra respuesta al derrame de petróleo, quiero mencionar a mi sobresaliente secretario del Interior, Ken Salazar. (Aplausos).

Nos acompañan estadounidenses hispanos que prestan servicios en todos los niveles de mi gobierno. Y me enorgullece haber nombrado a más latinos que cualquier otro gobierno en la historia a cargos de importancia en mi gobierno… (aplausos)… no sólo porque son latinos, sino porque son los más capacitados para el puesto.
 
Y quiero recalcar que muchos de esos nombramientos fueron a latinas... “latinas sabias”, indudablemente. (Aplausos). Y aunque no se encuentra presente esta noche, creo que le debemos dar un gran aplauso a nuestra primera latina en la Corte Suprema, Sonia Sotomayor. (Aplausos).

También nos acompañan líderes de todos los segmentos de la sociedad estadounidense. Y quiero darles una especial bienvenida a quienes están en la comisión para explorar la creación de un nuevo museo en Washington a fin de destacar la historia de los latinos en Estados Unidos. (Aplausos). Y estoy deseoso de ver los resultados del arduo trabajo de la comisión y de ver el día en que se abran las puertas del nuevo Museo Nacional del Estadounidense Latino.
 
Los artistas de esta noche son un maravilloso ejemplo de cómo la cultura latina ha dado forma y fortalecido a la sociedad estadounidense. Por lo que quiero darles las gracias a Maru y la compañía de danza Montero, junto con Javier Cortés. (Aplausos). Muchas gracias. Antes de salir, los estaba escuchando adentro. Realmente sonaban muy bien. (Risas).
 
Ahora bien, al celebrar la historia de los latinos en Estados Unidos, realmente estamos celebrando la historia colectiva de Estados Unidos. Al fin y al cabo, los sueños de los estadounidenses mexicanos y de todos los latinos son los mismos sueños que los de cualquier otro estadounidense. 
Por eso, en vista de una crisis económica sin precedente, tomamos medidas audaces para lograr que el crecimiento económico retorne, se generen puestos de trabajo otra vez y se sienten las bases para una prosperidad duradera.

Eso beneficia a todos los estadounidenses, incluidos los hispanos cuya tasa de desempleo sigue siendo inaceptablemente alta y que están listos para volver a trabajar.
 
Por eso, después de casi un siglo, aprobamos la histórica reforma del seguro médico con la ayuda del Congressional Hispanic Caucus. Y les estamos agradecidos. (Aplausos). Eso beneficia a todos los estadounidenses. Beneficia a todos los estadounidenses, incluidos los millones de latinos que por fin tendrán la cobertura de la que carecen hoy, así como los latinos dueños de pequeñas empresas que finalmente podrán proporcionar cobertura a sus empleados. Y les permite unirse a los hijos de inmigrantes legales, quienes finalmente pueden obtener atención médica por medio del programa SCHIP, algo que hicimos al inicio de mi periodo. (Aplausos).
 
Por eso hemos hecho que los estudios universitarios cuesten menos, por eso estamos reformando la educación. Y eso beneficia a todos los niños, incluidos los latinos, que en lugar de tener la tasa más alta de abandono escolar, merecen toda oportunidad de alcanzar su potencial divino.
 
Así que esta fecha nos recuerda que la fortaleza de Estados Unidos depende de su diversidad. Por eso me pronuncié en contra de la ley que se aprobó recientemente en Arizona. (Aplausos). Y que no quede duda: nuestro sistema de inmigración está quebrado. Y después de tantos años sin que Washington cumpla con su deber, los estadounidenses tienen razón de sentirse frustrados, incluida la gente de los estados fronterizos. Pero la respuesta no es socavar los principios fundamentales que nos definen como nación. No podemos empezar a separar a la gente por su aspecto o por su manera de hablar o su ropa. No podemos convertir en sujetos de sospecha y abuso a ciudadanos estadounidenses respetuosos de la ley e inmigrantes respetuosos de la ley. No podemos crear una línea divisoria en el pueblo de estadounidense de esa manera. Ésa no es la respuesta. Ése no es Estados Unidos de Norteamérica.
 
Y por eso di instrucciones a mi gobierno para que se mantenga muy al tanto de la nueva ley de Arizona, que examine los derechos civiles y otras implicancias que pudiera tener. Aquí en Washington debemos cumplir nuestras obligaciones, para así no dar pie a este tipo de acciones equivocadas.
 
Entonces, quiero volver a decirlo, en caso alguien esté confundido. La manera de arreglar nuestro sistema quebrado de inmigración es con una reforma integral de inmigración de sentido común. (Aplausos). Eso significa que el gobierno asuma su responsabilidad de reforzar nuestras fronteras, algo que hemos hecho y continuaremos haciendo. Significa que asuman su responsabilidad las empresas que transgreden la ley al socavar las condiciones laborales de los trabajadores estadounidenses y explotar a los trabajadores indocumentados. Deben rendir cuentas. Significa que asuma su responsabilidad la gente que vive aquí ilegalmente. Deben admitir que infringieron las leyes y pagar sus impuestos, pagar una multa y aprender inglés, y hacer lo correcto ante la ley, y solo entonces ponerse en fila y obtener la ciudadanía. 

Una reforma integral: es así que vamos a resolver este problema. Y sé que se ha comentado en la última semana, desde que hablé de este difícil asunto. Bueno, ¿es sensato hacerlo, en términos políticos? ¿Puede lograr votos republicanos? Miren, por supuesto que va a ser difícil. Es verdad. Cualquiera que les diga que va a ser fácil o que puedo usar una varita mágica y hacer que suceda no ha estado prestando atención a la manera de operar de esta ciudad. (Risas).

Necesitamos respaldo de ambos partidos. Pero se puede lograr. Y se debe lograr. Por lo tanto, me complació ver que el Senado presentó la semana pasada una propuesta sólida de reforma integral, y me complació que se basara en el marco que cuenta con el respaldo de los dos partidos. Quiero iniciar el trabajo al respecto este año y quiero que demócratas y republicanos trabajen conmigo, pues debemos ser fieles a lo que somos: ser parte de un estado de derecho y una nación de inmigrantes.

Ése es el espíritu que vi en hombres y mujeres admirables a quienes invité recientemente aquí al Jardín de Rosas. Eran de más de una docena de países. Y a pesar de que todavía no eran ciudadanos, se enlistaron en las Fuerzas Armadas de Estados Unidos. Y una de ellos se llamaba Perla Ramos y nació y creció en México. Vino a Estados Unidos poco después del 11 de septiembre. Su esposo era infante de Marina de Estados Unidos, por lo que, según dijo ella, “surgió en mí una pasión por lo militar”.

Después de un tiempo, ella entró en la Marina. Y afirmó, “Siento orgullo por nuestra bandera y la historia que forjó a esta gran nación y la historia que escribimos día a día”. Y como el Comandante en Jefe de Perla, me enorgulleció ayudar a tomarle el juramento a ésta hija de México y una de nuestras más recientes ciudadanas estadounidenses. (Aplausos). Continúa una gran tradición de estadounidenses de ascendencia mexicana que son parte de nuestras fuerzas armadas, personas de las que nuestros países pueden sentirse muy orgullosos.

Por lo tanto, hoy quiero que recordemos que Estados Unidos y México no son simplemente vecinos, unidos por la geografía e historia. Somos dos sociedades que están entrelazadas por millones de familiares y amigos, por intereses comunes y un futuro compartido. Esos vínculos son inquebrantables. Son vínculos de una comunidad con aspiraciones: ustedes y sus madres y padres, y hermanos y hermanas, que lucharon y se sacrificaron para alcanzar el Sueño Americano. También son los vínculos comerciales que respaldan millones de empleos, tanto en México como Estados Unidos.

Son vínculos que están representados en la confianza y el respeto que siento por el Presidente Calderón mientras trabajamos para crear oportunidades y prosperidad para nuestros pueblos, y hacerles frente a los carteles del narcotráfico y la violencia que amenazan a nuestros países. Es el calor humano que Michelle sintió en su reciente viaje a México, su primer viaje sola como Primera Dama. (Aplausos). Y son la amistad y cooperación que afianzaremos cuando recibamos al Presidente Calderón y la Primera Dama Margarita Zavala para una visita y cena de estado dentro de un par de semanas. (Aplausos).

Ése es el espíritu que todos ustedes están mostrando hoy. Entonces, gracias por encarnarlo en su propia vida. Gracias por compartirlo con nosotros esta noche.

Tengan una fiesta maravillosa. Pueden hacer todo el ruido que quieran. (Risas).

SRA. OBAMA: Podemos oírlos.

EL PRESIDENTE: Pero podemos oírlos. (Risas). Si dura más allá de cierta hora, los echaremos. ¿Bien? (Risas).

Muchas gracias a todos. Que Dios los bendiga. (Aplausos).

FIN 6:10 P.M. EDT
 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 05, 2010

Remarks by the President at Cinco de Mayo Reception

Rose Garden

5:58 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Viva!  Good evening, everyone.  Buenas noches.  Michelle and I are so honored to welcome you to the White House. And you all brought outstanding weather, so we thank you for that.  (Laughter.)  Thank you.  I know that a lot of you would rather be watching tonight’s game —- the Spurs against “Los Suns” from Phoenix.  (Applause.) 

Tonight is another one of our great events here at the White House celebrating Latino culture in America, including our concert some of you might have attended that we had during Hispanic Heritage Month on the South Lawn —- Fiesta Latina.  (Applause.)  And Malia and Sasha will probably never forget playing drums with Shelia E.  (Laughter.)  Michelle, on the other hand, would prefer to forget the sight of me trying to dance with Thalia.  (Laughter.)  I didn’t think I was that bad.  (Laughter.) 
MRS. OBAMA:  You were okay.  (Laughter.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  But there will be no —- there will be no repeat performances tonight.

AUDIENCE:  Awwww –- (laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  We gather to mark a day that’s become as celebrated here in the United States as it is in Mexico.  And we’re honored to be joined by Mexico’s Interior Secretary, Fernando Gomez Mont and his lovely wife Gloria.  Please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  It’s good to see you again.  And a great friend to me and the United States —- Ambassador Arturo Sarukhan and his wonderful wife Veronica, who are also here.  (Applause.)  It’s good to see you again.

Now, the events of this date in history are well-known —- how nearly 150 years ago, at the Battle of Puebla, a band of Mexican patriots faced off against a massive European army and won a victory that inspires the world to this day. 

Less well-known is that General Zaragoza, who led those patriots, was born in what is now the town of Goliad in Texas.  In fact, you can go there today -- are you from there?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes.

THE PRESIDENT:  You can visit his birthplace.  It’s a historical landmark.  It includes a 10-foot tall statue of the general, presented by the people of Mexico and preserved by the people of the United States. 

So the glory of this day is shared by both of our countries. And so is our pride in the lasting contributions that Hispanics have made to America throughout our history, including the men and women who join us here tonight.

We’re joined by dedicated members of Congress and members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, as well as some of their staffs.  This includes Senator Bob Menendez -- (applause.)  Hey, Bob.  Representative Xavier Becerra -- where is Xavier?  (Applause.)  There he is, back there.  Chairwoman Nydia Velazquez.  Where’s Nydia?  (Applause.) 

We’re joined by outstanding members of my Cabinet, including Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis -- (applause.)  Hilda!  As well as Secretary of Homeland Security Napolitano is here.  (Applause.)  And although she’s down -- although he’s down on the Gulf helping to lead our response to the oil spill, I want to acknowledge my outstanding Interior Secretary, Ken Salazar.  (Applause.)   

We’re joined by Hispanic Americans serving at every level of my government.  And I’m proud that we’ve nominated more Latinos to senior positions than any administration in history —- (applause) -- not just because they’re Latino, but because they’re the best people for the job. 

And I should note that many of those appointments are Latinas -— “wise Latinas,” undoubtedly.  (Applause.)  And although she’s not here tonight, I think we should give a little round of applause to our first Latina on the Supreme Court —-Sonia Sotomayor.  (Applause.)   

We’re also joined by leaders from every segment of American society.  And I especially want to welcome those of you serving on the commission to explore the creation of a new museum in Washington to celebrate the history of Latinos in America.  (Applause.)  And I look forward to seeing the results of the commission’s hard work and to the day when we open the doors on a new National Museum of the American Latino. 

Tonight’s performers are a wonderful example of how Latin culture has shaped and strengthened the fabric of America.  So I want to say thank you to Maru and the Montero Dance Company, along with Javier Cortes.  (Applause.)  Thank you very much.  Before I came out I was listening to you guys inside.  You sounded really good.  (Laughter.)

Now, by celebrating the story of Hispanics in America, we’re really celebrating the larger story of America.  After all, the dreams of Mexican Americans and all Latinos are the same dreams as any other American.  It’s why, in the face of an unprecedented economic crisis, we took bold action to get our economy growing again, creating jobs again and laying the foundation for lasting prosperity.
 
That’s good for all Americans, including Hispanics among whom the unemployment rate remains unacceptably high and who are ready to go back to work. 

It’s why, after nearly a century, we passed historic health care reform, with the help of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. And we're grateful to them.  (Applause.)  That’s good for all Americans.  It’s good for all Americans, including the millions of Latinos who will finally get the coverage they lack today, as well as the Latino small business owners who will finally be able to provide coverage for their employees.  And that allows them to join the children of legal immigrants who are finally able to get health care through the SCHIP program, something that we did very early on in my administration.  (Applause.) 

It’s why we’ve made college more affordable, why we’re reforming education.  And that’s good for all children, including Latinos, who instead of having the highest dropout rate, deserve every chance to achieve their God-given potential.

So today reminds us that America’s diversity is America’s strength.  That’s why I spoke out against the recently passed law in Arizona.  (Applause.)  Make no mistake, our immigration system is broken.  And after so many years in which Washington has failed to meet its responsibilities, Americans are right to be frustrated, including folks along border states.  But the answer isn’t to undermine fundamental principles that define us as a nation.  We can’t start singling out people because of who they look like, or how they talk, or how they dress.  We can’t turn law-abiding American citizens —- and law-abiding immigrants —- into subjects of suspicion and abuse.  We can’t divide the American people that way.  That’s not the answer.  That’s not who we are as the United States of America. 

And that’s why I’ve instructed my administration to closely monitor the new law in Arizona, to examine the civil rights and other implications that it may have.  That’s why we have to close the door on this kind of misconceived action by meeting our obligations here in Washington.    

So I want to say it again, just in case anybody is confused. The way to fix our broken immigration system is through common-sense, comprehensive immigration reform.  (Applause.)  That means responsibility from government to secure our borders, something we have done and will continue to do.  It means responsibility from businesses that break the law by undermining American workers and exploiting undocumented workers -— they’ve got to be held accountable.  It means responsibility from people who are living here illegally.  They’ve got to admit that they broke the law, and pay taxes, and pay a penalty, and learn English, and get right before the law -- and then get in line and earn their citizenship.       

Comprehensive reform —- that’s how we’re going to solve this problem.  And I know there’s been some commentary over the last week since I talked about this difficult issue:  Well, is this politically smart to do?  Can you get Republican votes?  Look, of course, it’s going to be tough.  That’s the truth.  Anybody who tells you it’s going to be easy or I can wave a magic wand and make it happen hasn’t been paying attention how this town works. (Laughter.)

We need bipartisan support.  But it can be done.  And it needs to be done.  So I was pleased to see a strong proposal for comprehensive reform presented in the Senate last week —- and I was pleased that it was based on a bipartisan framework.  I want to begin work this year, and I want Democrats and Republicans to work with me -- because we’ve got to stay true to who we are, a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. 

That’s the spirit that I saw in some remarkable men and women that I recently hosted right here in the Rose Garden.  They came from more than a dozen countries.  And even though they weren’t yet citizens, they had enlisted in the United States military.  And one woman was named Perla Ramos, and she was born and raised in Mexico.  She came to the United States shortly after 9/11.  Her husband was a U.S. Marine, and she said, “a passion for the military grew inside me.”

In time, she joined herself —- enlisting in the Navy.  And she said, “I take pride in our flag and the history that forged this great nation and the history we write day by day.”  And as Perla’s Commander-in-Chief, I took great pride in helping to swear her in —- a daughter of Mexico and one of our newest American citizens.  (Applause.)  So she continues a great tradition of Mexican Americans serving in our military -- someone in whom both our nations can take great pride.

So, today I want us to remember —- the United States and Mexico are not simply neighbors, bound by geography and history. We’re two societies that are woven together by millions of family and friends, by common interests and a shared future.  Those are bonds that are unbreakable.  They’re bonds of an aspirational community -- you and your mothers and fathers, and brothers and sisters who struggled and sacrificed to realize the American Dream.  They’re also bonds of commerce and trade that sustain millions of jobs -— both in Mexico and in the United States. 

They’re bonds that are represented in the trust and respect that I have for President Calderon as we work together to create opportunity and prosperity for our peoples, and confront the drug cartels and violence that threaten both our countries.  It’s the warmth that Michelle felt on her recent trip to Mexico —- her first solo trip as First Lady.  (Applause.)  And it’s the friendship and cooperation that we’ll deepen when we host President Calderon and First Lady Margarita Zavala for their state visit and dinner in a couple of weeks.  (Applause.)   

That’s the spirit that all of you are putting on display today.  So thank you for living it in your own lives.  Thank you for sharing it with us tonight. 

Have a wonderful party.  You can be as noisy as you want.  (Laughter.) 

MRS. OBAMA:  We can hear you.

THE PRESIDENT:  We can hear you, though.  (Laughter.)  If it goes past a certain hour we'll kick you out.  All right?  (Laughter.)

Thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  (Applause.)

END
6:10 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
May 05, 2010

Remarks by The First Lady at USAID Agency visit

U.S. Agency for International Development
Washington, D.C.

2:09 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you everyone.  Thanks so much.  (Applause.)  You all take a load off your feet because you work hard enough.  (Laughter.)  It is truly a pleasure to be here.  This is a big agency.  This is good.  (Laughter.)  I think this is one of my largest agency visits.  This is really wonderful.

I want to start by thanking Raj for that wonderful introduction, but more so for everything that he’s doing here.

And I also want to thank his family who are here, because they’re doing many things, working at the Department of Education.  They’ve got two beautiful young children.  They’re just delicious.  (Laughter.)  And, you know, we are grateful to all of you for the sacrifice that you’re making to work for this administration.

Everyone here is supported by loving families that keep them going.  And my greetings here go not just to you but to the families that make it possible for you to do the work that you do. 

As you all know, Raj has an extraordinary background.  He’s brought an unbelievable amount of energy and experience to the job here at USAID.  But of course, as you can see, Raj is still only at the beginning of his career.  He is young and smart and talented, but he’s really just getting started.  And that's why we were so happy that he agreed to follow those passions right here to develop the work here at USAID.  We are grateful to him, and I want us to give Raj a round of applause for the work that he’s doing.  (Applause.)

The beauty is, is that he’s the right fit for this agency because he is passionate and committed, but he’s just a reflection of the passion and commitment that you all bring to this work. 

You all recognize the challenges we’re facing are bigger and much more complex than ever before: a billion people living in hunger around the world; the growing threat of climate change; the unpredictable threat of natural disaster that we see playing out all the time; an exploding youth population that can either be one of our greatest challenges or one of our greatest opportunities. 

But you all share the courage to face those challenges head-on and the determination to help people around the world turn crisis into opportunity.

And I understand this is a pretty tight-knit group, because it really takes a special kind of person to do the work that you do. 

So I know that you have to be tight-knit, and I know firsthand because as you know, my mother-in-law -– Barack’s mother –- spent more than 20 years working on a variety of development projects for USAID in Indonesia.  And I got to see her commitment firsthand.

I know that many of you, like her, have lived and worked in conditions that the rest of us could only imagine –- sometimes risking your own lives and your own safety along the way.  Many people don’t realize that.  You put in incredibly long hours, you work sleepless nights, you’ve got beautiful kids who want to talk to their daddy -- (laughter) -- and she should be able to talk to her daddy.  (Laughter.)  Don’t know why you won’t talk to her.  (Laughter.)  She doesn’t understand why you’re standing over there.  (Laughter and applause.)  It’s very clear.  (Laughter.) 

But you all do so much.  You’re working weeks and months at a time away from your families.  And that in and of itself is a hard thing to even imagine.  And you do it all because you believe in the power of development to make America stronger in the world and improve the lives of those less fortunate.  

That’s why it’s been really truly a pleasure that as First Lady I’ve been able to visit so many agencies throughout the federal government over the last year to thank folks like you for all the hard work and service that you provide. 

Over the years, your work here has touched millions of lives. 

Because of your efforts to improve basic health conditions, there are children around the world who are alive today who would have died without your help. 

Because of your commitment to sustainable agriculture, we’ve seen the most dramatic increase in food production in history, and we’ve helped you prevent starvation -- seen you prevent starvation around the world. 

And because of the partnerships you’ve formed with governments, other aid groups, private NGOs, we’ve seen you help advance democracy and protect human rights from Colombia to Nepal.

But as my husband, the President, and Raj have said -- that the ultimate job, the ultimate objective here is to create the condition that you are no longer needed.  That's ultimately what you’re working to do.  Ultimately your goal is to make it possible for the child in El Salvador to go to school; for the family in the Sudan to live free from fear; and for the woman in Ghana to be able to put food on the table.

That’s why you have always represented what is truly best about America –- the idea that we have an obligation not just to help those in need, but to also help folks beyond our borders build capacity to help themselves.

And I know that the mission has been difficult over the last decade.  The work that you do has not been easy. You’ve often been asked to do more and more with less. 

And that’s why the President and Secretary Clinton, who, by the way, has done a fantastic job representing America around the world, that's why together they have made development an important part of foreign policy once again. 

USAID will play a central role in our mission going forward.  The President and Secretary Clinton are committed to making development an essential part of our efforts to ensure peace, security and progress in the world. 

Doing this is about more than simply building good relationships between presidents and prime ministers.  You all know that.  It’s going to take, as my husband said, a new era of mutual interest, respect and responsibility between real people around the world.  Every person that you empower through your work and every life that you improve through your work gets us one step closer to making that vision a reality.

And right now we have more resources and we have a greater ability to help than ever before.  We have the ability to coordinate our work not only with other governments, but also with those in the private sector and with NGOs.  And together, we’re going to continue to make progress on the issues that you work on each and every single day.

Right now, progress is being made in places like Afghanistan, where your colleagues are working with Afghan people in an incredibly dangerous environment to lay the foundation for a more stable future there.

You’re making sure resources are being used wisely –- increasing access to health care, rejuvenating the economy and making sure that more children have access to a good education.  

But perhaps nowhere has your work been more visible to the American people over the last year than in Haiti.    

In the aftermath of the terrible earthquake that killed hundreds of thousands of people and left millions without food, water and shelter, the men and women of USAID, you all answered the call, and you put service above self, and helped to mount a rapid response to one of the most complex disasters that we’ve seen.

Your DART teams were some of the first on the ground, helping to save lives and assess the damage. 

Your work with the Haitian government, our military, the U.N. and NGOs helped feed nearly 3 million Haitians, and provide water and sanitation services to much of the affected population. 

And through a variety of resources and sources, you’ve helped treat thousands of victims who urgently needed medical care.
    
And as you know, three weeks ago, Jill Biden and I visited Port-Au-Prince to see your work firsthand, and to meet the women and men who are working so hard to get that country back on its feet.  And it was truly an inspiring visit.

I had the privilege of meeting with many of your colleagues, including the USAID country head, Dr. Carlene Dei while I was there, and she was terrific.

And wherever I went, I was amazed and incredibly touched to hear the stories of your sacrifice and your compassion and your amazing partnership with the Haitian people and folks around the world in the aftermath of that disaster.  It was clear from my visit that people valued the work and saw this country in a different way because of the work that you were doing.

We had a chance to visit families that were living in the tent cities in Champs De Mars -- families, as you know, who’ve lost everything, and for whom every day is a struggle just to stay dry and to feed their kids.

We visited a school, which was really just a set of buses that were donated by the First Lady of the Dominican Republic.  But these buses allowed thousands of boys and girls in Haiti to continue to focus on their studies and to have a place to go to just settle down from the crisis.  Teachers there were using the art, music and dance to provide emotional support for students who were suffering from the trauma.

And we also visited another school that’s being rebuilt so that more children can realize their dreams of an education even in the midst of the devastation.

And part of our mission in visiting Haiti was to shine a light not just on the work that you did, but on the work that still needs to be done.

The destruction, as you know, there is catastrophic, and the needs of the Haitian people are still overwhelming, as you know.

But every day, USAID and others are working to help Haiti recover and to rebuild, little by little, over the next months and over the years to come.

And I know that your work in places like Haiti and Afghanistan represents only a small fraction of the work that you do here at USAID. 

And I know that many of you here and around the world are making a difference in ways that will never show up on the TV.  It’ll never land on the front page of the newspaper.  Much of the work that you do is quiet.  Many people don’t know it’s happening.

But I do think that events of the last few months have given the American people just a glimpse of the kind of people who work here -- the sacrifices you make; the exhaustion; the tragedy and the risk that you endure -- all because you believe that it’s your duty to help people in their greatest time of need.  

And that’s why the men and women of USAID are so special -- a very different breed of folk.  That’s why development will once again be a central part of our foreign policy in America, and that’s a very good thing because of the work that you do.  And that’s why we’re counting on you to help us strengthen and transform this agency, to continue to work with Raj, to support him in everything he does, because we support him.

There are no words that can express the amount of gratitude that my husband and I feel for the work that you do.  You are making us proud.  You’re making the country proud.  And you’re making the world see America in a very fundamentally different way.

So it is my great honor to be here.  I hope to be back.  I hope to be able to see many more of you on my trips internationally to support the work that you’re doing, to help shine a light on the efforts that you’re making, the progress that’s being made. 

And, again, I'm just grateful to all of you.  And I'm going to take some time now just to shake some hands.  You all can stand back up again, I'm sure.  (Laughter.)  And Raj can see his child.  (Laughter.) 

So thank you all.  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)
         
END
2:22 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
May 05, 2010

Remarks by the President at Signing of Caregives and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act

State Dining Room

1:29 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everyone.  Danny Akaka, aloha.  (Laughter.)  Since the 9/11 attacks more than eight years ago, the United States has been a nation at war.  In this time, millions of Americans have worn the uniform.  More than a million have served in Afghanistan and Iraq.  Many have risked their lives.  Many have given their lives.  All are the very embodiment of service and patriotism.  And as a grateful nation, humbled by their service, we can never honor these American heroes or their families enough.

Along with their loved ones, we give thanks every time our men and women in uniform return home.  But we’re forever mindful that our obligations to our troops don’t end on the battlefield.  Just as we have a responsibility to train and equip them when we send them into harm’s way, we have a responsibility to take care of them when they come home. 

As Michelle and Dr. Biden have reminded us in all their visits to military bases and communities, our obligations must include a national commitment to inspiring military families —- the spouses and children who sacrifice as well. 

We have a responsibility to veterans like Ted Wade, who joins us here today with his wonderful wife Sarah.  We are so proud of both of them.  Six years ago, Sergeant Wade was serving in the 82nd Airborne Division in Iraq when his Humvee was struck by an IED, an improvised explosive device.  He lost much of his right arm and suffered multiple injuries, including severe traumatic brain injury.  He was in a coma for more than two months, and doctors said it was doubtful that he would survive.  
But he did survive -- thanks to the care he received over many months and years, thanks to Ted’s indomitable spirit, and thanks to the incredible support from Sarah, who has been at his side during every step of a long and very difficult recovery.  As I’ve said many times, our nation’s commitment to our veterans and their families —- to patriots like Ted and Sarah —- is a sacred trust, and upholding that trust is a moral obligation.

Since taking office, my administration -— in partnership with many -- the veterans organizations who are here today —- has worked to make sure that America fulfills this obligation.  We’ve dramatically increased funding for veterans’ health care, including our wounded warriors, especially those with the signature wounds of today’s wars -— post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injury.  Under Secretary Ric Shinseki’s outstanding leadership, we’re building a 21st century VA, including budget reform to ensure predictable funding, and a historic increase in the VA budget.

But as we all know, keeping faith with our veterans and their families is work that is never truly finished.  As a nation, as the beneficiaries of their service, there’s always more we can do and more that we must do.  And that’s what we’re doing today, as I sign this important legislation —- the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act.

With this legislation, we’re expanding mental health counseling and services for our veterans from Afghanistan and Iraq, including our National Guardsmen and Reservists.  We’re authorizing the VA to utilize hospitals and clinics outside the VA system to serve more wounded warriors like Ted with traumatic brain injury. 

We’re increasing support to veterans in rural areas, with the transportation and housing they need to reach VA hospitals and clinics.  We’re expanding and improving health care for our women’s veterans, to meet their unique needs, including maternity care for newborn children.  And we’ll launch a pilot program to provide child care for veterans receiving intensive medical care. 
We’re eliminating co-pays for veterans who are catastrophically disabled.  And we’re expanding support to homeless veterans, because in the United States of America, no one who has served this nation in uniform should ever be living on the streets.

Finally, this legislation marks a major step forward in America’s commitment to families and caregivers who tend to our wounded warriors every day.  They’re spouses like Sarah.  They’re parents, once again caring for their sons and daughters.  Sometimes they’re children helping to take care of their mom or dad.   

These caregivers put their own lives on hold, their own careers and dreams aside, to care for a loved one.  They do it every day, often around the clock.  As Sarah can tell you, it’s hard physically and it’s hard emotionally.  It’s certainly hard financially.  And these tireless caregivers shouldn’t have to do it alone.  As of today, they’ll be getting more of the help that they need.

If you’re like Sarah —- and caring for a severely injured veteran from Afghanistan or Iraq —- you’ll receive a stipend and other assistance, including lodging when you travel for your loved one’s treatment.  If you need training to provide specialized services, you’ll get it.  If you need counseling, you’ll receive it.  If you don’t have health insurance, it will be provided.  And if you need a break, it will be arranged —- up to 30 days of respite care each year.

So today is a victory for all the veterans’ organizations who fought for this legislation.  It’s a tribute to those who led the fight in Congress, including Senator and World War II vet Danny Akaka, and Senator Richard Burr; and in the House, Representatives Mike Michaud and Bob Filner.  And I thank all the members of Congress who are joining us here today.

Most of all, today is a victory for veterans like Ted and caregivers like Sarah, who, by the way, has become a passionate and very effective voice on behalf of wounded warriors and their families.  Testifying before Congress, she said of her husband, “Just like he needed a team in the military to accomplish the mission, he needs a team at home in the longer war.”

So to Ted, and to Sarah, to all our veterans and your families, with this legislation we’re building a stronger team here at home that you need —- now and for the long road to recovery.  And that’s why I’m very much looking forward to signing this legislation.  Thank you.  (Applause.) 

(The bill is signed.)

END
1:36 P.M. EDT