The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2009

Remarks by the President at Reception Commemorating the Enactment of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act

East Room

5:45 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much, everybody.  Thank you so much, and welcome to the White House. 

There are several people here that I want to just make mention of because they helped to make today possible.  We've got Attorney General Eric Holder.  (Applause.)  A champion of this legislation, and a great Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  My dear friend, senior Senator from the great state of Illinois, Dick Durbin.  (Applause.)  The outstanding Chairman of Armed Services, Carl Levin.  (Applause.)  Senator Arlen Specter.  (Applause.)  Chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the House, Representative John Conyers.  (Applause.)  Representative Barney Frank.  (Applause.)  Representative Tammy Baldwin.  (Applause.)  Representative Jerry Nadler.  (Applause.)  Representative Jared Polis.  (Applause.)  All the members of Congress who are here today, we thank you. 

Mr. David Bohnett and Mr. Tom Gregory and the David Bohnett Foundation -- they are partners for this reception.  Thank you so much, guys, for helping to host this.  (Applause.) 

And finally, and most importantly, because these were really the spearheads of this effort  -- Denis, Judy, and Logan Shepard. (Applause.)  As well as Betty Byrd Boatner and Louvon Harris  -- sisters of James Byrd, Jr.  (Applause.)

To all the activists, all the organizers, all the people who helped make this day happen, thank you for your years of advocacy and activism, pushing and protesting that made this victory possible.      

You know, as a nation we've come far on the journey towards a more perfect union.  And today, we've taken another step forward.  This afternoon, I signed into law the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.  (Applause.) 

This is the culmination of a struggle that has lasted more than a decade.  Time and again, we faced opposition.  Time and again, the measure was defeated or delayed.  Time and again we've been reminded of the difficulty of building a nation in which we're all free to live and love as we see fit.  But the cause endured and the struggle continued, waged by the family of Matthew Shepard, by the family of James Byrd, by folks who held vigils and led marches, by those who rallied and organized and refused to give up, by the late Senator Ted Kennedy who fought so hard for this legislation -- (applause) -- and all who toiled for years to reach this day.

You understood that we must stand against crimes that are meant not only to break bones, but to break spirits -- not only to inflict harm, but to instill fear.  You understand that the rights afforded every citizen under our Constitution mean nothing if we do not protect those rights -- both from unjust laws and violent acts.  And you understand how necessary this law continues to be. 

In the most recent year for which we have data, the FBI reported roughly 7,600 hate crimes in this country.  Over the past 10 years, there were more than 12,000 reported hate crimes based on sexual orientation alone.  And we will never know how many incidents were never reported at all.

And that's why, through this law, we will strengthen the protections against crimes based on the color of your skin, the faith in your heart, or the place of your birth.  We will finally add federal protections against crimes based on gender, disability, gender identity, or sexual orientation.  (Applause.) And prosecutors will have new tools to work with states in order to prosecute to the fullest those who would perpetrate such crimes.  Because no one in America should ever be afraid to walk down the street holding the hands of the person they love.  No one in America should be forced to look over their shoulder because of who they are or because they live with a disability.

At root, this isn't just about our laws; this is about who we are as a people.  This is about whether we value one another
-- whether we embrace our differences, rather than allowing them to become a source of animus.  It's hard for any of us to imagine the mind-set of someone who would kidnap a young man and beat him to within an inch of his life, tie him to a fence, and leave him for dead.  It's hard for any of us to imagine the twisted mentality of those who'd offer a neighbor a ride home, attack him, chain him to the back of a truck, and drag him for miles until he finally died.

But we sense where such cruelty begins:  the moment we fail to see in another our common humanity -- the very moment when we fail to recognize in a person the same fears and hopes, the same passions and imperfections, the same dreams that we all share.

We have for centuries strived to live up to our founding ideal, of a nation where all are free and equal and able to pursue their own version of happiness.  Through conflict and tumult, through the morass of hatred and prejudice, through periods of division and discord we have endured and grown stronger and fairer and freer.  And at every turn, we've made progress not only by changing laws but by changing hearts, by our willingness to walk in another's shoes, by our capacity to love and accept even in the face of rage and bigotry.

In April of 1968, just one week after the assassination of Martin Luther King, as our nation mourned in grief and shuddered in anger, President Lyndon Johnson signed landmark civil rights legislation.  This was the first time we enshrined into law federal protections against crimes motivated by religious or racial hatred -- the law on which we build today.

As he signed his name, at a difficult moment for our country, President Johnson said that through this law "the bells of freedom ring out a little louder."  That is the promise of America.  Over the sounds of hatred and chaos, over the din of grief and anger, we can still hear those ideals -- even when they are faint, even when some would try to drown them out.  At our best we seek to make sure those ideals can be heard and felt by Americans everywhere.  And that work did not end in 1968.  It certainly does not end today.  But because of the efforts of the folks in this room -- particularly those family members who are standing behind me -- we can be proud that that bell rings even louder now and each day grows louder still.

So thank you very much.  God bless you and God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END
5:53 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2009

Remarks by the First Lady and the Second Lady during Major League Baseball/VA visit

James J. Peters VA Medical Center, Bronx, New York

2:19 P.M. EDT
 
DR. BIDEN:  Hello.  Thank you Commissioner Selig and President DuPoy for the invitation to join you here today and for all that Major League Baseball does to honor our veterans and our military families.
 
Thank you also to everyone from the Medical Center, especially the veterans, for welcoming us here today.  I sincerely thank you for your service and your sacrifice.
 
Each of you, like our veterans across the nation, has chosen to dedicate your lives to our country -- and I am honored to be a part of this important effort to show appreciation.
 
One of the first events Michelle and I did together just about a year ago was a roundtable with military spouses.  We have worked together since then to understand the issues faced by our soldiers and their families while they are deployed and when they return home.
 
We have been truly overwhelmed by the courage of our men and women in uniform and inspired by the dignity and sense of patriotism that our military families exhibit every day.
 
Both Michelle and I have continued this outreach, visiting bases in the United States and abroad, offering thanks to members of the military and their families for their service to our nation.  We want them to know that we are listening and that their concerns are a top priority for this administration.
 
The President and his team are working hard to expand access to childcare, to improve housing and to provide quality care and treatment for our wounded warriors.  (Applause.)
 
But, as Major League Baseball demonstrates today, there is a role for each and every one of us in supporting our military families.  We are asking all Americans to take action and show their thanks through simple acts of kindness to these families and our veterans.
 
As a military mom, I know how a simple act of kindness can make a difference to a soldier, whether it's troop greeters who are meeting our troopers coming back, a neighbor offering to baby-sit, or a classroom adopting a unit.  It is our sacred duty to honor the service of those who sacrifice for our country -- and we can all play a role with a simple act of service.  I hope that the millions of viewers watching tonight's game will join us in this effort.
 
And now it's a pleasure to introduce my friend and partner, our First Lady Michelle Obama.  (Applause.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Thank you.  Thank you, everyone.  Please sit.  You've done enough.  You can sit.  (Laughter.)
 
First I want to thank Jill -- Jill, my partner in --
 
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)
 
MRS. OBAMA:  Pardon me?  What was that back there?  (Laughter.)  I want to thank Jill for her partnership, her friendship, her support.  She has been just a phenomenal support to me, not just in this particular effort but everything that we've been through and will have to go through.  I want us all to give her another round of applause.  (Applause.)
 
And I want to thank everyone in Major League Baseball for all that you're doing for our veterans.  This has just been a phenomenal effort to bring exposure and awareness, and we are just all so very grateful that Major League Baseball has decided to take on this issue at a time that is so important and is such a celebratory time in Major League Baseball.  So we thank you all.
 
And thanks for everyone here at the VA.  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  We are so proud and so honored to be here. 
 
Last week I spent some time with Secretary Shinseki and the staff at the VA headquarters in Washington to underscore the importance of the VA's mission and to thank the VA staff there and all across America for their service to our nation's veterans.  And I've done that because in addition to thanking veterans, it's important to thank the staff who make things possible.  So often we forget the men and women behind the scenes who make things work. 
 
And I know that many of you are veterans yourselves, the people who work at the VA, the people who work at facilities like this, and your work couldn't be more important.  It could not be more important.
 
So I am happy to be here today.  I'm happy with every minute that I spend time with our men and women in uniform and our veterans.
 
Each and every day, they selflessly and courageously serve this nation.  They demonstrate their commitment to upholding America's highest ideals.  And they make an enormous sacrifice for each of us, for our country, and for the peace and security that we all enjoy.
 
Today's visit is a vivid reminder that for many of them, the battle continues even after they come home.  But when I talk with these brave men and women, they speak less about themselves and more about the stress that their sacrifice puts on their families who live each day without them and hold everything together in their absence.  That's all these folks think about and worry about.
 
As a nation, we have a responsibility to honor their service by doing everything we can to support our servicemen and women, our veterans, and their families.  That's a duty that we have.  (Applause.)
 
Now, for government, for government, that means living up to our responsibility to guaranteeing our veterans the care that they were promised and the benefits that they have earned.
 
In fact, in addition -- (applause) -- yes -- (applause) -- in addition to an historic increase in VA funding, which is part of the bill that President Obama has signed today -- or will sign, if he hasn't signed it today -- gives the family members of wounded veterans federal family leave protection so that they can for -- care for their loved ones without losing their jobs, something very simple, very basic.  (Applause.)  So those are the types of things that government can do.
 
But providing our military and their families with the support they deserve requires far more than government can do, as Jill pointed out.  It requires all of us to be very active in this effort.  
 
And Jill and I have obviously made it a personal priority to ask all Americans to join the cause by supporting our military and their families.  And as Jill said, there are just so many ways that people can help on their own. 
 
And I've said this so many times before.  If you are a business owner, big or small, you can help a returning soldier or a veteran or a spouse by helping them get or keep a job.  We have to think about that. 
 
If you have professional skill of any kind, whether you're a lawyer, particularly if you're a mental health professional, or an accountant, you can provide your services pro bono to military families who need assistance.  That's something to think about.
 
Or you can do something, as Jill said, as simple as offering to drive a carpool, or to offer babysitting, or making a meal.  Just so many small things can really make the difference and make sure that our veterans and our men and women in uniform know that we care and that we're thinking about them.
 
And above all, each of us can simply reach out and do something really small, and say thank you.  (Applause.)  Each and every one of us is living in a community that has some family who has been touched in some way.  They're in our schools, in our churches, they're walking through the streets at the grocery store.  Sometimes they're easily identified, sometimes they're not.  But as Jill said, part of why we're here is that we want to urge all Americans who see -- watch the game tonight, get a chance to see our PSA, hear the sound of our voices, to never forget that these folks have made sacrifices.  And we owe for what they've done for us.  (Applause.)
 
So let's take the time to be more aware of these heroes in our midst, and honor them by doing more service not just for them but for all our communities.  We are so incredibly grateful and proud of all of you.
 
And with that, we will come down and shake some hands.  So thank you very much.  (Applause.)
 

END

2:29 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2009

Remarks by the President at the Signing of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010

East Room

2:42 P.M. EDT

    THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Please, everybody be seated.

     Good afternoon.  I have often said that meeting our greatest challenges would require not only changing policies in Washington but changing the way business is done in Washington; that it would require a government that's more efficient and effective and less influenced by lobbyists and parochial politics.  And I'm pleased to say that when it comes to the defense bill I'm about to sign into law, we've taken some important steps towards that goal.

     I want to acknowledge my outstanding Vice President, Joe Biden.  (Applause.)  Attorney General Eric Holder is here.  (Applause.)  And all members of Congress who are joining us here today, thank you very much for your outstanding work.  You can give members of Congress a round of applause.  (Applause.)

     As Commander-in-Chief, I will always do whatever it takes to keep the American people safe, to defend this nation.  And that's why this bill provides for the best military in the history of the world.  It reaffirms our commitment to our brave men and women in uniform and our wounded warriors.  It expands family leave rights for the family members of our troops and veterans.  And it makes investments in the capabilities necessary to meet 21st century challenges.

     But I have always rejected the notion that we have to waste billions of dollars of taxpayer money to keep this nation secure.  In fact, I think that wasting these dollars makes us less secure.  And that's why we have passed a defense bill that eliminates some of the waste and inefficiency in our defense process -- reforms that will better protect our nation, better protect our troops, and save taxpayers tens of billions of dollars.

     Now, at the outset, let me just say that this effort would not have been possible without an extraordinary Secretary of Defense.  And so I want to thank publicly Bob Gates for his service to our nation.  (Applause.)

     Having served under eight Presidents of both parties, this is a man who understands that our defense budget isn't about politics, it's about the security of our country, and who knows that every dollar wasted is a dollar we can't spend to care for our troops or protect the homeland.

     And over the last several months, he took that fight to Congress.  He challenged conventional thinking, and he emerged with several critical victories.  So on behalf of the American people, I want to thank you, Bob, for your extraordinary efforts.  (Applause.)

     Now, Bob couldn't have been successful had it not been for the next person I want to introduce -- Admiral Mike Mullen, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.  He provided wise counsel and stood with us in our efforts to initiate reform, even though it probably occasionally caused some heartburn inside of the Pentagon as well, because change is hard.  And so I'm very grateful for his leadership and excellent work.  Please give -- (applause.)

     And finally, I want to thank the members of Congress, particularly Senators Carl Levin and John McCain, and Congressmen Ike Skelton and Buck McKeon.  As the chairmen and ranking members of their respective committees, they did an outstanding job.

     Now, this bill isn't perfect.  This bill is an important step forward, but it's just a first step.  There's still more waste we need to cut.  There are still more fights that we need to win.  Changing the culture in Washington will take time and sustained effort.  And that's why Secretary Gates and I will continue waging these battles in the months and years ahead.
    
     But I will say that when Secretary Gates and I first proposed going after some of these wasteful projects, there were a lot of people in this town who didn't think it was possible, who were certain we were going to lose, who were certain that we would get steamrolled, who argued that the special interests were too entrenched, and that Washington was simply too set in its ways.

     And so I think it's important to note today we have proven them wrong.  Today we're putting an end to some wasteful projects that lawmakers have tried to kill for years.  And we're doing this because Secretary Gates and I both know that we can't build the 21st century military we need unless we fundamentally reform the way our defense establishment does business.  The Government Accountability Office, the GAO, has looked into 96 major defense projects from the last year, and found cost overruns that totaled $296 billion, an amount of money that would have paid our troops' salaries and provided benefits for their families for more than a year. 

     And we all know where this kind of waste comes from -- indefensible, no-bid contracts that cost taxpayers billions and make contractors rich; special interests and their exotic projects that are years behind schedule and billions over budget; entrenched lobbyists pushing weapons that even our military says it doesn't want and doesn't need -- the impulse in Washington to win political points back home by building things that we don't need at costs we can't afford.  This waste would be unacceptable at any time, but at a time when we're fighting two wars and facing a serious deficit, it's inexcusable.  It's unconscionable.  It's an affront to the American people and to our troops, and it has to stop. 

     And already I've put an end to unnecessary no-bid contracts.  I signed bipartisan legislation to reform defense procurement so weapons systems don't spin out of control.  And even as we made critical investments in the equipment and weapons our troops do need, we're eliminating tens of billions of dollars in waste we don't need.  So no longer will we be spending nearly $2 billion to buy more F-22 fighter jets that the Pentagon says they don't need.  This bill also terminates troubled and massively over budget programs such as the Future Combat Systems, the Airborne Lasers, the Combat Search and Rescue helicopter, and a new presidential helicopter that costs nearly as much as Air Force One.  I won't be flying on that.

     At the same time, we accelerated or increased weapons programs needed to confront real and growing threats -- the Joint Strike Fighter, the Littoral Combat Ship, and more helicopters and reconnaissance support for our troops at the front. 

     And this bill also reduces waste and fraud in our contracting system, as well as our reliance on private contractors for jobs that federal employees have the expertise and the training to do.

     So today I'm pleased to say that we have proved that change is possible.  It may not come quickly, or all at once, but if you push hard enough, it does come eventually.

     Now, speaking of that, there is one more long-awaited change contained within this legislation that I'll be talking about a little more later today.  After more than a decade of opposition and delay, we've passed inclusive hate crimes legislation to help protect our citizens from violence based on what they look like, who they love, how they pray, or who they are.  (Applause.)

     I promised Judy Shepard, when she saw me in the Oval Office, that this day would come, and I'm glad that she and her husband Dennis could join us for this event.  I'm also honored to have the family of the late Senator Ted Kennedy, who fought so hard for this legislation.  And Vicki and Patrick, Kara, everybody who's here, I just want you all to know how proud we are of the work that Ted did to help this day -- make this day possible.  So -- and thank you for joining us here today.  (Applause.)

     So, with that, I'm going to sign this piece of legislation.  Thank you all for doing a great job.  All right.

     (The Act is signed.)  (Applause.)

END

2:52 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2009

Remarks by the President Before Meeting with the President's Intelligence Advisory Board Co-Chairmen and Senior Leadership of the Intelligence Community

Cabinet Room

1:41 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Today I am proud to announce the newest members of my national security team.  I just met with them in the Oval Office, and I'm very pleased to have two extraordinary Americans -- Senators Chuck Hagel and David Boren have agreed to serve as co-chairmen of my Intelligence Advisory Board -- Intelligence Advisory Board, otherwise known as PIAB.

     Now, since Dwight Eisenhower, Presidents have relied on the advisory board for advice on intelligence matters, and under Chuck and Dave's leadership, I will be looking for the board to provide me with objective, independent, and non-partisan counsel as we work to strengthen our intelligence community and our national security.

     And that's why we're joined today by my DNI, Director of National Intelligence, Denny Blair, and leaders from all 16 of our agencies involved with intelligence gathering.  They represent countless men and women, uniformed and civilian, who work, often in obscurity, to keep our country safe.

     Now, in recent months we've seen some of their successes, in partnership with law enforcement and homeland security -- real progress against al Qaeda and its extremist allies.  And we thank those behind these successes, and we pledge to continue to provide the utmost support to them.  Having Chuck Hagel and Dave Boren next to me I think is going to help us do an even better job.

     Chuck understands that accurate and timely intelligence is essential for effective foreign policy.  He served for many years as -- on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and six years on the Senate Elect Committee on Intelligence.  And I came to appreciate his sound judgments in our travels together overseas, including to Iraq and Afghanistan. 

     He also understands, from personal experience, the need to protect our troops and provide them with the best possible intelligence.  During Vietnam, Sergeant Hagel served as an infantry squad leader, along with his brother, where they both were wounded twice.  I thank Chuck for his lifetime of service and his willingness to serve once again.

     David is a longtime champion of intelligence reform.  He was the longest-serving chairman in the history of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.  In that time, he authored the legislation that created an independent inspector general at the CIA and major reforms to our oversight of covert actions.

     David was also the leading force behind legislation that has encouraged thousands of American college students to study abroad to deepen their knowledge of the world and cultures.  I thank David for agreeing to serve in this capacity, even as he continues to lead the University of Oklahoma.  And we are sorry about Bradford's shoulder. 

     SENATOR BOREN:  Thank you.  (Laughter.)

     THE PRESIDENT:  I look forward to working with Chuck and David in their new roles.  They will report to me, they will have my full support, and they will have the full cooperation of my National Security Council staff and the organizations represented here.

     We are off to a good start with this meeting -- by welcoming the press, which past advisory boards have rarely done.  That's a reflection of my administration's commitment to transparency and open government -- even, when appropriate, on matters of national security and intelligence.

     In the near future, I'll be naming additional members to the board.  I look forward to Chuck, David, and these men and women around the table for their candid and unvarnished advice on the quality and accuracy of our intelligence and the effectiveness of our intelligence community.

     Our work is clear.  The organizations represented here have made real progress in recent years.  But we all agree that more needs to be done -- to improve the collection of intelligence, to ensure that analysis reaches senior decision-makers in a timely way, and to provide strong oversight to ensure that our intelligence activities are consistent with our democratic values and the rule of law.

     The American people -- and the men and women of our intelligence community as well -- deserve nothing less.  As I've said in my recent visits to the National Counterterrorism Center and the Joint Terrorism Task Force, we are extraordinarily grateful to them for the hard work, without any fanfare, that they do to keep the American people safe. 

     That's what I'm committed to doing as President, and that's why I want to again thank Senators Hagel and Boren for agreeing to serve in this capacity.  I think they are going to be a invaluable resource to all of us sitting around the table.

     Thank you very much, everybody.

END           1:46 P.M. EDT

 

                                              
U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

 11:20 A.M. EDT  

THE PRESIDENT:  It is an extraordinary privilege to be here today.  And let me begin by acknowledging this distinguished group gathered on the platform:  our extraordinary Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi; Majority Leader Harry Reid; Republican leader Mitch McConnell; majority leader Steny Hoyer; Republican leader John Boehner; Senator John Kerry; Representative Eleanor Holmes Norton; Representative Patrick Kennedy; my dear friend, Vicki Kennedy; to our honoree, Senator Edward Brooke, his wife, Anne, and family.

It is a great privilege to be here today as we confer the Congressional Gold Medal on a man who's spent his life breaking barriers and bridging divides across this country -- Senator Edward Brooke. 

Now, with his lifetime of achievement, Ed is no stranger to a good awards ceremony.  He's been through a few of these.  (Laughter.)  He's won the Bronze Star, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, honorary degrees from 34 colleges and universities, and more.  So he's a pro when it comes to getting awards.  But I think today's honor bears a unique significance:  bestowed by this body of which he was an esteemed member; presented in this place where he moved the arc of history; surrounded by so many -- myself included -- who have followed the trail that he blazed. 

Ed's journey to this day was, by any measure, an unlikely one.  Raised nearby in a neighborhood so fiercely segregated that black residents needed a note from a white person to pass through -- at a time when so many doors of opportunity were closed to African Americans, others might have become angry or disillusioned.  They might have concluded that no matter how hard they worked, their horizons would always be limited, so why bother?  But not Ed Brooke. 

Serving in a segregated army, barred from facilities at the base where he trained, he fought heroically in Europe, leading a daring daylight attack against a heavily armed enemy.  Rejected from Boston's old-line firms despite his success in law school, he established his own practice, handling everything from wills and divorces to real estate and criminal cases.  

And when he ran for statewide office in Massachusetts, and one reporter pointed out that he was black, Republican, and Protestant, seeking office in a white, Democratic, and Catholic state -- and also, quote, "…a carpetbagger from the South and…poor" -- Ed was unfazed.  It was, to say the least, an improbable profile for the man who would become the first African American state attorney general, and the first popularly elected African American senator. 

But that was Ed Brooke's way -- to ignore the naysayers, reject the conventional wisdom, and trust that ultimately, people would judge him on his character, his commitment, his record and his ideas.  He ran for office, as he put it, "…to bring people together who had never been together before."  And that he did.

I don't know anyone else whose fan base includes Gloria Steinem, Barney Frank, and Ted Kennedy -- as well as Mitch McConnell, Mitt Romney, and George W. Bush.  (Laughter.)  That's a coalition-builder.  (Laughter and applause.)  And few have matched his reach across the aisle -- from working with Birch Bayh to protect Title IX so girls can compete on a level playing field, to sponsoring the Fair Housing Act with Walter Mondale and small business legislation with Ted Kennedy -- one of the many bills he would sponsor with the senior senator from Massachusetts.

He didn't care whether a bill was popular or politically expedient, Democratic or Republican -- he cared about whether it helped people, whether it made a difference in their daily lives. That's why he fought so hard for Medicare, for mass transit and the minimum wage, for civil rights and women's rights.  It's why he became a lifelong advocate for affordable housing, establishing protections that are the standard to this day. 

So it's a record that defies the labels and categories for which he had little use and even less patience.  When pressed to define himself, he'd offer phrases like "creative moderate," or "a liberal with a conservative bent."  But in truth, Ed Brooke's career was animated not by a faith in any particular party or ideology, but rather, by a faith in the people he served. 

Ed always got to see the best in people -- because that was the effect he had.  Maybe it was his old-fashioned manners -- his unfailing courtesy and warmth.  Maybe it was his charm and charisma -- known to melt even the staunchest adversary.  Or maybe it was his genuine interest in people's stories -- the way he listened to their concerns and worked to ease their struggles. Whatever it was, even if people didn't fully agree with him, they saw how hard he fought for them and how much he respected them, and they respected him back.  They rose to meet his esteem for them.  Around Ed, people wanted to be their better selves. 

Over the years, he made an impression on just about everyone he encountered, including a young Congressman named John F. Kennedy, whom he met back in 1952.  The two men had a lively conversation, and as they parted ways, the future President said, "You know, you ought to be a Democrat."  (Laughter.)  And Ed smiled and replied, "You know, you ought to be a Republican."  (Laughter.)  

It was a sentiment that many in my party would share, including the President's brother, our dear friend, Ted Kennedy. While Ted campaigned vigorously for Ed's Democratic opponent, the two later became lifelong friends.  And four decades later, Ted would campaign even more vigorously to secure Ed's nomination for this medal. 

So while we grace Senator Brooke with this honor today, perhaps a better tribute to him would be to embrace that spirit: to compete aggressively at the polls, but then work selflessly together to serve the nation we love.  (Applause.)  To look for the best in each other, to give each other the benefit of the doubt, and to remember that we're here for a purpose far greater than the sum of our own hopes, needs and ambitions.  That's the legacy of our friend, Senator Edward Brooke.  And may we each do our part to carry it forward.

Thank you.  God bless you.  Congratulations, Senator Brooke.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

                                                               
END
11:28 A.M. EDT

 

    

 

 

 

 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 27, 2009

Remarks by the President on Recovery Act Funding for Smart Grid Technology

DeSoto Next Generation Solar Energy Center Arcadia, Florida

12:05 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, guys. Thank you very much. Please, have a seat. Thank you so much.

Well, first of all, let me thank Lew Hay and his visionary leadership at Florida Power & Light. It's an example of a company that is doing well by doing good. And I think it's a model for what we could duplicate all across the country.

To Greg Bove, who just gave me the tour and was a construction manager for this facility, congratulations. We've got a couple of special guests here: Representative Kathy Castor from Tampa, a great friend. (Applause.) Arcadia Mayor Dr. Roosevelt Johnson. (Applause.) And State Representative Keith Fitzgerald from Sarasota. (Applause.)

And I want to once again thank Lew for the generous introduction. I want to congratulate you and all the workers who are involved in this outstanding facility for Florida Power & Light.

It's an honor to be here on a very big day not just for Arcadia but for the cause of clean energy in America. With the flip of a switch, FP&L will -- has moved the solar panels behind me into a position where they can catch the sun's rays. And now, for the very first time, a large-scale solar power plant -- the largest of its kind in the entire nation -- will deliver electricity produced by the sun to the citizens of the Sunshine State. And I think it's about time.(Applause.)

This plant will produce enough power to serve the entire city of Arcadia. Its construction was a boost to your local economy, creating nearly 400 jobs in this area. And over the next three decades, the clean energy from this plant will save 575,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent of removing more than 4,500 cars from the road each year for the life of the project. Think about that, 45,000 [sic] cars from the road each year for the life of the project.

And yet, to realize the full potential of this plant and others like it, we've got to do more than just add extra solar megawatts to our electrical grid. That's because this grid -- which is made up of everything from power lines to generators to the meters in your home -- still runs on century-old technology. It wastes too much energy, it costs us too much money, and it's too susceptible to outages and blackouts.

To offer one analogy, just imagine what transportation was like in this country back in the 1920s and 1930s before the Interstate Highway System was built. It was a tangled maze of poorly maintained back roads that were rarely the fastest or the most efficient way to get from point A to point B. Fortunately, President Eisenhower made an investment that revolutionized the way we travel -- an investment that made our lives easier and our economy grow.

Now, it's time to make the same kind of investment in the way our energy travels -- to build a clean energy superhighway that can take the renewable power generated in places like DeSoto and deliver it directly to the American people in the most affordable and efficient way possible. Such an investment won't just create new pathways for energy -- it's expected to create tens of thousands of new jobs all across America in areas ranging from manufacturing and construction to IT and the installation of new equipment in homes and in businesses. It's expected to save consumers more than $20 billion over the next decade on their utility bills. And I know nobody minds seeing their utility bills cut. I'm sorry, Lew, but they really don't mind that. (Laughter.) It will make our grid more secure and more reliable, saving us some of the $150 billion we lose each year during power outages. It will allow us to more effectively transport renewable energy generated in remote places to large population centers, so that a wind farm in rural South Dakota can power homes in Chicago. And by facilitating the creation of a clean energy economy, building this 21st century energy infrastructure will help us lay a foundation for lasting growth and prosperity.

So that's why today, I'm pleased to announce that under the Recovery Act, we are making the largest-ever investment in a smarter, stronger, and more secure electric grid. This investment will come in the form of 100 grants totaling $3.4 billion -- grants that will go to private companies, utilities, cities, and other partners who have applied with plans to install smart grid technologies in their area.

And throughout this week, the members of my Cabinet are going to be fanning across the country talking about some of the winning projects. Some of the projects involve modernizing old, inefficient transmission lines that just waste too much energy. And to speed that process along, nine federal agencies have signed an agreement that will help break down the bureaucratic barriers that currently make it slow and costly to build new transmission lines on federal lands.

But most of the projects that are receiving grants involve the installation of what are known as smart meters -- devices that will have a direct benefit for consumers who want to save money on their electric bills. For example, even as Florida Power & Light is bringing this solar plant online today, it also is deploying hundreds of thousands of these smart meters in people's homes throughout Florida. Much like the Recovery through Retrofit plan we launched last week to boost the weatherization and retrofit industry, these devices will help you greatly improve the energy efficiency in your own home.

Now, let me explain what's going on with these smart meters. Smart meters will allow you to actually monitor how much energy your family is using by the month, by the week, by the day, or even by the hour. So coupled with other technologies, this is going to help you manage your electricity use and your budget at the same time, allowing you to conserve electricity during times when prices are highest, like hot summer days. Through these investments in a variety of smart grid technologies, utilities like Florida Power & Light will also be able to monitor the performance of its electricity grid in real time, which means they'll be able to identify and correct service interruptions more quickly and effectively. And all this information will help increase renewable energy generation, provide support for plug-in electric vehicles, and reduce the carbon pollution that causes climate change.

Here in this region of Florida, this project will reduce demand for electricity by up to 20 percent during the hottest summer days that stress the grid and power plants. It will provide smart meters to 2.6 million more customers. And most importantly, it will create thousands of jobs -- good jobs, by the way, that can't be outsourced; jobs that will last and jobs that pay a decent wage.

On their own, the opening of this new solar plant or the installation of new smart meters or the investment in grid modernization will not be enough to meet the challenges posed by our dependence on fossil fuels. But together, we can begin to see what a clean energy future will look like. We can imagine the day when you'll be able to charge the battery on your plug-in hybrid car at night, because your smart meter reminded you that nighttime electricity is cheapest. In the daytime, when the sun is at its strongest, solar panels like these and electricity stored in car batteries will be able to power the grid with affordable, emission-free energy. The stronger, more efficient grid would be able to transport power generated at dams and wind turbines from the smallest towns to the biggest cities. And above all, we can see all this work that would be created for millions of Americans who need it and who want it, here in Florida and all across the country.

So we're on the cusp of this new energy future. In fact, a lot of it is already taking place. Even as I'm here today, Vice President Biden is in Delaware announcing the reopening of a once-shuttered GM factory that will soon put people back to work building plug-in, electric hybrid vehicles. On Friday, I was in Boston -- that's good news. (Applause.) On Friday, I was in Boston, where workers will soon be breaking ground on a new Wind Technology Testing Center that will allow researchers in the United States to test the world's newest and largest wind turbine blades for the very first time. And there are recovery projects like this in cities and counties all across the country.

So at this moment, there is something big happening in America when it comes to creating a clean energy economy. But getting there will take a few more days like this one and more projects like this one. And I have often said that the creation of such an economy is going to require nothing less than the sustained effort of an entire nation -- an all-hands-on-deck approach similar to the mobilization that preceded World War II or the Apollo Project. And I also believe that such a comprehensive piece of legislation that is taking place right now in Congress is going to be critical. That's going to finally make clean energy the profitable kind of energy in America -- legislation that will make the best use of resources we have in abundance, through clean coal technology, safe nuclear power, sustainably grown biofuels, and energy we harness from the wind, waves, and sun.

The House has already acted and passed such legislation and the Senate is on the way. In fact, just today, the Environment and Public Works Committee, under the leadership of Senator Barbara Boxer, is holding the Senate's first hearings on this bill.

The creation of a clean energy economy has to be made as swiftly and carefully as possible, to ensure that what it takes to grow this economy in the short, medium, and long term is no longer delayed. And I'm pleased to report that a consensus is growing to achieve exactly that -- consensus between Democrats and Republicans, environmentalists and evangelicals, labor leaders and especially so many business leaders like Lew that are ready to jump on board because they understand that the growth of clean energy can lead to the growth of our economy.

Now, I have to be honest with you, though. The closer we get to this new energy future, the harder the opposition is going to fight, the more we're going to hear from special interests and lobbyists in Washington whose interests are contrary to the interests of the American people. Now, there are those who are also going to suggest that moving towards a clean energy future is going to somehow harm the economy or lead to fewer jobs. And they're going to argue that we should do nothing, stand pat, do less, or delay action yet again.

I just want to point out we've heard such arguments before. We've engaged in this same type of debate a lot of times through our history. People don't like change, and they get nervous about it. Lew and I were just talking about it. He said especially utility executives get nervous about change. (Laughter.)

It's a debate between looking backwards and looking forward; between those who are ready to seize the future and those who are afraid of the future. And we know which side the United States of America has always come down on. We know that we've always been a people who were unafraid to reach for that more promising future. We know that the promise of places like DeSoto and projects like the creation of a modern electricity grid mean a continuation of that long march of progress in this country. And we refuse to believe that our politics are too broken to make the energy future we dream of a reality.

I know what the American people are capable of when they're called upon to meet big challenges. I know it because of I've seen here in Arcadia and I've seen it all across America. This is the nation, after all, that harnessed electricity and the energy contained in an atom; that developed the steamboat and the modern solar cell; that connected a continent with a massive system of highways and railroads. And I believe we can blaze such trails again, and I commend all of you for being so critical in these early first steps. Congratulations to you on your extraordinary achievement, and when it comes to the development of clean, renewable energy, I hope there are going to be a lot of days like this one to come. I know I'm going to be working as hard as I can to make it possible.

And while I'm here, I just want to introduce Carol Browner, who works with me in our White House, and she is helping to lead the charge in Washington. (Applause.) She just happens to be from Florida and so she knows a little bit about the Sunshine State. We are so excited by what you've done and we are absolutely confident we're just going to keep on building on the great progress that you've already made.

Thank you, Arcadia. Thank you, Florida. (Applause.) END 12:20 P.M. EDT

 Fontainebleau Hotel
Miami, Florida
October 26, 2009

7:38 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  Please, have a seat.  Thank you so much.  Thank you.

Some special acknowledgments.  First of all, I don't think people quite understand, Nancy Pelosi is not simply the first woman Speaker of the House -- I think she's going to go down as one of the greatest Speakers of all time.  (Applause.)  And she's very nice and she's very friendly, but, boy, she is tough.  (Laughter.)  And that's what you need when you're putting up with all the criticism and the carping and the griping -- and that's from the Democrats.  (Laughter.)  I mean, you should see what she has to put up with -- from the Republicans.  So I could not have a better partner in trying to move the country than Nancy Pelosi.
    
We've got some wonderful other elected officials that I want to acknowledge very briefly.  First of all, my former colleague, a great senator, and most importantly former astronaut, Bill Nelson.  Please give Bill a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  Somebody who is doing a great job on behalf of the DCCC -- Chris Van Hollen is in the house.  (Applause.)  Three outstanding members of Congress from Florida who are here -- Debbie Wasserman Schultz, Kendrick Meek, Alan Grayson.  (Applause.)  And it is my expectation that she will be the next governor of the great state of Florida -- Alex Sink is in the house.  (Applause.)
    
Now, I saw you guys taking pictures and I talked about the family and, you know, I don't know how much more you want to hear from me before you get to dinner.  But I want to start off mainly by saying thank you.  There are a lot of people in this room who were there from the start when nobody could pronounce my name, and when you tried to explain to your friends that you were supporting Barack Obama they'd say, huh?  And then there are people in this room who picked up the baton once a hard-fought nomination was completed. 

But across the board, you have people in this room who have not just contributed money, but contributed time and energy, their reputations, to moving this country in a new direction.  And whether it's at the DNC level, the DSCC level, the DCCC -- whatever "D" it is that you participated in -- I want you to know that I'm incredibly grateful.  And it has made an enormous difference to our country.

If you think about what we were confronting nine months ago, I think people are starting to have some selective memory.  It's starting to get a little hazy.  So let me just remind you.  First of all, it's only been nine months since the Obama family moved into the White House.  I'm here to report, by the way, Malia and Sasha are doing great.  Michelle is a fabulous First Lady.  (Applause.)  We have a new dog, Bo, who is the only other male in the household.  (Laughter.)  And he and I are often in the doghouse together.  (Laughter.)

But let's just think about what it was like when we entered into the White House nine months ago.  We were losing 700,000 jobs a month.  The financial system was on the brink of meltdown.  Prominent economists from both sides of the economic spectrum were suggesting that we might be going into a great depression -- not a recession, but a great depression.  And I think people were fearful that things might start spinning out of control. 

And that's why, working with Nancy Pelosi and the other members of Congress here, we acted so swiftly and we acted so boldly to pass a Recovery Act that has pulled us back from the brink.  And although usually I try not to do a tally of what it is that we've accomplished, since you guys are early stakeholders in what we've done I want you to understand what we did just with the Recovery Act.

First of all, as a consequence of the Recovery Act, we provided millions of people unemployment insurance who otherwise would have been in a hopeless situation.  We made sure that COBRA, which is the main health care program for people who've lost their job, was 65 percent cheaper so that they could hang on to their health insurance while they were looking for a job.  We made sure that the states had enough money so that they didn't have to lay off teachers and police officers and firefighters.  It's estimated that just in schools alone we saved 250,000 jobs across America -- 250,000 educators, education professionals, would have been laid off had it not been for our swift action. 

But we didn't just help states who were burdened under plummeting tax revenues.  We didn't just help individuals who were losing their jobs or seeing their hours cut back.  The Recovery Act was also the largest federal investment in education in history -- in history.  It also happened to be the largest investment in clean energy in history.  It was also the largest investment in basic research and science and R&D in history.  It also happened to be the largest investment in infrastructure since Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System.

So all told this not only helped pull us back from the brink -- and now suddenly everybody takes for granted the stock market at 9,000 or 10,000.  People just take for granted that, well, you know, it looks like industrial production is kicking back up.  Not only did we steer the economy away from potential catastrophe, but we also laid the groundwork now for making sure that our kids are going to be able to compete in an international, global marketplace. 

We also made sure that we can get back on the frontlines of energy and not simply react to whatever oil producers decide should be the price of a barrel of oil today or tomorrow.  We also set in motion the kinds of innovation and technological investment that is going to determine whether or not America remains at the cutting edge for the foreseeable future.

So that's just the Recovery Act.  We did that, by the way, in January -- the first month I was in.  (Laughter.)  Now, we didn't stop there.  So let's see what else we did.  We passed something called the Lilly Ledbetter Act because we believe that women should be paid the same as men for the same work.  (Applause.) 

We lifted the ban on stem cell research because we believe that science should guide federal policy.  (Applause.)  We made sure that we passed the toughest bill regulating credit cards in a generation.  We banned housing fraud and put some serious teeth into enforcement.  We made sure that 11 million children had health insurance, including 4 million who had never had it before.  (Applause.) 

We passed a national service act that allows young people and not so young people to participate in community service -- the kind of programs that -- where's Alonzo and Tracy? -- the kinds of programs that you see, the outstanding work that's being done in Miami.  We're giving opportunities for young people to get involved all across the country in those kinds of service activities giving back to their community.

What else, Nancy?

SPEAKER PELOSI:  Veterans.

THE PRESIDENT:  Veterans -- we just made sure that veterans are not going to have to wait for their budgets and that they're going to be in place.  And by the way, we increased funding for veterans' services by more than had been done in 30 years.  (Applause.)

Now, this is all -- this is all just domestically.  Then it turns out I got this other side of my portfolio -- two wars.  And, as promised, we are on a pathway to removing our troops from Iraq and putting Iraq in the position where they can secure their own country.  (Applause.)  We are finally getting Afghan policy right after long years of drift.  We've put forward a vision for reducing nuclear stockpiles and moving towards a safer and more secure world without nuclear weapons.  We have mended fences and strengthened our alliances with countries on every continent so that they know that they have a partner in America, and America once more is viewed as a leader.
 
Now, that's just been in nine months.  Here is my main message to you:  We're just getting started.  (Applause.)  I know that -- I know that the battles out there seem bruising and there are people saying mean things about me and folks are worried, and I try to explain to Dwyane and these other ball players, just because I'm skinny doesn't mean I'm not tough.  (Laughter.)  I don't -- I don't rattle.  I'm not going to shrink back, because now is the time for us to continue to push and follow through on those things that we know have to be done that haven't been done for decades.

We know that our education system is inadequate to a new global economy.  I mean, if you looked at how African American and Hispanic children are doing here in Miami or anywhere in the country, it is unacceptable.  And we know that is our future workforce.  And if they are not trained and getting a decent education, then nobody is going to be doing well in this country.  (Applause.) 

We know that it is unsustainable for us to keep on importing more and more oil.  When OPEC first started and Jimmy Carter and Richard Nixon and all those folks announced that we were going to move on the path of energy independence, we were importing 30 percent of our oil.  We're now importing 70 percent.  Do the math.  Our economy can't sustain it, and by the way, neither can the environment.  And every time I fly into Florida, I got to say, you know, that water is really close everywhere you go.  You don't want an extra foot or two of sea.  And so we've got to take that seriously.  Now is the time to do it by passing serious energy legislation. 

Now is the time to pass health care.  And for those of you who have health insurance -- (applause) -- I know that sometimes this seems like, well, is this something we can afford to do.  Let me tell you, premiums doubled for individuals over the last decade.  They will double again in the coming decade.  But for businesses, it's even worse.  Anybody here who's a businessperson knows what's happened to your premiums.  You've seen them go up in one year 28 percent, 30 percent.  And at some point you had to make a decision and then you've got to tell your employees, look, I know it's right to cover you, I want to cover you, but I can no longer afford to cover you. 

And so this is not just an issue for the millions of people who don't have health insurance.  This is an issue for the people who have health insurance and don't understand what it is that could be happening in -- almost certainly will happen in the years ahead, unless we get a handle on it.  And by the way, the federal government can't afford it either.  And neither can state governments.  We will go bankrupt.  So if you're out there thinking we also have to get control of our budget -- and we do -- the single best way for us to do it is to make sure that we pass health care reform.

Now, this is not going to be easy, but I am absolutely confident that we are going to get health care done by the end of this year, and Nancy Pelosi is just as confident.  That's part of the reason I'm so confident, is Nancy is confident.  (Laughter.)  And we are going to get an energy bill that is serious and deals not only with dependence on oil but also on climate change.  (Applause.)  And we're going to get a serious education bill that makes college more affordable for young people. 

But none of these things are easy.  And one of the things that I always try to emphasize to folks is we have to take a long view in this process.  I was talking to some G20 leaders who were kind of surprised on some of the debates about health care.  They were saying, Barack, why are these people running around putting a Hitler moustache on you?  You're just trying to give health care to people.  I said, yes, that's unusual.  (Laughter.) 

But what I said was, you know, America is not a speed boat, it's an ocean liner.  And it takes time to move a country this big, particularly because we are a democracy -- and that's a good thing.  We're supposed to have robust debate.  Change isn't supposed to be easy.  We're supposed to have to fight for it.  And the fact that we've got the other party challenging us and pushing us and poking us on, that's a good thing.  Ultimately we will have a better product as a consequence of that.  I want a competition of ideas.  I want a strong and loyal opposition.

Now, what I won't abide by are people just standing on the sidelines who prefer to see defeat to actually getting something done because they think it provides a political advantage.  These are folks who are cheering about us not getting the Olympics.  What's up with that?  It's the Olympics.  I mean, the Olympics.  Who roots against the United States getting the Olympics?  (Laughter.)

So my door is going to be open to working with the other side -- and I know Nancy feels the same way -- if they actually want to solve the challenges that we face.  But if you're just going to stand on the sidelines, then I'm not going to have too much time for you.  In fact, lately I've been feeling like somebody made a big mess and I'm -- I got my mop and I'm mopping the floor, and the folks who made the mess, they're standing there -- "You're not mopping fast enough.  You're not holding the mop the right way.  It's a socialist mop."  (Laughter and applause.)  You know what, just grab a mop.  (Laughter.)  Help me out here.  Help out your country.  Clean up the mess that you made.  (Laughter and applause.)

So let me leave you with this thought, though -- that as difficult as these last nine months have been and as challenging as the next nine months and the next nine months after that will be, I just want to remind everybody what I meant when I talked about hope during the campaign.  You know, hope is not blind optimism.  It's not pie in the sky, everything is going to be just fine, we're just going to sit back and somehow those things that we wish for magically happen.  That's not hope.

Hope is understanding what needs to be done and having confidence that if you work hard enough, if you sweat hard enough, if you're willing to mix it up and overcome setbacks and stare challenges in the face, that you can still achieve. 

That was the essence of our campaign when we started off.  We didn't think, boy, this is going to be a cakewalk, getting a guy named Barack Hussein Obama elected President.  (Laughter.)  Jeremy, do you remember us saying that?  We didn't say that.

What we did say was this is what has to happen, this is where the country needs to go, and we are going to put our heart and soul into it -- because we have confidence in the American people, and we have confidence that if we do the right thing, then, you know what, the country is going to be better off.  That was the source of excitement in our campaign.  That was why it felt special.  That's why we did something that nobody thought could be done. 

And that's the same attitude that I want all of you to have as we move forward.  None of this is a sure thing.  Don't sign up to improve America if you think that it's just automatically going to happen on your timetable, and if it doesn't, you get disheartened. 

But if you are willing to stand with us and work hard, if you understand how difficult and challenging it's going to be, and yet you still are determined to move forward anyway, then I'm telling you, I don't think there's anything that can stop us.  And when I say "us" I don't mean Democrats, I mean us as Americans.  There is nothing this country cannot accomplish, and I am absolutely confident that our best days are still ahead of us.  But we've got to earn it.  It's not a given.  The future is something you earn.  That's what we're fighting for right now, and you're helping us do it.

So thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)

END         
7:56 P.M. EDT
 

Fontainebleau Hotel
Miami Beach, Florida
October 26, 2009

7:12 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Hello, everybody!  Hello, hello, hello!  Hello, Miami!  Thank you, guys.  This is a pretty enthusiastic crowd here.  (Applause.)
AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you, man!
THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  What did Bill Nelson say to you all to get you -- (applause?)  All right, I can tell this is a somewhat informal crowd here.  (Laughter.)  Nevertheless there are some formal acknowledgements that I want to make.
First of all, one of the greatest partners I could ever ask for in turning this country around, we are so proud of her, please give a huge round of applause to  Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  She’s got a pretty impressive team -- one guy from up north, Chris Van Hollen, who’s doing unbelievable work on behalf of the DCCC.  (Applause.)  But also a couple of Floridians who are doing outstanding work:  Debbie Wasserman- Schultz -- (applause) -- and Congressman Kendrick Meek.  (Applause.)

My former colleague and, you know, I don’t care what he does politically because he’s an astronaut -- (laughter) -- so that above all is most impressive to me.  But he also happens to be one of the finest public servants we have, Bill Nelson.  Thank you, Bill.  (Applause.)

We’ve got wonderful members of our DSCC/DCCC host committee, give yourselves a big round of applause.  (Applause.)   And finally, I don’t know -- is Alex still here?  If she’s not, I want to make sure that she gets acknowledged anyway.  Alex Sink was in the house.  (Applause.)  And I just saw that Congressman Grayson is here as well; give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

It’s good to be back in Florida.  (Applause.)  I want you to know I love you and I appreciate everything that you’ve done.  (Applause.)  A lot of you were on the front lines of our campaign.  You spent countless hours knocking on doors and making phone calls --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We did!

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, we did!  Not a day goes by that I don’t think about the obligations that I have to every American who put all their hopes and dreams into a cause that wasn’t just about winning an election, it was about changing the country.

And, you know, it’s been less than a year -- although I know it seems longer -- it’s been less than a year since the Obama family packed up, moved into the White House.  I’m here to report Sasha and Malia are doing great.  (Applause.)  Michelle is an outstanding First Lady.  (Applause.)  We now have Bo, so that I’m not always surrounded by women in my house, Bo and I.  (Laughter.)  We share the doghouse sometimes.  (Laughter.)

But it’s important to remember what happened when we walked through the door, because there’s been some selective memory out there going on.  We were facing the worst economic crisis we’d seen since the Great Depression.  Losing 700,000 jobs a month.  Our financial system on the brink of collapse.  Economists were worried that we were going to slip into a depression.

That’s why we acted swiftly and boldly and we passed a Recovery Act that’s made the difference in the lives all across Florida and all across America.  Put tax cuts into 95 percent -- into the pockets of 95 percent of working families and small businesses all across the country.  We extended unemployment insurance for 16 million Americans; gave COBRA coverage that was 65 percent cheaper to people who are out there looking for jobs in this unbelievably difficult economic climate.  We provided relief to states so they wouldn’t have to lay off teachers and cops and firefighters.  According to initial reports, we’ve saved 250,000 jobs just in schools across America.  (Applause.)  We’ve given -- we’ve given loans, supported loans to more than 30,000 small businesses -- including more than 13,000 (sic) in this state -- which created thousands of jobs in the private sector.
 
But here’s the thing about the Recovery Act people don’t seem to remember.  It wasn’t just the most progressive tax cut policy in American history.  It wasn’t just emergency relief for states and individuals.  It was also -- people don’t realize this -- the single largest federal investment in education in our history.  (Applause.)  It was the largest investment in clean energy in our history.  (Applause.)  It was the largest boost to medical research and basic research in our history.  (Applause.)  It was the single largest investment in infrastructure since Eisenhower built the Interstate Highway System back in the 1950s.  (Applause.)  And that’s putting people back to work all across Florida and all across America.

But we didn’t stop there.  We passed the Lilly Ledbetter because we think women should be paid the same as men.  (Applause.)  We lifted the ban on stem cell research and began restoring science to its rightful place.  (Applause.)  We extended health care to 11 million children across this country -- 4 million of whom never had insurance.  We passed a national service bill named after Ted Kennedy, encouraging people to give back all across this country.  (Applause.)  We passed laws that prevented fraud in housing, prevented unfair rate hikes and fees charged by credit card companies.  We passed a law to protect our children from big tobacco companies.

For the first time in our history we put into place a national policy aimed at both increasing fuel economy and increasing -- and reducing greenhouse gas pollution for all new cars and trucks sold in the United States.  (Applause.)

So here’s the bottom line.  In nine months we’ve already had -- if we just stopped now, we’d already have one of the most productive legislative sessions in history.  If we just stopped now.  And you made it possible.  (Applause.)  But of course, that’s just what we did domestically.
 
Internationally, we’ve begun a new era of engagement.  We’re working with our partners to stop the spread of nuclear weapons -- (applause) -- we’re seeking a safer, more secure world free of nuclear weapons.  We’re working in concert with nations on every continent to stem the economic downturn, to deal with climate change.  We banned torture.  We’re rebuilding our military.  We’re reaffirming our alliances.  We are going to close Guantanamo.  We are serious about this.  (Applause.)  We’ve made good progress taking the fight to al Qaeda, from Pakistan to Somalia --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Won the Nobel Peace Prize.  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Yes, I did that too.  (Applause.)  That was -- that was unexpected.  (Laughter.)

And of great interest to the folks here in Miami, we have reopened a climate of diplomacy and goodwill with Latin America that had been -- had been frayed very badly.  (Applause.)

But look, let’s face it -- the reason you’re here tonight is because we’ve got more work to do.  Too many people are out there looking for work.  Too many people are seeing their hours cut.  Too many Americans subject to the whims of insurance companies and are losing their health insurance or can’t afford health insurance at all.  Too many good people are worried about whether they’re going to be able to retire.  A lot of seniors having to go back to work.  Too many people losing their homes.

So this is not news to you.  You’ve seen it in your own communities, you understand the enormous stress that families are under.  But here’s the thing I want everybody to understand.  When we ran we knew we weren’t going to solve every problem in nine months.  Right?

AUDIENCE:  Right.

THE PRESIDENT:  At least I hope you understood that.  What we understood was is that we had dug a deep hole for ourselves and we were going to have to work really hard -- first to get ourselves out of the hole, to make sure that we yanked this economy out of a potential catastrophe -- and then to start rebuilding, both domestically and internationally.  And that’s what we’re doing.

So now is the time for us to build a clean energy economy that will free ourselves from foreign oil and will generate new green jobs in the process -- (applause) -- and will help save the planet.  Now is the time to transform our education system and we are making enormous progress on the education front.  (Applause.)  Now is the time to start putting in place strong rules of the road to prevent the kind of financial catastrophe that we saw on Wall Street.

And now is the time to pass health care.  (Applause.)  We’re not going to wait another year or a year after that or a year after that.  Now is the time to do it.  (Applause.)

And if you’ve been following what’s been happening in Washington -- all the naysayers -- you remember, I mean, back in August, "oh, this thing is dead, it’s terrible, people are out" -- and what did we do?  We just keep on working.  Because we understand that premiums have doubled over the past decade -- and they’ll double again in the next decade if we do nothing.  We know that there are millions who have been denied coverage because of pre-existing conditions.  We know that we have no choice but to make sure that we’ve got a health system in this country that makes it more safe and secure for people who have health insurance, provides health insurance to people who don’t, and make sure that we’re driving down costs for everybody -- families, businesses and our government.  And that is what we are going to accomplish.  (Applause.)  Nobody is going to be able to stand in the way of progress on this front.

We are closer than we’ve ever been to passing health insurance reform -- closer than we’ve ever been.  But it’s not going to get easier from here on out; it’s going to get harder.  Now is the time when all the special interests start saying, "oh, this is really going to happen," and "we might lose some of our profits."  And they start paying big lobbyists and they start, you know, twisting arms.

And that’s why all of you are so important.  See, you can’t just count on change happening in Washington.  You’ve got to make it happen.  You’ve got push.  (Applause.)  I promise you, members of Congress listen to you a lot more than they listen to me.  (Laughter.)  And so the more that you guys are organizing and mobilizing and understanding that our job is not done, it’s not -- it’s barely begun, the better off we’re going to be.

When I ran for the presidency nobody gave us a chance.  But part of the excitement of our campaign -- and some of you remember because some of you were there from the very beginning -- some of the excitement was not that it was easy -- it was that it was hard; that we understood that we were trying to pull off something that had not been done before.

Well, governing is even harder than campaigning.  (Laughter.)  But -- but that same sense of energy, that same sense of commitment, that same willingness to just keep on working and going at it, day in, day out, even when things seem tough, even when it looks like what we’re trying to achieve isn’t going to happen -- that’s how we end up -- we end up doing things that nobody expects.  And that’s where we’re at right now.

So I just want all of you guys to understand that I am not tired -- I’m just -- I am energized.  (Applause.)  I am excited.  I’m still fired up.  I’m still ready to go.  (Applause.)  And if all of you are fired up and ready to go with me, then I guarantee you that we’re going to get health care passed -- (applause) -- we’re going to get education reform, we’re going to get an energy bill that works, we’re going to get financial and regulatory reform and we are going to keep on working until every American is able to get a decent job that pays a living wage, a good education for their kids, a retirement that is secure, health care for every single American.  That’s what we’re working for.  (Applause.)

Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)

END                                        
7:26 P.M. EDT
 

Old Dominion University
Norfolk, Virginia

4:11 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Virginia!  (Applause.)  Thank you, Virginia!  It's good to be back in Norfolk.  It's good to be back in Virginia.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)  I am so proud to stand up here with two Virginia leaders, two men who wake up every single day thinking about your future, your family's future, the future of this commonwealth; two men of great character.  The only difference is one's the governor and one's going to be the governor -- Tim Kaine and Creigh Deeds.  (Applause.) 

In addition to these outstanding leaders, there are a couple other people I just want to acknowledge.  I want to say thank you to the Old Dominion University President Brocerick.  (Applause.)  He told me your football team is doing all right.  (Applause.)  A great member of Congress, Congressman Bobby Scott.  (Applause.)  Richmond Mayor Dwight Jones.  (Applause.)  Norfolk Mayor Paul Fraim.  (Applause.)  State Senator Yvonne Miller.  (Applause.)  Delegate Kenny Alexander.  (Applause.)  Your next Lieutenant Governor Jody Wagner.  (Applause.)  And your next Attorney General Steve Shannon.  (Applause.)  That's a good lineup.  That is a good lineup.

One of the things I like about Virginia is that you've got a good pattern emerging here.  Started with Mark Warner.  He's now doing an extraordinary job as your senator, but eight years ago he recognized that the old, tired, worn-out politics of division, that wasn't serving the American people well, it wasn't serving the Commonwealth of Virginia very well.  He saw a lot of bickering and a lot of arguing and a lot of point-scoring, but not a whole lot of getting things done.  So Mark Warner thought to himself, you know what, I'm going to try something different.  Let's run a campaign that proves we're all in this together; that there is no northern Virginia or southern Virginia or coastal Virginia -- there's one Commonwealth of Virginia. (Applause.)

And he governed in a way that wasn't ideological; it was pragmatic.  He focused on what works.  He made this incredible commonwealth work not by pushing people apart, but by bringing people together.  (Applause.)  He shaped a better kind of politics right here in Virginia, and he made the long-term investments necessary to make Virginia competitive in a global economy, to chart a course to growth and success.

And then you had Tim Kaine -- (applause) -- who built and expanded on that legacy.  He invested in education so that every child in Virginia could have the tools they need to succeed in this global marketplace.  He refused to be distracted by petty politics, even through tough times, even when folks were calling him names.  He remained focused on his vision for Virginia's future. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible) President Obama!

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, don't worry about me.  (Applause.)

And because -- because of the tradition that Tim Kaine established, Mark Warner established, Virginia became one of the best-managed states in the country -- (applause) -- a state that was able to make critical investments even as it was dealing with a fiscal crisis; a state that became better positioned to navigate some of the toughest economic times we've seen in this nation's history -- all because of leadership based on smart decisions and sound investments and renewed civility to our politics.  That's what a couple of Democratic governors brought to the Commonwealth of Virginia.  (Applause.)

Now, here's the thing, Virginia.  This wasn't just a stroke of good luck.  These guys didn't just come out of nowhere.  It's because you stood up.  You chose that kind of politics.  And in one week, you'll have a choice.  You can decide to break that tradition of good stewardship, or you can continue with that opportunity.  (Applause.)

You'll have the chance to elect somebody who is cut from the very same cloth as Tim Kaine and Mark Warner; somebody who listens to folks even when we don't always agree; somebody who focuses not on short-term politics, but on a practical, long-term vision -- and that man is Creigh Deeds.  (Applause.)  That man is Creigh Deeds. 

I said before, look, I would have liked this guy no matter what, because he's got a funny name like Barack Obama.  (Laughter.)  So we both overcome these hardships.  (Laughter.)  Served in the state legislature, just like me.  So me and him, we're like that.  (Applause.)

But keep in mind this is a man who for more than two decades as a county prosecutor, as a delegate, as a state senator, has asked for nothing more than just to serve you.  When Virginia families needed to make sure their children were safe, he wrote Megan's Law and advocated for the Amber Alert program.  (Applause.)  When Mark Warner needed help reforming the budget and controlling spending in the midst of financial crisis, it was Creigh Deeds who he turned to.  And even in the face of that crisis, they had the foresight to make record investments in education and lay a foundation for Virginia's long-term growth.  (Applause.)  When Tim Kaine needed support for a new pre-kindergarten program that will give Virginia's kids a better start in life, Creigh Deeds was there.  (Applause.)

Again and again, Creigh has been there for the people of Virginia, and now he needs you to be there for them.  You need -- he needs you to be there for him.

Now, let's just be straight here.  Let's be honest.  This is going to be a tough race.  I mean, we've got a tough economy.  And even if it wasn't a tough economy, it's always tough in Virginia.  I don't remember Tim Kaine ever having an easy election.  Tim, did you have an easy election?  (Laughter.)  We knew this was going to be tough.  But even though Virginia is moving in the right direction, this is an evenly split state, pretty independent-minded folks.  And that's good, that's healthy.  We are at our best when we're engaged in a great debate where ideas are tested and assumptions are challenged.  That's how we strengthen our proposals.  That's how we strengthen our government.  (Applause.)

But let me -- having said all that, let me just be clear:  We don't need politicians who are more interested in scoring points than solving problems.  (Applause.)  We don't need folks who are slick, or try to say one thing and then do another.  (Applause.)  We don't need politicians who say we should go back to the policies of yesteryear, when it was those very same policies that got us into this mess in the first place.  (Applause.)  We've had enough of those kind of politicians.  We got a whole bunch of those in Washington, D.C.  (Applause.) 

When I showed up after inauguration, they had left a big mess on the floor.  (Applause.)  So I got a mop, and I started cleaning up their mess.  That's okay, I don't mind.  (Applause.)

But you know -- you know, it does bother me when they start saying, "You're not mopping fast enough.  You're not holding the mop the right way."  (Laughter.)  My attitude is, why don't you grab a mop?  (Applause.) 

That's what we need -- somebody who's committed to moving us forward.  Not worrying about politics, but doing the work on behalf of hardworking men and women, on behalf of middle-class families, on behalf of the people of Virginia.  That's the kind of person Creigh Deeds is.  (Applause.)

Creigh understands Virginia faces tough challenges, and solving them will require more than just lip service and political ads.  It will require a realistic vision.  When you're governing, as Tim will tell you, nothing comes free.  Government means you've got to prioritize.  You've got to make tough choices.  You can't be everything to everybody.  You've got to recognize that change doesn't happen overnight.

But if we make the right decisions now, then 10, 15 years down the road, we'll look back and we'll realize we're in a much better place than we otherwise would have been.  That's what happened because of the good decisions of Mark Warner and Tim Kaine.  Virginia is in a better place.  That's what you can expect with Creigh Deeds.  (Applause.) 

As a consequence of his choices -- choices that improve transportation, that give every child a chance in life, that continue the thoughtful pro-business policies in the Warner-Kaine tradition -- Virginia will keep moving down the right path.  It'll keep making sure that every child in this commonwealth has access to a world-class education that they need to compete for jobs throughout the country.  (Applause.) 

Virginia will keep moving toward a secure energy future that frees ourselves from the grip of foreign oil and creates millions of new jobs that pay well right here in America.  (Applause.)  Virginia will keep moving toward a stronger economy that works for everybody and allows people to retire with some dignity and some respect.  And yes, Virginia will keep moving toward a health system that finally makes quality insurance affordable for Americans who don't have coverage -- (applause) -- that gives stability and security to Americans who do, policies that'll finally slow the skyrocketing costs that are crushing families and businesses and our state and federal budgets.

Opportunity in every corner of Virginia -- that's what matters to Creigh Deeds.  That's what he'll keep fighting for for the people of Virginia, if you give him a chance.  (Applause.) 

Now, let me say this.  I know there are a lot of folks out here who -- they came out in November for my campaign.  (Applause.)  They turned out -- they turned out to elect Tim Kaine.  (Applause.)  But, you know, these sort of off-year elections -- you know, sometimes people say, well, you know, I just went last year, I was just volunteering, I was -- I already did that knocking on doors.  So maybe people feel a little complacent.  Maybe people feel a little cynical because they're thinking, boy, we haven't changed things overnight.  I know that there are folks watching who wonder whether or not their investment in their elected leaders can or will actually solve the problems they face.

And people have a right to feel frustrated.  Year after year, decade after decade.  Some of these problems just keep on lingering, and there's still partisan gridlock, whether it's in Richmond or Washington.

But I'm here today because you've got the opportunity to elect a man who represents a better kind of politics.  (Applause.)  You know, you've got the chance to elect somebody who's got a good heart and a good head and a commitment to work hard on your behalf.  (Applause.)  He may not be perfect -- my wife reminds me I'm not.  (Applause.)  She is, just like our spouses are perfect, but we're not.  (Laughter.)  You know, Creigh, sometimes his tie gets a little askew, and you know, his hair is a little -- (laughter) -- but here's the question is -- here's the question is, is that what the people of Virginia are looking for?

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Are you looking for slick?

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Or are you looking for somebody who is going to be fighting for you?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!  (Applause.)   

THE PRESIDENT:  Are you going to be looking for somebody -- I hope you will vote based on how good a governor he is going to be for the people of Virginia.  I hope you're going to be voting for the content of his character.  (Applause.)  I hope that you're going to be voting based on his track record, and the fact that he has stood with families like yours for years.  That's the kind of governor that Creigh Deeds is going to be.  (Applause.)

You know, when I was -- right in the last week of our campaign, back in Iowa, it was when a lot of you still couldn't pronounce my name -- (laughter) -- a lot of people were still convinced there was no chance that a guy named Barack Hussein Obama could even win -- could even win a caucus, much less the presidency.  (Applause.)

No, no, no, no.  You guys know this.  Some of you all didn't think I was going to win.  (Applause.)  Everybody says now, oh, I knew it all the time.  No.  No.  Right before Iowa -- I'm not talking about after Iowa, I'm talking about before Iowa, some of you all -- see, they're all high-fiving over there.  Yeah, girlfriend, I saw you.  (Laughter.) 

There were a bunch of people who didn't think in that last week we were going to win.  When Tim Kaine was running, there were a lot of folks who said, well, you know, I don't know, some of his policies are too liberal and he's too principled.  And I'm not sure that he can win in the state of Virginia.  Do you remember a week before Tim Kaine -- I was out here campaigning for Tim Kaine.  (Applause.)  A whole bunch of folks said, I'm not sure he can do it.  So now here we are a week away. 

AUDIENCE:  (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  I'm going to get to that.  Hold on a second.  So now we're a week from Tim Kaine -- a week from Creigh Deeds' election, and a lot of people are saying, oh, you know, the polls don't look the way we want them to, and I'm not sure it's going to happen, and folks are just kind of staying home.  

Listen, let me tell you something.  I don't believe in "can't."  (Applause.)  I don't believe in giving up.  I don't believe that we would turn our back on the progress that Tim Kaine has made here in Virginia.  I am absolutely confident that we can, if you are willing to work in this last week.  (Applause.)  If you are willing to make your voice heard in this last week, if you're willing to knock on some doors in this last week and go and talk to your friends and your neighbors and your relatives; go out and get your cousin, who you had to drag to the polls last November, Cousin Pookie.  (Laughter.)  You go out and get him and you tell him, you got to vote again this time.  (Applause.) 

If you work hard -- because I know Creigh is going to work hard -- then I promise you this:  Not only are we going to elect an outstanding lieutenant governor and an outstanding attorney general, but we are going to continue the outstanding legacy in this great commonwealth, and you're going to be looking at the next governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia -- Creigh Deeds.  (Applause.)

Thank you, everybody.  Let's get to work.  (Applause.)

END                                       
4:26 P.M. EDT
 

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 26, 2009

Remarks by the President to Servicemen and Women in Jacksonville, FL

Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Jacksonville, Florida

3:29 P.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  Thank you so much.  Thank you, everybody.  How's it going, Jacksonville?  (Applause.)

Let me begin by thanking Secretary Mabus for the introduction, for your service, Ray.  I know we've got a lot of naval aviators here, and Ray is a former surface warfare officer.  But don't hold that against him.  Don't hold that against him, now.  (Laughter.)  Because Ray Mabus is doing an outstanding job as Secretary of the Navy. 

I also want to thank all your outstanding local leaders for welcoming me here today:  Admiral Tim Alexander; your CO, Captain Jack Scorby; and your Command Master Chief, Jeff Hudson.  To Chris Scorby and all the spouses who are with us -- you hold our military families together.  We honor you and we are grateful to you.  (Applause.)

     Now, it is great to be here at one of America's finest naval air stations.  But we also have folks from Mayport and Kings Bay.  (Applause.)  And we have every service represented -- Navy, Army, Air Force, Coast Guard, and United States Marines from Blount Island.  (Applause.)

     Now, military communities like this one take care of their own -- your people, your families.  But keeping you strong also takes the civilian community beyond the gate.  (Applause.)  So we want to thank Mayor John Peyton and all your great neighbors, the people of Jacksonville, for their incredible support.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

     Keeping you strong also takes leaders in Congress, like those here today:  two great friends of yours, Representatives Ander Crenshaw and Corrine Brown, who are here.  Give them a big round of applause right here.  (Applause.)  And a leader who fights for you as a member of the Armed Services Committee, Senator -- and Army veteran -- Bill Nelson is in the house.  (Applause.)

     Keeping you strong takes something else -- a country that never forgets this simple truth.  It's not the remarkable platforms that give the United States our military superiority -- although you've got some pretty impressive aircraft here, I got to admit.  It's not the sophisticated technologies that make us the most advanced in the world -- although you do represent the future of naval aviation. 

     No, we have the finest Navy and the finest military in the history of the world because we have the finest personnel in the world.  (Applause.)  You are the best trained, the best prepared, the best led force in history.  Our people are our most precious resource.

     We're reminded of this again with today's helicopter crashes in Afghanistan.  Fourteen Americans gave their lives.  And our prayers are with these service members, their civilian colleagues, and the families who loved them.

     And while no words can ease the ache in their hearts today, may they find some comfort in knowing this:  Like all those who give their lives in service to America, they were doing their duty and they were doing this nation proud.

     They were willing to risk their lives, in this case, to prevent Afghanistan from once again becoming a safe haven for al Qaeda and its extremist allies.  And today, they gave their lives, that last full measure of devotion, to protect ours.

     Now, it is our duty as a nation to keep their memory alive in our hearts and to carry on their work.  To take care of their families.  To keep our country safe.  To stand up for the values we hold dear and the freedom they defended.  That's what they dedicated their lives to.  And that is what we must do as well.

     So I say to you and all who serve:  Of all the privileges I have as President, I have no greater honor than serving as your Commander-in-Chief.  You inspire me.  And I'm here today to deliver a simple message -- a message of thanks to you and your families.

Being here, you join a long, unbroken line of service at Jacksonville -- from the naval aviators from World War II to Korea to Vietnam, among them a great patriot named John McCain.  You embody that sailor's creed, the "spirit of the Navy and all who have gone before" -- Honor, Courage, Commitment. 

     In recent years, you've been tested like never before.  We're a country of more than 300 million Americans, but less than 1 percent wears the uniform.  And that 1 percent -- you and those in uniform -- bear the overwhelming burden of our security.

     After months of exercises in the Pacific and stopping narcotraffickers off South America, you -- the "Mad Foxes" -- joined the recovery of that Air France crash off Brazil. 

     After hundreds of combat missions over Iraq and Afghanistan, when Somali pirates kidnapped Captain Richard Phillips, you -- the "Fighting Tigers" -- were first on the scene.  And others among you -- the "Nightdippers" -- were part of the carrier group that brought our captain home.

     You've delivered medical care to people around the world, as my wife Michelle saw this summer when she welcomed back to port the Comfort -- including those of you from Naval Hospital Jacksonville.  (Applause.)

     And like thousands of sailors in today's Navy, you've gone ashore to meet the mission of our time, like the "Desert Lions" who served in Iraq.

     Today, we also send our thoughts and prayers to all the folks from Jacksonville on the front lines at this very moment:  pilots and aircrews around the world, Navy corpsmen on the ground in Afghanistan.  And those of you -- the "Dusty Dogs" -- who'll deploy next month to the Persian Gulf -- (applause) -- you're going to make us proud.     

     But there is no service without sacrifice.  And though few Americans will ever truly understand the sacrifices that you and your family make, day in, day out, tour after tour, year after year, I want you to know this:  Your dedication to duty is humbling.  Your love of country is inspiring.  The American people thank you for your service.  We honor your sacrifices.  And just as you have fulfilled your responsibilities to our nation, your nation will fulfill its responsibilities to you.  

     That's the message that I just offered to the inspiring Gold Star families I met with a few moments ago -- families who've made the ultimate  sacrifice and whom we honor.  And that's the message I bring to you and all our forces, families and veterans around Jacksonville and across America. 

     You've made the most profound commitment a person can make -- to dedicate your life to your country, and perhaps give your life for it.  So as your Commander-in-Chief, here's the commitment I make to you.

To make sure you can meet the missions we ask of you, we are increasing the defense budget, including spending on the Navy and Marine Corps.  (Applause.)  This week, I'll sign that defense authorization bill into law.

     To make sure we're spending our defense dollars wisely, we're cutting tens of billions of dollars in waste and projects that even the military says it doesn't need, so that that money can be better spent on taking care of you and your families and building the 20th -- 21st century military that we do need.

     To make sure we have the right force structure, we've halted reductions in Navy personnel and increased the size of the Marine Corps.  And this year -- the first time in the history of the all-volunteer force -- the Navy and every component of every branch of the military, active, Guard and Reserve, met or exceeded their recruiting and retention goals.  And yes, that's due in part to tough economic times, but I say it's also a testament to you and everyone who volunteers to serve.  

     To make sure you're not bearing the burden of our security alone, we're enlisting all elements of our national power -- diplomacy, development, and a positive vision of American leadership in the world.

     And while I will never hesitate to use force to protect the American people or our vital interests, I also promise you this -- and this is very important as we consider our next steps in Afghanistan:  I will never rush the solemn decision of sending you into harm's way.  I won't risk your lives unless it is absolutely necessary.  (Applause.)  And if it is necessary, we will back you up to the hilt.  Because you deserve the strategy, the clear mission, and the defined goals as well as the equipment and support that you need to get the job done.  We are not going to have a situation in which you are not fully supported back here at home.  That is a promise that I will always make to you.  (Applause.)

     Now, as you meet your missions around the world, we will take care of your families here at home.  That's why Michelle has been visiting bases across the country.  That's why the Recovery Act is funding projects like improvements to your hospital and a new child development center at Mayport.  It's why we're increasing your pay -- (applause) -- increasing childcare, helping families deal with the stress and separation of war. 

     And finally, we pledge to be there when you come home.  We're improving care for our wounded warriors, especially those with post-traumatic stress and traumatic brain injuries.  We're funding the Post-9/11 GI Bill to give you and your families the chance to pursue your dreams.  (Applause.)  And we are making the biggest commitment to our veterans -- the largest percentage increase in the VA budget, even when we've got very difficult times fiscally -- in more than 30 years.

     Now these are the commitments I make to you; the obligations that your country is honor-bound to uphold.  Because you've always taken care of America, and America must take care of you -- always.

     And know this.  It's the spirit you live by every day.  It's the pride -- and yes, sometimes the anxiety -- when you wave goodbye to your loved ones on the tarmac.  It's the joy and relief when those loved ones come safely home.  It's the dignity and respect you show every fallen warrior who comes home to Jacksonville, like the naviator -- navy aviator you honored two months ago.

     Captain Michael Scott Speicher.  Kid from Orange Park.  Loving husband.  Devoted father.  Based at Cecil Field not far from here.  On the first day of Operation Desert Storm, he was taken from us.  And in the long years that followed, a Navy family and this city would endure the heartache of the unknown.

     Through all those years, no one missed Scott more or fought harder to bring him home than his wife Joanne; his friend and former Navy pilot Buddy Harris; their children Meghan, Michael, Madison, and Makenzie.  They were among the Gold Star families I met with, and we thank them for being here with us today.  Where are they?  (Applause.)  Please stand up.  Stand up, guys.  (Applause.)

     This summer, the news came.  After 18 years, after all the dashed hopes, we found him.  Scott's remains were finally coming home.  The evening news and the morning papers told the story of that day.  But few told the story of the days that followed.

     It's the story of how you greeted the plane upon landing -- hundreds of sailors -- and escorted Scott's flag-draped casket to your chapel.  How Navy honor guards kept constant vigil, through the night, as so many of you passed by to pay your respects.  How thousands of you -- sailors and civilians -- lined the streets of this base as you gave Scott back to the city he loved.  That's what you did, that's what you do, not only for Scott, but for all the fallen warriors you bring home.

     It's the story of how that procession retraced the steps of Scott's life.  Past the Jacksonville veterans memorial that now bears his name.  Past the church where he worshiped, the high school where he excelled, and Cecil Field where he served.

     It's the story of how Jacksonville seemed to come to a standstill as people lined street after street to honor one of their own.  Scott's friends but also total strangers.  Police and firefighters standing at attention.  Small children holding American flags.  Graying veterans giving a firm salute.  And then, as Scott was finally laid to rest, a final fitting tribute -- his old squadron roared overhead, high across the sky.

     That's the spirit we see here today.  You, men and women devoted to each other -- and to your country.  And a proud country devoted to you.  The example you set for all of us:  that if you can come together -- from every corner of America, every color, faith, creed, every background and belief -- to take care of each other and to serve together, to succeed together, then so can we all.  So can America.

     So thank you for your service.  And thank you for reminding us of the country we can and must always be.  God bless you, Jacksonville.  And God bless the United States of America.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

                        END                3:46 P.M. EDT