THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                        June 19, 2009
 
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT YOUNG MEN'S BARBECUE
South Lawn
4:25 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Hello, everybody. Everybody have a seat. First of all, let's give thanks that it's not raining, because we thought it might be and we were worried that Bobby would be sending smoke into the White House. But it's a beautiful day.
I want to personally acknowledge once again -- they've already been introduced, but I want to introduce them because some of you young people are sitting with them -- you may not know who you're sitting with -- the extraordinary men who are participating in this event today. First of all, Chief Quartermaster John Lehnen -- thank you so much, John. Some of you may know this guy, Dwayne Wade. I hear he plays basketball pretty good. (Laughter.) Etan Thomas, another ball player; Joseph Jones, the Center for Urban Families; Greg Brown, who is the CEO of Motorola; Antwaan Randle El, outstanding football player; Dr. Steve Rosen, Northwestern Cancer Center; Jorge Ramos, one of the premier journalists in the country; B.D. Wong, outstanding actor; Tony Hawk, who is the best skateboarder in the world; Coach Bill Cowher of the championship Steelers; Darryl "DMC" McDaniels; Mike Laas, who is a small businessman; Senator Evan Bayh, former colleague of ours; Fatherhood Dads, Inc., President David Ladd; the President of Morehouse College, Dr. Robert Franklin; as well as some of the outstanding members of my staff -- Mike Strautmanis, Denis McDonough, Reggie Love. And we also want to thank Bobby Flay, one of the best chefs in the world, for providing us with this unbelievably good-looking grub over here. (Applause.)
I don't want to talk long. I want to come around and say hello to everybody. I just want to thank all of you for participating. For the young people who are here today, I just hope that the message that we're sending out about how important fathers are is something that you will internalize, because all of you are probably going to end up being fathers. And the time is now to start thinking about what that means in terms of responsibilities, what it means to be a man. And the men who are -- you're going to be sitting with today I think exemplify -- whether they're famous or not famous, rich or not so rich, they embody that spirit of love and dedication and commitment that fatherhood is all about.
So we appreciate all of you. I don't want to get in the way of the food. Thank you for participating. Hope you guys have a good time. And to all the fathers out there, happy Father's Day. All right? (Applause.)
END
4:29 P.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                                     June 19, 2009
 
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT FATHERHOOD TOWN HALL
East Room
3:34 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. And let me, first of all, thank John and Joe and Juan Carlos and Etan and Mike for sharing their remarkable stories with us. And let me thank Mike Strautmanis for helping to guide us through this -- where did Mike go? There he is, over there.
A couple other people that I want to acknowledge -- first of all, our terrific Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood is here in the house. (Applause.) A dear friend of mine, former colleague in the Senate, Senator Evan Bayh is here. (Applause.) Chicago's own, Congressman Danny Davis, from the West Side. Where's Danny? He was here a second ago. Give him a round of applause anyway. (Applause.)
And I want to thank kids from "Life Pieces to Master Pieces," and Foundry United Methodist Church. Thank you very much for your participation. (Applause.) I want to thank members of the Faith-Based Advisory Council's Subcommittee on Fatherhood that has helped us to organize these events today.
Good afternoon, everybody. It is wonderful to see you. I see some familiar faces in the house. Rev, how are you doing? It is great to have all of you here today as we gear up to celebrate Father’s Day and to recognize the vital role that fathers play in our communities and obviously in our families.
This town hall marks the beginning of a national conversation that we hope to start about fatherhood and personal responsibility -- about how fathers across America are meeting the challenges in their families and communities, and what government can do to support those who are having a difficult time. Today, you’ve had a chance to hear from five of those fathers, men who are doing an outstanding job of meeting their obligations in their own lives.
We all know the difference that a responsible, committed father like those five gentlemen can make in the life of a child. Fathers are our first teachers and coaches. They’re our mentors and they're our role models. They set an example of success and they push us to succeed; encourage us when we’re struggling; and they love us even when we disappoint them, and they stand by us when nobody else will.
And when fathers are absent -- when they abandon their responsibilities to their children -- we know the damage that that does to our families. Some of you know the statistics: Children who grow up without fathers are more likely to drop out of school and wind up in prison. They’re more likely to have substance abuse problems, run away from home, and become teenage parents themselves.
And I say this as someone who grew up without a father in my own life. I had a heroic mom and wonderful grandparents who helped raise me and my sister, and it's because of them that I'm able to stand here today. But despite all their extraordinary love and attention, that doesn’t mean that I didn’t feel my father's absence. That's something that leaves a hole in a child’s heart that a government can't fill.
Our government can build the best schools with the best teachers on Earth, but we still need fathers to ensure that the kids are coming home and doing their homework, and having a book instead of the TV remote every once in a while. Government can put more cops on the streets, but only fathers can make sure that those kids aren’t on the streets in the first place. Government can create good jobs, but we need fathers to train for these jobs and hold down these jobs and provide for their families.
If we want our children to succeed in life, we need fathers to step up. We need fathers to understand that their work doesn’t end with conception -- that what truly makes a man a father is the ability to raise a child and invest in that child.
We need fathers to be involved in their kids’ lives not just when it’s easy -- not just during the afternoons in the park or at the zoo, when it’s all fun and games -- but when it’s hard, when young people are struggling, and there aren’t any quick fixes or easy answers, and that's when young people need compassion and patience, as well as a little bit of tough love.
Now, this is a challenge even in good times. And it can be especially tough during times like these, when parents have a lot on their minds -- they're worrying about keeping their jobs, or keeping their homes or their health care, paying their bills, trying to give their children the same opportunities that they had. And so it's understandable that parents get concerned, some fathers who feel they can't support their families, get distracted. And even those who are more fortunate may be physically present, but emotionally absent.
I know that some of the young men who are here today might have their own concerns one day about being a dad. Some of you might be worried that if you didn’t have a father, then you don't know how to be one when your turn comes. Some of you might even use that as an excuse, and say, "Well, if my dad wasn’t around, why should I be?"
Let’s be clear: Just because your own father wasn’t there for you, that’s not an excuse for you to be absent also -- it’s all the more reason for you to be present. There’s no rule that says that you have to repeat your father’s mistakes. Just the opposite -- you have an obligation to break the cycle and to learn from those mistakes, and to rise up where your own fathers fell short and to do better than they did with your own children.
That’s what I’ve tried to do in my life. When my daughters were born, I made a pledge to them, and to myself, that I would do everything I could to give them some things I didn’t have. And I decided that if I could be one thing in life, it would be to be a good father.
I haven’t always known exactly how to do that. I’ve made my share of mistakes; I've had to ask a lot of questions. But I've also learned from men that I admire. And one good example is Michelle’s father, Frasier Robinson, who was a shining example of loving, responsible fatherhood. Here is a man who was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when he was 30 years old, but he still got up every day, went to a blue-collar job. By the time I knew him he was using two crutches to get around, but he always was able to get to every dance recital, every ballgame of Michelle's brother. He was there constantly, and helped to shape extraordinary success for his children.
And that’s the standard that I strive for, though I don’t always meet it. And as I’ve said before, I've made mistakes as a parent, and I'm sure I will make plenty more. There have been days when the demands of work have taken me from my duties as a father and I’ve missed some moments in my daughters’ lives that I’ll never get back. So I’ve been far from perfect.
But in the end, it’s not about being perfect. It’s not always about succeeding; but it’s about always trying. And that's something everybody can do. It’s about showing up and sticking with it; and going back at it when you mess up; and letting your kids know -- not just with words, but with deeds -- that you love them and that you're always -- they're always your first priority.
And we need dads -- but also men who aren’t dads -- to make this kind of commitment not just in their own homes to their own families, but to the many young people out there who aren’t lucky enough to have responsible adults in their lives. We need committed, compassionate men to serve as mentors and tutors, and big brothers and foster parents. Even if it’s just for a couple hours a week of shooting hoops, or helping with homework, or just talking about what’s going on in that young person's life. Even the smallest moments can end up having an enormous impact, a lasting impact on a child’s life.
So I am grateful to many of the organizations that are here, that are working on these issues. Some are faith-based; some are not. Some are government funded; some are privately funded. But all of you have those same commitments to making sure that we are lifting up the importance of fatherhood in our communities.
This is not the end, this is the beginning, of what I hope is going to be a national dialogue. And we're going to have regional town hall meetings, as Mike may have mentioned, to make sure that participants all across the country are starting to have that positive effect in their communities.
And I especially want to thank the young people who are here today, because you're the ones who are going to have to carry -- (applause) -- this forward.
So with that -- I know we've already had some discussion, and what I want to do is to see if we can expand the conversation. We should have some microphones in the audience so that everybody can be heard. Am I correct? Mike, are you going to be like Oprah?
MR. STRAUTMANIS: I'm not going to be like Oprah. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: Okay. So what I want to do is just call on some folks. They can ask a question. They can share a story. Organizations that are doing great work on fatherhood, please tell us a little bit about the work that you are doing. And I want to especially hear from some of the young people who somehow ended up sitting in the back. (Laughter.) I don't know how that happened. I'm going to start with this young man right here.
Go ahead. Introduce yourself. Stand up, please.
Q Yes. My name is Roland Warren. I'm president of an organization called National Fatherhood Initiative. And first, just thank you for what you're doing on this issue. And a lot of folks have been sort of toiling on this issue for a number of years, and to have you come forward and step up and make this a national priority is really important.
And one of the things I just want to say to you, that your message, in terms of the fact that even though you've had obviously tremendous success without your dad, the fact that you really needed him and that kids have a hole in their souls essentially in the shape of their dad I think is pretty important, because we really need to focus on that issue; that we got to change the legacy and help our kids pass on the legacy -- have our dads pass on a different legacy than maybe they inherited.
I grew up without my dad, as well, and went to Princeton and things of that nature, but still needed him. That's one of the reasons I do the work that I do. So I really am delighted that you're doing the great work that you're doing around this issue.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you so much. Yes, I really want to emphasize this point about how just small moments and gestures can make a huge difference. A lot of folks know I love playing basketball. But it was my father who gave me my first basketball. Even though he wasn't a part of my life, in the few weeks that I was with him, he gave me a basketball.
A lot of folks know I love jazz. It turns out he took me to my first jazz concert. I didn't remember this until later on in life, but just that imprint is powerful. And imagine if that's sustained every day. And especially, young men, when they hit the teenage years, to have somebody there who is there to steady them and to provide them with some guidance, that makes all the difference in the world.
And again, this is not to take away from the heroic work that moms are doing. It's to emphasize moms need some help -- because if you're a single mom like mine was, and maybe they're going to school or working -- the pressures are enormous. And having somebody else there who's able to carry on that child-rearing responsibility is absolutely critical.
Anybody else? Let me get one of these young people here. Go ahead.
Q Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Larry Holmes. I attend St. Albans School for Boys. And I would like to ask you a question.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, go ahead.
Q Traveling from state to state, country to country, being the President, which one is funner -- being a father or being a President? (Laughter and applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, well -- well, I mean this: Nothing is more fun than being a father. Now, my kids aren't teenagers yet so I don't know -- (laughter) -- I don't know whether that will maintain itself. (Laughter.) But right now the greatest joy I get is just hanging out with the girls and talking to them and watching them grow and succeed.
Probably the most fun that I've had since I've been President was actually at a parent-teachers conference where the teachers were bragging on my children. (Laughter.) And I just sat there and I just basked in the glory of -- (laughter.) And now nothing is more important than that. And I think a lot of fathers can relate to that.
But here's the important point, is that, with as many responsibilities as I have -- and I've got a huge support structure and staff and whatnot -- it turns out that you can still carve out time to make sure that you're having a conversation with your kid.
And what it does mean is, is that fathers sometimes have to give up stuff that they'd like to do instead, like just sit there and watch Sportscenter. (Laughter.) And I know we got D. Wade here -- I like watching the highlights -- but sometimes instead of watching the third, fourth -- (laughter) -- fifth time Sportscenter, I just watch it once -- (laughter) -- so that I can then spend time with the girls -- because they don't like watching basketball that much. But being President is pretty fun, too, no doubt about it.
All right. Great question. Next. Yes, sir -- right here.
Q Thank you, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: Here, you got a microphone.
Q Hi, Mr. President. My name is Chris Maples. I founded an organization in Indianapolis called Dads, Inc. -- four years ago today, actually. And I hope that these dialogues continue to let everybody know that this isn't a rich or poor, a North or South, a black or white; this is -- this affects everybody from the upper class to the lower class. And that's who we work with, that broad range. And over these four years, I've heard dramatic stories of -- just so appreciative that we have a service in Indianapolis for all fathers, and that everybody is appreciative of that. And I hope we can keep that up on a national level, too.
THE PRESIDENT: Absolutely. Absolutely. I think this is really important to emphasize -- 23 percent of young people are growing up without fathers. Now, in the African American community, it's close to 50 percent, maybe a little over, depending on the statistics that you look at. So there is a real crisis going on the African American community on this issue, but it is a more pervasive issue.
And I just went to a wonderful organization called Year Up that has young people who are getting trained after high school, most of them, on specific job-training skills, computer skills, but also how to conduct themselves in an office and write an email, et cetera. And it was wonderful talking to these young people. But one of the things I said specifically to the young men is that you can't use anything as an excuse not to be involved with your children. Because kids -- they won't judge you based on whether you're wealthy or poor. They will judge you if you are abusive to their mother. They will judge you in terms of you not showing up when they need you. That's what makes a difference.
And kids will respect their fathers if their fathers are showing kindness and are modeling -- that they're working hard and trying to do what's right for their families. And kids will understand that sometimes families fall on hard times. They get that. Joe Biden is here -- and, Joe, actually, I want to talk to you, because you had a terrific relationship with your dad, but there was a time where your dad fell on some hard times, and yet you still talk about him all the time as the most important guiding role model in your life.
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Well, Mr. President, I think it's great what you're doing, by the way. This is a big deal. Folks, you know, the President said sometimes fathers make mistakes, and I've made my share. But one thing my father told me -- there's a mistake a father should never make, and that is communicating to his child there's anything other than total unconditional love. If there's total unconditional love -- that includes discipline -- but if there's total unconditional love, it doesn't matter whether you're rich or poor, whether or not you're a real smart dad or you're not such a smart dad, whether you're handsome or you're not so -- it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter. Kids need love.
And as a single parent, Mr. President -- I did that for a while, having two sons, as Evan knows. And what I can say to you is -- my mom has an expression. He's always kidding me, I'm always saying my mom and dad's expressions. But my mom has an expression. And she said -- I could hear her when she was a kid -- when I was a kid, saying it to her peers. She said, "Be careful how you treat your children, you may need them some day." (Laughter.)
And I want to tell you, the President knows my sons and my daughter. It doesn't change -- the happiest thing in the world is being a father. This day my 40-year-old son is attorney general of the state of Delaware. The President sees it in my 39-year-old son and my 27-year-old daughter. If my son, Attorney General, Captain Biden walked in the door from Iraq today, the first thing he'd do is walk up and give me a kiss. I mean it. And this is not -- a kid who knows how to handle himself.
But the point is it gives me more joy, and I think it gives every father in this room more joy than any other thing that happens in your life, whether your son or daughter does that.
So, Mr. President, you're a great President. You're a great dad. And you're really good to be doing this. It's a big deal. (Applause.)
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) All right. (Applause.) Thank you. (Applause.) All right. Anybody back here want to comment on some of the things they heard or saw? Go ahead.
Q I'd like to ask you a question, Mr. President. At one point you had to decide you wanted to run for President, with two young daughters. Can you share with us how you had to wrestle with that decision?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, it's a great question and I think I've said this publicly before -- the first question, the threshold question that I had to ask in conjunction with Michelle -- because this was a joint decision -- was could our family handle it? And frankly, if it hadn't been for Michelle's extraordinary strength and commitment, I could not have done it and would not have done it. And she was able to handle, for big chunks of time, being like a single mom.
Now, I want to emphasize we are luckier than most; we've got more resources than most. And so I don't want to diminish how tough it is if you're working two shifts, you're coming home beat, and then suddenly you're also expected to help on the homework and do all these things. It's a big challenge for a lot of families. And we had more resources than most, but it was still a very difficult decision.
Frankly, I don't think we would have made the same decision if our kids were a little older. Part of the reason it was okay was because when I started running, Sasha was five, Malia was eight, and they were still in Chicago; they had my mother-in-law, and they had a whole network and a community and a family that could help and support them. And so as a consequence we figured out they would thrive.
The person who suffered the most was me, because I would be calling from God knows where and they'd be having fun and laughing and -- (laughing) -- and kids don't talk on the phone that well. (Laughter.) So I'd be, "Sasha, how was your day?" "Fine." (Laughter.) "What did you do?" "Nothing." (Laughter.) You guys have had those conversations. (Laughter.)
And so there were times where just physically I wanted to just be with them, and just couldn't. And so it was the hardest part of deciding to run for President.
The best thing about being President, by the way, is having a home office, because that means that -- (applause) -- that means that I get home for dinner and -- even if I have to go back to work, and then that makes all the difference in the world.
So, okay. Ed, got one right behind you. No, no, got one -- right back.
Q I'm used to you throwing my questions away.
THE PRESIDENT: No, I wouldn't do that. Go ahead.
Q I'm kidding. Listen, I just wanted to thank you very much. We started an initiative with Al Dotson and a hundred black men called "Daddy's Promise," which really takes a look at fathers involving themselves in their daughters' lives, and you've been a great image for that. And what I just wanted to tell everybody is the service that you've given us, just with the image of you and your family and your daughters, has gone and made tenfold in terms of it being easier to tell men to involve themselves, because as we know, the media and the image is so powerful. And A, I'd like to thank you very much --
THE PRESIDENT: I appreciate that.
Q -- for that, and being upfront on that -- and encourage everyone to do so in your neighborhoods, because as much as we look to this man and others in the media, it is those of you who are there on an everyday basis. And when you see parents with children, it goes a long, long way. So we thank you for that.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I appreciate that. But I think you made the right point, Ed, which is it's one thing seeing people on TV; it's another thing seeing that young father down the street who's just like you, except he's holding his baby in his arms, or taking that toddler to the park, or participating in the Little League. That's where young people get sort of their images, what it means to be a man, more than they do from whatever is on the screen. But I very much appreciate what you said.
Okay, I'm going to call on a token mom here just so that she can comment on these things.
Q I'm Reverend Dr. Barbara Williams Skinner.
THE PRESIDENT: It's great to see you.
Q Good to see you. I want to say for women -- I'm a mother and a grandmother -- this is a day of celebration for us. (Applause.) We just felt our shoulders lifted. Not having had a father, but I -- thank you for Bill Cowher and Mr. McDaniels from Run DMC, coming over to Ballou. The only time you hear about Ballou High School is when someone is shot or killed. Today the kids asked us -- they said, "They're coming to see us?" So I want to thank you on their behalf, that you cared enough about children who are on the other side of the river.
And now, my question is, how do we keep lifting up the stories of the kid who's not in trouble, who goes past the drug dealers, who decides to stay in school, as opposed to all the -- we spend so much emphasis on what's not working. How do we talk about what is working?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, I think you make a great point. First of all, I do want to thank all these wonderful men who took the time to go out and -- Coach Cowher, this is the first time that you've seen Redskins fans cheer for you -- (laughter) -- that doesn't happen that often -- but these extraordinary men for taking the time to do this. Please give them a big round of applause. (Applause.)
But I think you're absolutely right, Reverend, that sometime we've got to lift up success instead of just remarking on failure, because -- the young men that I met at the trip that I took to Year Up, these were extraordinary young people. They were poised and they were polished and they were -- and these are all kids from the neighborhood, but they had -- somebody had reached out to show that they care.
And it turns out that young people are incredibly resilient. It doesn't take that much. All it takes is somebody to put a hand on them and say, "You know what? You're important. And I'm listening to you." And if it's the wrong person who's putting that hand on them, if it's the gang-banger that's putting that hand on them, then they'll respond to that. And if it's a person in the community who is working hard, they'll respond to that.
And so we do need to affirm positive behavior and not just condemn negative behavior, because a lot of times young people just -- they just need to be told that if you -- one of the neat things about this program that I was looking at was they had a whole code: The first thing that they trained young people on was how do you interact with others. So everybody that you met, they were shaking your hand and looking at you in the eye and they weren't mumbling. And there were certain words that they had banned from usage -- not just curse words, either. They were saying, you know, don't go around saying, "Shorty" and "What's up, G?" and -- because that's not professional. And all that was important to them, and they absorbed it very quickly. But it requires spending a little time and then lifting up some role models.
MR. STRAUTMANIS: Last question.
THE PRESIDENT: All right. This is always tough, the last-question thing. (Laughter.) I'm going to call on one of these young people again. Here you go. Go ahead. This young man right here, he had his hand up.
Q I was wondering --
THE PRESIDENT: What's your name?
Q I'm Nick, and I'm also from St. Albans.
THE PRESIDENT: Hey, Nick. Yes, you're with this crew here.
Q And, Mr. President, I was wondering how you felt when you first became a father.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, let me tell you the story of me -- first of all, Malia was born on the Fourth of July. And every first father has this memory of you're waiting and you're waiting, and then suddenly Michelle woke me up at around 3:00- 4:00 a.m., and I was sleepy, and she says, "Hey, buster, I think this may be happening." And you jump out -- it was like a movie. I was jumping out of my bed and looking for my shoes and the bag.
And things went fairly smoothly. But the first time you see that child, and bringing her home, driving really slow -- (laughter) -- in that little car seat -- and then that night, knowing that there was this new life inside your house in a little bassinet, and remembering to check on them every five minutes to make sure they're still breathing -- (laughter) -- and then feeling them lying on your chest when you've fed them and they're falling asleep -- and you knew at that moment something had -- if you're not a father yet, people say and you don't believe, which is, at that moment, you realize you will do anything for that child. There's nothing you wouldn't do for them -- in a heartbeat.
And that bond between a parent and a child is something that is precious. It's sacred. And it's a true blessing.
And sometimes I think in the hustle of life you forget what a blessing that is, and that ultimately, after all this stuff is done, after Joe and I are retired and nobody knows our name -- (laughter) -- the one thing that we'll remember is -- are those moments when you were holding your kid, and watching them grow, and the first time they walked. And that's the stuff that will stay with you.
And that's why, if there's one last thing I want to communicate to those fathers who maybe haven't been involved in their child's life, it's to emphasize that this isn't an obligation. This is a privilege to be a father. (Applause.) And that's something that all of us should take on for themselves.
So, thank you, everybody, for participating. I appreciate you. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
4:05 P.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                                        June 19, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO PARTICIPANTS OF YEAR UP CENTER

Year Up Center
Arlington, Virginia

1:40 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  How is everybody doing today?  Doing good?

AUDIENCE:  Yes. 

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, it is good to see you.  First of all, I want to thank Gerald for founding this extraordinary program. Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  And I want to thank Tanisia for running this thing in an extraordinary way.  It seems like she's doing a great job.  Give her a big round of applause.  (Applause.)

I am just very excited to be here.  I just met four of your fellow Year Up participants, and they represented you very well. And they told me a little bit about the program. 

I know that so many of you are doing extraordinary things now, but you've had your bumps in the road and there have been some tough times.  And part of the reason we wanted to come here is that Father's Day is coming up, and a lot of young people in America these days are growing up without fathers in the house, and as a consequence, without direction.  And I'm somebody who didn’t have a father in my house when I was coming up.  And what we wanted to do was to highlight the fact that, first of all, there are all kinds of people who succeed despite the obstacles, but also to remind ourselves that there's so much talent out there that is untapped because people don't have pathways to success, and they don't have somebody who is giving them a hand and giving them advice and giving them counsel.

And so, number one, we want to send out a message that our parents -- that's the first foundation –0. and fathers especially need to be involved with their children's lives.  So the young men who are here today, I just want you to know that even if your father was not there, you can be there for your child when you have a child -- and it's not a bad thing to wait to have a child -- (laughter) -- until you've got your act together.

But the second message was also to say that we as a community can help provide young people with support and direction.  And I think that this Year Up program is a terrific example of that.

So I just want to thank all of you for being great models -- role models for your peers and for younger people who are coming up -- your brothers and sisters, people in the community, they're all watching you.  I want to remind you that things are going to get tough at times in your lives, and I don't want anybody here to feel discouraged.  Right now the economy is going through a very tough time, which means that the job market is more restrictive especially for young people entering the market.  But the skills that you've obtained and the poise, character that you've been developing is something that will last you a lifetime and you will be successful as long as you stick with it.

So we're just very proud of you.  And that's it from me.  Now what I want to do is just open it up and have questions.

END
1:44 P.M. EDT 

 
 
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                       June 19, 2009
 
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT THE ESPERANZA NATIONAL HISPANIC PRAYER BREAKFAST
J.W. Marriott
Washington, D.C.
9:32 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Buenos días.
AUDIENCE: Buenos días.
THE PRESIDENT: It is good to see everybody here. Just a few quick acknowledgments. Our outstanding Secretary of Department of Homeland Security, Janet Napolitano, is here. Please give her a big round of applause. (Applause.) The great governor of the state of Pennsylvania, Ed Rendell. (Applause.) Two special members of my staff that I want all of you to get to know. First of all, we have a White House Office of Faith-Based and Neighborhood Partnerships -- if you haven't already met him, Joshua DeBois is just a wonderful young man, please give him a big round of applause; he helps to organize a lot of our faith outreach. (Applause.) And our director of Intergovernmental Affairs, one of my favorite people, Cecilia Muñoz, please give her a big round of applause. (Applause.)
I want to thank Reverend Cortes for the wonderful introduction and the wonderful prayer for me and my family. I want to thank Esperanza, and all of you who worked so hard to put together the National Hispanic Prayer Breakfast and Conference. And I also want to join you in honoring the work of Adolfo Carrion Sr. on this Father's Day weekend -- (applause) -- on this Father's Day weekend I know that my director of Urban Affairs, Adolfo's son, is particularly proud of his dad. I also want to thank all of you for the work that you do each and every day. Through your service to your communities, you represent the very best in our country. And I'm honored to join you in prayer this morning.
At a time when there's no shortage of challenges to occupy our time, it's even more important to step back, and to give thanks, and to seek guidance from each other -- but most importantly, from God. That's what we've come here to do.
We can begin by giving thanks for the legacy that allows us to come together. For it was the genius of America's Founders to protect the freedom of all religion, and those who practice no religion at all. So as we join in prayer, we remember that this is a nation of Christians and Muslims and Jews and Hindus and non-believers. It is this freedom that allows faith to flourish within our borders. It is this freedom that makes our nation stronger.
For those of us who draw on faith as a guiding force in our lives, prayer has many purposes. For many, it is a source of support when times are hard. President Lincoln, who Reverend Cortes mentioned, once said, "I have been driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had nowhere else to go." And while the challenges that I've faced pale in comparison to Lincoln's, I know that more than once I've been filled with the same conviction over the last five months.
But prayer is more than a last resort. Prayer helps us search for meaning in our own lives, and it helps us find the vision and the strength to see the world that we want to build. And that's what I'd like to talk about for just a few minutes today.
As I look out at this audience, I'm reminded of the power of faith in America -- faith in God, and a faith in the promise of this great country. Each of us come from many different places. We trace our roots back to different nations, and we represent a broad spectrum of personal and political beliefs. But all of us pray to God. All of us share a determination to build a better future for our children and grandchildren. And that must be a starting point for common ground, and for the America that we want to build.
Like some of you, I am the son of a parent who came to these shores in search of a better future. And while I may be the first African American President, there is nothing unique or unusual about the opportunities that this country gave to me. Instead, like generations of Americans, I could count on the basic promise that no matter what you look like, or where you come from, America will let you go as far as your dreams and your hard work will carry you.
And that promise is at the heart of the American story. It's a story shared by many of you -- by clergy and members of Congress; by business leaders and community organizers. It's the story of every young child who has the opportunity to go farther in life than their parents were able to go. It's the story of a young girl who could rise from a public housing project to be nominated for the highest court in the land. (Applause.) And I am confident that it's a story that will someday be told by the first Hispanic President of the United States of America. (Applause.)
But we know there is much more work to be done to extend the promise of a better life to all our children and grandchildren. In all that we do, we must be guided by that simple command that binds all great religions together: Love thy neighbor as thyself.
In the 21st century, we've learned that this truth is central not just to our own lives, but to our success as a nation. If our children cannot get the world-class education they need to succeed, then America will not be able to compete with other countries. If our families cannot afford health care, then the costs go up for all of us -- individuals, businesses, and government. If folks down the street can't pay their mortgage and folks across town can't find a job, then that pain is going to trickle into other parts of our economy.
And that's why we've come together on behalf of the future that we want to build -- one where all of our children go to the best schools, all our people can go to work and make a living, all our families can afford health care; and prosperity is extended to everybody. Together, we must build a future where the promise of America is kept for a new generation.
We also know that keeping this promise means upholding America's tradition as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants. Those things aren't contradictory; they're complementary. That's why I'm committed to passing comprehensive immigration reform as President of the United States. (Applause.)
The American people -- the American people believe in immigration, but they also believe that we can't tolerate a situation where people come to the United States in violation of the law, nor can we tolerate employers who exploit undocumented workers in order to drive down wages. That's why we're taking steps to strengthen border security, and we must build on those efforts. We must also clarify the status of millions who are here illegally, many who have put down roots. For those who wish to become citizens, we should require them to pay a penalty and pay taxes, learn English, go to the back of the line behind those who played by the rules. That is the fair, practical, and promising way forward, and that's what I'm committed to passing as President of the United States. (Applause.)
We must never forget that time and again, the promise of America has been renewed by immigrants who make their story part of the American story. We see it in every state of our country. We see it in our families and in our neighborhoods. As President, I've been honored to see it demonstrated by the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States.
Last month, I had the honor of welcoming a group of our service members as citizens for the very first time. In that crowd, there were faces from every corner of the world. And one man from Nicaragua -- Jeonathan Zapata -- had waited his whole life to serve our country even though he was not yet a citizen. "By serving in the military," he said, "I can also give back to the United States." He's done so in Afghanistan, and he even helped man the 400,000th aircraft landing aboard the USS Kitty Hawk.
And Jeonathan's story is not unique either. He's part of a proud legacy of service. For generations, Hispanic Americans have served with great commitment and valor, and there are now nearly 150,000 Hispanic Americans serving under our flag. And today we are proud -- (applause) -- today we are proud to welcome several of them who are wounded warriors recovering at Walter Reed. Please join me in honoring their service, and in keeping them and all of our troops in our thoughts and prayers -- please. (Applause.)
These troops have dedicated their lives to serving their fellow Americans. Their example -- like those of all of our men and women in uniform -- should challenge us to ask what we can do to better serve our communities and our country, because the greatest responsibility that we have as citizens is to one another.
That's the spirit we need to build; that's the America that we seek. And to do so, we must look past our divisions to serve the hopes and dreams that we hold in common. We must give life to that fundamental belief that I am my brother's keeper, that I am my sister's keeper.
Scripture tells us, "The word is very near to you. It is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it." Today, let us pray for the strength to find the word in our hearts, and for the vision to see the America that we can build together as one nation, and as one people.
Thank you for your partnership. Thank you for your prayers. May God bless all of you, and may God bless the United States of America. (Applause.)
END
9:44 A.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                                    June 19, 2009
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT DSCC/DCCC FUNDRAISER
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Washington, D.C.
June 18, 2009
7:06 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Well, it is nice to be among friends.  I want to thank Bob Menendez, the DSCC chair.  I want to thank Chris Van Hollen, the DCCC chair; my great leaders in Congress, Harry Reid and Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for their outstanding leadership.  To all my colleagues and former colleagues who I see gathered around, thank you so much for your outstanding work.  And also please give a big round of applause to Diana Krall for the wonderful entertainment.  (Applause.)
 
It's a pleasure to be here, on behalf of the men and women in Congress who have worked tirelessly -- and I mean tirelessly  -- over the last five months to put this nation on a road back to prosperity.  I want to especially thank the two leaders -- two Americans who have, day in, day out, just been steering the ship, and without their leadership in Congress, we would just not get things done, Nancy and Harry.  Every single day they are displaying the skill and tenacity and the fierce urgency of the challenges we face.  So please give them another round of applause.  (Applause.)
Chris Van Hollen and Bob Menendez, they've got a thankless job, which is to recruit and fund-raise and organize so we can expand our majority in 2010.  And they're doing exemplary work and we're all grateful for them.
Now, we've been called to govern in some extraordinary times.  We've been asked to confront challenges of a size and scope that are unmatched in recent history -- a set of challenges that very few generations of Americans have ever been asked to confront:  We've got two wars, a debilitating recession, a global financial crisis, issues like global climate change that threatens our planet.  Meeting these challenges is not easy.  If it was easy it would have already been taken care of.  (Laughter.)  And everyone here could kick back and spend more time at home with their families. 
But that’s not the hand that we’ve been dealt.  We've been called to lead not when it’s easy, but when it’s hard.  That requires tough choices, and it requires doing what’s right, even what -- even if what’s right isn’t always necessarily popular.  It requires taking on the status quo in Washington.  And let's face it, the status quo in Washington favors inertia over action; and tinkering over real reform.  It requires the courage to look beyond the immediate news cycle, which is very hard to do, and to look beyond the next election to the next generation -- to do what we have to do to ensure that the American Dream is there for our children, and that the world that they inherit is better than the one that we did.
That's what so many in Congress have done in these last five months, and that's what we're going to have to do in the hard months to come. 
It's not just a responsibility, I think it's also a privilege -- and it's an extraordinary opportunity -- for in our hands lies the ability to shape our world for good or for ill. 
Just think about what we’ve already achieved together.  Five months.  Now, people's memories are short around here.  Let's just do a little -- (laughter) -- let's do a little inventory.  Not one month into this administration, we responded to this recession with the most sweeping economic recovery plan in our nation’s history.  The plan has already provided tax relief to 95 percent of hardworking families, the most progressive tax cut in our history.  It’s saving jobs and creating new ones in construction and clean energy and small businesses across the country.  Before the summer’s end we will have created another 600,000 jobs.
Thanks to this Congress, we also passed a budget resolution that will help cut our deficit in half while laying the building blocks of a new foundation for lasting growth and prosperity -- a budget that invests in clean energy and quality schools and reform that will finally bring down our health care costs.  
With the help of the members of Congress, and with the help of everybody in this room, we've lifted the ban on federal funding for stem cell research.  (Applause.)  We expanded the Children’s Health Insurance Program to cover 11 million additional children in need.  (Applause.)  We passed a national service bill to create hundreds of thousands of opportunities for people to serve in their communities.  (Applause.)  We passed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act -- the first bill I signed into law -- to make sure that women in this country get a fair shake on the workplace.  (Applause.)  
We passed a series of reforms that won’t just change policies in Washington; it changes the way we do business in Washington.  We brought together auto executives and labor unions and environmental groups, Democrats and Republicans, to set a national fuel-efficiency standard for our cars and trucks for the first time in history.  We passed bipartisan legislation to help homeowners and crack down on predatory lenders who seek to take advantage of them.  
We passed a law that will protect consumers from the unfair rate hikes and abusive fees that are levied by many credit card companies; a law that will eliminate waste in our defense budget and save taxpayers billions of dollars.  And after a decade of opposition, we passed legislation that will prevent tobacco companies from preying on our children.  (Applause.)  
Five months.  Every member of Congress who helped make these reforms possible should feel proud of what we’ve accomplished.  But we shouldn't feel satisfied.  We should feel confident in the future -- but not content with the present, not when there are workers out there who are still looking for a job, and families who are still unable to pay their bills.  Not when there are millions of Americans with are trying to figure out whether they can afford health care, and millions more of our children who are being left behind in our education system.  We can't be satisfied when our nation is not leading the world in developing a 21st century energy economy. 
We've come a long way, we can see some light on the horizon, but we've got a much longer journey to travel.  And this is when it gets hard -- ironically, in part because the economy has stabilized somewhat; now suddenly everybody forgets.  We introduced this financial regulatory bill; people start to say, why do we need all this regulation.  I'm sorry, wasn’t it just in September -- (applause) -- that the financial system almost melted down?  What are you talking about?  (Laughter.) 
But that's the nature of things.  This is when the criticism gets louder.  This is when the pundits grow impatient.  This is when the cynicism mounts.  This is when we hear the same voices advocating the same old policies that got us into this mess in the first place.  This is when we hear that the change we seek just isn’t possible.  Can't do it; system overload; circuits breaking down.  (Laughter.)  Right, George?  (Laughter.)  I mean, we've been hearing it -- it's so predictable. 
So this is exactly the moment we need to fight the hardest. This is the time when we need to band together.  This is the time when we have to do what we know is right for the country and deliver the change that we promised to deliver in November. 
And that’s why all of you are here tonight.  That’s why you’re digging deep again tonight, at a time when it's not easy to dig deep.  That's why I know that you’re going to keep on making those phone calls and knocking on those doors.  And that's why we've got to get to those polls again next November to make sure that we send a Democratic House and a Democratic Senate back to Congress to finish the business of the American people.  (Applause.)    
And that’s why I’m here tonight -- because I can’t bring about the change that I promised by myself in the Oval Office -- or just me and Rahm.  (Laughter.)  I mean, Rahm is great, but you know -- (laughter) -- I need a little more help than that.  It’s not how it works. 
I need partners in Congress -- leaders who are determined to make a difference for the folks they represent.  And right now, more than ever before, we need their help -- America needs their help.  We need their help to build schools that meet high standards and close the achievement gap, and prepare our kids for the challenges of the 21st century; where we reward teachers for performance and give them new pathways for advancement.  We need their help to reach the goal that I’ve set for higher education in this country, that by the year 2020, America once again will have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world.  (Applause.)  
We need their help to pass a comprehensive energy and climate bill that will finally reduce our dangerous dependence on foreign oil -- (applause) -- and offer new energy incentives to reduce the pollution that threatens our health and our climate; a plan that will create millions of new jobs producing wind turbines and solar panels and biofuels.  Because we know that the nation that leads the 21st century in clean energy technology, that's the nation that's going to lead in the global economy -- and America can and must be that nation. 
We need the leaders of Congress to create new rules of the road for Wall Street, to make sure that a crisis like this never happens again.  As I said, yesterday I outlined a set of regulatory reforms that will encourage drive and innovation in our markets, but reforms that will also punish short-cuts and abuses.  They're reforms that will allow our market to function freely and fairly, but without the risks that brought our financial system to the brink of collapse. 
I ask Congress to pass these reforms before the year is out. It is something that we have to do -- and I'm confident we can do. 
And right now, we need the help of this Congress to finally pass reforms that bring down the crushing cost of health care and give every American an opportunity to get decent health care in this country.  (Applause.)  I gave a speech about this earlier in the week.  When it comes to the cost of health care, the status quo is unsustainable.  Inaction is no longer an option.  If we do nothing, more families will go bankrupt, more businesses will shut their doors, more debt will be passed on to our children. 
It's time to fix what’s broken about our health care system and build on what works.  And I've said this before -- if you like your doctor, you should be able to keep your health care.  If you like your health care plan, you should be able to keep it. But we need a system where every American can finally afford their health care. 
Let me be clear:  I sincerely hope that there are members of both parties who will participate in reform.  No party has a monopoly on the best ideas about how to get this done.  I've said that before.  But to those who simply criticize without offering new ideas of their own, I have to ask:  What’s your answer?  What’s your answer to all those families who now spend more on health care than on housing or on food?  What’s your answer to those businesses that are choosing between closing their doors and letting their workers go? 
What's your answer to the woman I met in Wisconsin who introduced me the other day -- has breast cancer that's gone to her bones; got two little kids.  She's 36 years old.  And she's already got $50,000 worth of debt, and she's spending time worrying about whether she's leaving debt behind to her family that they'll never be able to pay off.  
Don’t tell me that all you're offering is meager tax cuts to uninsured Americans.  Don't present that as a new idea.  It’s the same idea that’s been proposed for the last eight years.  Don't tell me that we're going to tinker around the edges and that nothing is going to change, and 46 million people won't have health insurance, and you still have people who do have health insurance with their premiums tripling; doubling over the last nine years, going up three times faster than wages.  That's not acceptable. 
If all we’re doing is subsidizing a health care system that can't contain costs; if all we’re doing is putting more money into a system that is not working, that is broken, then we're just throwing good money after bad.  That’s not reform.  We need to permanently bring down costs so we can eventually save more money than we spend.  And that’s what I want to do. 
Now, we've outlined a way to pay -- (applause) -- we've outlines a way to pay for this reform with cuts and savings in our budget.  And as we make these and other investments, we have to restore fiscal discipline in Washington so that we don’t leave our children and grandchildren with a mountain of debt.  Already, my administration has identified more than 100 government programs that we can reduce or eliminate, saving taxpayers nearly $17 billion next year alone.  (Applause.)  And we’re going to go line by line through the budget, looking for even more places to cut.
We're living through extraordinary times.  We didn’t ask for the challenges that we face, but we are determined to answer the call to meet them.  We're going to cast aside the old arguments and overcome the stubborn divisions and move forward as one people and one nation.
And I know it won’t be easy.  There are going to be setbacks.  There are going to be times where we get weary.  It's like running that marathon, and you hit a wall and you're going to say, my feet hurt and my knees are buckling.  This is going to take time.  But I promise you that I will always tell the American people the truth about the challenges we face and the steps that we're taking, and I will continue to measure my progress by the progress the American people see in their own lives. 
And I'm convinced that if we stand together, then I know years from now we will look back on this moment as the time when the American people reclaimed together their future and wrote the next great chapter in American history.
We're doing that because of you, and I'm grateful to you.  God bless you.  And God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)
END                                      
7:24 P.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Vice President
__________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                June 18, 2009
 
REMARKS BY THE VICE PRESIDENT
TO THE DEMOCRATIC SENATORIAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE AND
DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSIONAL CAMPAIGN COMMITTEE
Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Washington, DC
12:36 P.M. EDT
THE VICE PRESIDENT: Thank you. (Applause.) It's great to be here with you all. I look around this room, and Madam Speaker, this is the Democratic Party. This is the reason why you're the Speaker and Harry is the Leader and I'm the Vice President.
And so I want to thank you for real. And Nancy, I called you earlier, but I just want to tell you I think -- and I want to say it publicly, you don't have to say it; I know you don't have to -- I think you are doing an incredible, incredible –- (applause) -- I mean it. You know I mean it.
Folks, I don’t think any Speaker has had as much laid on her plate at the front end of a Congress -- maybe there's been a time in history, but I don't -- I can't think of -- for real, for real. It's not hyperbole, literally. This President has had more laid on his plate than any President in modern history from the day he stepped into office. But that just flows not downhill; it flows up the hill. It's the same deal. And, Nancy, you are remarkable. You are remarkable.
And tell you what, you don't want to fool with a guy from Searchlight -- (laughter) -- because I'll tell you what, Harry Reid -- I mean, having been a senator for a long time; that is in one sense harder and easier, but in a sense, harder institutionally. Nancy has to get her leadership together and get things moving, which is not an easy thing to do, and take some real difficult positions for the good of the country.
But Harry operates, as Bob can tell you, under a different set of constraints under the way the Constitution is written. And God love him. I was kidding on the way out, I said, "Harry, the car is not worth it." You all know what I mean by that? The Leader of the Senate gets an automobile and a driver. (Laughter.) The car is not worth the job, but thank God Harry thinks it is -- (laughter) -- because he's doing a great, great job.
Look, thank you all for being here. (Applause.) And let me -- and thank you for all your work and your support. And thank you for commitment to -- the commitment you've made to the President. Many of you in this room, not only obviously, you're the backbone of the House and Senate campaign operations, but you're also -- as I look around this room, many of you played incredibly vital roles in our general election campaign. And some of you played significant roles in the President's early bid for the nomination.
And the 111th Congress, we think, is the vehicle through which we're all going to be able to celebrate the things we all have fought for; the reason why we wanted Obama to be President of the United States of America, Pelosi to be the Speaker, and Harry to be the Leader. I mean, it's all about not them; it's all about why we're involved in politics in the first place. These are big, big, big deal issues.
My colleagues kid me, Carl Levin says, "Joe has an awful lot of expressions," when he introduced me out in -- I was out in Michigan a little while ago. And he said, "Joe has a way of saying when he thinks something is important." This is a big deal. This is a big, big deal, what we have underway now.
And you believed in the change that we said we could bring to America. I think some of you probably wondered whether or not we really meant it. And I mean it sincerely. Because what we're doing is not on the margins. We're not playing in the margins here. This is serious change. The House, Senate, the administration, the Democratic Party of Washington is trying to initiate here.
I think it's fair to say that -- as I repeat it again, no administration, no Congress in a long, long, long time has moved as fast to deal with so many monumental challenges facing our country as this Congress has moved on.
We've only been in the job about six months now, and as the President said, even our critics agree, we've been pretty busy. We've been pretty busy.
Here's a quick recap: the Ledbetter Free Pay Act to deal with wage discrimination in the workplace, after arguing over that for years; children's health insurance, 11 million kids; executive orders setting higher standards for government; shutting down Guantanamo Bay -- none of this is easy stuff -- a plan to redeploy our troops in Iraq, which is underway, on schedule, and will occur; and of course a series of decisive steps to deal with the economy.
You know, we moved into a circumstance that turned out economically to be even worse than even Democrat and Republican leaders thought would be the case in November or December during that interregnum period. We inherited -- we inherited -- it's our responsibility, I'm not trying to move away from responsibility -- but we inherited a very, very dire situation. We moved to stabilize our financial system, to begin to get credit flowing again. We moved to breathe life back into the housing market, to get our auto industry -- with all the criticism -- but back on track, and to coordinate a worldwide response, which, I might add, had never been done before, coordinating worldwide response.
Everybody talks about it, like, well, we did it -- you know, the great thing about the President is, he does things so well when he does them, I kid him, it's like an ice skater. Don't you ever watch figure skaters in the Olympics and say, God, that's looks -- that's okay, that looks easy? The really good ones make it look easy.
Well, the irony is, the idea that we got the world to agree on a general and basic approach to dealing with the worldwide economy was like taking for -- "Well, yes, of course that was done." Go back to a month before or two months before the meeting occurred. There's nothing obvious about any of this except the incredible leadership of our three leaders: the President, Nancy, and Harry.
Within a matter of weeks -- as I mentioned, we worked hard with the House and the Senate to pass into law the biggest Recovery and Reinvestment Act in American history. It's a plan I believe, when all is said and done, we will in fact have created or saved 3.5 million jobs. It's a plan that included cutting taxes for 95 percent of the people that get a paycheck. To anybody in this room, myself included, it's not a big deal. But guess what? Somewhere between 60 to 80 bucks less a month is being taken out of their paycheck. To real people, that makes a difference, particularly in a very, very, very difficult economy.
We extended unemployment benefits, increased them; health coverage for people who lost their jobs. Now, it's like, okay, so what are you doing for me tomorrow? (Laughter.) I mean, look at what they did -- seriously. It's not hyperbole to suggest how successful this Congress has been at the front end of this administration. Every one of those things we fought for before -- before we controlled the Congress, and every one of them ran into a stone wall.
We've undertaken the biggest investment in the nation's interstate highway system since Eisenhower built the system in the '50s. We've done more -- we've doubled our investment in rebuilding our schools. We've kept teachers in classrooms, cops on the street. When they say "You didn't save any jobs," go to New York. Fourteen thousand-plus school teachers got their pink slips; because of the Recovery and Reinvestment Act, they're going to be in the classroom in September. Our kids aren't going to fall another half year behind because you had to increase class size by X percentage.
And that's the case all across America. The cops that are on the streets in the cities you live in, they're there, many of them, because of this Recovery Act: jobs saved that are consequential. (Applause.)
Look, we're taking the first serious critical steps towards energy efficiency, investing in wind and solar energy, technologies for the future; simple things like weatherization, which is the single most immediate gain we could make of real consequence.
Look, we know how tough the challenge is. But we are beginning to see some, and you're beginning to see some glimmers of hope. We've saved or created 150,000 jobs in the first 100 days, and as we accelerate our plans in the recovery, put more people -- put more pace on the ball here, I'm telling you we will save or create in the second 100 days another 600,000 jobs.
Look, folks, we're not going to stop this all-out assault on the problem until we brought the economy back to health. But just as important, the underlying rationale for what we're doing here is also to begin to build a platform for a new economy. I don't have to tell any of you sophisticated business people in this room. You can't lead the 21st century built on a bubble of the -- of a dot com bubble or a housing bubble. This President and our allies in Congress have been criticized for doing too much, being too ambitious. The President is being told that just getting this economic crisis under control, just getting the GDP to move into positive territory should be the goal, and that should be it.
But let me ask you something: Does anybody think we can lead the 21st century without a fundamental change in health care, a fundamental change in energy policy, a fundamental change in our education system where we no longer rank 13th or 17th, depending how your categorize it, in college graduates? Does anybody think that's possible? And does anybody think we can wait four years or six years or eight years to tackle any of those problems? If we want to lead in this century, like we did in the 20th century, we can't ask the question, are we doing too much? The question has to be, are we doing enough? What are the minimum things we have to deal with? And unfortunately, it's a long list.
This is a change that we're going to have to bring to this country. There's a lot of reasons why. The economists will tell you what's at stake; the budget experts will tell you what’s at stake; the political pundits will tell you what’s at stake. But let me tell you what I believe is so important. We have a lot of people out there in the country who are hurting very badly. Millions of people out of work; millions more who are worried about losing their jobs; millions of people who lost their life savings, their homes, their hopes, their dreams. And this is fundamentally about giving them back their dreams, giving them back something they can believe in again.
It's about giving people who raise families and go to work, go to church, volunteer in their neighborhoods, a share in the prosperity of this nation.
Prosperity grew, productivity grew 20 percent from the turn of the century to '07. Middle-class people actually saw their share of that productivity decrease 3 percent. That's breaking a fundamental bargain. The middle class was built on the notion: You help us increase productivity, you get a share of the increase in that productivity.
It's about doing everything in our power to make sure it's possible for parents all across this nation to do something they haven’t been able to do in a while -- and I'm not exaggerating when I say this -- our goal is to allow parents to be able to look their kids in the eye and say, "Honey, everything is going to be okay," and have some reason to believe they can deliver on that assertion.
People kid me sometimes when I say the longest walk in America is a father or mother walking up a short flight of stairs to their kid's bedroom to say, "Honey, I'm sorry, I lost my job." Or, "Honey, we're not going to be able to stay in this house, you're not going to be able to be in that ball club next year. Everything is going to be okay."
My father made that walk, like maybe your fathers did, back when I was a kid in the '50s -- and said, "When I get a job in Wilmington I'll come back up and we'll get you all, we'll move from Scranton." Too damn many people have had to make that walk. And they're still making that walk.
So this is more than about GDP. This is more than about whether or not we have the sound -- this is about people's lives. I think that's kind of what makes us Democrats. I mean that sincerely. I don't mean to say Republicans don't care; they care. But I think where it starts from us -- it starts in the guts, goes to the heart, and comes out of the head. And for the first time in a long while, I think we've got them all in sync. They're all in sync.
Look, folks, this administration has a great deal to do. We have a lot of people to help. And we can't do it without you making sure we continue to have a robust representation in the United States Congress and in the United States Senate. It can't be done. Imagine where we'd be in any of the things I suggested so far had we not regained control through your help of the House and the Senate, with the numbers we have. Imagine what prospects we'd have for any of the things that I mentioned without a Congress that shares our vision for a better, healthy, and more prosperous America.
Look, it sounds like hyperbole, but cut through it all, that's what our President is fighting for. That's what this is about. That's what the Congress is fighting for. That's what I'm fighting for. And with your help and together, that's what we're going to be able to accomplish.
So, folks, real simple -- simple, simple notion I want -- idea I want you to understand: We genuinely, genuinely appreciate you allowing us to be in a position to do the only thing that keeps all of us who are elected in this room -- in this business in the first place, to actually have a chance to change the circumstance of ordinary Americans; to give them more security and give our nation greater certitude and security.
So thanks for your support. May God bless you all and may God protect our troops. I love you. Thanks an awful lot. (Applause.) I got a meeting with the President at 1:00 p.m., so I'm not going to get a chance to say hello. But thank you all very, very much. Nancy, thanks. (Applause.)
END
12:53 P.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                             June 17, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT THE SIGNING OF A
PRESIDENTIAL MEMORANDUM
REGARDING FEDERAL BENEFITS AND NON-DISCRIMINATION

Oval Office

6:04 P.M. EDT
     THE PRESIDENT:  Well, today I'm proud to issue a presidential memorandum that paves the way for long-overdue progress in our nation's pursuit of equality.
     Many of our government's hard-working, dedicated, and patriotic public servants have long been denied basic rights that their colleagues enjoy for one simple reason -- the people that they love are of the same sex.
     Currently, for example, LGBT federal employees can't always use sick leave to care for their domestic partners or their partners' children.  Their partners aren't covered under long-term care insurance.  Partners of American Foreign Service officers abroad aren't treated the same way when it comes to the use of medical facilities or visitation rights in case of an emergency.
     These are just some of the wrongs that we intend to right today.
     In consultation with Secretary of State Clinton, as well as OPM Director John Berry, my administration has completed a long and thorough review to identify a number of areas where we can extend federal benefits to the same-sex partners of Foreign Service and executive branch government employees.
     I'm requesting that Secretary Clinton and Director Berry do so where possible under existing law -- and that the heads of all executive departments and agencies conduct reviews to determine where they may do the same. 
     Hundreds of Fortune 500 companies already offer such benefits not only because it's the right thing to do, but because they recognize that it helps them compete for and retain the best possible talent -- and we need top talent serving their country right now more than ever.
     Now, under current law, we cannot provide same-sex couples with the full range of benefits enjoyed by heterosexual married couples.
     That's why I'm proud to announce my support for the Domestic Partners Benefits and Obligations Act, crucial legislation that will guarantee these rights for all federal employees.
     I want to thank Representative Tammy Baldwin, who is behind me somewhere -- there she is, right there -- for her tireless leadership on this bill and in the broader struggle for equality.  I want to thank Senator Joe Lieberman -- Joe is here -- as well as Susan Collins for championing this bill in the Senate; and Representative Barney Frank for his leadership on this and so many other issues -- in fact, this is his second trip to the White House today.  (Laughter.)
     It's a day that marks a historic step towards the changes we seek, but I think we all have to acknowledge this is only one step.  Among the steps we have not yet taken is to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.  I believe it's discriminatory, I think it interferes with states' rights, and we will work with Congress to overturn it.
     We've got more work to do to ensure that government treats all its citizens equally; to fight injustice and intolerance in all its forms; and to bring about that more perfect union.  I'm committed to these efforts, and I pledge to work tirelessly on behalf of these issues in the months and years to come. 
     Thank you very much everybody, and with that I am going to sign this executive order. 
     (The memorandum is signed.)  (Applause.)
                   END                6:08 P.M. EDT
 
 
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
__________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                                        June 17, 2009
 
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
ON 21ST CENTURY FINANCIAL REGULATORY REFORM
East Room
12:53 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
Since taking office, my administration has mounted what I think has to be acknowledged as an extraordinary response to a historic economic crisis. But even as we take decisive action to repair the damage to our economy, we're working hard to build a new foundation for sustained economic growth. This will not be easy. We know that this recession is not the result of one failure, but of many. And many of the toughest challenges we face are the product of a cascade of mistakes and missed opportunities which took place over the course of decades.
That's why, as part of this new foundation, we're seeking to build an energy economy that creates new jobs and new businesses to free us from our dependence on foreign oil. We want to foster an education system that instills in each generation the capacity to turn ideas into innovations, and innovations into industries and jobs. And as I discussed on Monday at the American Medical Association, we want to reform our health care system so that we can remain healthy and competitive.
This new foundation also requires strong, vibrant financial markets, operating under transparent, fairly-administered rules of the road that protect America's consumers and our economy from the devastating breakdown that we've witnessed in recent years.
It is an indisputable fact that one of the most significant contributors to our economic downturn was a unraveling of major financial institutions and the lack of adequate regulatory structures to prevent abuse and excess. A culture of irresponsibility took root from Wall Street to Washington to Main Street. And a regulatory regime basically crafted in the wake of a 20th century economic crisis -- the Great Depression -- was overwhelmed by the speed, scope, and sophistication of a 21st century global economy.
In recent years, financial innovators, seeking an edge in the marketplace, produced a huge variety of new and complex financial instruments. And these products, such as asset-based securities, were designed to spread risk, but unfortunately ended up concentrating risk. Loans were sold to banks, banks packaged these loans into securities, investors bought these securities often with little insight into the risks to which they were exposed. And it was easy money -- while it lasted. But these schemes were built on a pile of sand. And as the appetite for these products grew, lenders lowered standards to attract new borrowers. Many Americans bought homes and borrowed money without being adequately informed of the terms, and often without accepting the responsibilities.
Meanwhile, executive compensation -- unmoored from long-term performance or even reality -- rewarded recklessness rather than responsibility. And this wasn't just the failure of individuals; this was a failure of the entire system. The actions of many firms escaped scrutiny. In some cases, the dealings of these institutions were so complex and opaque that few inside or outside these companies understood what was happening. Where there were gaps in the rules, regulators lacked the authority to take action. Where there were overlaps, regulators lacked accountability for their inaction.
An absence of oversight engendered systematic, and systemic, abuse. Instead of reducing risk, the markets actually magnified risks that were being taken by ordinary families and large firms alike. There was far too much debt and not nearly enough capital in the system. And a growing economy bred complacency.
Now, we all know the result: the bursting of a debt-based bubble; the failure of several of the world's largest financial institutions; the sudden decline in available credit; the deterioration of the economy; the unprecedented intervention of the federal government to stabilize the financial markets and prevent a wider collapse; and most importantly, the terrible pain in the lives of ordinary Americans. And there are retirees who've lost much of their life savings, families devastated by job losses, small businesses forced to shut their doors.
Millions of Americans who've worked hard and behaved responsibly have seen their life dreams eroded by the irresponsibility of others and by the failure of their government to provide adequate oversight. Our entire economy has been undermined by that failure.
So the question is, what do we do now? We did not choose how this crisis began, but we do have a choice in the legacy this crisis leaves behind. So today, my administration is proposing a sweeping overhaul of the financial regulatory system, a transformation on a scale not seen since the reforms that followed the Great Depression.
These proposals reflect intensive consultation with leaders in Congress, including those who are here today: Chairman Dodd and Chairman Frank, who, along with Senator Shelby and Representative Bachus, will be meeting with me throughout this process. They met with me earlier this year to jumpstart the discussion of reform. These reforms are also drawing on conversations with regulators, including those I met with this morning, as well as consumer advocates and business leaders, academic experts, and the broader public.
In these efforts, we seek a careful balance. I've always been a strong believer in the power of the free market. It has been and will remain the engine of America's progress -- the source of prosperity that's unrivaled in history. I believe that jobs are best created not by government, but by businesses and entrepreneurs who are willing to take a risk on a good idea. I believe that our role is not to disparage wealth, but to expand its reach; not to stifle the market, but to strengthen its ability to unleash the creativity and innovation that still make this nation the envy of the world.
That's our goal -- to restore markets in which we reward hard work and responsibility and innovation, not recklessness and greed; in which honest, vigorous competition is the system -- in the system is prized, and those who game the system are thwarted.
With the reforms we're proposing today, we seek to put in place rules that will allow our markets to promote innovation while discouraging abuse. We seek to create a framework in which markets can function freely and fairly, without the fragility in which normal business cycles suddenly bring the risk of financial collapse; we want a system that works for businesses and consumers.
There are those who will say that we do not go far enough, that we should have scrapped the system altogether and started all over again. I think that would be a mistake. Instead, we've crafted reforms to pinpoint the structural weaknesses that allowed for this crisis and to make sure that these problems are dealt with so that we're preventing crises in the future.
There are also those who say that we are going too far. But the events of the past few years offer ample testimony for the need to make significant changes. The absence of a working regulatory regime over many parts of the financial system -- and over the system as a whole -- led us to near catastrophe. We shouldn't forget that. We don't want to stifle innovation. But I'm convinced that by setting out clear rules of the road and ensuring transparency and fair dealing, we will actually promote a more vibrant market. This principle is at the heart of the changes we're proposing, so let me list them for you.
First, we're proposing a set of reforms to require regulators to look not only at the safety and soundness of individual institutions, but also -- for the first time -- at the stability of the financial system as a whole.
One of the reasons this crisis could take place is that while many agencies and regulators were responsible for overseeing individual financial firms and their subsidiaries, no one was responsible for protecting the whole system from the kinds of risks that tied these firms to one another. Regulators were charged with seeing the trees, but not the forest. And even then, some firms that posed a so-called "systemic risk" were not regulated as strongly as others; they behaved like banks but chose to be regulated as insurance companies, or investment firms, or other entities that were under less scrutiny.
As a result, the failure of one firm threatened the viability of many others. The effect multiplied. There was no system in place that was prepared for this kind of outcome. And more importantly, no one has been charged with preventing it. We were facing one of the largest financial crises in history -- and those responsible for oversight were mostly caught off guard and without the authority needed to address the problem.
It's time for that to change. I am proposing that the Federal Reserve be granted new authority -- and accountability -- for regulating bank holding companies and other large firms that pose a risk to the entire economy in the event of failure. We'll also raise the standard to which these kinds of firms are held. If you can pose a great risk, that means you have a great responsibility. We will require these firms to meet stronger capital and liquidity requirements so that they're more resilient and less likely to fail.
And even as we place the authority to regulate these large firms in the hands of the Federal Reserve -- so that lines of responsibility and accountability are clear -- we will also create an oversight council to bring together regulators from across markets to coordinate and share information, to identify gaps in regulation, and to tackle issues that don't fit neatly into an organizational chart. We're going to bring everyone together to take a broader view -- and a longer view -- to solve problems in oversight before they can become crises.
As part of this effort we're proposing the creation of what's called "resolution authority" for large and interconnected financial firms so that we're not only putting in place safeguards to prevent the failure of these firms, but also a set of orderly procedures that will allow us to protect the economy if such a firm does in fact go underwater.
Think about this: If a bank fails, we have a process through the FDIC that protects depositors and maintains confidence in the banking system. This process was created during the Great Depression when the failure of one bank led to runs on other banks, which in turn threatened wider turmoil. And it works. Yet we don't have any effective system in place to contain the failure of an AIG, or the largest and most interconnected financial firms in our country.
And that's why, when this crisis began, crucial decisions about what would happen to some of the world's biggest companies -- companies employing tens of thousands of people and holding trillions of dollars in assets -- took place in emergency meetings in the middle of the night. And that's why we've had to rely on taxpayer dollars. We should not be forced to choose between allowing a company to fall into a rapid and chaotic dissolution, or to support the company with taxpayer money. That's an unacceptable choice. There's too much at stake, and we're going to change it.
Second, we're proposing a new and powerful agency charged with just one job: looking out for ordinary consumers. And this is essential, for this crisis was not just the result of decisions made by the mightiest of financial firms; it was also the result of decisions made by ordinary Americans to open credit cards and take out home loans and take on other financial obligations. We know that there were many who took out loans they knew they couldn't afford, but there were also millions of Americans who signed contracts they didn't always understand offered by lenders who didn't always tell the truth. Even today, folks sign up for mortgages or student loans or credit cards and face a bewildering array of incomprehensible options. Companies compete not by offering better products, but more complicated ones, with more fine print and more hidden terms.
So this new agency will change that, building on credit card reforms I signed into law a few weeks ago with the help of many of the members of Congress who are here today. This agency will have the power to set standards so that companies compete by offering innovative products that consumers actually want -- and actually understand. Consumers will be provided information that is simple, transparent, and accurate. You'll be able to compare products and see what's best for you. The most unfair practices will be banned. Those ridiculous contracts with pages of fine print that no one can figure out -- those things will be a thing of the past. And enforcement will be the rule, not the exception.
For example, this agency will be empowered to set new rules for home mortgage lending, so that the bad practices that led to the home mortgage crisis will be stamped out. Mortgage brokers will be held to higher standards. Exotic mortgages that hide exploding costs will no longer be the norm. Home mortgage disclosures will be reasonable, clearly written, and concise. And we're going to level the playing field so that non-banks that offer home loans are held to the same standards as banks that offer similar services, so that lenders aren't competing to lower standards, but rather are competing to meet a higher bar on behalf of consumers.
The mission of this new agency must also be reflected in the work we do throughout the government. There are other agencies, like the Federal Trade Commission, charged with protecting consumers, and we must ensure that those agencies have the resources and the state-of-the-art tools to stop unfair and deceptive practices as well.
Third, we're proposing a series of changes designed to promote free and fair markets by closing gaps and overlaps in our regulatory system -- including gaps that exist not just within but between nations.
We've seen that structural deficiencies allow some companies to shop for the regulator of their choice -- and others, like hedge funds, to operate outside of the regulatory system altogether. We've seen the development of financial instruments, like many derivatives, that are so complex as to defy efforts to assess their actual value. And we've seen a system that allowed lenders to profit by providing loans to borrowers who would never repay, because the lender offloaded the loan and the consequences to somebody else.
And that's why, as part of these reforms, we will dismantle the Office of Thrift Supervision and close loopholes that have allowed important institutions to cherry-pick among banking rules. We will offer only one federal banking charter, regulated by a strengthened federal supervisor. We'll raise capital requirements for all depository institutions. Hedge fund advisors will be required to register with the SEC.
We're also proposing comprehensive regulation of credit default swaps and other derivatives that have threatened the entire financial system. And we will require the originator of a loan to retain an economic interest in that loan, so that the lender -- and not just the holder of a security, for example -- has an interest in ensuring that a loan is actually paid back. By setting common-sense rules, these kinds of financial instruments can play a constructive, rather than destructive role.
Over the past two decades, we've seen time and again, cycles of precipitous booms and busts. In each case, millions of people have had their lives profoundly disrupted by developments in the financial system, most severely in our recent crisis. These aren't just numbers on a ledger. This is a child's chance to get an education. This is a family's ability to pay their bills or stay in their homes. This is the right of our seniors to retire with dignity and security and respect. These are American dreams, and we should not accept a system that consistently puts them in danger.
Financial institutions have an obligation to themselves and to the public to manage risks carefully. And as President, I have a responsibility to ensure that our financial system works for the economy as a whole.
There's always been a tension between those who place their faith in the invisible hand of the marketplace and those who place more trust in the guiding hand of the government -- and that tension isn't a bad thing. It gives rise to healthy debates and creates a dynamism that makes it possible for us to adapt and grow. For we know that markets are not an unalloyed force for either good or for ill. In many ways, our financial system reflects us. In the aggregate of countless independent decisions, we see the potential for creativity -- and the potential for abuse. We see the capacity for innovations that make our economy stronger -- and for innovations that exploit our economy's weaknesses.
We are called upon to put in place those reforms that allow our best qualities to flourish -- while keeping those worst traits in check. We're called upon to recognize that the free market is the most powerful generative force for our prosperity -- but it is not a free license to ignore the consequences of our actions.
This is a difficult time for our nation. But from this period of challenge, we can once again tap those values and ideals that have allowed us to lead the global economy, and will allow us to lead once again. That's how we'll help more Americans live their own dreams. That's why these reforms are so important. And I look forward to working with leaders in Congress and all of you to see these proposals put to work so that we can overcome this crisis and build a lasting foundation for prosperity.
Thank you very much, everybody. Thank you. (Applause.)
END
1:13 P.M. EDT
THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary
_______________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                                    June 17, 2009

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
BEFORE MEETING WITH FINANCIAL REGULATORS

Roosevelt Room

11:46 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  We got everybody?  All right, well, we're looking forward to a constructive conversation with these outstanding regulators and supervisors who have helped us design how we're going to approach a critical problem in our economy.  I'll have more to say about it this afternoon, but I want to publicly thank them for their service to the country.  All right, thanks, guys.

END
11:46 A.M. EDT

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the First Lady
________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release                                          June 16, 2009

REMARKS BY THE FIRST LADY
AT THE WHITE HOUSE GARDEN HARVEST PARTY

First Lady's Garden

4:30 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Hey, guys. 

CHILDREN:  Hi.
MR. KASS:  Oh, hi.
MRS. OBAMA:  Yes, yes, oh hi.  Hi back.  (Laughter.)  Well, welcome back. 
CHILDREN:  Thank you.
MRS. OBAMA:  Here we are.  So what did you guys do at your stations?  What did you do?
CHILD:  I went in the garden first and then I went to cut lettuce, and then when I was finished I went into the kitchen and that's where I cooked the lettuce -- I mean -- (laughter) -- chicken.
MRS. OBAMA:  You cooked some chicken?  So we have some chicken cookers.  We had some what?  What did you do, sweetie?
CHILD:  I picked peas and lettuce.
MRS. OBAMA:  We have some pea pickers, lettuce pickers.  Who did some pea shelling?  Because I shelled some peas.  I know there were some people shelling peas.  And somebody made a delicious dressing for the salad.  I tasted it.  Thanks to the lemons that Tafari was going to leave out.  Got some tips. 
And who else did -- who did salad stuff?  Who helped to peel?  So we have -- and who did the rice?  We had rice makers, too.  Good, well seasoned brown rice.
So you guys, I want to thank you.  I'm just going to say a few words to our guests in the back who will not get to eat anything.  You will just sit and drool.  But we'll describe it to you.  (Laughter.)
But I want to just welcome everybody here in the First Lady's Garden at the White House, and I just wanted to say a few words to make sure that we all really understand why we're here and what we've accomplished, because today is really the culmination of a lot of hard work.  I mean, we -- I'm really proud of you all, you kids, all the Bancroft kids, for sticking with this process and for joining us here today at the harvest party.  This is our reward for all that hard work, and we -- and I want the media here to give these kids a round of applause.  Put your pens down!  (Applause.)  We're really proud of you guys for sticking with us.
The planting of this garden was one of the first things I wanted to do as First Lady here at the White House.  It was something I had talked about a long time ago.  And with the help of you guys, you helped to make this dream a reality.  And as you could see when we went down to the garden, can you imagine how thriving that garden is, just how much food grew from a few little seeds and some plantings?  So this was a big dream of mine for a while, and it's been so much fun working with you all.
But I also thought that this would be a fun and interesting way to talk to kids about healthy eating and nutrition.  The President and Congress are going to begin to address health care reform, and these issues of nutrition and wellness and preventative care is going to be the focus of a lot of conversation coming up in the weeks and months to come.  And these are issues that I care deeply about, especially when they affect America's children.
Obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high-blood pressure are all diet-related health issues that cost this country more than $120 billion each year.  That's a lot of money.  While the dollar figure is shocking in and of itself, the effect on our children's health is even more profound.  Nearly a third of the children in this country are either overweight or obese, and a third will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lifetime.  In Hispanic and African American communities, those numbers climb even higher so that nearly half of the children in those communities will suffer the same fate.  Those numbers are unacceptable.
And for the first time in the history of our nation, a nation that is one of the wealthiest on the planet, medical experts have warned that our younger generation may be on track to have a shorter life span than their parents as a direct result of the obesity epidemic.  Again, that is just unacceptable.
So how did we get here?  How did we get in this position where we have become such an unhealthy nation, and our children are at risk?  And the fact is there are a lot of factors, but some of the more simple ones are that too many kids are consuming high-calorie food with low nutritional value, and they're not getting enough exercise.  It's plain and simple:  They're not eating right and they're not moving their bodies at all.
The way we eat has changed substantially since I was a little girl, and as I joke, I don't think that was that long ago.  Laugh.  (Laughter.)  Yeah.  (Laughter.)  They still think I'm old.  But I'm not.
But when I was growing up, fast food was a rarity.  It wasn't something you did every day.  It was a special treat, and we would beg to get it, and it was exciting if we drove into a fast food place and got a hamburger.  We were thrilled.  It was like Christmas.
Desserts were for special occasions.  We didn't get dessert every night.  And we didn't have dessert several times a day.  Eating out was a luxury because at least in my family we couldn't afford it.  If we got pizza on a Friday night, that was a treat. 
And sitting around the dinner table as a family was something that we did all the time.  That was the norm, just not in my household but in the households of neighborhoods -- of kids in my neighborhoods.  You stopped playing and you went home and you ate dinner with your family, and then you could come back out and play.
And I have to admit that I never really thought about health and nutrition, not as a kid, really.  But what made me think about nutrition was when I became a mother, because I certainly didn't think about it for myself.  But as a mother, with the help of our kids' doctor, I became much more aware of the need for my kids to eat healthy.  Like adults, kids have a very simple approach to food.  What do you guys like about food?  If it tastes good, right?
CHILDREN:  Yes.
MRS. OBAMA:  If it tastes good, you'll eat it, right?  You don't care what it is!   How many people pulled a snap pea off the vine and ate it today?  And it was pretty good, right? 
CHILDREN:  Yes.
MRS. OBAMA:  Pretty good.  Well, I've learned that if it's fresh and grown locally, it's probably going to taste better.  That's what I learned.  And that's how I've been able to get my children to try different things, and in particular fruits and vegetables.  By making this small change in our family's diet and adding more fresh produce for my family, Barack, the girls, me, we all started to notice over a very short period of time that we felt much better and we had more energy, right?  And so I wanted to share this little piece of experience that I had with the rest of the nation, a wider audience, which is what brings us here today. 
This gorgeous and bountiful garden that you saw over there has given us the chance to not just have some fun, which we've had a lot of it, but to shed some light on the important -- on the important food and nutrition issues that we're going to need to address as a nation.  We have to deal with these issues.
This garden project, what we've done together, guys, has given us the opportunity not just to educate children, but to  hopefully even educate a few parents and adults as we go along the way.  How many of you have talked to your parents about what you've been doing?  How many of you have started talking about fruits and vegetables and eating a bit more?
So we've seen some progress even among this small group of kids.  The students with us today have learned about the seasons, right?  We learned about when you plant what and why, where food comes from, what it takes for food to grow, the process of how food gets from the garden to the plate, and how much more delicious fresh fruits and vegetables are when they come straight from the garden. 
And by making this whole process fun -- and we've got some advantage because we have the White House, right?  It's fun being here, right? 
CHILDREN:  Yes.
MRS. OBAMA:  These students have learned a little bit. They've told us that they're not only making better choices when they're on their own, but they're also educating their families about how to eat in a healthier way, as well.  And this is all great news for us, for this group of kids. 
But unfortunately, for too many families, limited access to healthy fruits and vegetables is often a barrier to a healthier diet.  In so many of our communities, particularly in poorer and more isolated communities, fresh, healthy food is simply out of reach.  With few grocery stores in their neighborhoods, residents are forced to rely on convenience stores, fast food restaurants, liquor stores, drug stores and even gas stations for their groceries. 
These food deserts leave too many families stranded and without enough choices when it comes to nourishing their loved ones.  And sadly, this is the case in many large cities and rural communities all across this nation.  So we need to do more to address the fact that so many of our citizens live in areas where access to healthy food, and thus a healthy future, is simply out of reach.
But I'm happy to report, as well, that many communities are kind of emulating what we've been doing.  They've been leading the way, many of them, in taking matters into their own hands and tackling this lack of access on their own by growing and caring for a whole lot of community gardens, just like the one we planted. 
There are more than 1 million community gardens that are flourishing all around the country, and many of them are in under-served urban communities that are providing greater access to fresh produce for their neighbors. 
The benefit is not just the availability of fresh produce but also it gives the community an opportunity to come together around gardening and growing their own food and working together towards a healthier community and a better future for their kids.
But government also has a role to play in this, as well.  For so many kids, subsidized breakfasts and lunches are their primary meals of the day.  It's what they count on.  It's where they get most of their nutrition.  
And the USDA?s National School Lunch Program serves approximately 30 million meals each year to low-income* children.  And because these meals are the main source of consistent nourishment for these kids, we need to make sure we offer them the healthiest meals possible.
So to make sure that we give all our kids a good start to their day and to their future, we need to improve the quality and nutrition of the food served in schools.  We're approaching the first big opportunity to move this to the top of the agenda with the upcoming reauthorization of the child nutrition programs.  In doing so, we can go a long way towards creating a healthier generation for our kids.
My hope is that this garden -- that this garden, through it, we can continue to make the connection between what we eat and how we feel, and how healthy we are. 
And again, I want to thank these kids, all the students at Bancroft Elementary, for helping us build our garden, see it grow -- and we've done more than that.  The point is, is that you've been part of helping to educate the rest of the country.  And I want you guys to continue to be my little ambassadors in your own homes and in your own communities, because there are kids who are going to watch this.  They're going to watch this on TV, they're going to read a report about it or maybe their parents will read a report, and they're going to see through you just how easy it is for kids to think differently about food.  And you're going to help a lot of people.  And that makes me very proud to be working with you guys on this project.
You are terrific young people.  You are all smart.  I love your hugs.  I love your smiles.  I love the reports that you did for me.  You guys are terrific.  You're very blessed, and you should be very proud of yourselves, and continue to work hard. There's nothing that you can't do.  Whether it's being a chef in the White House kitchen, or a lawyer, or the President of the United States, or a pea snapper, I don't care what it is, you all have everything it takes.  And it has just been such a delight to work with you. 
And I'm going to miss you over the summer, but this garden will be here, and we're going to keep doing more around the garden.  So by the time you're in 6th grade and 7th grade -- I never want you to get too old or too cool to come back and see me in this garden.  You promise?
CHILDREN:  Yes.
MRS. OBAMA:  All right, guys.  Well, let's eat!  (Applause.)
                      END             4:04 P.M. EDT