The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 29, 2013

Remarks by the President at Memorial Service for Former Speaker Tom Foley

U.S. Capitol
Washington, D.C.

4:11 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  To Heather, and the Foley family; to Tom’s colleagues and friends; President Clinton; Vice President Mondale; former speakers, and those who preceded me, I am honored to join you today to remember a man who embodied the virtues of devotion and respect -- for the institution that he led, for the colleagues that he served alongside, and, most importantly, for the citizens that he had the honor to represent.

Unlike so many of you, I did not have the privilege of knowing Tom personally; I admired him from afar.  But like millions of Americans, I benefit from his legacy.  Thanks to Tom, more children get a head start on success in school and in life.  More seniors receive better health care.  More families breathe easier because they know their country will be there for them in times of need.  And all of them -- all of us -- are indebted to that towering man from Spokane. 

I think, in listening to the wonderful memories that have been shared, we get a sense of this man, and we recognize his humility.  He often attributed much of his success to good luck -- and he may have had a point.  Leader McConnell told the story about his first race; there were a couple of details that got left out.  On the way to Olympia to file the paperwork for his first congressional campaign, apparently Tom blew out a tire.  (Laughter.)  So he and some friends hitchhiked to a service station to get it fixed.  And then, as they approached the outskirts of the city, they ran out of gas.  So they pushed the car up the hill, coasting into town just before the deadline.  And Tom went on to win that race by a resounding 54 votes.

So there’s no question that there may have been some luck of the Irish operating when it came to Tom Foley, as well as incredible stamina.  But what led him to make history as the first Speaker of the House from west of the Rockies was not luck.  It was his hard work, his deep integrity, his powerful intellect, and, as Bob Michel so eloquently and movingly stated, his ability to find common ground with his colleagues across the aisle.  And it was his personal decency that helped him bring civility and order to a Congress that demanded both -- and still does. 

Which brings me to a final point:  At a time when our political system can seem more polarized and more divided than ever before, it can be tempting to see the possibility of bipartisan progress as a thing of the past -- old school, as Bob said.  It can be tempting to wonder if we still have room for leaders like Tom; whether the environment, the media, the way that districts are drawn and the pressures that those of us in elected office are under somehow preclude the possibility of that brand of leadership.  Well, I believe we have to find our way back there. 

Now more than ever, America needs public servants who are willing to place problem-solving ahead of politics, as the letter that President Clinton held up indicates, as the history of the crime bill shows.  We are sent here to do what's right, and sometimes doing what's right is hard.  And it's not free.  And yet, that’s the measure of leadership. 

It's important for us who feel a responsibility to fight for a cause to recognize that our cause is not advanced if we can't also try to achieve compromise, the same way our Founders saw it -- as a vital part of our democracy, the very thing that makes our system of self-government possible.  That’s what Tom Foley believed.  That’s what he embodied.  That’s the legacy that shines brightly today.

On the last day that he presided as Speaker, Tom described what it should feel like to serve the American people in this city.  He spoke about coming to work in the morning and catching a glimpse of the Capitol.  And he said that it ought to give anyone a thrill, a sense not only of personal satisfaction, "but very deep gratitude to our constituents for the honor of letting us represent them.”  And Tom never lost that sense of wonder.  

It's interesting -- as I read that passage, what he wrote, the first time I visited Capitol Hill, Tom Foley was Speaker.  I was a very young man and I was doing community work, and I remember seeing that Capitol and having that same sense of wonder.  And I think now about Tom Foley being here doing that work, and inspiring what might have ultimately led me to be interested in public service as well. 

When we're standing outside these magnificent buildings, we have that sense of wonder and that sense of hope.  And sometimes, the longer you're here, the harder it is to hang on to that.  And yet, Tom Foley never lost it -- never lost that sense of wonder, never lost the sense of gratitude.  What a privilege, he felt it was, to serve.  And he never forgot why he came here -- on behalf of this nation and his state and the citizens that he loved and respected so much. 

And so, as a country, we have to be grateful to him.  And to Heather, and to the people of the great state of Washington, thank you so much for sharing Tom with us. 

God bless Tom Foley.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END 
4:20 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 28, 2013

Remarks by the President and FBI Director James Comey

 
12:34 P.M. EDT
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you, FBI.  (Applause.) Thank you so much.  Please, everybody, be seated -- those of you who have seats.  (Laughter.)  
 
Well, good afternoon, everybody.  I am so proud to be here and to stand once again with so many dedicated men and women of the FBI.  You are the best of the best.  Day in and day out, you work tirelessly to confront the most dangerous threats our nation faces.  You serve with courage; you serve with integrity.  You protect Americans at home and abroad.  You lock up criminals.  You secure the homeland against the threat of terrorism.  Without a lot of fanfare, without seeking the spotlight, you do your jobs, all the while upholding our most cherished values and the rule of law.
 
Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity:  That’s your motto.  And today, we’re here to welcome a remarkable new leader for this remarkable institution, one who lives those principles out every single day:  Mr. Jim Comey.
 
Before I get to Jim, I want to thank all the predecessors who are here today.  We are grateful for your service.  I have to give a special shout-out to Bob Mueller, who served longer than he was supposed to, but he was such an extraordinary leader through some of the most difficult times that we've had in national security.  And I consider him a friend and I'm so grateful for him and Ann being here today.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.) 
 
Now, Jim has dedicated his life to defending our laws -- to making sure that all Americans can trust our justice system to protect their rights and their well-being.  He’s the grandson of a beat cop.  He’s the prosecutor who helped bring down the Gambinos.  He’s the relentless attorney who fought to stem the bloody tide of gun violence, rub out white-collar crime, deliver justice to terrorists.  It’s just about impossible to find a matter of justice he has not tackled, and it’s hard to imagine somebody who is not more uniquely qualified to lead a bureau that covers all of it -- traditional threats like violent and organized crime to the constantly changing threats like terrorism and cyber-security.  So he’s got the resume.  
 
But, of course, Jim is also a famously cool character -- the calmest in the room during a crisis.  Here’s what a fellow former prosecutor said about him.  He said, “You know that Rudyard Kipling line -- ‘If you can keep your head when all about you are losing theirs’-- that’s Jim.”  
 
There’s also a story from the time during his prosecution of the Gambino crime family.  One of the defendants was an alleged hit man named Lorenzo.  And during the trial, Jim won an award from the New York City Bar Association.  When the court convened the next morning, everybody was buzzing about it, and suddenly, a note was passed down from the defendant’s table, across the aisle to the prosecutor’s table.  It was handed to Jim, and it read:  “Dear Jim, congratulations on your award.  No one deserves it more than you.  You’re a true professional.  Sincerely, Lorenzo.”  (Laughter.)    
 
“Sincerely, Lorenzo.”  Now, we don't know how sincere he was.  (Laughter.)  We don't know whether this was a veiled threat, or a plea for leniency, or an honest compliment.  But I think it is fair to say that Jim has won the respect of folks across the spectrum -- including Lorenzo.  (Laughter.)   
 
He’s the perfect leader for an organization whose walls are graced by the words of a legendary former director:  “The most effective weapon against crime is cooperation.”  Jim has worked with many of the more than 35,000 men and women of the FBI over the course of his long and distinguished career.  And it’s his admiration and respect for all of you, individually, his recognition of the hard work that you do every day -- sometimes under extraordinarily difficult circumstances -- not just the folks out in the field, but also folks working the back rooms, doing the hard work, out of sight -- his recognition that your mission is important is what compelled him to answer the call to serve his country again.
 
The FBI joins forces with our intelligence, our military, and homeland security professionals to break up all manner of threats -- from taking down drug rings to stopping those who prey on children, to breaking up al Qaeda cells to disrupting their activities, thwarting their plots.  And your mission keeps expanding because the nature of the threats are always changing.  
 
Unfortunately, the resources allotted to that mission has been reduced by sequestration.  I’ll keep fighting for those resources because our country asks and expects a lot from you, and we should make sure you’ve got the resources you need to do the job.  Especially when many of your colleagues put their lives on the line on a daily basis, all to serve and protect our fellow citizens -- the least we can do is make sure you’ve got the resources for it and that your operations are not disrupted because of politics in this town.  (Applause.) 
 
Now the good news is things like courage, leadership, judgment, and compassion -- those resources are, potentially, at least, inexhaustible.  That's why it’s critical that we seek out the best people to serve -- folks who have earned the public trust; who have excellent judgment, even in the most difficult circumstances; those who possess not just a keen knowledge of the law, but also a moral compass that they -- and we -- can always count on.  
 
And that’s who we’ve got in Jim Comey.  I’ll tell you I interviewed a number of extraordinary candidates for this job, all with sterling credentials.  But what gave me confidence that this was the right man for the job wasn’t his degrees and it wasn’t his resume; it was in talking to him and seeing his amazing family, a sense that this somebody who knows what’s right and what’s wrong, and is willing to act on that basis every single day.  And that’s why I’m so grateful that he’s signed up to serve again.  
 
I will spare you yet another joke about how today, no one stands taller.  (Laughter.)  I simply want to thank Jim for accepting this role.  I want to thank Patrice and the five remarkable children that they’ve got -- because jobs like this are a team effort, as you well know.
 
And I want to thank most all the men and women of the FBI.  I’m proud of your work.  I’m grateful for your service.  I’m absolutely confident that this agency will continue to flourish with Jim at the helm.  And if he gets lost in the building, I want you guys to help him out.  (Laughter.)  Because I guarantee you that he’s going to have your back, make sure you’ve got his back as well.
 
Thank you very much, everybody.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  
 
MR. JOYCE:  And now, ladies and gentlemen, it is my honor to introduce the seventh Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation -- James B. Comey.  (Applause.) 
 
MR. COMEY:  Thank you, Sean.  Thank you, Mr. President.  Thank you so much for gracing us with your presence, for honoring us, and for speaking so eloquently about the mission of the FBI and its great people.  
 
Thank you also to my friends and family who are gathered here today.  My entire life is literally represented in this crowd, and it is a pretty picture.  These are the people that I have known and loved literally my entire life and from whom I have learned so much.  
I’m especially grateful that my dad and my sister and my brothers could be here today.  I wish so much that Mom could be here to enjoy this amazing day.  I can still hear ringing in my entire teenage years her voice as she snapped open the shades every single morning and said, “Rise and shine and show the world what you’re made of.”  I found it less inspiring at the time -- (laughter) -- but it made us who we are.  And I’ll never forget that.
 
And to my five troops and my amazing bride, who talked me into being interviewed for this job -- of course, with the caveat that she’d be okay because the President would never pick me.  (Laughter.)  I got to tell you, this is your last chance to talk to him about it.  (Laughter.)  
 
Mr. President, I am so grateful for this honor and this opportunity to serve with the men and women of the FBI.  They are standing all around this great courtyard, and standing on duty all around this country and around this world at this moment.  I know already that this is the best job I have ever had and will ever have.  
 
That’s because I have a front row seat to watch the work of a remarkable group of people who serve this country, folks from all walks of life who joined the FBI for the same reason -- they were teachers and soldiers, and police officers and scholars, and software engineers, and people from all walks of life who wanted to do good for a living.  They wanted jobs with moral content, and so they joined this great organization.
 
I thought about them as I stood in this courtyard just a week ago and showed a visiting foreign leader the statue that overlooks this ceremony.  It’s an artist’s depiction of the words from our shield that the President mentioned:  Fidelity, Bravery, and Integrity. And as I thought about that statue and those words and this ceremony, I thought I would take just a couple of minutes and tell you what those words mean and why I think they belong on our shield.
 
First, fidelity.  The dictionary defines fidelity as a strict and continuing faithfulness to an obligation, trust, or duty.  To my mind, that word on our shield reminds us that the FBI must abide two obligations at the same time.  First, the FBI must be independent of all political forces or interests in this country.  In a real sense, it must stand apart from other institutions in American life.  But, second, at the same time, it must be part of the United States Department of Justice, and constrained by the rule of law and the checks and balances built into our brilliant design by our nation’s founders.  
 
There is a tension reflected in those two aspects of fidelity, those two values that I see in that word, and I think that tension is reflected in the 10-year term that I’ve just begun.  The term is 10 years to ensure independence.  But it is a fixed term of years to ensure that power does not become concentrated in one person and unconstrained.  The need for reflection and restraint of power is what led Louis Freeh to order that all new agent classes visit the Holocaust Museum here in Washington so they could see and feel and hear in a palpable way the consequences of abuse of power on a massive almost unimaginable scale.  Bob Mueller continued that practice.  And I will again, when we have agents graduating from Quantico.  
 
The balance reflected in my term is also a product of lessons hard learned from the history of this great institution.  Our first half-century or so was a time of great progress and achievement for this country, and for the Bureau.  But it also saw abuse and overreach -- most famously with respect to Martin Luther King and others, who were viewed as internal security threats.  
 
As I think about the unique balance represented by fidelity to independence on the one hand, and the rule of law on the other, I think it also makes sense for me to offer those in training a reminder closer to our own history.  I’m going to direct that all new agents and analysts also visit the Martin Luther King Memorial here in Washington.  I think it will serve as a different kind of lesson -- (applause) -- one more personal to the Bureau, of the dangers in becoming untethered to oversight and accountability.
 
 That word fidelity belongs on our shield.
 
 Next, bravery.  We have perpetrated a myth in our society that being brave means not being afraid, but that’s wrong.  Mark Twain once said that bravery “is resistance to fear, mastery of fear, not absence of fear.”  If you’ve ever talked to a special agent that you know well and you ask he or she about a dangerous encounter they were involved in, they’ll almost always give you the same answer, “yeah, I did it, but I was scared to heck the whole time.”  But that’s the essence of bravery.  
 
Only a crazy person wouldn't fear approaching a car with tinted windows during a late-night car stop, or pounding up a flight of stairs to execute a search warrant, or fast-roping from a helicopter down into hostile fire.  Real agents, like real people, feel that fear in the pit of their stomachs.  But you know the difference between them and most folks?  They do it anyway, and they volunteer to do that for a living.  
 
What makes the bravery of the men and women of the FBI so special is that they know exactly what they're in for.  They spend weeks and weeks in an academy learning just how hard and dangerous this work is.  Then they raise their right hands and take an oath, and do that work anyway.  They have seen the Wall of Honor -- that I hope so much my friends and guests and family will get to see inside this building -- with pictures and links to the lives of those who gave the last full measure of devotion for their country as FBI employees.  
 
Civil War General William Tecumseh Sherman said this:  "I would define true courage to be a perfect sensibility of the measure of danger and a mental willingness to endure it."  
 
I called a special agent a few weeks ago after he had been shot during an arrest.  I knew before I called him that he had already been injured severely twice in his Bureau career, once in a terrorist bombing and once in a helicopter crash.  Yet when I got him on the phone, I got the strong sense he couldn’t wait to get me off the phone.  He was embarrassed by my call.  “Mr. Director, it was a through and through wound.  No big deal.”  He was more worried about his Bureau car, which he had left at the scene of the shooting.  (Laughter.)  He felt okay, though, because his wife -- also a special agent -- was going to go get the car, so everything was fine.  (Laughter.) 
 
The men and women of this organization understand perfectly the danger they're in every day and choose to endure it because they believe in this mission.  That's why bravery belongs on our shield.  
 
And, finally, integrity.  Integrity is derived from the Latin word "integer," meaning whole.  A person of integrity is complete, undivided.  Sincerity, decency, trustworthy are synonyms of integrity.  It's on our shield because it is the quality that makes possible all the good that we do.  Because everything we do requires that we be believed, whether that's promising a source that we will protect her, telling a jury what we saw or heard, or telling a congressional oversight committee or the American people what we are doing with our power and our authorities.  We must be believed.  
 
Without integrity, all is lost.  We cannot do the good that all of these amazing people signed up to do.  The FBI's reputation for integrity is a gift given to every new employee by those who went before.  But it is a gift that must be protected and earned every single day.  We protect that gift by making mistakes and admitting them, by making promises and keeping them, and by realizing that nothing -- no case, no source, no fear of embarrassment -- is worth jeopardizing the gift of integrity.  Integrity must be on the FBI shield.
 
So, you see, those three words -- Fidelity, Bravery, Integrity -- capture the essence of the FBI and its people.  And they also explain why I am here.  I wanted to be here to work alongside those people, to represent them, to help them accomplish their mission, and to just be their colleague.
 
It is an honor and a challenge beyond description.  I will do my absolute best to be worthy of it.  Thank you very much. (Applause.) 
 
 END               
12:55 P.M.     

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 25, 2013

Remarks by the President at a DCCC Event

Private Residence
New York, New York

6:38 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT: Good to see you.  Thank you, everybody, thank you!  (Applause.) Everybody, have a seat.  Have a seat.  Have a seat.  It is wonderful to be here.  Thank you so much to all of you, not just for what you're doing now for the Democratic Party, but what so many of you have done in the past.

There are a couple of people I want to acknowledge.  Obviously, first of all, Denis and Karen, thank you so much for your incredible hospitality.  (Applause.)  To Ken and Kathryn, thank you so much for everything that you do as well.  (Applause.)  Our outstanding leader in the House of Representatives and inductee into the Women’s Hall of Fame -- Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  Steve Israel, for the thankless, but critical job that he has done -- thank you.  (Applause.)  And then three outstanding members of the delegation -- Nita Lowey, Tim Bishop and Paul Tonko -- thank you guys for the great work that you guys do.  (Applause.)

I want to spend most of my time just answering questions and having a good conversation with you.  But today I had this wonderful visit in the afternoon -- some of you may have seen -- I went over to P-Tech, a high school collaboration with not only the New York Public School System, but also with IBM and the city colleges and the CUNY system.  And the concept is that we can get young people engaged in STEM education -- science, technology, engineering, math -- and create a pathway for them so that they enter in 9th grade and they can go through, effectively, grade 14, and by the time they finish, not only have they completed their high school degree, they’ve completed an associate’s degree.  And IBM has basically designed the curriculum in such a way where these young people are at the front of the line in applying for jobs with IBM.

And there are mentorship programs, and these young people -- I had a chance to spend time in the classroom, and they were incredible.  And they were doing projects and they were working on computers, and they had a peer teaching system.  And I asked them if they could help me help Malia with some math homework because -- (laughter) -- I don't know if some of you have experienced this where you get to the point where your children ask you for help and you suddenly realize you have no idea what’s going on.  (Laughter.) 

And the enthusiasm and the sense of possibility that these young people expressed made you incredibly optimistic about the country.  And that's what we should be thinking about every single day.  That's what Washington should be about every single day.  Because there are young people like that all across the country where, when you meet them, you're optimistic.  Regardless of the news, regardless of the blogs, when you see what’s happening on the ground, it reminds you of why this is the greatest country on Earth. 

Now, that spirit obviously hasn’t always been reflected in Washington, and we just went through an episode that expressed Washington’s dysfunctions in ways that we haven't seen in quite some time.  I don't have to comment on it too much.  I think everybody saw how destructive it was.  But it was a symptom of a larger challenge that we have, and that's that too often our politics have become detached from the day-to-day lives of ordinary people, and ideology ends up overcoming common sense, and folks are more determined to beat the other side than they are to actually deliver for the people who sent them there.  And that's why the stakes for next year are high, and that's why the commitment that all of you have expressed by being here tonight is so important. 

If you scan this room and you talk to people, my suspicion is there are a wide range of views on a lot of issues -- on social issues, on economic issues.  We're not uniform.  And one of the great things about the Democratic Party has always been that there is a lot of room for dissent.  It’s not always pleasant for me and Nancy, but it’s healthy, because our basic principle is how do we get at the right answer; how do we figure out a problem in front of us and make sure that in everything we do, we're keeping uppermost in our minds providing opportunity and growing the economy, and creating jobs and building a middle class.  And we don't assume that we have a monopoly on wisdom and so we want that debate and that discussion.

So not everybody here agrees on everything, but we agree on the vision of what this country should be, that it is one in which opportunity and prosperity should be broad-based.  We believe that every child should have a chance, regardless of what they look like, where they come from, what their last name is.  We believe in treating everybody fairly, regardless of what they look like or who they love, or what God they worship.  And we believe that government has a role to play.  And part of what the debate and the battle has been about over the last several years i, what role do we have as a country, collectively, to create the platform and the tools for people to succeed.

So the shutdown was about more than just health care.  It was about sort of a contrast in visions about what our obligations are to each other as fellow citizens.  And we've got the better side of that argument, one that's truer to our history.  But we're going to have to continue to push.  We're going to have to continue to fight.

As we close out the new year, we still have a chance to get immigration reform done and a chance to affirm that we're a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  As we come to the end of the year, we still have a chance to do something like the farm bill that is important for rural America, but is also important for making sure that kids don't go hungry in this country, and we've got a budget that is going to have to reflect our priorities.  And if we're not investing in places like P-Tech, if we're not investing in science and technology, if we're not making sure that we're rebuilding our roads and our bridges and our airports -- if we're not doing those things, then we're not true to the vision that allowed a lot of us to be in a room like this even though we weren’t born into a room like this.

So the stakes are high.  And the one thing I'm absolutely confident about is that if we work hard, that we can make a case to the American people and we can win.  Because what we care about  -- and what was expressed in that school that I was in today -- is what this country is all about.  And what I also know is, is that when Nancy Pelosi is Speaker of the House of Representatives, she acts on behalf of that vision, even when it’s hard and even when it’s inconvenient, and even when it runs contrary to the politics and the polls.  I've seen it before and I'll see it again.  But I'll only be able to see it because of all of you.

So thank you so much, everybody.  Appreciate it.  (Applause.)

END
6:48 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 25, 2013

Remarks by the President on Investing in America's Future

Pathways in Technology Early College High School
Brooklyn, New York

3:55 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Brooklyn!  (Applause.)  How you doing? 

AUDIENCE:  Good!

THE PRESIDENT:  It is good to be back in Brooklyn.  Good to be in New York City.  And it is good to see some friends who stick up for students and teachers and education every day.  We’ve got your Governor -- Andrew Cuomo is in the house.  Give him a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  We’ve got your Senator, Chuck Schumer.  (Applause.)  Outstanding Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan.  (Applause.)  We’ve got -- your outstanding congressional delegation is here.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  We’ve got your public advocate and my friend -- Bill DeBlasio is here.  (Applause.)  We’ve got the outstanding leader of one of America’s iconic companies, IBM CEO Ginni Rometty.  (Applause.)  And I want to give a special shout-out to a man who’s been an extraordinary mayor for this city; he’s been a leader throughout the country for the past 12 years -- Mr. Michael Bloomberg is here.  (Applause.)

And I want to thank your principal here at P-TECH, Rashid Davis, who I am pretty confident is the coolest-looking principal in America.  (Laughter and applause.)  I mean, there just are not that many principals with dreadlocks and yellow kicks.  (Applause.)  There aren’t that many of them.  I mean, there may be some, but there aren’t that many.  (Laughter.) 

And I had a wonderful time visiting with one of your teachers, Ms. Seifullah -- Seifullah?  Ms. Seifullah.  She was outstanding.  She welcomed me into her classroom.  She showed me around.  I want to thank all of you for letting me spend some time here.  In return, you got out of class a little early on Friday, which I know always gets a little applause -- although, in this school maybe not, because you guys are enjoying learning so much.  That’s worth applauding -- that you’re enjoying learning so much.  (Applause.) 

Now, part of the reason I’m glad to be here is because I used to live in Brooklyn, and I actually landed Marine One in Prospect Park -- I used to live across the street from Prospect Park.  (Applause.)  But mainly I’m here because I wanted to come here ever since I talked about you in my State of the Union address this year -- because what’s going on here at P-TECH is outstanding, and I’m excited to see it for myself.

I know Brooklyn in general is blowing up right now.  When I was living here, Brooklyn was cool, but not this cool.  (Laughter.)  Barclays Center hadn’t been built yet.  I know the Nets just picked up Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett offseason, which is a lesson to all the young people -- old people can still play.  (Laughter.)  We’ve still got some gas in the tank.

But this whole borough is where generations of hopeful, striving immigrants came in search of opportunity -- a chance to build better lives for themselves and for their kids.  And that’s been true for decades.  And I’m here today to talk about what we need to do, as a country, to build the same kind of opportunity for your generation, for the next generation, and for your kids, and for future immigrants.

This country should be doing everything in our power to give more kids the chance to go to schools just like this one.  We should be doing everything we can to put college within the reach of more young people.  We should be doing everything we can to keep your streets safe and protect you from gun violence.  We should be doing everything we can to keep families from falling into poverty, and build more ladders of opportunity to help people who are willing to work hard climb out of poverty.  We should be doing everything we can to welcome new generations of hopeful, striving immigrants. 

I want us to do everything we can to give every single young person the same kind of opportunity that this country gave me and gave Chuck, and gave Governor Cuomo and gave Mayor Bloomberg and gave your principal.  That’s what I’m focused on. 

Yes, by the way, if you have chairs, go ahead and sit down.  (Laughter.)  If you don't have chairs, then don't sit down because you’ll fall.  (Laughter.)  I didn't realize everybody had chairs there.  I would have told you to sit down earlier.  (Laughter.)

So that’s what we can achieve together.  It’s possible.  We know we can do it.  P-TECH is proof of what can be accomplished, but we’ve got to have the courage to do it.  The American people work hard, and they try to do right, day in and day out.  And that resilience and that toughness helped to turn our economy around after one of the hardest periods that we’ve ever faced as a country.  But what we also need is some political courage in Washington.  We don't always see that.

Right now we need to all pull together.  We need to work together to grow the economy, not shrink it; to create good jobs, not eliminate jobs.  We’ve got to finish building a new foundation for shared and lasting prosperity so that everybody who works hard, everybody who studies hard at a school like this one, or schools all across the country have a chance to get ahead.  That’s what we need to do.  That's what I’m focused on.

And that all begins with the education that we give young people.  Because all of you are growing up in changing times, especially for the economy.  The world you’re growing up in is different than the one that previous generations here in Brooklyn knew and all across the country knew.

In the old days, a young person, they might have just followed their parents’ footsteps and gotten a job in their parents’ line of work, keep that job for 30, 40 years.  If you were willing to work hard, you didn't necessarily need a great education.  If you’d just gone to high school, you might get a job at a factory, or in the garment district.  You might be able to just get a job that allowed you to earn your wages, keep pace with people who had a chance to go to college.  But those days are over, and those days are not coming back.

We live in a 21st century global economy.  And in a global economy, jobs can go anywhere.  Companies, they're looking for the best-educated people, wherever they live, and they’ll reward them with good jobs and good pay.  And if you don't have a well- educated workforce, you’re going to be left behind.  If you don't have a good education, then it is going to be hard for you to find a job that pays a living wage.

And, by the way, other countries know this.  In previous generations, America’s standing economically was so much higher than everybody else’s that we didn't have a lot of competition.  Now you’ve got billions of people from Beijing to Bangalore to Moscow, all of whom are competing with you directly.  And they're -- those countries are working every day to out-educate and out-compete us.

And every year brings more research showing them pulling ahead, especially in some of the subject matter that this school specializes in -- math and science and technology.  So we’ve got a choice to make.  We can just kind of shrug our shoulders and settle for something less, or we can do what America has always done, which is adapt.  We pull together, we up our game, we hustle, we fight back, we work hard, and we win.

We have to educate our young people -- every single person here, but also all the young people all across Brooklyn, all across New York City, all across New York State and all across this country -- so that you’re ready for this global economy.  And schools like P-TECH will help us do that. 

Here at P-TECH, you’ve got folks from IBM, City Tech, City University of New York, City Department of Education -- everybody is pulling together to make sure a high school education puts young people on a path to a good job.  So you guys have opportunities here that you don’t find in most high schools yet.  You can take college-level courses in math and science.  You can work with mentors from IBM, so you’re learning specific skills that you know leads to a good job.  And most important, you’ll graduate with a high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree in computer systems or electromechanical engineering.  And that means you’ll be in demand.  Companies will want to hire you.  IBM has even said that P-TECH graduates will be first in line when you apply for jobs once you graduate. 

And at a moment when the cost of higher education keeps going up -- and Arne and I are working hard to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to reduce the burden of student loans on young people -- here’s how much two years of college will cost P-TECH students and their families:  Zero.  Nothing.  Nothing.  (Applause.)  I noticed some of the parents were the first to clap.  They’re like, “Yeah.”  (Laughter.)  They like that. 

But that’s a huge burden.  I mean, that’s thousands of dollars that you’re saving, and that means when you start working, you’re going to have that much less of a burden in terms of debt, which means you can afford to buy a house sooner, you can afford to start your business sooner.  Radcliffe was saying how he’s thinking about starting his own business.  And that kind of attitude is a lot easier when you’re not burdened with a lot of student loans.

So this is a ticket into the middle class, and it’s available to everybody who’s willing to work for it.  And that’s the way it should be.  That’s what public education is supposed to do.  And the great thing is that what started small is now growing.  So Governor Cuomo, he’s opening up P-TECH model schools in districts throughout the state -- throughout the state.  (Applause.)  So all those schools together, they’re going to prepare more than 6,000 high school students for good, high-skilled jobs. 

Back in my hometown of Chicago, Mayor Rahm Emanuel is opening up schools like this one.  He’s opening up a school, for example, called Sarah E. Goode STEM Academy.  And -- you got a little Chicago person here.  Yes, there you go.  (Laughter.)  Across the country, companies like Verizon, and Microsoft, and ConEd, and Cisco, they saw what IBM was doing, and they said, well, this is a good idea; we can do this, too.  So they’re working with educators and states to replicate what you’re already doing here.  And you guys should feel good about that.  You’re starting something all across the country.  (Applause.) 

So as a country, we should all want what all of you are receiving right now, the same chance for a great education.  Here’s what I think we should do as a country to make sure they’ve got the same opportunities you do.  First of all, we’ve got to give every child an earlier start at success by making high-quality pre-school available to every 4-year-old in America.  (Applause.) 

We should give every student access to the world’s information.  When I went into the classroom today, young people were working off computers, and the problem is a lot of places, even if they’ve got computers, they’re not hooked up to wireless.  So what we’re doing is having the federal agencies moving forward on a plan to connect 99 percent of America’s students to high-speed Internet within five years.  We’re already moving on that front.  (Applause.) 

We need to bring down the cost of college and give more young people the chance to go to college.  (Applause.)  So a couple of months ago, I put forward an ambitious new plan to do that, to reduce the cost of college.

We need to redesign more of our high schools so that they teach young people the skills required for a high-tech economy.  So I’ve been meeting with business leaders and innovative educators to spread the best ideas. 

And I also want to congratulate Governor Cuomo and all of you in New York for having the courage to raise your standards for teaching and learning to make sure that more students graduate from high school ready for college and a career.  It’s not easy, but it’s the right thing to do.  It’s going to prepare more young people for today’s economy.  We should stay at it.  (Applause.)

And here's one more thing we should do, and that is just -- remember, none of this works unless we've got outstanding teachers, which means we've got to -- (applause) -- we've got to make sure that we're funding education so that teachers have the support that they need so that they can support their own families, so that they’re not having to dig into their pockets for school supplies.  (Applause.)  And we’ve got to show them the respect, and provide pathways of excellence for teachers so that they’re treated like the professionals that they are.  It is a hard job, and we’ve got to make sure we’re investing in them.  (Applause.) 

Now, some of these ideas I’ve laid out before; some of them I’m just going ahead and doing on my own.  Some of them do require Congress to do something.  (Applause.)  And one way we can start is by Congress passing a budget that reflects our need to invest in our young people.  (Applause.)  I know that budgets aren’t the most interesting topic for a Friday afternoon, even at a school where young people like math.  And, by the way, I just sat in on a lesson called “real-world math,” which got me thinking whether it’s too late to send Congress here -- (laughter) -- for a remedial course. 

But a budget is important, because what a budget does is it sets our priorities.  It tells us what we think is important, what our priorities are.  And the stakes for our middle class could not be higher.  If we don’t set the right priorities now, then many of you will be put at a competitive disadvantage compared to other countries.

If you think education is expensive, wait until you see how much ignorance costs.  (Applause.)  So we’ve got to invest. 

So we need a budget that is responsible, that is fiscally prudent, but a budget that cuts what we don’t need, closes wasteful tax loopholes that don’t create jobs, freeing up resources to invest in the things that actually do help us grow -- things like education and scientific research, and infrastructure, roads, bridges, airports.  This should not be an ideological exercise, we should use some common sense.

What’s going to help us grow; what’s going to create jobs; what is going to expand our middle class; what’s going to give more opportunity to young people -- those are the things we should be putting money into.  (Applause.)  That’s what we need to do.

And we've got enough resources to do it if we stop spending on things that don’t work and don’t make sense, or if we make sure that people aren't wiggling out of their taxes through these corporate loopholes that only a few people at the very top can take advantage of.  If we just do everything in a fair, common-sense way, we've got the resources to be fiscally responsible and invest in our future.

And this obsession with cutting just for the sake of cutting hasn't helped our economy grow, it's held it back.  It won't help us build a better society for your generation.  And, by the way, it’s important to remember, for those who are following the news, our deficits are getting smaller.  They’ve been cut in half since I took office.  (Applause.)  So that gives us room to fix longer-term debt problems without sticking it to your generation.  We don’t have to choose between growth and fiscal responsibility; we’ve got to do both.  And the question can’t just be how much more we can cut, it’s got to be how many more schools like P-TECH we can create.  That should be our priority.  (Applause.)

And after the manufactured crisis that Congress -- actually, a small group in the House of Representatives just put us through, shutting down the government and threatening to potentially default on our debt, I don’t want to hear the same old stuff about how America can’t afford to invest in the things that have always made us strong.  Don’t tell me we can afford to shut down the government, which cost our economy billions of dollars, but we can’t afford to invest in our education system.  Because there’s nothing more important than this.  (Applause.)

In fact, what I’d like to do is have every member of Congress -- maybe Chuck can arrange and the congressional delegation can arrange some tours for some of their colleagues.  Come here.  Come to Brooklyn.  Meet some of these young people.  (Applause.)  They ought to meet some of the young people here.  (Applause.)

Meet somebody like Leslieanne John, the young woman who sang the national anthem this afternoon.  (Applause.)  Leslieanne is in the 11th grade, she’s already taken eight college classes, which is about as many as I took when I was in college.  (Laughter.)  She knows she has a great opportunity here, she’s working hard to make the most of it.  Eventually, she plans to become a lawyer.  

And Leslieanne is clear-eyed about the challenges that the students here face.  She put it in a way that a lot of people can relate to -- she said, “We see a whole bunch of craziness going on in the streets of Crown Heights sometimes.”  That’s what she said.  But she also said that being here at P-TECH taught her something important:  “There’s more for us than just the streets.”  (Applause.)  And she said that, “At the end of the day, we’ve got to make something of ourselves.”  And that’s important -- that’s important.

It’s not just what the government or adults can do for you; it’s also what you can do for yourselves.  And that sense of responsibility, that sense that you set the bar high for yourself, that’s what America is all about -- that’s been the history of New York:  People working hard but also working together to make sure that everybody has got a fair shot; to make sure you don’t have to be born wealthy, you don’t have to be born famous; that if you’ve got some drive and some energy, then you can go to a school that teaches you what you need to know.  You can go to college even if you don’t have a lot of money.  You can start your own business even if you didn’t inherit a business. 

Making something of ourselves, that’s what we do in this country.  That’s a message worth sending to Washington.  No more games, no more gridlock, no more gutting the things that help America grow, and give people the tools to make something of themselves.  That’s what this is about.  That’s what P-TECH represents, that’s what Brooklyn represents. 

And as long as I have the privilege to be your President, I’m going to keep fighting to make sure that no matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like, this country will always be the place where you can make it if you try. 

So thank you, Brooklyn.  God bless you.  God bless America.  (Applause.)

END
4:20 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the First Lady

For Immediate Release
October 25, 2013

Remarks by the First Lady to the Women's Leadership Forum Conference

Grand Hyatt Hotel
Washington, D.C.

2:14 P.M. EDT

MRS. OBAMA:  Well, this looks like a mighty fine group.  (Applause.)  Good afternoon!  Yay!  Oh, thank you so much.  It's wonderful to see you all.  Please, rest yourselves.  You've got a pretty good conference, I hear, a good lineup of speakers.  I heard the President was here last night, because he was late for dinner, or something like that.  (Laughter.)  But it is so good to be here.  It's a pleasure and a joy to be here with so many fabulous women leaders from all across this country.  And you guys look good for having been conferenced for a few days.  (Laughter.)

And speaking of fabulous women leaders, I want to start by thanking our DNC Chair, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  (Applause.)  I know that we are so grateful for her outstanding leadership.  I know she's not here, but she has been amazing, and we are so grateful.  

And of course, I want to thank all of you.  I want to thank you for everything that you have done for Barack and for so many other leaders who share our values.  Thank you for being there for them year after year, for election after election. 

And I know it hasn’t always been easy.  I know there have been plenty of ups and downs over the years.  But if you have ever wondered whether your support makes a difference, if you’ve ever doubted for one minute that what you do and who we elect to serve in this government matters, then just think about what happened these past few weeks and that should put those doubts to rest.  

And I’m not just talking about the shutdown.  I am talking about the millions of Americans who will soon have quality, affordable health insurance because of the Affordable Care Act.  (Applause.) 

And I think it’s important for us to all remember who exactly is benefitting from this new law.  They are folks who come from all across the country, who come from all different backgrounds and walks of life.  They’re the spouses of our veterans –- folks who are working around the clock caring for their loved ones wounded in war, yet who don’t have insurance themselves. 

They’re young people who’ve aged out of their parents’ plan and can’t afford insurance on their own -- we may have a few of those in the room.  Amen.  (Laughter and applause.)  They’re folks with preexisting conditions –- women who had breast cancer years ago, folks who had asthma as a kid, people who’ve been turned away from insurance again and again.  The single mother who lost her job.  The couple who are both working jobs that don’t provide insurance.  The folks who are paying too much for their current plan and just need a better deal. 

So many of these people have been living from emergency to emergency.  They’ve been ignoring their symptoms and just praying that nothing goes wrong.  And now, finally, because of all of you, because you helped elect Barack Obama President, these people finally have some hope -- because of you.  (Applause.) 

So when a small group of folks in Congress shuts down our government to try to shut down Obamacare, and we watch as our President stands strong, that’s not just some political fight in Washington -- it is a battle about our most fundamental values and aspirations.  See, your President believes that here in America, no matter how you start out, if you’re willing to work for it, if you're willing to sacrifice for it, you should be able to build a decent life for yourself and an even better life for your kids.

That’s the American Dream that we all believe in.  And we don’t believe in handouts.  We don’t think anyone should get a free ride.  But we also understand that “there but for the grace of God go I.”  (Applause.)  What we understand is that in the blink of an eye, any of us could be faced with a terrible diagnosis, any of us could be injured in a horrible accident, any of us could lose the job we count on to support our family.

And when that happens, it shouldn’t mean falling off a cliff.  It shouldn’t mean having to go without food, or medicine, or a roof over our heads –- not here in America.  That’s not who we are.

Here in America, while we expect everyone to do their fair share, we also believe that we should give everyone a fair shot.  We believe that everyone should have the basic security they need to provide for their families and give their kids a decent chance in life.  That’s the kind of security that I and I know so many of you grew up with. 

You know my story.  My family wasn’t rich –- far from it.  And my father had multiple sclerosis, which is a serious chronic health condition, so we lived with the reality that at any given moment, my father could have had a flare up and needed medication, even hospitalization.  That’s how we grew up.  But we were lucky.  My father’s job at the city water plant provided health insurance, so my dad was able to stay healthy enough to get up every day and get to his job. 

So for my family, health insurance meant everything.  It gave my dad the pride and the dignity of being our provider and being able to pay his bills.  He was even able to pay the little tiny bit of my college tuition that wasn’t covered by student loans and grants.  And in turn, that allowed me to get my degree.  It allowed me to build my career and support a family of my own.

And every family in this country deserves that kind of security.  Every child in this country deserves that kind of opportunity.  And that’s why Barack has worked so hard to lift up the middle class.  That’s why he fought so hard and risked so much to pass the Affordable Care Act. 

And that’s why, time and again, he has stood strong for our most fundamental rights.  Whether that’s getting equal pay for women, or ending "don’t ask, don’t tell," or supporting our right to marry the person we love.  (Applause.)  And today, not even five years after Barack took office in the depths of an economic crisis, we’re now starting to see the results of his convictions and his hard work.  Our auto industry is back.  Our housing market is rebounding.  Our deficits are shrinking.  And our businesses have created 7.5 million new jobs under this President.  (Applause.)

But let’s be clear:  Barack hasn’t done anything of these things alone; hasn’t done any of this just sitting by himself in the Oval Office.  (Laughter.)  Remember the Recovery Act that helped rescue our economy and create all those jobs?  Well, we needed Congress to pass that bill.  Remember the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act to help women get equal pay for equal work?  Believe it or not, that bill was passed by Congress back in 2009.  (Applause.)  Yes.  (Applause.)

And of course, the Affordable Care Act -- yes, that’s right, Obamacare was passed by Congress in 2010.  (Applause.)  It was signed by my husband, it was upheld by the Supreme Court.  (Applause.)  And now, we are relying on governors across the country to help implement the law. 

So at the end of the day, so many of our most important accomplishments, so much of what Barack has done to help working families, that all happened because of who we had in Congress.  But let’s not forget that some of our most frustrating defeats happened for the exact same reason. 

The DREAM Act, an act that gives immigrant kids a fair shot, kids brought here by their parents through no fault of their own, this act failed twice -- once by just five votes in the Senate, and once by just four.  So the President had to sign an executive order to finally get these kids some relief. 

And remember that common-sense gun legislation that so many of us feel so strongly about?  (Applause.)  Well, unfortunately, that bill failed, and do you want to know by how many votes?  It failed by just six votes in the Senate -- just six.  So make no mistake about it:  Midterm elections matter.  Governors' races matter.  It matters who we elect to the state legislatures that draw those congressional districts. 

So if you’re not happy about what you’ve seen in Congress lately, if you don’t like seeing folks in state government trying to undermine Obamacare or chip away at women’s rights and women’s health, then I urge you -- let’s not just sit around feeling angry or helpless or hopeless, especially not women.  (Laughter.)  Because there is something that all of you can do right now today to make a huge difference:  You can write a check.  That’s what we need you to do right now.  We need you to write a big old check.  (Laughter.)  Write the biggest check you can possibly write. 

Take your frustration and your passion and your hope, and turn that into real meaningful support that will help us elect a Congress and governors and a state legislature that truly represents the people they serve.  And don’t wait another minute, because the stakes here are simply too high.  They couldn’t be higher.  So many people are counting on all of us to make our voices heard -- families who are working harder than ever, and they deserve to make a decent wage.  They're counting on us, because no one in this country should work 40 or 50 hours a week and still be stuck in poverty -- not in the United States of America, not in the richest country on Earth.  (Applause.)

Our children and grandchildren all across this country, they all deserve good schools, chance to go to college.  And they deserve common-sense gun safety laws to keep them safe in their classrooms and their communities.  (Applause.)  So those kids are counting on us.

And all the women and families who don't want anyone interfering with their most private health decisions, women who are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies, they're counting on us.  They're counting on us to stand up and fight for rights and freedoms that we all deserve, and that's why we need your support right now.  (Applause.)  That's why we need you all.  That's why this is important.  (Applause.) 

And I know that some of you might occasionally feel a little annoyed that we’re always asking you for money.  (Laughter.)  I know it.  And it’s okay.  Own it, admit it.  It’s like, a check?  Another check?  I’m so sick of these people.  (Laughter.) 

But the thing is, we nag you and annoy you because writing those checks is the single-most impactful thing that you can do right now, because it’s not enough for us to have the most dedicated, hardworking, public-minded candidates if we don't have the resources they need to win elections.  Yes, it’s not enough.  (Applause.)

I wish it were, but it is not enough for us to have the best policies, the best ideas, if no one ever hears about them and we never get a chance to implement them.  So we can't just sit back on our moral high ground feeling good about ourselves.  We need to keep this ship moving forward.  I said ship.  (Laughter and applause.)

And that's why your support is so vitally important.  It is.  Because when you dig deep, you know what happens?  That translates into brilliant staff hired, more offices opened.  It translates into calls made, more doors knocked on, ads running where they need to run.  And these things don't happen by magic -- they only happen because of folks like you.

Now, I know it feels like we just did a big push for the 2012 presidential election, because I pushed, did a lot of the pushing.  (Laughter.)  And I know it can be hard to get geared up again for midterms, especially if there’s not a hot race in your state or your district.  But when you find yourself starting to tune out or get a little fatigued, I want you to think about some cold, hard numbers. 

The fact is that right now we are just 17 seats away from taking back the House -- yes, 17.  (Applause.)  But they are 17 hard seats.  And we’re just six seats away from losing the Senate.  And that's how close these midterm elections are.  And we all know that it’s not enough to elect Barack Obama if we don't give him a Congress that will help him keep moving this country forward.  We know that.  (Applause.) 

So we need you all to max out.  And just as important, once you’ve maxed out, we need you to go back to your states and get everyone you know to give whatever they can as well.

Now, as women, that's not always something that we’re comfortable with doing, asking for anything, right?  We don't like asking for help.  I know I don't.  Doing this is painful for me.  (Laughter.)  I love seeing you guys, hanging out, but it’s hard.  Sometimes we as women, we feel a little awkward, and we’re a little embarrassed to ask folks in our lives for money or for support.

But when you start feeling shy, do what I do: I want you to think about all those folks who are counting on us, all those kids, all those women, all those families -- families I meet and see every day who need someone on their side standing up for them.  And I want you to remember that other folks aren’t shy about doing this, and they are out-raising us right now as we speak. 

So now is not the time for us to be hesitant or doubtful or fatigued.  Now is the time to be energized.  Now is the time to be inspired.  Now is the time to tap into the deep well of passion and compassion and strength that we all have as women. 

And here’s the beautiful thing -- because I have seen it time and time again with all of you -- is that when we as women, when we do that, when we tap into that passion and that faith, when we keep stepping up and digging deep and bringing others together right along with us, then I know that we can keep on making the change we believe in.  I know that.  I know that we can keep moving this country forward, and together we are going to keep building a future worthy of all of our children.

So are you guys ready?  I know I’m always asking you.  We have to be ready again.  Are you all ready to step up one more time, one more time to make this happen?  (Applause.)  Dig deep.  Go back home.  Stay passionate.  Stay focused.  And we’ll make it happen. 

Thank you all, and God bless.  (Applause.)  I’m going to be coming down to shake some hands, so come on down and I’ll say hello.  (Applause.)

END
2:33 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 24, 2013

Remarks by the President on Immigration Reform

East Room

10:47 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.  Please have a seat, everybody.  Good morning, and welcome to the White House.  Today I’m here with leaders from business, from labor, from faith communities who are united around one goal -- finishing the job of fixing a broken immigration system.

This is not just an idea whose time has come; this is an idea whose time has been around for years now.  Leaders like all of you have worked together with Republicans and Democrats in this town in good faith for years to try to get this done.  And this is the moment when we should be able to finally get the job done.

Now, it’s no secret that the American people haven’t seen much out of Washington that they like these days.  The shutdown and the threat of the first default in more than 200 years inflicted real pain on our businesses and on families across the country.  And it was a completely unnecessary, self-inflicted wound with real costs to real people, and it can never happen again.

Even with the shutdown over, and the threat of default eliminated, Democrats and Republicans still have some really big disagreements -- there are some just fundamentally different views about how we should move forward on certain issues.  On the other hand, as I said the day after the shutdown ended, that's no reason that we shouldn’t be able to work together on the things that we do agree on. 

We should be able to work together on a responsible budget that invests in the things that we need to grow our economy and create jobs even while we maintain fiscal discipline.  We should be able to pass a farm bill that helps rural communities grow and protects vulnerable Americans in hard times.
 
And we should pass immigration reform.  (Applause.)  We should pass immigration reform.  It’s good for our economy.  It’s good for our national security.  It’s good for our people.  And we should do it this year.

Everybody knows that our current immigration system is broken.  Across the political spectrum, people understand that.  We’ve known it for years.  It’s not smart to invite some of the brightest minds from around the world to study here and then not let them start businesses here -- we send them back to their home countries to start businesses and create jobs and invent new products someplace else. 

It’s not fair to businesses and middle-class families who play by the rules when we allow companies that are trying to undercut the rules work in the shadow economy, to hire folks at lower wages or no benefits, no overtime, so that somehow they get a competitive edge from breaking the rules.  That doesn’t make sense. 

It doesn’t make sense to have 11 million people who are in this country illegally without any incentive or any way for them to come out of the shadows, get right with the law, meet their responsibilities and permit their families then to move ahead.  It’s not smart.  It’s not fair.  It doesn’t make sense.  We have kicked this particular can down the road for too long. 

Now, the good news is, this year the Senate has already passed an immigration reform bill by a wide, bipartisan majority that addressed all of these issues.  It’s a bill that would continue to strengthen our borders.  It would level the playing field by holding unscrupulous employers accountable if they knowingly hire undocumented workers. 

It would modernize our legal immigration system, so that even as we train American workers for the jobs of the future, we’re also attracting highly-skilled entrepreneurs from beyond our borders to join with us to create jobs here in the United States. 

It would make sure that everybody plays by the same rules by providing a pathway to earned citizenship for those who are here illegally -- one that includes passing a background check, learning English, paying taxes, paying a penalty, getting in line behind everyone who is trying to come here the right way.

So it had all the component parts.  It didn't have everything that I wanted; it didn't have everything that anybody wanted; but it addressed the core challenges of how we create a immigration system that is fair, that’s just, that is true to our traditions as a nation of laws and a nation of immigrants.  And that's passed the Senate by a bipartisan majority.  (Applause.) 

So here's what we also know -- that the bill would grow the economy and shrink our deficits.  Independent economists have shown that if the Senate bill became law, over the next two decades our economy would grow by $1.4 trillion more than it would if we don't pass the law.  It would reduce our deficits by nearly a trillion dollars. 

So this isn’t just the right thing to do; it’s the smart thing to do.  Securing our borders; modernizing our legal immigration system; providing a pathway to earned, legalized citizenship; growing our economy; strengthening our middle class; reducing our deficits -- that’s what common-sense immigration reform will do.

Now, obviously, just because something is smart and fair, and good for the economy and fiscally responsible and supported by business and labor -- (laughter) -- and the evangelical community and many Democrats and many Republicans, that does not mean that it will actually get done.  (Laughter.)  This is Washington, after all. 

So everything tends to be viewed through a political prism and everybody has been looking at the politics of this.  And I know that there are some folks in this town who are primed to think, “Well, if Obama is for it, then I’m against it.”  But I’d remind everybody that my Republican predecessor was also for it when he proposed reforms like this almost a decade ago, and I joined with 23 Senate Republicans back then to support that reform.  I’d remind you that this reform won more than a dozen Republican votes in the Senate in June. 

I’m not running for office again.  I just believe this is the right thing to do.  (Applause.)  I just believe this is the right thing to do.  And I also believe that good policy is good politics in this instance.  And if folks are really that consumed with the politics of fixing our broken immigration system, they should take a closer look at the polls because the American people support this.  It’s not something they reject -- they support it.  Everybody wins here if we work together to get this done.  In fact, if there’s a good reason not to pass this common-sense reform, I haven’t heard it. 

So anyone still standing in the way of this bipartisan reform should at least have to explain why.  A clear majority of the American people think it’s the right thing to do. 

Now, how do we move forward?  Democratic leaders have introduced a bill in the House that is similar to the bipartisan Senate bill.  So now it’s up to Republicans in the House to decide whether reform becomes a reality or not. 

I do know -- and this is good news -- that many of them agree that we need to fix our broken immigration system across these areas that we’ve just discussed.  And what I’ve said to them, and I’ll repeat today, is if House Republicans have new and different, additional ideas for how we should move forward, then we want to hear them.  I’ll be listening.  I know that Democrats and Republicans in the Senate, those who voted for immigration reform already, are eager to hear those additional ideas.  But what we can’t do is just sweep the problem under the rug one more time, leave it for somebody else to solve sometime in the future.

Rather than create problems, let’s prove to the American people that Washington can actually solve some problems.  This reform comes as close to anything we’ve got to a law that will benefit everybody now and far into the future.  So let’s see if we can get this done.  And let’s see if we can get it done this year.  (Applause.)

We’ve got the time to do it.  Republicans in the House, including the Speaker, have said we should act.  So let’s not wait.  It doesn’t get easier to just put it off.  Let’s do it now.  Let’s not delay.  Let’s get this done, and let’s do it in a bipartisan fashion.

To those of you who are here today, I want to just say one last thing and that is -- thank you.  I want to thank you for your persistence.  I want to thank you for your activism.  I want to thank you for your passion and your heart when it comes to this issue.  And I want to tell you, you’ve got to keep it up.  Keep putting the pressure on all of us to get this done.  There are going to be moments -- and there are always moments like this in big efforts at reform -- where you meet resistance, and the press will declare something dead, it’s not going to happen, but that can be overcome.

And I have to say, Joe, as I look out at this room, these don’t look like people who are easily deterred.  (Laughter.)

THE VICE PRESIDENT:  I don’t think so.

THE PRESIDENT:  They don’t look like folks who are going to give up.  (Applause.)  You look fired up to make the next push.  And whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat or an independent, I want you to keep working, and I’m going to be right next to you, to make sure we get immigration reform done.  It is time.  Let’s go get it done. 

Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.)

END
10:59 A.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 23, 2013

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif of Pakistan After Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

4:16 P.M. EDT

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  It’s a great pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Sharif to the Oval Office.  He was reminding me that the last time he visited here was quite some time ago, and we’re glad to have him back after a historic election that took place in Pakistan.

To see a peaceful transition from one democratically elected government to another was an enormous milestone for Pakistan and a testimony to the Pakistani people’s desire for democracy.  And so we are very glad to be able to partner with the people of Pakistan and the Pakistani government on a whole range of issues that are of common interest and common concern to us.

We had an excellent conversation on a wide range of issues. And at the outset, I emphasized that the United States considers Pakistan to be a very important strategic partner.  We believe that if Pakistan is secure and peaceful and prosperous, that's not only good for Pakistan, it’s good for the region and it’s good for the world.  And we want to do everything that we can to help the Prime Minister as he moves forward on a bold agenda to achieve that vision.

We spent a lot of time talking about the economy.  I know that the Prime Minister is very deeply concerned about making sure that the energy sector inside of Pakistan is functioning efficiently and that industry and jobs and greater opportunity exists for all of the people of Pakistan and all regions of Pakistan.  And we discussed how the United States could potentially be helpful on energy projects, on infrastructure projects. 

I applauded the Prime Minister for some of the reform steps that he’s already taken.  Not all of them are easy, but they promise to put Pakistan’s finances and economy on a more stable footing.  And the Prime Minister emphasized how trade can be a powerful engine for growth as well.  And we're going to be exploring ways that we can continue to deepen trade between our two countries.

We talked about security and the concerns that both of us have about senseless violence, terrorism and extremism.  And we agreed that we need to continue to find constructive ways to partner together -- ways that respect Pakistan's sovereignty, that respect the concerns of both countries. 

And I'm optimistic that we can continue to make important strides in moving forward because both the Pakistani people and the American people have suffered terribly from terrorism in the past.  More Pakistani civilians have been killed, obviously, from some of these terrorist attacks than anybody, and so I know that the Prime Minister is very much committed to trying to reduce these incidents of terrorism inside of Pakistan's borders, and the degree to which these activities may be exported to other countries.

It's a challenge.  It's not easy.  And we are committed to working together and making sure that rather than this being a source of tension between our two countries, that it can be a source of strength for us, working together in a constructive and a respectful way.

We had an opportunity to discuss Afghanistan.  Obviously, Pakistan is deeply interested in how Afghanistan transitions as the United States and other coalition forces end their combat role next year.  Afghanistan is fully responsible for its own security, and I pledged to fully brief the Prime Minister and his government as we make progress in not only Afghan elections, but also a long-term strategy for stability in the region. 

And the Prime Minister and I both agreed that it is in America and Pakistan's interests for Afghanistan to be stable and secure, its sovereignty respected.  The Prime Minister has had very good meetings with President Karzai, and I know that President Karzai very much appreciated many of the gestures that Prime Minister Sharif has made.  And I'm confident that, working together, we can achieve a goal that is good for Afghanistan but also helps to protect Pakistan over the long term.

And we had an opportunity to discuss India, and the Prime Minister had the opportunity to meet with Indian Prime Minister Singh in New York.  I think he is taking a very wise path in exploring how decades of tension between India and Pakistan can be reduced, because, as he points out, billions of dollars have been spent on an arms race in response to these tensions and those resources could be much more profitably invested in education, social welfare programs on both sides of the border between India and Pakistan, and would be good for the entire subcontinent, and good for the world.

And so I very much appreciate all of the work that Prime Minister Sharif has already done.  He has great challenges ahead of him, but he is somebody who I think understands where Pakistan needs to go.  And we want to be fully supportive of continued success and continued democracy inside of Pakistan.

And I shared with him that I had the opportunity, back in 1980 when I was a very young man, to visit Pakistan because I had two Pakistani roommates in college whose mothers taught me how to cook daal and keema, and other very good Pakistani food.  And it was a wonderful trip for me, and created a great appreciation and a great love for the Pakistani people. 

I know that Pakistani Americans here in the United States are enormous contributors to the growth and development of the United States, and so we have these strong people-to-people connections.  And my hope is, is that despite what inevitably will be some tensions between our two countries and occasional misunderstandings between our two countries, that the fundamental goodwill that is shared between the Pakistani people and the American people, that that will be reflected in our governments’ relationships and that we will continue to make progress in the coming years.

So, Mr. Prime Minister, welcome.  And thank you for an excellent conversation and an excellent visit.

PRIME MINISTER SHARIF:  Thank you very much.  Thank you, Mr. President, for your gracious invitation and the warm welcome accorded to me and members of my delegation.  Thank you for your support through democracy and good wishes for the people of Pakistan.

Ladies and gentlemen of the press, I just had a most cordial and comprehensive exchange of views with President Obama on matters of bilateral interest and issues of regional concern.  I have conveyed to the President the warm and cordial greetings of the people of Pakistan for the friendly people of the United States of America. 

Over the past 65 years, our two nations have traveled together as friends and allies in defense of freedom and the pursuit of international peace and security.  Besides shared history, our two countries are bound by a common commitment to the cherished values of democracy. 

In today’s meeting with the President, I apprised him of my government’s domestic and foreign policy strategies.  We also discussed a common vision to build a robust bilateral cooperation.  A broad-based, stable, and enduring partnership founded on the principles of mutual respect and mutual interest serve us best. 

At the domestic level, my government is focused on four key areas, and I discuss this with Mr. President -- that is economy, energy, education and combating extremism.  We both agreed that progress in these core areas is indispensable for creating new opportunities and building a hopeful future for our next generation. 

Energy security is another high priority for my government. I have conveyed our deep appreciation to President Obama for the United States’ support in this sector.  Forging a strong, great economic and investment partnership with the United States is of paramount importance for us.  In this regard, we have discussed a number of ideas and look forward to further discussions between our experts in the coming weeks and months.

Pakistan and the United States have a strong ongoing counterterrorism cooperation.  We have agreed to further strengthen this cooperation.  I also brought up the issue of drones in our meeting, emphasizing the need for an end to such strikes. 

On the regional plane, I advised President Obama of my efforts to create a peaceful and prosperous neighborhood.  In particular, I highlighted our initiatives with regard to Afghanistan and Yemen.

As regards Afghanistan, let there be no doubt about our commitment for a peaceful and stable Afghanistan.  This result remains unbending.  As in the past, we will continue to engage the United States of America in building a united, peaceful and stable Afghanistan. 

I told President Obama about my sincere commitment to build a cordial and cooperative relationship with India, and our efforts to peacefully resolve all our outstanding issues, including Kashmir.

Terrorism constitutes a common threat.  It is as much a concern to us as it is for India.  We need to allay our respective concerns through serious and sincere efforts without indulging into any blame game.  I also assured the President that as a responsible nuclear state, Pakistan will continue to act with maximum restraint and work toward strengthening strategic stability in South Asia. 

Mr. President, I admire your statesmanship, your wisdom, and your commitment to high values of peace and stability around the world.  I thank you once again, and look forward to welcoming you and Mr. Obama -- and Mrs. Obama in Pakistan.  And keema and daal is waiting for you.  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you very much.

END
4:31 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 21, 2013

Remarks by the President on the Affordable Care Act

 

Rose Garden

11:33 A.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Everybody, have a seat. 

MS. BAKER:  Hello.  My name is Janice Baker.  I have the privilege to say that I'm the first person in the state of Delaware to enroll for health insurance through the new marketplace.  (Applause.)  Like many consumers out there, it took me a number of frustrating attempts before I could apply for and select my plan.  I kept trying because I needed access to the new health care options. 

I had applied to three private insurance companies only to be rejected due to preexisting health conditions.  I am too young for Medicare, but I'm too old not to have some health issues.  I was able to find a policy I am thrilled with, saving $150 a month, and much lower deductibles than my previous policy that I held through my small business.

I'm here today to encourage other people like me who needs access to quality, affordable insurance, and to tell them to have patience with such a new system.  Without this ability to get this insurance, I know that a single hospital stay could have bankrupted me and my business.

Thank you all.  And I am now honored to introduce the President of the United States.  (Applause.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  Great job.

MS. BAKER:  Thank you.  Thank you.  

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Well, thank you, Janice.  And thanks to everybody here for coming on this beautiful day.  Welcome to the White House. 

About three weeks ago, as the federal government shut down, the Affordable Care Act’s health insurance marketplaces opened for business across the country.  Well, we’ve now gotten the government back open for the American people, and today I want to talk about how we’re going to get the marketplaces running at full steam, as well.  And I’m joined today by folks who have either benefited from the Affordable Care Act already, or who are helping their fellow citizens learn about what this law means for them and how they can get covered.

Of course, you’ve probably heard that HealthCare.gov –- the new website where people can apply for health insurance, and browse and buy affordable plans in most states –- hasn't worked as smoothly as it was supposed to work.  And the number of people who have visited the site has been overwhelming, which has aggravated some of these underlying problems. 

Despite all that, thousands of people are signing up and saving money as we speak.  Many Americans with a preexisting condition, like Janice, are discovering that they can finally get health insurance like everybody else.

So today, I want to speak to every American who’s looking to get affordable health insurance.  I want you to know what’s available to you and why it may be a good deal for you.  And for those who’ve had some problems with the website, I want to tell you what we’re doing to make it work better and how you can sign up to get covered in other ways.

But before I do that, let me remind everybody that the Affordable Care Act is not just a website.  It's much more.  For the vast majority of Americans -- for 85 percent of Americans who already have health insurance through your employer or Medicare or Medicaid -– you don’t need to sign up for coverage through a website at all.  You've already got coverage.  What the Affordable Care Act does for you is to provide you with new benefits and protections that have been in place for some time.  You may not know it, but you're already benefiting from these provisions in the law.

For example, because of the Affordable Care Act, young people like Jasmine Jennings, and Jessica Ugalde, and Ezra Salop, all of whom are here today, they’ve been able to stay on their parents’ plans until they’re 26.  Millions of other young people are currently benefiting from that part of the law.  (Applause.)  Another part of the Affordable Care Act is providing seniors with deeper discounts on their prescription medicine.  Billions of dollars have been saved by seniors already.  That’s part of the law.  It’s already in place.  It’s happening right now. 

Already, because of the Affordable Care Act, preventive care like mammograms and birth control are free through your employers.  That’s part of this law.  (Applause.)  So there are a wide range of consumer protections and benefits that you already have if you’ve got health insurance.  You may not have noticed them, but you’ve got them, and they’re not going anywhere.  And they’re not dependent on a website.

Here’s another thing that the Affordable Care Act does.  In states where governors and legislatures have wisely allowed it, the Affordable Care Act provides the opportunity for many Americans to get covered under Medicaid for the first time.  So in Oregon, for example, that’s helped cut the number of uninsured people by 10 percent just in the last three weeks.  Think about that.  That’s 56,000 more Americans who now have health care.  (Applause.)  That doesn’t depend on a website.

Now, if you’re one of the 15 percent of Americans who don’t have health insurance -- either because you can’t afford it or because your employer doesn’t offer it, or because you’re a small businessperson and you have to go out on the individual market and buy it on your own and it’s just too expensive -- October 1st was an important date.  That’s when we opened the new marketplaces where people without health insurance, or who can’t afford health insurance, or who aren’t part of a group plan, can finally start getting affordable coverage. 

And the idea is simple.  By enrolling in what we’re calling these marketplaces, you become part of a big group plan -- as if you were working for a big employer -- a statewide group plan that spreads risk between sick people and healthy people, between young and old, and then bargains on your behalf for the best deal on health care.  What we’ve done is essentially create a competition where there wasn’t competition before.  We created these big group plans, and now insurers are really interested in getting your business.  And so insurers have created new health care plans with more choices to be made available through these marketplaces. 

And as a result of this choice and this competition, prices have come down.  When you add the new tax credits that many people are eligible for through the law, then the prices come down even further.  So one study shows that through new options created by the Affordable Care Act, nearly 6 in 10 uninsured Americans will find that they can get covered for less than $100 a month.  Think about that.  (Applause.) 

Through the marketplaces, you can get health insurance for what may be the equivalent of your cell phone bill or your cable bill, and that’s a good deal. 

So the fact is the product of the Affordable Care Act for people without health insurance is quality health insurance that’s affordable.  And that product is working.  It’s really good.  And it turns out there’s a massive demand for it.  So far, the national website, HealthCare.gov, has been visited nearly 20 million times.  Twenty million times.  (Applause.)  And there’s great demand at the state level as well, because there are a bunch of states that are running their own marketplaces. 

We know that nearly one-third of the people applying in Connecticut and Maryland, for example, are under 35 years old.  They understand that they can get a good deal at low costs, have the security of health care, and this is not just for old folks like me -- that everybody needs good quality health insurance.  And all told, more than half a million consumers across the country have successfully submitted applications through federal and state marketplaces.  And many of those applications aren’t just for individuals, it’s for their entire families.  So even more people are already looking to potentially take advantage of the high quality, affordable insurance that is provided through the Affordable Care Act.

So let me just recap here.  The product is good.  The health insurance that’s being provided is good.  It’s high quality and it’s affordable.  People can save money, significant money, by getting insurance that’s being provided through these marketplaces.  And we know that the demand is there.  People are rushing to see what’s available.  And those who have already had a chance to enroll are thrilled with the result.  Every day, people who were stuck with sky-high premiums because of preexisting conditions are getting affordable insurance for the first time, or finding, like Janice did, that they’re saving a lot of money.  Every day, women are finally buying coverage that doesn’t charge them higher premiums than men for the same care.  (Applause.)  Every day, people are discovering that new health insurance plans have to cover maternity care, mental health care, free preventive care. 

So you just heard Janice’s story -- she owns her own small business.  She recently became the first woman to enroll in coverage through Delaware’s exchange.  And it’s true, it took her a few tries, but it was worth it after being turned down for insurance three times due to minor preexisting conditions.  So now she’ll be covered, she’ll save 150 bucks a month, and she won’t have to worry that one illness or accident will cost her her business that she’s worked so hard to build.

And Janice is not alone.  I recently received a letter from a woman named Jessica Sanford in Washington State.  And here’s what she wrote:  “I am a single mom, no child support, self-employed, and I haven’t had insurance for 15 years because it’s too expensive.  My son has ADHD and requires regular doctor visits and his meds alone cost $250 per month.  I have had an ongoing tendinitis problem due to my line of work that I haven’t had treated.  Now, finally, we get to have coverage because of the ACA for $169 per month.  I was crying the other day when I signed up.  So much stress lifted.”

Now, that is not untypical for a lot of folks like Jessica who have been struggling without health insurance.  That’s what the Affordable Care Act is all about.  The point is, the essence of the law -- the health insurance that’s available to people -- is working just fine.  In some cases, actually, it’s exceeding expectations -- the prices are lower than we expected, the choice is greater than we expected.

 But the problem has been that the website that’s supposed to make it easy to apply for and purchase the insurance is not working the way it should for everybody.  And there’s no sugarcoating it.  The website has been too slow, people have been getting stuck during the application process.  And I think it’s fair to say that nobody is more frustrated by that than I am -- precisely because the product is good, I want the cash registers to work.  I want the checkout lines to be smooth.  So I want people to be able to get this great product.  And there’s no excuse for the problems, and these problems are getting fixed.

 But while we’re working out the kinks in the system, I want everybody to understand the nature of the problem.  First of all, even with all the problems at HealthCare.gov, the website is still working for a lot of people -- just not as quick or efficient or consistent as we want.  And although many of these folks have found that they had to wait longer than they wanted, once they complete the process they’re very happy with the deal that’s available to them, just like Janice’s.

Second, I want everybody to remember that we’re only three weeks into a six-month open enrollment period, when you can buy these new plans.  (Applause.)  Keep in mind the insurance doesn’t start until January 1st; that’s the earliest that the insurance can kick in.  No one who decides to purchase a plan has to pay their first premium until December 15th.  And unlike the day after Thanksgiving sales for the latest Playstation or flat-screen TVs, the insurance plans don’t run out.  They’re not going to sell out.  They’ll be available through the marketplace -- (applause) -- throughout the open enrollment period.  The prices that insurers have set will not change.  So everybody who wants insurance through the marketplace will get insurance, period.  (Applause.)  Everybody who wants insurance through the marketplace will get insurance.

Third, we are doing everything we can possibly do to get the websites working better, faster, sooner.  We’ve got people working overtime, 24/7, to boost capacity and address the problems.  Experts from some of America’s top private-sector tech companies who, by the way, have seen things like this happen before, they want it to work.  They're reaching out.  They're offering to send help.  We’ve had some of the best IT talent in the entire country join the team.  And we’re well into a “tech surge” to fix the problem.  And we are confident that we will get all the problems fixed.

Number four -- while the website will ultimately be the easiest way to buy insurance through the marketplace, it isn’t the only way.  And I want to emphasize this.  Even as we redouble our efforts to get the site working as well as it’s supposed to, we’re also redoubling our efforts to make sure you can still buy the same quality, affordable insurance plans available on the marketplace the old-fashioned way -- offline, either over the phone or in person. 

And, by the way, there are a lot of people who want to take advantage of this who are more comfortable working on the phone anyway or in person.  So let me go through the specifics as to how you can do that if you’re having problems with the website or you just prefer dealing with a person. 

Yesterday, we updated the website’s home page to offer more information about the other avenues to enroll in affordable health care until the online option works for everybody.  So you’ll find information about how to talk to a specialist who can help you apply over the phone or to receive a downloadable application you can fill out yourself and mail in. 

We’ve also added more staff to the call centers where you can apply for insurance over the phone.  Those are already -- they've been working.  But a lot of people have decided first to go to the website.  But keep in mind, these call centers are already up and running.  And you can get your questions answered by real people, 24 hours a day, in 150 different languages.  The phone number for these call centers is 1-800-318-2596.  I want to repeat that -- 1-800-318-2596.  Wait times have averaged less than one minute so far on the call centers, although I admit that the wait times probably might go up a little bit now that I've read the number out loud on national television.  (Laughter.) 

But the point is the call centers are available.  You can talk to somebody directly and they can walk you through the application process.  And I guarantee you, if one thing is worth the wait, it’s the safety and security of health care that you can afford, or the amount of money that you can save by buying health insurance through the marketplaces.  (Applause.)  

Once you get on the phone with a trained representative, it usually takes about 25 minutes for an individual to apply for coverage, about 45 minutes for a family.  Once you apply for coverage, you will be contacted by email or postal mail about your coverage status. 

But you don't have to just go through the phone.  You can also apply in person with the help of local navigators -– these are people specially trained to help you sign up for health care, and they exist all across the country, or you can go to community health centers and hospitals.  Just visit LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov to find out where in your area you can get help and apply for insurance in person. 

And finally, if you’ve already tried to apply through the website and you’ve been stuck somewhere along the way, do not worry.  In the coming weeks, we will contact you directly, personally, with a concrete recommendation for how you can complete your application, shop for coverage, pick a plan that meets your needs, and get covered once and for all.

So here’s the bottom line.  The product, the health insurance is good.  The prices are good.  It is a good deal.  People don’t just want it; they’re showing up to buy it.  Nobody is madder than me about the fact that the website isn’t working as well as it should, which means it’s going to get fixed.  (Laughter and applause.)

And in the meantime, you can bypass the website and apply by phone or in person.  So don’t let problems with the website deter you from signing up, or signing your family up, or showing your friends how to sign up, because it is worth it.  It will save you money.  If you don't have health insurance, if you’ve got a preexisting condition, it will save you money and it will give you the security that your family needs.

In fact, even with the website issues, we’ve actually made the overall process of buying insurance through the marketplace a lot smoother and easier than the old way of buying insurance on your own.  Part of the challenge here is that a lot of people may not remember what it’s like to buy insurance the traditional way. 

The way we’ve set it up, there are no more absurdly long application forms.  There’s no medical history questionnaire that goes on for pages and pages.  There’s no more getting denied because you’ve had a preexisting condition.  Instead of contacting a bunch of different insurers one at a time, which is what Janice and a lot of people who are shopping on the individual market for health insurance had to do, there’s one single place you can go shop and compare plans that have to compete for your business.  There’s one single phone number you can call for help.  And once the kinks in the website have been ironed out, it will be an even smoother and even easier.  But in the meantime, we will help you sign up -- because consumers want to buy this product and insurance companies want to sell it to you. 

Now, let me close by addressing some of the politics that have swirled around the Affordable Care Act.  I recognize that the Republican Party has made blocking the Affordable Care Act its signature policy idea.  Sometimes it seems to be the one thing that unifies the party these days.  (Laughter.)  In fact, they were willing to shut down the government and potentially harm the global economy to try to get it repealed.  And I’m sure that given the problems with the website so far, they’re going to be looking to go after it even harder.  And let's admit it -- with the website not working as well as it needs to work, that makes a lot of supporters nervous because they know how it's been subject to so much attack, the Affordable Care Act generally.

But I just want to remind everybody, we did not wage this long and contentious battle just around a website.  That’s not what this was about.  (Applause.)  We waged this battle to make sure that millions of Americans in the wealthiest nation on Earth finally have the same chance to get the same security of affordable quality health care as anybody else.  That’s what this is about.  (Applause.)  And the Affordable Care Act has done that. 

People can now get good insurance.  People with preexisting conditions can now afford insurance.  And if the launch of this website proves anything, it’s that people across the country don’t just need that security, they want that security.  They want it.  (Applause.)  And in the meantime -- I’ve said many times -- I’m willing to work with anyone on any idea to make this law perform even better.  But it’s time for folks to stop rooting for its failure, because hardworking, middle-class families are rooting for its success.  (Applause.)  And if the product is good, they're willing to be patient.

I got a letter last week from a self-employed man named John Mier in Leetsdale, Pennsylvania.  He used the new marketplace to get himself and his wife covered and save a lot of money.  And here’s what he said, because it pretty much sums up my message today:  “Yes, the website really stank for the first week.”  (Laughter.)  “But instead of paying $1,600 per month for a group insurance plan, we have a plan that will only cost us $692 a month –- a savings of $900 per month.”  (Applause.)  John said that while he saw -- when he saw what they’d be paying, he turned to his wife and told her, “We might just pull through.  We can afford this.”  And John eventually predicted that “the website will work like a champ.” 

So John, he was frustrated by the website, but he's feeling a little less frustrated once he found out that he was saving 900 bucks a month on his health insurance.  (Applause.)  And John is right, the website is going to get fixed and the law works.  That's why we fought so hard to pass this law -- to save folks like John money; to give people who don't have health insurance the chance to get it for the first time; to lift from the American people the crushing burden of unaffordable health care; to free families from the pervasive fear that one illness -- (on-stage participant becomes ill) -- there you go, you are ok.  I'm right here.  I got you.  (Laughter.)  No, no -- you're okay.  This happens when I talk too long.  (Laughter.)  You'll be okay.  Here, why don't you go.  (Applause.)

Good catch, by the way, whoever was here.  (Laughter.) 

But that's always our goal, to free families from the pervasive fear that one illness or one injury might cost you everything that you dedicated a lifetime to build.  Our goal has always been to declare that in this country the security of health care is not a privilege for a fortunate few.  It's a right for all to enjoy.  (Applause.)  That's what the Affordable Care Act is all about.  That's its promise.  And I intend to deliver on that promise.

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

 END                

12:00 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 18, 2013

Remarks by the President at Nomination of Jeh Johnson to be Secretary of Homeland Security

Rose Garden

2:06 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon, everybody.  Please have a seat.  As President, my most solemn responsibility is the safety and security of the American people.  And we've got an outstanding team here of folks who work every single day to make sure that we're doing everything we can to fulfill that responsibility.  And that means that our entire government -- our law enforcement and homeland security professionals, our troops, our diplomats, our intelligence personnel -- are all working together.  It means working with state and local partners to disrupt terrorist attacks, to make our borders more secure, respond to natural disasters, and make our immigration system more effective and fair.

Addressing any one of these challenges is a tall order.  Addressing all of them at once is a monumental task.  But that’s what the dedicated men and women of the Department of Homeland Security do every day.  And today I’m proud to announce my choice to lead them -- an outstanding public servant who I’ve known and trusted for years -- Mr. Jeh Johnson.

We are, of course, enormously grateful to Secretary Janet Napolitano.  Janet couldn’t be here today -- she’s already made her move to her new position in sunny California, overseeing the higher education system in that great state.  And I know that she’s going to do an outstanding job there with the incredible young people that are in our largest state.  But we all deeply appreciate the terrific job that she did over the last four-and-a-half years.  I want to thank Rand Beers for his service and for stepping in as Acting Secretary after Janet left.

Thanks in no small part to Janet’s leadership, her team, we’ve done more to protect our homeland against those who wish to do us harm.  We’ve strengthened our borders.  We've taken steps to make sure our immigration system better reflects our values.  We’ve helped thousands of Americans recover from hurricanes and tornados, floods and wildfires.  And we’ve worked to clean up a massive oil spill in the Gulf as well as address a flu pandemic. 

In Jeh Johnson, we have the right person to continue this important work.  From the moment I took office, Jeh was an absolutely critical member of my national security team, and he demonstrated again and again the qualities that will make him a strong Secretary of Homeland Security.

Jeh has a deep understanding of the threats and challenges facing the United States.  As the Pentagon’s top lawyer, he helped design and implement many of the policies that have kept our country safe, including our success in dismantling the core of al Qaeda and in the FATA. 

When I directed my national security team to be more open and transparent about how our policies work and how we make decisions, especially when it comes to preventing terrorist attacks, Jeh was one of the leaders who spoke eloquently about how we meet today's threats in a way that are consistent with our values, including the rule of law. 

Jeh also knows that meeting these threats demands cooperation and coordination across our government.  He's been there in the Situation Room at the table in moments of decision, working with leaders from a host of agencies to make sure everyone is rowing in the same direction.  And he's respected across our government as a team player, somebody who knows how to get folks who don’t always agree to work towards a common goal.

Jeh has experience leading large complex organizations.  As a member of the Pentagon's senior management team, first under Bob Gates and then under Leon Panetta, he helped oversee the work of more than 3 million military and civilian personnel across the country and around the world.  And I think it's fair to say that both former secretaries Gates and Panetta will attest to the incredible professionalism that Jeh brings to the job, and the bipartisan approach that, appropriately, he takes when it comes to national security. 

He's also earned a reputation as a cool and calm leader.  Jeh appreciates that any organization's greatest asset is its people, and at the Pentagon he guided the report explaining why allowing our men and women in uniform to serve their country openly would not weaken our military.  Congress ended up using that report that Jeh helped to craft to justify repealing "don't ask, don't tell."  And America and our military are stronger because we did, in part because of Jeh's determined leadership.  I know he will bring that same commitment to our hardworking folks at DHS.

And finally, Jeh believes, in a deep and personal way, that keeping America safe requires us also upholding the values and civil liberties that make America great.  Jeh tells the story of his uncle who was a member of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen during World War II.  And he and his fellow airmen served with honor, even when their country didn’t treat them with the dignity and the respect that they deserved.  And it was a lesson that Jeh never forgot.  “We must adopt legal positions that comport with common sense,” Jeh says, “consistent with who we are as Americans.”  Jeh is a pretty good lawyer, so he knows what that means. 

And Jeh understands that this country is worth protecting –- not because of what we build or what we own, but because of who we are.  And that’s what sets us apart.  That’s why, as a nation, we have to keep adapting to changing threats, whether natural or man-made.  We have to stay ready when disaster strikes and help Americans recover in the aftermath.  We’ve got to fix our broken immigration system in a way that strengthens our borders, and modernizes legal immigration, and makes sure everybody is playing by the same rules. 

And I’m confident that I could not make a better choice in Jeh, somebody who I’m confident is going to be moving not just the agency forward, but helping to move the country forward.

So, Jeh, thank you so much for agreeing to take on this very difficult and extraordinary mission.  You’ve got a great team over at DHS, and I know that they're looking forward to having you over there.  I urge the Senate to confirm Jeh as soon as possible.  And I thank you, as well as your family, to agreeing to serve.  Your wife, Susan, and your daughter, Natalie, couldn’t be here because they're visiting Jeh Jr. out at Occidental College, which, by the way, I went to for two years when I was young.  It’s a fine college.  I’m sorry I couldn’t be there to say hi to him.  But your son chose well. 

So, ladies and gentlemen, I’d like to invite Jeh Johnson to say a few words, hopefully our next Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security.  (Applause.)

MR. JOHNSON:  Thank you very much, Mr. President.

As you noted, my wife and two kids are not here because it’s parents’ weekend at Occidental, and thanks to the cost of a non-refundable airline ticket -- (laughter) -- they could not be in two places at once.  They wish they could be here.

Thank you for the tremendous honor of this nomination and the trust you have placed in me to carry out this large and important responsibility as Secretary of Homeland Security.  I was not looking for this opportunity -- I had left government at the end of last year and was settling back into private life and private law practice.  But when I received the call, I could not refuse it.

I am a New Yorker, and I was present in Manhattan on 9/11, which happens to be my birthday, when that bright and beautiful day was -- a day something like this -- was shattered by the largest terrorist attack on our homeland in history.  I wandered the streets of New York that day and wondered and asked, what can I do?  Since then, I have tried to devote myself to answering that question.  I love this country.  I care about the safety of our people.  I believe in public service.  And I remain loyal to you, Mr. President.

If confirmed by the Senate, I promise all of my energy, focus, and ability toward the task of safeguarding our nation’s national and homeland security.

Thank you again, sir.  (Applause.)

END

2:14 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
October 17, 2013

Remarks by President Obama and Prime Minister Letta of Italy after Bilateral Meeting

Oval Office

12:32 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Well, it’s wonderful to welcome Prime Minister Letta to the Oval Office.  We have had a chance to get to know each other over the last several international summits that we’ve attended, and I couldn’t be more impressed with the Prime Minister’s integrity, thoughtfulness, and leadership. 

I want to congratulate him on having won a vote of confidence and passing a budget.  I think it’s clear that Italy is moving in the right direction in stabilizing its finances and embarking on reforms that will make it more competitive.  And we spent a lot of our time discussing the importance of European growth, that with high unemployment -- particularly youth unemployment -- and the challenges that have been created since 2008, as well as the challenges within the eurozone, I think it’s important for all of us to coordinate.  And the United States obviously is not part of Europe, but we have a great interest in Europe because if Europe is doing well, that means that we’re doing well also.

So we discussed how we could partner on a strong growth agenda.  Part of that growth agenda is the Transatlantic Partnership agreement[Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership], the trade agreement that we’re trying to shape between the European Union and the United States.  We’ve had several meetings already on that, and I know Prime Minister Letta is a strong proponent of expanding what is already a very important trade relationship between the United States and Europe.  So given the fact that he will be ascending to the presidency of the European Commission, it’s a great opportunity for his leadership to assert itself during those negotiations. 

We also talked about our security cooperation, and Italy has been an outstanding partner.  A NATO ally on issues ranging from Libya to Syria, to counterterrorism efforts, consistently Italy has been a strong partner, and obviously it’s been an outstanding host to our men and women who serve in the region.  And so we very much thank the Italian people as well as the Prime Minister for their strong support there.

On Libya, we agreed that we want to continue to work with other international partners to strengthen the security capacity of the Libyan government.  There’s enormous potential and hope for the Libyan people, but what they need now is a government that is representative and inclusive, and can provide the basic security as well as the basic services that will help the Libyan people achieve that potential.  And I think that we both share an interest in finding ways in which we can help the Libyans move forward.

With respect to Syria, we have been pleased to see not only the U.N. resolution, but also now the concrete efforts to get chemical weapons out of Syria.  And Italy has been very supportive of that effort.  And we both believe that it’s important to build off that success -- or at least that good start -- to also talk about the humanitarian suffering that the Syrian people are experiencing.  Italy has been a contributor to the humanitarian efforts there, and we want to partner with them to find ways to not only relieve the suffering, but also to implement a political transition that can allow people to return to their homes and end the killing that’s been taking place there.

And we had a chance to talk about Afghanistan.  Italian troops have been extraordinary in their sacrifice and their efforts in helping to create an Afghanistan that is secure and safe for the Afghan people.  We very much appreciate it.  We talked about how well our militaries coordinate with each other and the genuine partnership that has been created.  And we both reaffirmed our commitment to make sure that when we end combat activities in Afghanistan at the end of 2014 that we are in a position to leave behind an Afghanistan that has a strong professional security service and a government that is meeting its obligations to all its people, including all ethnic groups and women and others who have started to see greater opportunities and greater freedoms over the past several years.

And again I want to say to the Italian people, and to Prime Minister Letta, in particular, we're grateful for your friendship.  I think everybody understands the closeness between Italy and the United States is not just because of a friendship between leaders, but also because of the incredible history and the people-to-people relations between our two countries.  Italian Americans in this country have helped to make America what it is and in every aspect of life, and that bond is one that will never go away and hopefully will continue to be strengthened during the time that you and I have the chance to work together. I'm sure it will be.

The last point I want to make is that the Prime Minister is from Tuscany, from Pisa, and he has extended an invitation to me to come visit and eat some very good food.  (Laughter.)  I don’t know whether I’m going to be able to take as much time as I want while I’m still President, but Michelle and I, having been to Tuscany before I was President and seeing how spectacular and wonderful it is, I told the Prime Minister that he will not have to twist my arm to try to get me to come to Tuscany again sometime in the near future.

So thank you very much.

PRIME MINISTER LETTA:  Thank you very much.  Of course, the invitation to Tuscany is for now, for the future, for whenever you want -- Florence, Pisa, Sienna. 

First of all, I congratulated President Obama, for yesterday’s success is his success, but it is also our success, because yesterday’s decision was very important for the stability in the markets in the world, in Europe and in Italy, first of all.  We need stability because we have such a big debt, so we need to have low interest rates. 

Yesterday, we had the lowest interest rates in Italy since two years ago.  That was for us a very important achievement, a demonstration of the fact that we are in the right path.  And we have to continue that, and to continue on this path we need to have an alliance -- alliance of growth, first of all. 

Next year, Italy will be President of the European Council. In the second semester, we will start the new European legislature.  The present European legislature is linked to the word austerity.  Austerity without growth -- it’s a big problem for us.  This is why we passed, in Italy, a budget with the budget under control, with the debt decreasing, the deficits decreasing, public spending decreasing, and the level of taxes on families and entrepreneurs decreasing for the first time since many years. 

So it’s very important to continue on having the budget under control, but we need to push growth.  This is why the European legislature that will start with the Italian presidency of the European Council will be a legislature based, first of all, on growth.  And of course, T-TIP is one of the most important achievements.  My dream will be to sign this agreement, both, together, before the end of next year -- before the end of the Italian presidency next year. 

It is important we have to fight against protectionism.  Both in the G8 and the G20 meetings, we have very important common positions in fighting against fiscal evasion, fiscal avoidance, fiscal havens, against protectionism, and T-TIP is so important.

For the Mediterranean concern, I tried to present to President Obama all our concerns about the situation, the migration problems, of course the mission, the humanitarian military mission that Italy raised in these very days -- Mare Nostrum -- because we don’t want to have Mediterranean as a Death Sea.  The Mediterranean has to be a sea of life.

And of course, we have a problem of failed states in Africa. We have to help them, and first of all Libya, of course.  We have to work together on Syria to apply the resolution as soon as possible.  And we want to have Geneva II as soon as possible, too.  And of course, there, our work will be all together.  And so I will thank President Obama’s words on Afghanistan, of course.  Our joint commitment is very important for the stabilization of the area.

So I am very glad for the words I listened, but I’m very glad for yesterday’s result.  It’s very important for our future. Our future will be a future of friendship, cooperation, and next legislature, next European legislature will be -- has to be a legislature of growth.  And we, the Italians, we will work very hard in reaching this goal because growth and, first of all, jobs for youth is my mission, our mission, and we will work together on that.

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Thank you again.

END   
12:44 P.M. EDT