Readout of the President’s Call with President Putin

President Obama spoke this afternoon with President Putin of Russia. President Obama emphasized that the Crimean “referendum,” which violates the Ukrainian constitution and occurred under duress of Russian military intervention, would never be recognized by the United States and the international community.  He emphasized that Russia’s actions were in violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity and that, in coordination with our European partners, we are prepared to impose additional costs on Russia for its actions.  President Obama underscored that there remains a clear path for resolving this crisis diplomatically, in a way that addresses the interests of both Russia and the people of Ukraine.  He noted that the Ukrainian government continues to take concrete steps that would allow for the de-escalation of the crisis, particularly as it prepares for elections this Spring and undertakes constitutional reform, and he asked that Russia support the immediate deployment of international monitors to help prevent acts of violence by any groups.  President Obama reiterated that a diplomatic resolution cannot be achieved while Russian military forces continue their incursions into Ukrainian territory and that the large-scale Russian military exercises on Ukraine’s borders only exacerbate the tension.  President Obama said that Secretary Kerry continues to be prepared to work together with Foreign Minister Lavrov and the Ukrainian government to find a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

Weekly Address: Rewarding Hard Work by Strengthening Overtime Pay Protections

WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama highlighted the action he took this week to reward hard work by strengthening overtime pay protections. As part of this year of action, the President has ordered the Secretary of Labor to modernize our country’s overtime rules to ensure that millions of American workers are paid a fair wage for a hard day’s work. While our economy is moving forward, the middle class and those fighting to get into it are still struggling and too many Americans are working harder than ever just to keep up, let alone get ahead. So, in consultation with workers and business, the Obama Administration will update and simplify the rules to reward hard work and responsibility.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, Saturday, March 15, 2014.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
March 15, 2014

Hi, everybody.  In this year of action, I’m doing everything I can, with or without Congress, to expand opportunity for more Americans.  This week, I ordered a review of our nation’s overtime rules, to give more Americans the chance to earn the overtime pay they’ve worked for. 

Here’s why this matters.  Our businesses have created 8.7 million new jobs over the past four years.  But in many ways, the trends that have battered the middle class for decades have grown even starker.  While those at the top are doing better than ever, average wages have barely budged.  Too many Americans are working harder than ever just to keep up.

We’ve got to build an economy that works for everybody, not just a fortunate few.  We know from our history that our economy grows best from the middle out, when growth is more widely shared.  So we’ve got to restore opportunity for all – the idea that with hard work and responsibility, you can get ahead. 

Now, for more than 75 years, the 40-hour workweek and the overtime protections that come with it have helped countless workers climb the ladder of success.  But today, an overtime exception originally meant for highly-paid employees now applies to workers who earn as little as $23,660 a year.  It doesn’t matter if you do mostly physical labor, or if you work 50, 60, even 70 hours a week.  Your employer may not have to pay you a single extra dime.     

In some cases, this rule makes it possible for workers earning a salary to actually be paid less than the minimum wage.  And it means that business owners who treat their employees fairly can be undercut by competitors who don’t.  That’s not right.  So we’re going to update those overtime rules to restore that basic principle that if you have to work more, you should be able to earn more.  And we’ll do it by consulting workers and businesses, and simplifying the system so it’s easier for everyone. 

Americans have spent too long working more and getting less in return.  So wherever and whenever I can make sure that our economy rewards hard work and responsibility, that’s what I’m going to do.  Because what every American wants is a paycheck that lets them support their families, know a little economic security, and pass down some hope and optimism to their kids.  That’s something worth fighting for.  And I’ll keep fighting for it as long as I’m President. 

Thanks, and have a great weekend.

Vice President Biden to Travel to Poland and Lithuania

WASHINGTON, DC – The Vice President will travel to Poland and Lithuania next week, March 17-19th, to meet with regional partners to discuss events in Ukraine and other regional issues.  In Warsaw and Vilnius, the Vice President will meet with the President and Prime Minister of Poland and the Presidents of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.  During his meetings, the Vice President will consult on steps to support Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and affirm our collective defense commitments under the North Atlantic Treaty and our enduring support for all of our allies and partners in Europe.

FACT SHEET: U.S. Support for Peace and Prosperity in Northern Ireland

For decades, the United States has supported the efforts of the people and leaders of Northern Ireland to realize a prosperous, lasting peace. 

Promoting Peace and Prosperity

The United States has always stood with the people of Northern Ireland and will continue to do so as they continue to build a strong society, vibrant economy, and enduring peace.  We remain fully committed to promoting a lasting peace, advancing prosperity for all, and supporting Northern Ireland’s institutions.  The United States is proud of all that Northern Ireland has achieved, including the 1998 Good Friday Agreement and 2007 St. Andrews Agreement.  We encourage the political parties of Northern Ireland to renew their efforts on the all-party talks to tackle sensitive issues such as parades, flags/symbols, and matters dealing with the past. 

Collaborating on Conflict Resolution and Reconciliation

From 1986 to 2014, the United States has provided over $500 million in assistance through the International Fund for Ireland (IFI) to promote economic and social development in areas of Northern Ireland and the border counties of Ireland most affected by the conflict.  This assistance has supported a wide variety of youth, economic, and community development programs.  One hundred twenty-seven community organizations have completed the IFI-funded Community Leadership Program for training community groups and organizations.  Women of Northern Ireland have a particularly important role to play in promoting peace and developing local economies, and IFI funding also works to empower them.  This year the IFI’s Peace Impact Program provided young women in the greater Londonderry/Derry area of Northern Ireland training in employable skills and conflict resolution.

The U.S. Consulate in Belfast also implements an active outreach and engagement program.  Each year, a range of U.S. speakers disseminates best practices and exchanges ideas about civic engagement, urban regeneration, community cohesion, and marginalizing extremism.  A key component of the Consulate’s outreach, the Danesfort Dialogues, facilitates a series of constructive formal discussions among key civil society members on important local issues.  Through a series of small grants, the Consulate assists local organizations deliver positive change to their communities through sports diplomacy, youth entrepreneurship, and democratic engagement.   

Partnering for Economic Growth and Innovation

The United States is an important economic partner for Northern Ireland.  To promote economic opportunity, we support U.S. investment, and we have encouraged innovators and entrepreneurs as they translate their ideas into businesses.  Over the last 15 years, U.S. individuals and companies have invested over $2 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) in Northern Ireland.  In the past six years alone, more than 50 U.S. investments worth more than $1 billion have created thousands of new jobs in Northern Ireland.  At the October 2013 Northern Ireland investment conference following the G-8 Summit in Lough Erne, 44 U.S. companies’ representatives travelled to Belfast to build the investment linkages needed to create jobs for Americans and the people of Northern Ireland.

Through the U.S.-Ireland Research and Development Partnership, we also engage in scientific research together, which drives economic development.  The partnership encourages collaboration among scientists from the United States, Ireland, and Northern Ireland in five priority areas:  health, sensor technology, nanotechnology, telecommunications, and energy and sustainability.  This project accelerates commercialization of innovations by fostering private sector coordination with the research teams.

The United States continues to increase investment linkages and partnerships that promote educational, professional, and entrepreneurial opportunities for Northern Ireland’s young people.  The State Department’s Special Representative for Global Partnerships Andrew O’Brien led a delegation of U.S. investors, entrepreneurs, philanthropists, members of the Irish diaspora, and representatives from academia and civil society to Limerick, Ireland and Belfast, Northern Ireland January 28-31.  The Belfast visit developed cross-sectoral partnership opportunities to boost science, technology, environment, and mathematics education, promote entrepreneurship, and promote economic growth. 

Encouraging Northern Ireland’s Young Leaders

Hundreds of students and scholars from the United States and Northern Ireland have participated in the Fulbright Program.  U.S. scholars have benefitted from the Fulbright-Northern Ireland Governance and Public Policy Award and the Northern Ireland Assembly Award, and senior public sector employees from Northern Ireland have benefitted from the Fulbright Northern Ireland Public Sector Award.  In addition, hundreds of Northern Ireland civil society leaders, including legislators, artists, and activists, have participated in U.S. government-funded professional exchange programs.  Thanks to the goodwill of 140 U.S. academic institutions, which waived $40 million in tuition costs over the past 20 years, 1,800 Northern Ireland students have benefited from an academic year abroad in the United States.

This year, the U.S. Department of State awarded a $665,000 grant to the Irish Institute at Boston College for a professional exchange on the rule of law for some 20 governance professionals from Northern Ireland and Ireland and approximately eight U.S. participants.  Through individually tailored, four-week fellowships in advocacy organizations, legal think tanks, law firms, and court offices in the Boston area, followed by a week in Washington, D.C., fellows will have direct exposure to U.S. government policy-making and civil society advocacy.  Working with counterparts, the eight U.S. fellows will then spend two weeks in Ireland and Northern Ireland to implement reciprocal projects.  The participants from Ireland and Northern Ireland will return to Washington, D.C., in June and again in November for a networking event for 200 exchange participants from more than 40 countries.

The Department of State’s “Collaboratory” brought educational technology specialists from Northern Ireland and Ireland on an exchange to the United States in January and will connect them virtually with disadvantaged youth throughout Ireland and peers from Africa.  They will collaborate on ideas to develop their ideal educational systems and help create their own futures, while extending their horizons with engagement with young people in Africa.