President Obama Updated on the Plane Crash in San Francisco

Soon after the plane crash in San Francisco, CA, the President was made aware of the incident by Lisa Monaco, Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism.  The President will continue to be updated as new information becomes available.  The President expressed his gratitude for the first responders and directed his team to stay in constant contact with the federal, state and local partners as they investigate and respond to this event.  His thoughts and prayers go out to the families who lost a loved one and all those affected by the crash.

Weekly Address: Celebrating Independence Day

WASHINGTON, DC—President Obama used his weekly address to commemorate our nation’s Independence Day, and to recognize the generations of Americans— from farmers to teachers to entrepreneurs—who worked together to make the United States what it is today.  The President also thanked the men and women of the military, who have given so much to defend the United States at home and abroad, and said that we are grateful for their service and sacrifice.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online atwww.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, July 4, 2013.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
July 4, 2013

Hi everybody.  I hope you all had a safe and happy Fourth of July, filled with parades, cookouts, fireworks and family reunions.    

We celebrated at the White House with a few hundred members of the military and their families. And we took a moment amid the festivities to remember what our Independence Day is all about – what happened 237 years ago, and what it meant to the world.

On July 4^th, 1776, a small band of patriots declared that we were a people created equal – free to think and worship and live as we please.  It was a declaration heard around the world – that we were no longer colonists, we were Americans, and our destiny would not be determined for us; it would be determined by us.

It was a bold and tremendously brave thing to do.  It was also nearly unthinkable.  At that time, kings and princes and emperors ruled the world.  But those patriots were certain that a better way was possible.  And to achieve it – to win their freedom – they were willing to lay it all on the line.  Their lives.  Their fortunes.  Their sacred honor. 

They fought a revolution.  Few would have bet on our side to win.  But for the first of many times to come, America proved the doubters wrong. 

And now, 237 years later, the United States – this improbable nation – is the greatest in the world.  A land of liberty and opportunity.  A global defender of peace and freedom.  A beacon of hope to people everywhere who cherish those ideals. 

Generations of Americans made our country what it is today – farmers and teachers, engineers and laborers, entrepreneurs and elected leaders – people from all walks of life, from all parts of the world, all pulling in the same direction. 

And now we, the people, must make their task our own – to live up to the words of that Declaration of Independence, and secure liberty and opportunity for our own children, and for future generations.

I want to say a special word of thanks to the men and women of our military, who have played such a vital role in the story of our nation.  You have defended us at home and abroad.  And you have fought on our nation’s behalf to make the world a better, safer place.  People in scattered corners of the world are living in peace today, free to write their own futures, because of you.  We are grateful for your service and your sacrifice, especially those still serving in harm’s way and your families here at home.

So, God bless you all.  And may God bless the United States of America.

###

Statement by President Barack Obama on Egypt

As I have said since the Egyptian Revolution, the United States supports a set of core principles, including opposition to violence, protection of universal human rights, and reform that meets the legitimate aspirations of the people.  The United States does not support particular individuals or political parties, but we are committed to the democratic process and respect for the rule of law.  Since the current unrest in Egypt began, we have called on all parties to work together to address the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people, in accordance with the democratic process, and without recourse to violence or the use of force. 

The United States is monitoring the very fluid situation in Egypt, and we believe that ultimately the future of Egypt can only be determined by the Egyptian people. Nevertheless, we are deeply concerned by the decision of the Egyptian Armed Forces to remove President Morsy and suspend the Egyptian constitution. I now call on the Egyptian military to move quickly and responsibly to return full authority back to a democratically elected civilian government as soon as possible through an inclusive and transparent process, and to avoid any arbitrary arrests of President Morsy and his supporters. Given today’s developments, I have also directed the relevant departments and agencies to review the implications under U.S. law for our assistance to the Government of Egypt. 

The United States continues to believe firmly that the best foundation for lasting stability in Egypt is a democratic political order with participation from all sides and all political parties —secular and religious, civilian and military. During this uncertain period, we expect the military to ensure that the rights of all Egyptian men and women are protected, including the right to peaceful assembly, due process, and free and fair trials in civilian courts.  Moreover, the goal of any political process should be a government that respects the rights of all people, majority and minority; that institutionalizes the checks and balances upon which democracy depends; and that places the interests of the people above party or faction. The voices of all those who have protested peacefully must be heard – including those who welcomed today’s developments, and those who have supported President Morsy. In the interim, I urge all sides to avoid violence and come together to ensure the lasting restoration of Egypt’s democracy. 

No transition to democracy comes without difficulty, but in the end it must stay true to the will of the people. An honest, capable and representative government is what ordinary Egyptians seek and what they deserve. The longstanding partnership between the United States and Egypt is based on shared interests and values, and we will continue to work with the Egyptian people to ensure that Egypt’s transition to democracy succeeds.

First Lady Michelle Obama and Epicurious Announce Winning Recipes in Nationwide “healthy Lunchtime Challenge”

54 Kids to Attend "State Dinner" at White House on July 9
To Celebrate Nutritious, Delicious Lunchtime Dishes
Update: Singer Rachel Crow to Provide Entertainment

Washington, DC – First Lady Michelle Obama, Epicurious, the Department of Education and the Department of Agriculture announced the winners of a nationwide recipe challenge to promote healthy lunches as part of the First Lady’s Let’s Move! initiative.  The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” will recognize 54 winners, representing all U.S. states, three territories and the District of Columbia, who will attend a Kids’ “State Dinner” at the White House hosted by Mrs. Obama on July 9. The group will join the First Lady for a healthy lunch, featuring a selection of the winning recipes and a performance by singer Rachel Crow, followed by a visit to the White House kitchen garden.

“Our Kids’ State Dinner is one of my favorite events of the year, and the kid chefs who come from around the country never cease to impress and inspire me with their creativity and ingenuity.  I’m counting down the days until the winners join me at the White House to celebrate these healthy and delicious meals that kids everywhere will love,” said First Lady Michelle Obama.

For the second consecutive year, The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge & Kids’ “State Dinner” invited a parent or guardian to work with their child ages 8-12 to create a lunchtime recipe that is healthy, affordable, original and delicious.  In support of Let’s Move!, launched by the First Lady to help solve the problem of childhood obesity, each recipe adhered to the guidance that supports USDA’s MyPlate (at ChooseMyPlate.gov) to ensure that the criteria of a healthy meal were met. Entries had to represent each of the food groups, either in one dish or as parts of a lunch meal, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins and low-fat dairy foods, with fruits and veggies making up roughly half the plate or recipe.

The second Healthy Lunchtime Challenge, originated by Epicurious to promote healthy eating among America’s youth, received more than 1,300 entries featuring wholesome, tasty ingredients, including salmon, black beans and ground turkey.  The winners and featured recipes include:

• Rowan Bean, 9, (Seward, AK) – “Alaskan Ceviche with Mango”
• Kindall Sewell-Murphy, 10, (Selma, AL) – “Kale Broccoli Chicken and Apple Salad”
• Emma-Kate Schaefer, 8, (Fayetteville, AR) – “Confetti Spring Rolls - Orange-Cilantro Sauce”
• Alexandra Nickle, 10, (Phoenix, AZ) – “Banana's Black Bean Burritos”
• Rose Scott, 12, Menlo (Park, CA) – “Pork and Tofu Lettuce Cups”
• Nicholas Hornbostel, 8, (Edwards, CO) – “Sushi Salad”
• John Breitfelder, 9, (New Canaan, CT) – “Quinoa "Risotto" with Shrimp and Kale”
• Braeden Mannering, 9, (Bear, DE) – “Tortilla Bowl Deluxe”
• Nicole Medina, 10, (Miami, FL) – “Summer Salmon”
• Regan Matthews, 12, (Atlanta, GA) – “Sweet Potato Turkey Sliders”
• Eleanor Cowell, 8, (Honolulu, HI) – “Curried Chicken Salad & Taste of the Tropics”
• Corrine VanderGaast, 9, (Tipton, IA) – “Stone Curry with Brown Rice”
• Adam Wirth, 8, (Boise, ID) – “Veggie Barley Salad with Orange Honey Vinaigrette”
• Taddy Pettit, 10, (Oakwood, IL) – “Black Bean Wrap with Jicama - Grilled Corn Salsa”
• Lydia Graham, 9, (Carmel, IN) – “Sneaky Chili Surprise”
• Olivia Neely, 10, (Lenexa, KS) – “Fun Mini Pizzas with Veggies & Cauliflower Crust”
• Regan Strehl, 11, (Lexington, KY) – “Raisin Bran Muffins”
• Brynna Robert, 12, (Metairie, LA) – “Sweet and Spicy Stir Fry”
• Shefali Singh, 12, (Falmouth, MA) – “Shefali's Scrumptious Spring Rolls”
• Emma Scielzo. 10, (Chevy Chase, MD) – “Chicken Masala Wrap”
• Noah Koch, 9, (Waterville, ME) – “Vegan Powerhouse Pesto Pasta”
• Jacob Hirsch, 8, (West Bloomfield, MI) – “Picky Eater Pita Pizza Pockets”
• Kaitlyn Kirchner, 9, (Madelia, MN) – “Garden Stir-Fry”
• Henry Oates, 8, (Adrian, MO) – “Confetti Peanut Ginger Party Pasta”
• Reed Lindsey, 10, (Booneville, MS) – “Pan Seared Mississippi Catfish on a Bed of River Rice”
• Joshua Garrigues, 8, (Bozeman, MT) – “Healthy Vegetable Fried Quinoa”
• Vijay Dey, 12, (Chapel Hill, NC) – “Spring Rolls”
• Charli McQuillan, 8, (Oxbow, ND) – “Asian Fajitas”
• Bence Brown, 9, (Omaha, NE) – “Terrific Tuna Casserole”
• Olivia Beauchesne, 12, (Nottingham, NH) – “Liv's Curry Chicken Salad Sandwich”
• Goldie Siegel, 8, (Clifton, NJ) – “Hawaiian Turkey Sliders with Mango-Pineapple Salsa”
• Louis Teich, 10, (Las Cruces, NM) – “Spinach Frittata”
• Isabella Gross, 11, (Henderson, NV) – “Chex Chicken and Bellaberry Smoothie”
• Peter Murphy, 8, (Manhasset, NY) – “Super Rescue Soup”
• Anisha Patel, 11, (Blacklick, OH) – “Kickin, Colorful, Bell Peppers stuffed with Quinoa”
• Ogden Johnson, 10, (Tulsa, OK) – “Taco De Camaron”
• Audrey Russell, 10, (Portland, OR) – “Salmon Fried Rice”
• Ganesh Selvakumar, 9, (Broomall, PA) – “Lentil Spinach Soup and Mint Chutney”
• Samantha Mastrati, 12, (Cranston, RI) – “Italian Garden Salsa with Crunchy Chicken Tenders”
• Corbin Jackson, 9, (Mount Pleasant, SC) – “Bring it On, Brussels Sprout Wrap!”
• Owen Kerkvliet, 9, (Huron, SD) – “Hidden Veggie Lasagna”
• Makenna Hurd, 9, (Mascot, TN) – “Makenna's Bodacious Banana Muffins”
• Devanshi Udeshi, 12, (Sugar Land, TX) – “Slam Dunk Veggie Burger”
• Cecily Asplund, 10, (Provo, UT) – “Lucky Lettuce Cups”
• Campbell Kielb, 8, (Sterling, VA) – “Orange Chicken Lettuce Wraps”
• Colin Hurliman, 9, (Burlington, VT) – “Champ's Maple BBQ Turkey Burgers”
• Amber Kelley, 10, (Woodinville, WA) – “Nummy No-Noodle Lasagna”
• Liam Kivirist, 11, (Browntown, WI) – “Wisconsin Solar Oven-Simmered Chili”
• Jessica Wolfe, 9, (Shepherdstown, WV) – “Spicy Tofu Lettuce Cups”
• Breeze Petty, 11, (Thermopolis, WY) – “Scrumptious Chili with Zucchini Cornbread”
• Ingrid Lamberg, 9, (Washington, DC) – “Inga Binga's Salmon Salad”
• Genzo Gonzales, 11, (Saipan, MP) – “Kangkong Pomegranate Salad”
• Aliana Piñero, 9, (San Juan, PR) – “Yummy Eggplant Lasagna Rolls”
• Sakari Clendinen, 8, (St. Thomas, VI) – “Zucchini Pancakes & Passion Fruit Banana Smoothie”

The winners were chosen by a panel of judges that included:  Tanya Steel, Epicurious editor-in-chief; Sam Kass, Executive Director of Let’s Move! and Senior Policy Advisor on Nutrition; Dr. Robert C. Post, Associate Executive Director, Center for Nutrition Policy and Promotion, USDA; Susan Winchell, Assistant General Counsel for Ethics, USED; Sam Myers, Jr., White House Liaison, USED; Mike Curtain, CEO of DC Central Kitchen and The Campus Kitchens Project; and two Washington, D.C.-based children who are graduates of Share our Strength’s Cooking Matters program. For a behind the scenes look at this year’s judging, click HERE.

The full list of winners and recipes can be found online at recipechallenge.epicurious.com. Additionally, a free downloadable and printable e-cookbook of the winning recipes, including nutritional analyses and photos, will be available in July at the contest site, epicurious.com, letsmove.gov, USDA.gov, and Ed.gov.

“This year, we received very sophisticated recipe entries from all over the country that featured healthy ingredients like salmon, Greek yogurt, and ground turkey, which made it a delicious challenge to select the finalists,” said Tanya Steel.  “Each recipe also included anecdotes explaining the importance of healthy eating.  The insight from the kids who entered the challenge demonstrates that today’s youth understands the need to strengthen their bodies and minds with the most wholesome ingredients available.  We are, once again, incredibly thankful to Mrs. Obama for joining Epicurious to continue to raise awareness for the importance of healthy eating for future generations.”

“Healthy eating can help spur academic success,” said Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Education.  “And it’s exciting that our young people have harnessed their creativity to come up with fresh, new recipes that are nutritious and healthy. This competition is just another example of how kids can rise to any occasion—whether inside or outside the classroom—when challenged.”

“The Healthy Lunchtime Challenge makes healthy eating fun and educational, and I am inspired every year by the creative efforts of these kids to create healthy recipes,” said Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack.  “By taking steps today to help our young people adopt healthy eating habits, we’re not just improving their health in the short term – we’re giving them important tools that will last a lifetime.”

The children’s arrivals on July 9 through the East Wing/Booksellers will be pooled press and the First Lady’s remarks at the lunch will be open press.  Members of the media interested in covering this event must RSVP to FirstLadyPress@who.eop.gov with their full name, date of birth, social security number, gender, city and state of residence and citizenship by Wednesday, July 3, at noon ET.