WEEKLY ADDRESS: "We Have to Increase the Pace"

WASHINGTON—In this week’s address, Vice President Biden noted that this month’s jobs numbers demonstrated that Congress should pass the American Jobs Act to strengthen our economy and create jobs right away.  Republicans in Congress have voted against components of the bill to put teachers and firefighters back to work and they have unanimously opposed a bill to rebuild our crumbling infrastructure and create jobs for 400,000 construction workers, even though these are the kinds of programs they have supported in the past.  The President is acting without Congress through executive actions to help our veterans find jobs, save families thousands of dollars by refinancing their mortgages, and reducing the cost of student loans, but that is not enough.  Democrats and Republicans must come together to pass the American Jobs Act to strengthen the economy, because the American people can’t wait any longer for Congress to act.

Remarks of Vice President Joe Biden
Weekly Address
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Saturday, November 5, 2011

Hi, this is Joe Biden.  I’m speaking to you from the University of Pittsburgh, where I just spoke to students here about what we’ve done to help ease the burden on them when it comes to the rising cost of tuition and the accumulating student debt and what we’re going to do to help create jobs when they graduate.

Today we found out we’ve had the 20th month in a row where we’ve increased private sector jobs -- 104,000 this month, 104,000 private sector jobs.  And as all you know, that's not nearly enough.  We have to increase the pace.  We have to act now to do everything in our power to keep this economy moving and to grow jobs.

President Obama is on his way back from France where he just met with the leaders of the 20 largest economies in the world, where he urged our European friends to step up and stabilize their own economies because if they fail, it will affect the whole world.

Too many Americans are still struggling.  Too many college students here at the University of Pittsburgh and elsewhere are worrying about the rising cost of their tuition, and the increasing accumulation of debt.  And too many of their parents are in stagnant jobs or out of work, wondering if they're going to be able to send their child back to college next semester.

My dad used to have a saying.  He said, a job is about a lot more than a paycheck.  It’s about dignity.  It’s about respect.

And too many Americans have been stripped of their dignity through no fault of their own.  So we can't wait to help them.  The President and I believe we have to act now.  That's why we’ve introduced the jobs bill which independent validators said would create 2 million new jobs.

Although 51 senators voted for that jobs bill, our Republican colleagues in the Senate used a procedural requirement that requires it to have 60 votes, so it failed. 

And since then we’ve taken every important piece of the jobs bill and demanded that we have a separate vote.  But our Republican colleagues in the Senate have voted unanimously to vote down each and every part so far:  to restore 400,000 jobs for teachers, police officers, firefighters, putting them back in classrooms, on the streets and in the fire houses.

And then on Thursday, they unanimously voted down the second part of our program:  to rebuild our crumbling roads and bridges, which would have created more than 400,000 good-paying jobs.

These are all programs that the Republicans in the past have supported, but once again, every Republican voted no -- blocking the majority will to put these folks back to work.

I think the assumption is that they're voting no because of the way we would pay for these jobs, and we do pay for them.  We think everybody should pay their fair share, so that's why we put a small surtax on the first dollar after a person has already made $1 million.  That seems fair to us, and it pays for the bill.  It’s a small price to pay to put hundreds of thousands of people back to work.

So, look, we can't wait.  We can't wait for the Congress to start acting responsibly, and that's why the President has used his executive power to announce that hundreds of thousands of people will be able to refinance their homes from 6 percent interest rates to 4 percent, saving them an average of $2,000 a year.  That's why the President announced that beginning next year, no student will have to pay back more than 10 percent of their discretionary income toward their student debt.  He also announced new regulations regarding prescription drugs to prevent price gouging.  And there’s more to come.

If the Republican Congress won’t join us, we’re going to continue to act on our own to make the changes that we can to bring relief to middle-class families and those aspiring to get in the middle class.

Look, it’s simple:  We refuse to take no for an answer.  We know these steps taken alone are not going to solve all of our problems, but they will make a difference in the lives of millions of American families struggling to hold on.  And you know and I know if the Republicans would just let the Congress do its job, let it step up and meet its responsibilities, we could do so much more, and we could do it immediately.

That's why the President and I need your help to tell your Republican congressmen and senators to step up.  Tell them to stop worrying about their jobs and start worrying about yours because we’re all in this together, and together is the way we’re going to bring America back even stronger than it was before.

Thank you.

Vice President Biden, Dr. Jill Biden to Travel to Pennsylvania and New York on Veterans Day

WASHINGTON, D.C.— On Friday, November 11th, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will travel to Pennsylvania and New York to attend events in honor of Veterans Day.

In the afternoon, they will travel to Media, Pennsylvania, to participate in the Media Veterans Day Parade.  

Afterwards, the Vice President and Dr. Biden will travel to New York City to join veterans, service members, U.S. Special Operations Forces, ‘Horse Soldier’ veterans, and their families at the unveiling of the Horse Soldier statue in the Winter Garden at the World Financial Center.  The statue was created to commemorate the role of the Special Forces in the early stages of Operation Enduring Freedom in response to the September 11th, 2001 attacks. The Vice President will deliver remarks.

Additional media details about these events will be released in the coming days.

President Obama Announces More Key Administration Posts

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Anne C. Richard - Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration, Department of State
• Tara D. Sonenshine - Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Department of State

The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key administration posts:

• Julie Ann Petty - Member, President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
• Lauren Elizabeth Potter - Member, President's Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities

President Obama said, “I am grateful that these talented and dedicated individuals have agreed to take on these important roles and devote their talents to serving the American people.  I look forward to working with them in the coming months and years.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Anne C. Richard, Nominee for Assistant Secretary for Population, Refugees and Migration, Department of State
Anne C. Richard is the Vice President of Government Relations and Advocacy for the International Rescue Committee (IRC).  Prior to joining IRC in 2004, Ms. Richard was Director of the Office of Resources, Plans and Policy at the Department of State from 1999 to 2001.  From 1997 to 1999, she was Deputy Chief Financial Officer of the Peace Corps.  She has also served as a budget and policy advisor at the Department of State and as Budget Examiner at the United States Office of Management and Budget.  Ms. Richard was an International Affairs Fellow of the Council on Foreign Relations from 1993 to 1994 and was part of the team that created the International Crisis Group.  From 1985 to 1986, she was a fellow of the Robert Bosch Foundation in Germany.  She received a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and an M.A. in Public Policy Studies from the University of Chicago.

Tara D. Sonenshine, Nominee for Under Secretary for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, Department of State
Tara D. Sonenshine is the Executive Vice President of the United States Institute of Peace (USIP).  Prior to joining USIP, she was a strategic communications adviser to many international organizations including USIP, the International Crisis Group, Internews, CARE, The American Academy of Diplomacy, and the International Women’s Media Foundation. Ms. Sonenshine served in various capacities at the White House during the Clinton Administration, including Transition Director, Director of Foreign Policy Planning for the National Security Council, and Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of Communications.   Prior to serving in the Clinton Administration, Ms. Sonenshine was an Editorial Producer of ABC News’ Nightline, where she worked for more than a decade.  She was also an off-air reporter at the Pentagon for ABC’s World News Tonight and is the recipient of 10 News Emmy Awards for coverage of international affairs.  She holds a B.A. in Political Science from Tufts University.

President Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to  key Administration posts:

Lauren Elizabeth Potter, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Lauren Elizabeth Potter is a cast member on the FOX television program Glee where she plays the part of Becky Jackson.  Ms. Potter also serves on the Board of Best Buddies International, has participated in the Abilitypath.org campaign against bullying, partnered with the Special Olympics in their “End the Word” campaign, and is currently lending her name and fame to numerous organizations, including the Down Syndrome Association and the American Association of People with Disabilities.  Her disability rights advocacy has earned her awards from The Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles, the Arc, and the Full Life Festival.  Ms. Potter is a graduate of Polytechnic High School in Riverside, California and she is currently a student at Irvine Valley College.

Julie Ann Petty, Appointee for Member, President’s Committee for People with Intellectual Disabilities
Julie Ann Petty is a project trainer for Partners for Inclusive Communities at the Arkansas University Center on Disabilities.  Ms. Petty’s work at the Center on Disabilities focuses on educating those with intellectual disabilities on health and safety.  She is also co-chair of the Alliance for Full Participation, a nationwide coalition of self-advocacy disability organizations.  Previously, Ms. Petty served as state coordinator for Arkansas People First (1998-2007), national chairperson of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered (2006-2008), and a policy analyst for the Human Service Research Institute (2007 – 2009).  Ms. Petty received her B.A. in Journalism from the University of Arkansas.

Remarks by Dr. Jill Biden at the Opening Ceremony of the PFLAG National Convention

Westin Alexandria
Alexandria, VA
Friday, November 04, 2011

As Prepared For Delivery

Thank you Rabbi and thank you Jody for that warm introduction – and thank you all for that wonderful reception. It’s great to be here with you today.

As an English teacher, I like to share some of my favorite quotations – and so I would like to start today with some inspiring words from Margaret Mead who famously said: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world.” Doesn’t this quote embody the spirit of PFLAG -- which started nearly 40 years ago with one voice – a mother’s voice –who spoke out courageously in support of her gay son? 

That simple act ignited a movement …and today, because of the work that you do, there are hundreds of thousands of voices across this country raised in support of our lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender sons and daughters, fathers and mothers, sisters and brothers, friends, neighbors, and coworkers.

I recently read an open letter written from a PFLAG father to America’s youth.  He wrote, “My wife and I have two sons. We think that they are the best kids in the whole world. They’re very different, with very diverse personalities, talents, and interests. One of the other things that makes them different is that one is straight and one is gay. But the important thing is this: we love them equally.”

At its core – it’s such a simple message – “we love our sons” – both of them. But that acceptance and support can make all the difference.

And as you all know well – acceptance by those you love is the greatest acceptance of all. 

As a teacher and a mom, I know what Jeanne Manford knew- that there is a direct connection between acceptance and positive, healthy outcomes in every important area of life, including education, mental health, and physical health. So I’m particularly happy to join you all today not only as Second Lady, but as a mother and also as an educator.

As was mentioned, I’ve been a teacher for longer than I care to admit...I’ve taught as a reading specialist in public high schools and I’ve tutored at-risk teens at a psychiatric hospital in Delaware.   I believe the greatest accomplishment of any teacher is not instructing students how to read or how to understand biology, but giving them the confidence to do the work.  Instilling that belief in themselves is the key – not only for learning in the classroom, but for succeeding in life. 

We all know that self-confidence can be a challenge for youth and adolescents – even under the best of circumstances.  These are the years when all kids are trying to figure out who they are and who they hope to be.  For children who are struggling with understanding their sexual orientation or gender identity, the teen years can be particularly challenging.   And, of course, kids are not always kind to each other during these times, especially when one of them is different.
 
As an English teacher, I have my students write about themselves in their journals.  Through those journal entries and my conversations with them, I have heard first-hand about this kind of pain and anxiety.  And I have seen how this situation makes it almost impossible for students to concentrate on their school work.  How can we expect kids who are taunted by their classmates to flourish in an academic environment?  

We have all heard painful stories of bullying and harassment.  And we have read too many accounts of heartbreaking incidents where kids are driven to take their own lives rather than endure the taunting of their peers.  No child should be subjected to that.  And no parent should suffer that horrific loss.    

We know the devastating price of the failure to confront a hostile school climate where bullying and harassment can be daily occurrences.   Together, we all need to stand up and do our part to keep all of our kids safe, and give them the love, support and acceptance they need to learn and grow and fulfill their dreams.

I’m proud of the progress the Obama Administration has made in the last two years for the LGBT community – including the signing of the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act and the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The White House also held a  Conference on Bullying Prevention, and the Department of Education has held summits on this issue as well, and issued guidance to help combat bullying in schools and support Gay Straight Alliances.

This progress is important, but there is still more to do.  At this critical time for education in our country, we need to ensure that our schools are producing the next generation of American leaders and heroes.  We must insure that our classrooms are safer for all students to learn, grow, and thrive.

I want to say to each of you here today: thank you for raising your voice and working together to open minds, shift attitudes and support all of our sons and daughters, students and neighbors.

Some of you come from places where yours is the only voice of support and acceptance – but when you speak, people listen.  And we need you to keep speaking out, to keep shining a light on this important issue.

When I told friends that I would be speaking at this Conference today, one of them  explained how important PFLAG was in his own personal journey.  He grew up in a traditional family in a small town in rural America.  As a young adult, he attended a PFLAG meeting when he was struggling with his identity – he came home and left the PFLAG materials in a drawer. The materials conveyed what he could not.  His parents eventually understood and embraced him for who he was – thanks in no small part to the power of this organization’s work. He – like the loved ones of everyone in this room – is one of the lucky ones. 

As parents, friends, and families, you have the power to change hearts and minds with your stories of success and failure, tragedy and triumph. I commend you and hope you will all keep up this important work.

On behalf of the President, Vice President, and all of us at the White House, thank you for your courage and commitment -- and for promoting the dignity of your sons and daughters.

Thank you.