The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 01, 2014

Remarks by the President at Milwaukee Laborfest

Henry Maier Festival Park

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

1:49 P.M. CDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Milwaukee!  (Applause.)  Thank you!  Oh, it’s good to be back in Milwaukee.  Give Chris a big round of applause for that great introduction.  (Applause.) 

Happy Labor Day, everybody.  Happy Labor Day.  (Applause.)  Today is a day that belongs to you –- the working men and women who make America the greatest country on Earth.  So thank you to the working folks who are here today, and the unions who’ve always had your back.  (Applause.)  Thank you to the Milwaukee Area Labor Council, to the Wisconsin AFL-CIO.  (Applause.) 

It’s good to be back at Laborfest.  I hope you don’t mind, I brought a friend with me, somebody who is fighting for American workers every day -- America’s Secretary of Labor, Tom Perez, is in the house.  (Applause.)  And I just found out Tom’s wife is from Milwaukee, so his father-in-law is here.  So I just told his father-in-law he’s doing a really good job, because you always want to make a guy look good in front of his father-in-law.  (Laughter.)     

We’ve got some other friends I want to acknowledge.  First of all, your Congresswoman, Gwen Moore, is here.  (Applause.)  Your mayor, Tom Barrett, is in the house.   (Applause.)  We’ve got one of my favorites, Mary Kay Henry from the SEIU.  (Applause.)  Newly elected Lily Garcia from NEA.  (Applause.)  My pal -- not a Packers fan, he’s a Steelers fan, but he’s a good guy anyway -- Leo Gerard from USW, Steelworkers.  (Applause.)  Billy Hite from UA; Joe Hansen from UFCW.  (Applause.)   

To all the other labor leaders who are here, we are so glad to have you.  And we’re here because of the things all too often we take for granted.  Anybody who’s got a seat, feel free to sit down.  I don’t want anybody fainting; it’s all hot out here.  I might get you back up on your feet at some point. 

But we’re here to celebrate something that sometimes the American people take for granted -- the 40-hour workweek, overtime pay, a minimum wage, weekends like this one.  All that didn’t happen by accident.  It happened because America’s workers organized for it, fought for it.  History shows that working families can get a fair shot in this country, but only if we’re willing to fight for it. 

Now, the first time I came to Laborfest was -- I was still a candidate back in 2008.  (Applause.)  And during that campaign, I promised if you sent me to the White House, I’d stand with you in that fight.  (Applause.)  Now, two weeks later, our financial system collapsed.  A recession almost became a depression.  And in the years since, our country has faced a choice.  There are some folks who wanted to place an even bigger bet on top-down economics, the kind of economics that helped cause the crisis in the first place -– more tax cuts for those at the top, fewer rules for big banks and corporations, this blind faith that maybe prosperity would finally trickle down on the rest of us if folks up at the top just kept on doing better and better. 

But, you know what, Milwaukee, I didn’t run for President to double down on top-down economics.  I ran for President because I believed in bottom-up economics.  I believed in middle-out economics.  I placed a bet on you.  I placed a bet on America’s workers.  (Applause.)  I put my money on American workers and the belief that our economy grows best when everybody has got a shot -- when folks who are willing to work hard can get into the middle class and stay in the middle class.  And I’ve come back to Laborfest to say that because of your hard work, because of what we’ve been through together, that bet is starting to pay off. 

America is stronger because of the decisions we made to rescue our economy and rebuild it on a new foundation asking the simple question, is this good for ordinary Americans, is this good for working people -- not just a few, but for everybody.  And over the past 53 months, our business have created nearly 10 million new jobs.  (Applause.)  We’re on a streak where, the last six months, we’ve created more than 200,000 jobs each month -– that’s the first time that’s happened since 1997.  (Applause.) 

Construction is rebounding.  Energy and technology are booming.  American manufacturing is steadily creating jobs for the first time since the 1990s.  Our businesses export more goods made right here in America to the rest of the world than ever before.  (Applause.)   

America is stronger because we saved the American auto industry and more than one million jobs that depend on the auto industry.  (Applause.)  Today, our workers are building more cars than any time since 2002 -- and, by the way, they’re really good cars.  The auto industry is adding jobs at the strongest rate since the 1990s.

America is stronger because we invested in homegrown energy.  The world’s number-one oil and gas producer -- it’s not Russia, it’s not Saudi Arabia -- it’s the U.S. of A.  We are the largest producer.  (Applause.)  And for the first time in nearly 20 years, America now produces more oil than we buy from other countries.  But we’re also producing more clean energy, putting folks back to work.  We’ve tripled the amount of wind power that creates energy.  We’ve increased by 10 times the amount of solar power we create.  And all of that is creating tens of thousands of good jobs all across the country.  (Applause.)

America is stronger because we set our schools on a race to the top.  We helped more middle-class families afford college.  Today, thanks to outstanding teachers, our high school graduation rate is at a record high.  (Applause.)  More young people are earning their college degrees than ever before.  (Applause.)  

America is stronger because we helped millions of responsible homeowners stay in their homes, and we got some of biggest banks who sold deceptive mortgages to help make things right -- they’re ponying up billions of dollars to do right by folks who got cheated.  We changed a tax code that was skewed too much to the wealthy at the expense of working families.  We made sure, you know what, you guys have got to pay a little more.  And as a consequence, we cut our deficits by more than half.  (Applause.) 

And yes, Milwaukee, America is stronger because millions more Americans have the peace of mind of quality, affordable health insurance that they can count on.  Yes, we did that.  (Applause.)

So I just want everybody to understand -- because you wouldn’t always know it from watching the news -- (laughter) -- by almost every measure, the American economy and American workers are better off than when I took office.  (Applause.)  We’re better off by almost every measure.  But, look, none of this progress has come easy.  Every inch of it we have had to fight for.  Every inch of it we’ve had to work against a lockstep opposition that is opposed to everything we do. 

But it was worth it.  Every gray hair is worth it.  (Applause.)  Every gray hair is worth it -- and at least I’ve still got some hair.  (Applause.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  And you look good!

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, I look good -- see, I like that.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Whenever folks say -- whenever they see me they say, you know what, you look okay -- like they’re surprised.  (Laughter.)  And then sometimes they say I look taller than I do on TV.  (Laughter.)  I say, yes, I look -- that’s because the TV is small.  It makes me look smaller.  (Laughter.) 

Look, it is thanks to the grit, to the resilience of working Americans that this country we love, it’s recovered faster, it’s come farther than almost any other advanced economy.  For the first time in more than a decade, business leaders around the world, when you ask them, where do you want to invest, what’s the number-one place to invest, they don’t say China, they don’t say Germany -- they say the United States of America.  And our lead is growing.  (Applause.)  U.S.A!

AUDIENCE:  U.S.A!  U.S.A!  U.S.A!

THE PRESIDENT:  So, look, I’m saying all this just because sometimes, if you’re watching TV or something, it’s just kind of a whole downer.  (Laughter.)  We’ve got struggles.  We’ve got work to do.  But there are a lot of reasons to be optimistic about America.  

More folks are working.  The economy’s growing stronger.  The engines are revving a little louder.  And the question now is, are we going to make the right decisions to accelerate this progress?  Are we going to continue to focus on working families?  Are we going to continue to make sure that a growing economy gives everybody rising incomes and wages?  Are we going to make sure that we’re helping the middle class and everybody who is trying to get into the middle class? 

It’s a good thing that corporate profits are high; I want American businesses to succeed.  It’s a good thing that the stock market is booming; a lot of folks have 401Ks in there, I want them to feel good.  But I also want to see the guy who’s breaking his back on two eight-hour shifts so he’s got enough money to send his kids to college, I want to make sure that guy is getting a break.  I want to make sure he’s getting some help.  (Applause.)  I want to see that woman who’s worked for 40 years be able to retire with some dignity and some respect.  (Applause.)  That’s how I measure progress -- not just by how well the economy is doing overall but how it’s doing for folks who are working so hard doing everything right, just want a fair shot, and didn’t have anything handed to them in their lives, weren’t born with a silver spoon in their mouths. 

And the reason that’s who I’m thinking about is because that’s the family I grew up in.  That’s the family Michelle’s family grew up in.  This country gave me a chance.  It gave Michelle a chance.  I believe in the American Dream because I have lived it.  (Applause.)  And I ran for this office to restore it for everybody so no matter what you look like, and no matter where you came from, no matter how you started, you can make it in America if you try.  (Applause.) 

So that’s what’s at stake right now.  That’s what’s at stake:  making sure the economy works for everybody.  I’ve got a vision of an economy where opportunity is open to everybody who’s willing to work hard.  I want an economy where new, long-term investments in American energy and American infrastructure and American manufacturing and American innovation are unleashing new jobs in new industries right here in Wisconsin, right here in Milwaukee; an economy where our workers have the chance to earn new skills that lead to that good job; where children graduate from school fully prepared for the global competition they’re going to face. 

I want an economy where your hard work pays off with higher wages, and higher incomes, and fairer pay for women, and workplace flexibility for parents, and affordable health insurance, and decent retirement benefits.  (Applause.)  I’m not asking for the moon, I just want a good deal for American workers.  (Applause.) 

Sometimes when I talk about this stuff to some of my folks on the other side of the aisle, they’re all like, well, why are you stirring up class resentments?  I’m not stirring up class resentment. 

Let me tell you something, working families, they’re fine that folks are rich.  The average person, they’re not looking for a yacht.  They’re not looking for their own plane.  They’re not looking for a mansion.  They don’t need to be vacationing in St. Bart’s.  All they’re looking for is that if they work hard, they can pay the bills; that they can send their kids to school; they can retire with some dignity, maybe take a vacation once in a while -- go to Wisconsin Dells or something.  They ain’t looking for nothing fancy.  (Applause.)  That’s where Michelle and I used to take Malia and Sasha.  We’d be in that water so long, fingers all pruned up.  And there were a lot of little kids in there, which made you a little suspicious about the water.  (Laughter.)  I’m just saying.  That was not in the prepared remarks.  (Laughter.)        

Now, most of the policies I’m talking about have two things in common:  They’re going to help more working families get ahead, and the Republicans who run our Congress oppose almost all of them. 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Don’t boo, vote.  (Applause.)  Don’t boo, vote.  It’s easy to boo -- I want you to vote.  Don’t boo, vote.  They oppose almost everything.  I’m not making that up; I’m just telling the truth.  It’s just the facts. 

In fact, they oppose stuff they used to be for.  No, it’s true.  I mean, they used to be for building roads and bridges and all that -- now, suddenly, no, we can’t build roads.  Well, why not?  Because you oppose -- because you proposed it.  I am just telling the truth.  The sky is blue today.  Milwaukee brats are delicious.  The Brewers are tied for first place.  (Applause.)  And Republicans in Congress love to say no.  Those are just facts, they’re facts of life.  They say no to everything. 

If we had a Congress that cared about policies that actually helped working people, I promise you we could get everything done that we’ve talked about doing.  But until we have that Congress, it’s up to us to fight for these policies. 

So wherever I can, I’ve acted on my own.  I acted on my own to make sure more women had the protections they needed to fight for fair pay on the workplace -- because I think when women succeed, America succeeds.  (Applause.)  I was raised by a single mom, so know how hard it is for a lot of women out there.  And, by the way, men, you should want your wife to get paid fair.  She’s bringing that money home.  That’s not a women’s issue, that’s your issue.  (Applause.)  That’s money out of your family’s pocket. 

That’s why I took action on my own to give millions of Americans the chance to cap their student loan payments at 10 percent of their incomes.  (Applause.)  I don’t want young people saddled with debt when they’re just starting out in life.  That’s why I acted on my own to make sure companies that receive federal contracts, that they pay their workers a fair wage of at least $10.10 an hour.  If you work full time in America, you shouldn’t be living in poverty, you shouldn’t be trying to support a family in poverty.  (Applause.) 

And in the year and a half since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage -- of course, the Republicans in Congress have blocked it -- but more and more Americans are doing their part to make it happen.  This is why I stay optimistic, even with some of the nonsense that goes on in Washington.  You’ve seen business leaders at companies like The Gap that raised base wages for tens of thousands of workers because they knew it was good for business.  You’ve seen mayors across the country doing their part, and today, on Labor Day, the mayor of Los Angeles is announcing a plan to raise his city’s minimum wage. 

You’ve seen -- here’s a good story.  Last month, the president of Kentucky State University, he gave himself a $90,000 pay cut so that he could raise wages for his lowest-paid employees.  (Applause.)  Thirteen states, District of Columbia -- they’ve raised their minimum wages.  Four more states are putting minimum wage initiatives on the ballot in November. 

And you know what, here’s the best part -- you’ll hear opponents, they’ll say, well, minimum wage, they’re going to kill jobs.  Except it turns out, the states where the minimum wage has gone up this year had higher job growth than the states that didn’t raise the minimum wage.  That’s the facts.  (Applause.)

All across the country right now, there’s a national movement going on made up of fast food workers organizing to lift wages so they can provide for their families with pride and dignity.  There is no denying a simple truth:  America deserves a raise.  Folks are doing very well on Wall Street, they’re doing very well in the corporate board rooms -- give America a raise.  (Applause.) 

And I think, eventually, Congress is going to hear them.  We’ll break those folks down.  We’ll just stay on them.  We’ll just keep at it.  That’s how I got Michelle to marry me -- I just wore her down.  (Laughter.)  Persistence -- you just stay at it.  Because the only thing more powerful than an idea whose time has come is when millions of people are organizing around an idea whose time has come.  Millions of people are voting for an idea whose time has come.  (Applause.)   

I know it gets frustrating, though, when it feels like your voices aren’t heard in Washington.  I promise you I share that frustration.  After all that unions have done to build and protect working Americans, I know it’s frustrating when people have the gall to blame you for the problems facing working Americans.  I know you’ve got some experience with that around here.  (Applause.) 

But you know what, if I were looking for a good job that lets me build some security for my family, I’d join a union.  (Applause.)  If I were busting my butt in the service industry and wanted an honest day’s pay for an honest day’s work, I’d join a union.  If I were a firefighter or police officer risking my life and helping to keep my community safe, and wanted to make sure I came home safely to my family, I’d join a union.  (Applause.)  I’d want a union looking out for me. 

And if I cared about these things, I’d also want more Democrats looking out for me.  I’m just saying.  (Applause.)  Because when the rest of the country is working to raise wages, but Republicans in Congress won’t, it ain’t right.  Not only is it not right, it ain’t right.  (Laughter.)  When the rest of the country is working to open up more businesses, but Republicans in Congress block investments that would help more businesses grow, it ain’t right.  When unions and CEOs, when law enforcement and the evangelical community, when folks who usually don’t agree on anything agree that we should be fixing our broken immigration system, but the Republicans in the House of Representatives have been sitting on a bill for more than a year, it ain’t right.

So that’s why we have to keep fighting.  At the beginning of the last century, people fought against the idea of a 40-hour workweek, they fought against weekends, they fought against workplace safety laws.  80 years ago, people fought against the idea of Social Security.  50 years ago, people fought against the idea of Medicare.  But guess what?  We won those fights.  (Applause.)

And just like in the past, today, you’ve still got people fighting against the right for health care for everybody, or the right to fair wages, or they even fight against equal pay for equal work.  But we will win those fights, too.  I promise.  And I know that because America is the story of progress.  It can be slow, yes.  It can be frustrating.  Sometimes you get half a loaf where you wanted the whole loaf -- sometimes you might just get a quarter of a loaf. 

But if you look at our history, the story is progress.  And that’s because there have always been Americans who have had the courage to march and to organize and to fight for themselves, but then also to fight for each other.  And I’m asking you to do the same thing.  I asked you the same thing back in 2008. 

I’m asking you to believe not just in my ability to bring about the change we need, I’m asking you to believe in yours.  I’m asking you to believe in you.  Because even when our politics just ain’t right, there’s a whole lot that is right with America. 

America is that dad who punches in every morning to put food on the table.  America is the mom who’s working the graveyard shift to provide for her kids.  America is the child who dreams of being the first in his family to go to college.  America is the teacher who stays after work and dips into her own pocket for supplies to help that child get there.  America is the autoworker who thought she’d never make another car again, and now she can’t make them fast enough.  America is the construction worker who’s helping build more homes and businesses to get solar panels on the top.  America is on the move.  America is on the move.  (Applause.)   

America is not the party we belong to, but the values we share.  America is hard work.  America is responsibility.  America is sacrifice.  America is looking out for one another.  Let’s embrace some economic patriotism that says we rise or fall together as one nation, as one people. 

Don’t reward companies that ship jobs and profits overseas; reward companies that are investing right here in Milwaukee.  (Applause.)  Let’s make sure our fellow citizens have access to good childcare and preschool and college and health care.  Let’s make sure women get fair pay.  Let’s make sure working moms and dads can get a day off if their child is sick or their parents are having a tough time.  Let’s make sure nobody who is working full time is raising their family in poverty.  (Applause.)  These ideas are not un-American, they’re how we built America -- together. 

I’ll tell you, Milwaukee, the hardest thing in life is changing a stubborn status quo.  And it’s even harder when it seems like some of the folks in power, all they care about is keeping power.  But there are plenty of folks who count on you to get cynical and not vote because you don’t think you can make a difference.  That’s how they’re going to stay in power.  They believe you won’t get involved.  They believe you won’t organize.  They believe you won’t vote.  And that way, the special interests stay in power.  And they will try to divide us, and they’ll try to distract you, and they’ll try to run the okey-doke on you, and bamboozle you, and hoodwink you -- don’t buy it.  Don’t buy it. 

Because despite the cynics, America is on the move.  It’s making progress.  Despite all the opposition, there are workers who have jobs now who didn’t have them before.  There are families with health insurance who didn’t have them before.  There are students going to college who couldn’t afford it before.  There are troops who were in Afghanistan who are coming home.  (Applause.) 

Cynicism is fashionable these days, but cynicism didn’t put anybody on the moon.  Cynicism never won a war, it never cured a disease, it never started a business, it never fed a young mind, it never built a road or a bridge. 

Cynicism is a bad choice.  Hope is the better choice.  Hope is what gives us courage.  Hope is what gave soldiers courage to storm a beach.  Hope is what gives young people the strength to march for women’s rights, and worker’s rights, and civil rights, and voting rights, and gay rights, and immigration rights.  (Applause.) 

Hope, the belief that there are better days ahead; the belief that together, we can build up our middle class and hand down something better to our kids -- that’s what built America.  And America’s best days are still ahead.  I believe it.  You need to believe it, too.  Let’s get to work. 

Thank you.  God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)

END

2:22 P.M. CDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 01, 2014

Letter from the President -- War Powers Resolution Regarding Iraq

TEXT OF A LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT
TO THE SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
AND THE PRESIDENT PRO TEMPORE OF THE SENATE

September 1, 2014

Dear Mr. Speaker: (Dear Mr. President:)

As I reported on August 8 and 17, 2014, U.S. Armed Forces have conducted targeted airstrikes in Iraq for the limited purposes of stopping the advance on Erbil by the terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), supporting civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar, and supporting operations by Iraqi forces to recapture the Mosul Dam. U.S. Armed Forces have also provided humanitarian assistance to the civilians trapped on Mount Sinjar.

On August 28, 2014, I further authorized U.S. Armed Forces to conduct targeted airstrikes in support of an operation to deliver humanitarian assistance to civilians in the town of Amirli, Iraq, which is surrounded and besieged by ISIL. Pursuant to this authorization, on August 30, 2014, U.S. military forces commenced targeted airstrike operations in the vicinity of Amirli, Iraq. These additional operations will be limited in their scope and duration as necessary to address this emerging humanitarian crisis and protect the civilians trapped in Amirli.

I have directed these actions, which are in the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct U.S. foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive. These actions are being undertaken in coordination with and at the request of the Iraqi government.

I am providing this report as part of my efforts to keep the Congress fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (Public Law 93-148). I appreciate the support of the Congress in this action.

Sincerely,

BARACK OBAMA

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
September 01, 2014

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on the President's Authorization of Operations in Iraq

Today, consistent with the War Powers Resolution (WPR), the President transmitted to the Congress a report notifying the Congress that he had authorized U.S. Armed Forces to conduct targeted airstrikes in support of an operation to deliver humanitarian assistance to the town of Amirli, where thousands of Shia Turkomen have been cut off from receiving food, water, and medical supplies for two months by ISIL.

The United States Air Force delivered aid to the town of Amirli alongside aircraft from Australia, France and the United Kingdom, who also dropped much needed supplies.

This operation is consistent with the military missions we have outlined to date in Iraq – to protect U.S. personnel and facilities and to address the humanitarian situation on the ground.

These operations are limited in their nature, duration, and scope and are being undertaken in coordination with and at the request of the Government of Iraq.

The Administration will continue to consult with the Congress on the way forward in Iraq and our efforts against ISIL, and we will continue to provide appropriate reports to the Congress consistent with the War Powers Resolution.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 30, 2014

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Caitlin Hayden on European Council Meeting

 

We welcome the European Council's consensus today to show strong support for Ukraine's sovereignty and territorial integrity and to prepare further sanctions for consideration in coming days. We are working closely with the EU and other partners to hold Russia accountable for its illegal actions in Ukraine, including through additional economic sanctions.  We remain committed to supporting Ukraine as it seeks a diplomatic resolution to the crisis and call on Russia to immediately remove its military, including troops and equipment, from Ukraine and end its illicit support to the separatists.

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 30, 2014

Statement by the Press Secretary on the Election of a New European Council President and High Representative

 

The President congratulates Prime Minister Donald Tusk of Poland on his election as President of the European Council, and Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini of Italy on being chosen as High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.  As we advance security and prosperity around the world, the United States has no more important partner than Europe. We look forward to working closely with President Tusk and High Representative Mogherini, as well as Commission President Juncker and all of the new Commissioners.

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 30, 2014

Readout of the President's Phone Call with Prime Minister Harper of Canada

 

The President spoke to Canadian Prime Minister Harper today to discuss the upcoming NATO Summit and the situation in Iraq. Both leaders agreed on the importance of ensuring Alliance unity on measures to strengthen NATO's readiness and responsiveness to the full range of current and future threats.  The President stressed that agreement on increased defense investment in all areas is a top priority at the NATO Summit. 

 

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The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 30, 2014

Weekly Address: This Labor Day, Let’s Talk About the Minimum Wage

WASHINGTON, DC —In this week’s address, the President wished Americans a Happy Labor Day weekend, highlighted the important economic progress we’ve made, and reaffirmed his commitment to accelerate our progress and ensure that our growing economy fuels a strong middle class. To do this, the President reiterated that Congress should do right by hardworking Americans across the country and raise the minimum wage and he praised the 13 states and Washington, DC as well as employers large and small who have heeded his call and taken action to provide their citizens and employees a fair wage. The President underscored that America built the world’s greatest middle class by making sure that everyone who’s willing to work hard and play by the rules can get ahead – an economic patriotism worth remembering this Labor Day, and every day.

The audio of the address and video of the address will be available online at www.whitehouse.gov at 6:00 a.m. ET, August 30, 2014.

Remarks of President Barack Obama
Weekly Address
The White House
August 30, 2014

Hi, everybody.  Whether you’re firing up the grill, fired up for some college football, or filling up the car for one last summer roadtrip – Happy Labor Day weekend.

We set aside Labor Day to honor the working men and women of America.  And this Labor Day, we’ve got more to celebrate.  Over the past 53 months, our businesses have added nearly 10 million new jobs.  Last month, for the first time since 1997, we created more than 200,000 jobs for six straight months.  And for the first time in over a decade, business leaders worldwide have declared, two years running, that the number one place to invest isn’t China – it’s America.

So there are reasons to be optimistic about where we’re headed.  And the decisions we make now will determine whether or not we accelerate this progress – whether economic gains flow to a few at the top, or whether a growing economy fuels rising incomes and a thriving middle class.

Think about it this Labor Day.  The things we often take for granted – Social Security and Medicare, workplace safety laws and the right to organize for better pay and benefits, even weekends – we didn’t always have these things.  Workers and the unions who get their back had to fight for them.  And those fights built a stronger middle class.

To build a stronger middle class in today’s changing economy, we’ve got to keep fighting.  We’ve got to fight for the right to affordable health insurance for everybody.  The right to fair pay, family leave, and workplace flexibility.  The right to a fair living wage. 

Let me focus on that last one for a minute.  In America, no one who works full-time should ever have to raise a family in poverty.  A hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay.  And raising the minimum wage would be one of the best ways to give a boost to working families.  It would help around 28 million Americans from all walks of life pay the bills, provide for their kids, and spend that money at local businesses.  And that grows the economy for everyone.

The bottom line is, America deserves a raise.  But until we’ve got a Congress that cares about raising working folks’ wages, it’s up to the rest of us to make it happen.  And in the year and a half since I first asked Congress to raise the minimum wage, Americans of all walks of life are doing just that.

Thirteen states and D.C. have done their part by raising their minimum wages.  Four more states have minimum wage initiatives on the ballot this November.  And the states where the minimum wage has gone up this year have experienced higher job growth than the states that haven’t. 

Business leaders at companies like The Gap are doing their part.  They’re raising base wages for tens of thousands of workers because they know it’s good for business.

Mayors across the country are doing their part.  Mayor Emanuel in Chicago and Mayor Garcetti in L.A. are working to lift their cities’ wages over time to at least thirteen dollars an hour.

I’ve tried to do my part by requiring companies that get contracts with the federal government to pay their workers a fair wage of ten dollars and ten cents an hour. 

And earlier this month, the president of Kentucky State University set a great example by giving himself a $90,000 pay cut, so that he could give raises to his lowest-paid employees.  His sacrifice will give more of his workers and their families a little extra money to help make ends meet. 

That’s how America built the greatest middle class the world has ever known.  Not by making sure a fortunate few at the top are doing well, but by making sure that everyone who’s willing to work hard and play by the rules can get ahead.  That’s the bedrock this country is built on.  Hard work.  Responsibility.  Sacrifice.  And looking out for one another as one united American family.

Let’s keep that in mind this Labor Day, and every day.  Have a great weekend, everybody.

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2014

Remarks by the President at a DCCC Event -- Newport, Rhode Island

Private Residence
Newport, Rhode Island

7:58 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Please, please, everybody sit down.  Well, it is wonderful to see everybody in this just incredible setting.  And I want to begin by thanking Rick and Betty for their incredible hospitality.  (Applause.)  Thank you so much.  You couldn’t be more gracious hosts, even arranging for perfect weather as we came in.  (Laughter.)  So I know Valerie Jarrett took a picture of the sunset, which turned out very nicely on her smartphone.  She is very pleased.  (Laughter.) 

Couple other people I want to acknowledge, because this state has an incredible congressional delegation.  We are incredibly proud of them -- your senators, Jack Reed, who I saw at the airport, couldn’t be here this evening; and your own Sheldon Whitehouse, who is here.  Where’s Sheldon?  There he is.  (Applause.) 

You also have some terrific members of the House of Representatives -- Jim Langevin.  Where’s Jim?  There he is.  (Applause.)  And David Cicilline -- where’s David -- (applause) -- both of whom brought their mothers here today, so we thank their mothers for the outstanding job that they did.  (Applause.)

I want to thank all the state legislators and mayors who are here.  I want to thank Steve Israel, who has done tireless if thankless work as the head of the DCCC.  Thank you for the great job you’ve done.  (Applause.) 

And a woman I love -- she’s spoken for, as am I -- but I do love her, because she is tenacious, brilliant, tough, a master politician, and somebody who deserves to once again be Speaker of the House -- Nancy Pelosi.  (Applause.)  Love Nancy.

So because this is an intimate setting, I want to have the opportunity to have a conversation with you.  I’ll just make a few brief remarks at the top. 

First of all, I kind of liked that suit yesterday.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You looked good, Mr. President.

THE PRESIDENT:  I thought so.  (Laughter.)  And I appreciate you honoring me by wearing a tan suit this evening, Sheldon.  (Laughter.)  You know what, you cling to every last bit of summer that you can. 

Second of all, obviously, I’m at the tail end of what has been an extraordinary journey, and it makes you reflect.  And so I continually think about where we were when I started as President and where we are now. 

When we started, we were plunging into the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression -- in some measures, actually worse than what was going on in ’29 and ’30.  When we started, we were still in the midst of two wars.  When we started, millions of people had no prospect of health insurance.  When we started, the law of the land still allowed our military to kick people out because of who they loved. 

And over the last six years, in large part because of the leadership of Nancy Pelosi in the first couple, and then our continued battle on behalf of middle-class families in subsequent years, what we’ve seen is 53 straight months of job growth; the lowest unemployment rate since 2007 -- it’s actually gone down faster this past year than any time in the last 30 years; a stock market more than recovered, which means people’s 401Ks and their retirement more secure; housing rebounding; an auto industry essentially back from the dead, hasn’t been stronger in decades; millions of people who didn’t have health insurance having health insurance, while at the same time health care costs and health care inflation rising at the lowest levels in 50 years; our deficit cut by more than half; our energy production higher than it’s ever been -- we’re now actually producing more than we import for the first time in two decades; a doubling of clean energy production; a ten-fold increase in solar energy, three-fold increase in wind power; the most significant reductions in carbon emissions of any advanced economies, including Europe. 

We have seen the highest high school graduation records on level, the highest college enrollment rates on record.  We’ve expanded college access for millions of young people through the Pell grant program -- named after a pretty good member of the Senate.  (Applause.)  We’ve been able to cap loan repayments at 10 percent of a graduate’s income so that they can go into helping professions like teaching and social work that don’t pay a lot of money.  We’ve ended two wars.  (Applause.)  We have ended “don’t ask, don’t tell.”  (Applause.)

And so objectively speaking, we are significantly better off than we were when Nancy and I first got together back in 2008.  (Applause.)  Now, despite that, there’s anxiety across the country, a disquiet -- and in some cases, pessimism.  And the question is, why, if we’re moving in the right direction, people don’t feel it.  And there are three reasons I would suggest.

Number one, the economy hasn’t benefitted everybody.  The truth of the matter is, is some long-term trends over the last two decades have meant that the average person’s wages and incomes have flatlined, and people feel more insecure.  Most of the people in this room have seen significant increases in their incomes and wealth.  But the average working stiff is still thinking about paying the mortgage, still thinking about making ends meet at the end of the month, still worried about the rise in food prices and gas prices, and isn’t sure whether their child, no matter how hard they work, will be able to achieve the same kinds of things that they were able to achieve because of opportunity in America.  So that makes people nervous about the long term, and a number of people nervous about the here and now.

Number two -- internationally, we’re going through a tumultuous time.  And I don’t have to tell you, anybody who has been watching TV this summer, it seems like it is just wave after wave of upheaval, most of it surrounding the Middle East.  You’re seeing a change in the order in the Middle East.  But the old order is having a tough time holding together and the new order has yet to be born, and in the interim, it’s scary. 

The good news is that we actually have a unprecedented military capacity, and since 9/11 have built up a security apparatus that makes us in the here and now pretty safe.  We have to be vigilant, but this doesn’t immediately threaten the homeland.  What it does do, though, is it gives a sense, once again, for future generations, is the world going to be upended in ways that affect our kids and our grandkids.

And then number three, people have a sense that Washington just doesn’t work.  And as a consequence, major challenges feel unaddressed and major opportunities we don’t seem to be able to seize.  And that makes people cynical.

And so I want to -- during the question and answers I’m happy to talk about why I believe that not only is the economy doing well now, but the opportunities for us to create a strong middle class and ladders into the middle class are right there in front of us.  I want to talk about how the strategies to rebuild an international order that doesn’t just work for us but for people around the world is right there in front of us. 

I want to focus on this last thing, this third thing about -- that Washington doesn’t work.  The tendency is to portray this as a problem with the system and a problem with both parties:  politicians are corrupt, and there’s too much money, and the lobbyists have all this influence, and it doesn’t really matter who’s in charge -- no matter what, Washington doesn’t work. 

And I’m here to assert -- although I admit that this is probably preaching to the choir -- that this is not a problem that both Democrats and Republicans suffer from.  Democrats have their problems, Lord knows.  Nancy, she deals with a caucus that occasionally is challenging.  The Senate, by its nature, means that people have their quirky approaches to things.  There are times where we’re too dogmatic about certain things, not flexible enough; we’re too captive to particular interests.  It’s politics.  It’s not perfect.

But the fact of the matter is, is that every time I came to Nancy Pelosi when she was Speaker and there was a tough issue, and the question was, were we going to do the right thing even if it was politically unpopular, Nancy and the democratic caucus in the House would step up and do it.  And we had a whole bunch of people lose their seats because they thought it was the right thing to do.

The fact of the matter is, every time there has been the possibility of compromise on big issues like how we deal with our deficits and our debt, as unpalatable as it has sometimes been, we have been willing to put forward agendas that try to allow us to govern and meet Republicans more than half way. 

This is not some equivalence between the parties.  The reason government does not work right now is because the other party has been captured by an ideological, rigid, uncompromising core that ignores science, is not particularly interested in facts, is not particularly interested in compromise, but is interested in having its own way 100 percent of the time -- and that way, in large part, includes dismantling so much of what has created this incredible middle class and this incredible wealth here in America. 

So if you want to deal with the anxieties that Americans feel right now, there are going to be some things that are a little bit out of our control.  We’re not going to solve every problem in the Middle East right away, although we can make sure we’re safe and that we’re empowering better partners rather than the worst in the region.  We’re not going to solve every problem of the economy just in the next couple of years; there are still some long-term challenges and trends that we have to address. 

But for the most part, we can build on the successes we’ve had over the last six years and make America do so much better than it’s doing right now if we create a Congress that just even comes close to functioning.  There will still be special interests.  There will still be lobbyists.  There will still be contentious issues.  Politicians will still be concerned about the next election.  But every so often, we’ll be able to govern, and move forward on agendas like equal pay for equal work for women, or minimum wage, or rebuilding our infrastructure, or all the issues in which a majority of Americans agree -- and in some cases, a majority of Republicans agree.

So the answer to our challenges is actually pretty simple:  We need a better Congress.  And in order to do that -- there are all kinds of formulas and polls and data and all -- but actually the answer to that is pretty simple, too:  People have to vote.  People have to feel engaged.  And the brilliance of the other side has been, over the last four years, they figured out, if we do nothing, if we oppose everything, then their poll numbers may be at seven or 10 or whatever it is, but they will feed a cynicism about the possibilities of doing common work that leads people to just say, I give up -- and they turn away, and they don’t vote.  And the status quo remains. 

So I’m encouraged by all of you here tonight because I think you understand how urgent it is for us to break that psychology.  We’ve got to restore a sense in people that they have the power to move their government forward.  But in order to do that, we’ve got to make sure they vote.  And in order to make sure they vote, and that we’ve got the resources to make the case to the American people, the DCCC has got to be able to keep pace with all of the crazy money that’s floating around there.  You’re helping us do that, and I’m very grateful for you. 

Thank you very much.  (Applause.)

END
8:15 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2014

Remarks by the President at a DNC Event -- Purchase, New York

Private Residence

Purchase, New York

 

4:49 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you, everybody.  How is everybody doing?  (Applause.)  I just want to begin by saying thank you to the Wolf family.  As Robert mentioned, he and Carol and Luke and James, they have been great friends for years now.  I don’t think I was ever behind Dennis Kucinich in the polls.  (Laughter.)  That doesn’t ring a bell.  But it is true that Robert was a huge supporter before a lot of people knew how to pronounce my name.  And anybody who is a friend of Robert’s knows that once he’s your friend, he doesn’t stop.  He’s there for you through thick and thin, and I could not be prouder to know him.  (Applause.)

You also have an outstanding congresswoman here -- Nita Lowey is here.  Where did Nita go?  There she is.  (Applause.)  We love Nita. 

You know, it’s a little warm in here.  I’m going to take off my jacket.  My tan suit is a lot cooler.  (Laughter.)  This one is a little warmer.  But let me just -- let me start off by saying this -- Robert mentioned what things were like when I was first starting politically, when I had first broken on the national scene.  But I want to talk a little bit about what things were like right before I was President.

At the time, we were in the midst of two wars, and we were about to plunge into the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression.  And when Ronald Reagan ran in 1984, and first in 1980, he asked a simple question:  Are you better off than you were four years ago?  And the one thing that I can say is that because of the incredible resilience and strength of the American people, but also because we made some good decisions even though they were tough at the time, we are better off as a country than we were when I came into office.  (Applause.) 

And when you think about what was happening then, we were losing 800,000 jobs a month.  The economy was actually contracting at a faster pace than had happened during the Great Depression.  Today, we’ve now seen 53 straight months of job growth, over 10 million jobs created.  Unemployment rate has come down faster this year than any time in the last 30 years.  The deficit has been cut by more than half.  We have seen record corporate profits.  The stock market has not just recovered but actually gone well beyond where we were pre-crisis. 

Our energy production here in America is higher than it’s ever been.  For the first time in maybe 20 years, we actually produce more energy than we import.  We’re producing twice as much clean energy as we were when I came into office, 10 times more solar energy, three times more wind energy -- which partly accounts for why we reduced carbon emissions faster than any other advanced country in the world.  The housing market has moved in the right direction.  And across the board, around the world, when investors are now asked what’s the best place to invest anywhere in the world, for two years running now, and the first time in a decade, people no longer say China, they say the United States of America.  That’s what we’ve accomplished working together.  (Applause.) 

And that doesn’t include things like education reform, and expanding access to college for millions of young people and capping their debt repayments every month so that they can take teaching jobs or social work jobs and still afford to pursue their dreams.  That doesn’t include the incredible progress that we’ve made in terms of LGBT rights and marriage equality.  (Applause.)  We are a more prosperous nation and a fairer nation, a more just nation than we were when I came into office. 

Now, having said all that, a lot of people still feel anxious.  And the question then is, why is it that if things have gotten better, why are people anxious?  Why is there still disquiet across the country?  Why is it that people feel cynical about the possibilities for the future?  And I’d offer three reasons.

The first is that although the economy as a whole has done well, there are still too many folks who have been left behind.  Those of us at the very top have done very well.  But there are still a lot of people out there out of work; still a lot of people who, at the end of the month, are struggling to pay the bills; still a lot of families who work really hard every single day but can’t figure out how to pay for childcare, or can’t imagine how they’re going to save for their kid’s college education, or have no idea how they’re going to retire.  Corporate profits have gone up, stock market has gone up, but wages and incomes have barely budged not just in the last six years, but in the last 20 years. 

And so there’s a sense that the compact that has held this country together -- the idea that the economy grows from the bottom up and the middle out, and that if you work hard no matter who you are or where you start or what you look like, what faith you belong to, that you can make it if you try -- that basic notion people feel more skeptical about. 

And that’s why, for the last six years and for the next two that I am President, we are going to continue to focus on basic steps that can strengthen the middle class and provide more ladders for people to get into the middle class.  Making sure we’ve got early childhood education in place, because we know that gives us a good bang for the buck.  Making sure that college is more affordable for more young people, because we know there’s no better investment to be in the middle class and stay there than a college education.  (Applause.)  Making sure, yes, that we continue to provide affordable, quality health care to every single American so they don’t go bankrupt when they get sick, and making sure the health care system works better for people.  (Applause.)  Making sure that childcare is accessible, and family leave is available so that ordinary families who are doing the right thing feel like they’ve got a little bit of support.  

And some of those efforts are going to cost money.  But the truth is, is that we’ve also got a whole bunch of corporate loopholes out there that could be closed, and a tax system that doesn’t work.  And if all of us are doing our fair share, then all of us can do well, not just some of us.  And that is what America is about, and that’s what I’m about.  And that’s what we’re going to keep on fighting for for the next couple of years.  (Applause.) 

Second reason people are feeling anxious is that if you watch the nightly news, it feels like the world is falling apart.  (Laughter.)  Now, let me say this:  We are living through some extraordinarily challenging times.  A lot of it has to do with changes that are taking place in the Middle East in which an old order that had been in place for 50 years, 60 years, 100 years was unsustainable, and was going to break up at some point.  And now, what we are seeing is the old order not working, but the new order not being born yet -- and it is a rocky road through that process, and a dangerous time through that process.

So we’ve seen the barbarity of an organization like ISIL that is building off what happened with al Qaeda and 9/11 -- an extension of that same mentality that doesn’t reflect Islam, but rather just reflects savagery, and extremism, and intolerance.  We’ve seen divisions within the Muslim community between the Shia and Sunni.  We continue to see an unwillingness to acknowledge the right of Israel to exist and its ability to defend itself.  And we have seen, frankly, in this region, economies that don’t work.  So you’ve got tons of young people who see no prospect and no hope for the future and are attracted to some of these ideologies.

All of that makes things pretty frightening.  And then, you turn your eyes to Europe and you see the President of Russia making a decision to look backwards instead of forward, and encroaching on the sovereignty and territorial integrity of their neighbors, and reasserting the notion that might means right.  And I can see why a lot of folks are troubled.

But -- and here’s the main message I have for you -- the truth of the matter is, is that American military superiority has never been greater compared to other countries.  Our men and women in uniform are more effective, better trained, better equipped than they have ever been.  We have, since 9/11, built up the capacity to defend ourselves from terrorist attacks.  It doesn’t mean the threat isn’t there and we can’t be -- we don’t have to be vigilant, but it means that we are much less vulnerable than we were 10 or 12 or 15 years ago. 

And the truth of the matter is, is that the world has always been messy.  In part, we’re just noticing now because of social media and our capacity to see in intimate detail the hardships that people are going through.  The good news is that American leadership has never been more necessary, and there’s really no competition out there for the ideas and the values that can create the sort of order that we need in this world. 

I hear people sometimes saying, well, I don’t know, China is advancing.  But I tell you what, if you look at our cards and you look at China’s cards, I promise you you’d rather have ours.  (Applause.)  People say that, I don’t know, Russia looks pretty aggressive right now -- but Russia’s economy is going nowhere.  Here’s a quick test for you:  Are there long lines of people trying to emigrate into Russia?  (Laughter.)  I don’t think so.

Yes, the Middle East is challenging, but the truth is it’s been challenging for quite a while.  And our values, our leadership, our military power but also our diplomatic power, the power of our culture is one that means we will get through these challenging times just like we have in the past.  And I promise you things are much less dangerous now than they were 20 years ago, 25 years ago or 30 years ago. 

This is not something that is comparable to the challenges we faced during the Cold War.  This is not comparable to the challenges that we faced when we had an entire block of Communist countries that were trying to do us in.  This is something we can handle, because we are Americans and that’s what we do.  And around the world, when you travel to Asia, or you travel to Europe, or you travel to Latin America, or you travel to Africa, what you find is, among ordinary people, they are still looking to America as a beacon of hope and opportunity.  And we should not forget that.  (Applause.) 

Which brings me to the last reason that people are anxious, and that is that Washington doesn’t work.  It’s hard to describe how unproductive this Congress is.  Harry Truman campaigned against what was known -- what he called the “do-nothing Congress.”  But compared to this Congress, that was a do-a-whole-lot Congress.  (Laughter.) 

And I have to tell you that, you know what, Democrats aren’t perfect.  We’ve got our own foibles.  Democratic politicians, like all politicians, they’re concerned about getting reelected.  But the truth of the matter is, there’s one reason why Congress is as broken as it is, and that is that the other party has become captive to the most ideologically rigid, most unproductive, most cynical group that I have ever seen. 

They don’t seem to be interested in getting things done.   They seem constantly interested in the next election as opposed to the next generation.  And that’s not inherent in the Republican Party.  I come from Illinois.  My favorite President was the first Republican President, a guy named Abraham Lincoln.  But that is what is happening now.

So the reason all of you are here today is because you understand it doesn’t have to be that way.  There has been a certain cynical genius to what some of these folks have done in Washington.  What they’ve realized is, if we don’t get anything done, then people are going to get cynical about government and its possibilities of doing good for everybody.  And since they don’t believe in government, that’s a pretty good thing.  And the more cynical people get, the less they vote.  And if turnout is low and people don’t vote, that pretty much benefits those who benefit from the status quo.

And so the fact that they haven’t gotten anything done shouldn’t be that surprising, but it should also not feed your cynicism -- it should feed a determination to want to get out there and have something better.  (Applause.)  And that is something that I cannot do alone.  I’ve got to do it with all of you. 

I was in a meeting earlier today and somebody asked, you know, Mr. President, what can you do, these folks, they just -- all they do is just oppose whatever you propose even if they used to be for it, now they’re against it; if you said the sky was blue, they’d say it was green; they deny the facts, they don’t have any ideas for growing the economy or helping the middle class -- maybe you just need to announce a state of emergency.  I said, well, now, I’m not going to do that, that’s not how the Constitution works.  (Laughter.)  I said to them, you know, there’s actually a solution to this that our Founders envisioned, and that is people being involved citizens and getting out there and voting, and bringing about change through the ballot box. 

And we have the opportunity to do that during these midterms.  And the young people here especially -- some of whom may be eligible to vote for the first time -- you’ve got to understand, this is your country.  It doesn’t work unless you are involved.  It doesn’t work unless you assert what you believe in, your values, your ideals.  If you get cynical and you just say, well, you know what, it’s not going to make any difference, then we’ll continue to have this kind of dysfunctional government and we will not be able to tackle the issues that you care about -- like climate change, or making sure that the economy is working for everybody, or making sure that college is affordable.  We won’t be able to do those things.

So my challenge to all of you is to make sure that this midterm election you’re paying attention, and you are engaged and you’re involved.  Even though there’s no presidential election yet, don’t wait until 2016.  You’ve got to get involved now.  (Applause.)  Because even if you agree with your President, you’ve got to have a Congress to work with your President in order to make things happen and deliver on the promises that all of us share.

So my closing comment -- and this, again, is directed to the young people.  And I say this sometimes -- there was one young lady here who was a White House intern a couple of years ago.  And I meet with the White House interns at the end of their six-month stint and they ask me questions.  And usually they ask things like, how do you stay in shape, is Bo as sweet as he looks.  (Laughter.) 

But sometimes they just ask about -- as young people, what advice would you give me.  And I typically tell them, number one, nothing is handed to you; you’ve got to work hard.  I said, number two, don’t just focus on what you want to be, focus on what you want to do, what you want to accomplish; focus on something you care about that’s important and is not just about you. 

But the third thing I tell them is, be hopeful.  And I say to them, if there was any moment in human history in which you could be born, and you didn’t know who you were going to be ahead of time -- you didn’t know whether you were going to be Bill Gates or some poor child in a slum in Calcutta -- and you just asked, when is it that you would want to be alive, at what moment, the answer without hesitation should be, right now.  Because the world has never been wealthier or healthier.  (Applause.)  It’s never been more tolerant.  It’s never been better educated.  It’s never been more connected. 

Yes, there are dangers.  Yes, there are challenges.  But they’re all challenges we can meet -- as long as you choose to meet them.  I’m ready to work with you.  Let’s make it happen.

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

END

5:07 P.M. EDT

The White House

Office of the Press Secretary

For Immediate Release
August 29, 2014

Presidential Proclamation - National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, 2014

NATIONAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY AWARENESS MONTH, 2014

- - - - - - -

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Childhood obesity is one of the most urgent health issues we face in the United States. Nearly one in three American children are overweight or obese, putting them at risk for many immediate and long-term health problems -- including high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. As a Nation, we have a responsibility to ensure our children have every chance to fulfill their potential, and that starts by providing them with the opportunities to make healthy choices. Recent data show progress is possible: obesity rates have fallen by 43 percent among children ages two to five years old. But we must remain committed to improving the health of kids of all ages. This month, we build on our progress and raise awareness of the benefits of healthy eating and active living so our children can lead prosperous and productive lives.

First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! initiative is striving to ensure every young person has a chance at a healthy childhood. For more than 4 years, Let's Move! has brought together stakeholders across the public and private sectors to encourage and expand access to physical activity and nutritious foods -- two components of a healthy lifestyle. Across America, more communities have gained access to healthy and affordable food and the information needed to make more nutritious choices. Businesses are marketing healthier foods to kids, and families are buying healthier products.

Family members, caregivers, and other role models can also play a critical role in helping children make healthy choices. Those who support our kids can model healthy behaviors by staying active and preparing healthy meals at home. Families can plant kitchen gardens, cook together, and encourage lifestyle choices that support a healthy weight.

My Administration is working to make sure the hard work parents and caregivers are doing to teach kids healthy habits will not be undone outside the home. We have fought to improve the overall quality of school meals, and as students return to school this fall, they will have more opportunities than ever before to make healthy choices -- including changes in foods offered in vending machines and a la carte lines. This past year, my Administration announced a new proposal to prohibit items that cannot be sold or served in schools from being marketed in schools. These measures build on the progress already made by the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, which this year will allow more than 22,000 schools across the country to qualify to serve free, healthy breakfasts and lunches for all their students.

Each American has an important part to play as we build healthier communities for young people across our Nation. During National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, we continue our work to provide every child with healthy food, active play, and a good example to follow. By committing to a healthy lifestyle for our families and eating right ourselves, we can help turn the tide against childhood obesity across our country.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 2014 as National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month. I encourage all Americans to learn about and engage in activities that promote healthy eating and greater physical activity by all our Nation's children.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of August, in the year of our Lord two thousand fourteen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-ninth.

BARACK OBAMA