What Government Did Today

The White House Office of Communications ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ For Immediate Release May 15, 2012 Remarks of Cecilia Muñoz, Domestic Policy Council Director, As Prepared for Delivery The Hamilton Project at Brookings National Press Club As prepared for delivery – Thank you.  And thank you to the Hamilton Project not just for inviting me to be part of the impressive group discussing this important issue, but also for holding a forum attempting to get beyond the rhetoric to examine the character and implications of the problem.  Immigration reform is all too often viewed through all kinds of lenses but rarely is it viewed through the most important one, which is a clear-eyed analysis of what’s in the country’s best interest.   I firmly believe that if policymakers in this town were using this particular lens, the divisive debate about immigration reform would be in the rear-view mirror by now.  That’s why I’m grateful that you’re hosting this forum today, and that you have invited so many thoughtful people to examine the question of how we can get back to building an immigration system that demands both responsibility and accountability through a comprehensive legislative reform.  I’m honored to be among them. I work on a broad range of domestic policy issues for the President; in this particular moment, in which we are recovering from a recession of historic proportions — a moment in which we can see significant progress with so much more progress still to be made — my job is to help advance the President’s priorities, particularly those which create jobs, and strengthen our economic future.   You have heard the President talk about his vision for an economy built to last; one that creates secure American jobs.  I have the privilege of serving on a team that is focused on priorities that are fundamental to that vision.

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Remarks of Cecilia Muñoz, Domestic Policy Council Director, As Prepared for Delivery- The Hamilton Project at Brookings

Taylor Gourmet Washington, D.C. 10:44 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Well, listen, what I just want to say to the reporters who are here:  You've got three small businesses who are outstanding examples of American entrepreneurship, whether it's food services, retail, construction.  All across the country, you're seeing examples of folks who have confidence in the economy and have confidence in America, and it's their ingenuity and their hard work that's allowed them to be successful.  But organizations like the SBA have also made a difference, because sometimes private financing isn't willing to take a chance on a couple of young guys who have an idea about starting a great hoagie shop.  Sometimes, it may be that a smaller business like a construction business where it's relatively capital intensive is going to have difficulty competing with some of the larger companies in terms of buying the equipment that they need

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Remarks by the President at Roundtable with Small Business Owners

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES: Pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), I hereby report that I have issued an Executive Order (the "order") declaring a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Yemen and others to threaten Yemen's peace, security, and stability

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Message to Congress — Blocking Property of Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen

EXECUTIVE ORDER – - – - – - – BLOCKING PROPERTY OF PERSONS THREATENING THE PEACE, SECURITY, OR STABILITY OF YEMEN By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.) (IEEPA), the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) (NEA), and section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I, BARACK OBAMA, President of the United States of America, find that the actions and policies of certain members of the Government of Yemen and others threaten Yemen's peace, security, and stability, including by obstructing the implementation of the agreement of November 23, 2011, between the Government of Yemen and those in opposition to it, which provides for a peaceful transition of power that meets the legitimate demands and aspirations of the Yemeni people for change, and by obstructing the political process in Yemen

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Executive Order — Blocking Property of Persons Threatening the Peace, Security, or Stability of Yemen

National Economic Council Releases Report on Moving America’s Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs Forward WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Obama will visit a small business in the Washington, DC area where he will urge Congress to act on the “To Do List,” specifically highlighting the need to invest in small businesses and jumpstart new hiring and entrepreneurship by passing legislation that gives a 10 percent income tax credit for firms that create new jobs or increase wages in 2012 and that extends 100 percent expensing in 2012 for all businesses. This stands in contrast to the proposal put forward by House Republicans, which could actually discourage hiring and new investments this year

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President Obama Calls on Congress to Act on Small Business Proposal in “To Do List” and Meets with Congressional Leadership

I’m pleased that Members of Congress from both parties have come together to reauthorize the Export-Import Bank.  This important step will help American businesses create jobs here at home and sell their products around the world – all at no cost to taxpayers.  Last year marked the highest level of financing in the Bank’s 77-year history, as they supported thousands of U.S. companies, hundreds of thousands of jobs, and brought us closer to the goal I set of doubling our nation’s exports by the end of 2014.  Over the last several months, I’ve met with business leaders here in Washington, visited workers at companies like Boeing, and urged Congress to reauthorize the Bank to keep building on this progress.  And I’m glad to see it get done. Now Congress needs to keep going.  Last week, I proposed several common-sense ideas that will help small businesses, reward companies that bring jobs back to America, invest in clean energy and veterans, and help responsible homeowners save money on their mortgages.  Congress should continue to do the right thing by acting on proposals we know will grow our economy and create jobs.  In the meantime, I look forward to signing this bill into law.

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Statement by the President on the Reauthorization of the Export-Import Bank

East Room 2:12 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Everybody, please have a seat.  Have a seat.  Well, welcome to the White House, everybody.  And congratulations to the L.A. Galaxy on your third MLS Cup.  (Applause.)  Number three.    Before we start, I want to acknowledge an L.A

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Remarks by the President Honoring the 2011 MLS Cup Champion L.A. Galaxy

U.S. Capitol Washington, D.C. 11:25 A.M.

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Remarks by the President at the National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service

Barnard College Columbia University New York, New York 1:28 P.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you so much.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  Please, please have a seat.  Thank you.  (Applause.) Thank you, President Spar, trustees, President Bollinger.  Hello, Class of 2012!  (Applause.)  Congratulations on reaching this day.  Thank you for the honor of being able to be a part of it.  There are so many people who are proud of you — your parents, family, faculty, friends — all who share in this achievement.  So please give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)  To all the moms who are here today, you could not ask for a better Mother’s Day gift than to see all of these folks graduate.  (Applause.) I have to say, though, whenever I come to these things, I start thinking about Malia and Sasha graduating, and I start tearing up and — (laughter) — it's terrible.  I don't know how you guys are holding it together.  (Laughter.)  I will begin by telling a hard truth:  I’m a Columbia college graduate.  (Laughter and applause.)  I know there can be a little bit of a sibling rivalry here.  (Laughter.)  But I’m honored nevertheless to be your commencement speaker today — although I’ve got to say, you set a pretty high bar given the past three years.  (Applause.)  Hillary Clinton — (applause) — Meryl Streep — (applause) — Sheryl Sandberg — these are not easy acts to follow.  (Applause.)  But I will point out Hillary is doing an extraordinary job as one of the finest Secretaries of State America has ever had.  (Applause.)  We gave Meryl the Presidential Medal of Arts and Humanities.  (Applause.)  Sheryl is not just a good friend; she’s also one of our economic advisers.  So it’s like the old saying goes — keep your friends close, and your Barnard commencement speakers even closer.  (Applause.)  There's wisdom in that.  (Laughter.)   Now, the year I graduated — this area looks familiar — (laughter) — the year I graduated was 1983, the first year women were admitted to Columbia.  (Applause.)  Sally Ride was the first American woman in space.  Music was all about Michael and the Moonwalk.  (Laughter.) AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Do it!  (Laughter.) THE PRESIDENT:  No Moonwalking.  (Laughter.)  No Moonwalking today.  (Laughter.) We had the Walkman, not iPods.  Some of the streets around here were not quite so inviting.  (Laughter.)  Times Square was not a family destination.  (Laughter.)  So I know this is all ancient history.  Nothing worse than commencement speakers droning on about bygone days.  (Laughter.)  But for all the differences, the Class of 1983 actually had a lot in common with all of you.  For we, too, were heading out into a world at a moment when our country was still recovering from a particularly severe economic recession.  It was a time of change.  It was a time of uncertainty.  It was a time of passionate political debates.  You can relate to this because just as you were starting out finding your way around this campus, an economic crisis struck that would claim more than 5 million jobs before the end of your freshman year.  Since then, some of you have probably seen parents put off retirement, friends struggle to find work.  And you may be looking toward the future with that same sense of concern that my generation did when we were sitting where you are now.  Of course, as young women, you’re also going to grapple with some unique challenges, like whether you’ll be able to earn equal pay for equal work; whether you’ll be able to balance the demands of your job and your family; whether you’ll be able to fully control decisions about your own health.  And while opportunities for women have grown exponentially over the last 30 years, as young people, in many ways you have it even tougher than we did.  This recession has been more brutal, the job losses steeper.  Politics seems nastier.  Congress more gridlocked than ever.  Some folks in the financial world have not exactly been model corporate citizens.  (Laughter.)  No wonder that faith in our institutions has never been lower, particularly when good news doesn’t get the same kind of ratings as bad news anymore.  Every day you receive a steady stream of sensationalism and scandal and stories with a message that suggest change isn’t possible; that you can’t make a difference; that you won’t be able to close that gap between life as it is and life as you want it to be

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Remarks by the President at Barnard College Commencement Ceremony

TO IMPLEMENT THE UNITED STATES-COLOMBIA TRADE PROMOTION AGREEMENT AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES – - – - – - – BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA A PROCLAMATION 1. On November 22, 2006, the United States entered into the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement (the "Agreement") and on June 28, 2007, the United States and Colombia amended the Agreement

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Presidential Trade Proclamation — To Implement the United States-Colombia Trade Promotion Agreement and for Other Purposes