What Government Did Today

Camp Victory Baghdad, Iraq VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN:  Ladies and gentlemen, the last several years, every time I have been in this old palace, am here, I can’t but help think of the irony that we are here today occupying a palace for a noble reason that was once occupied by Saddam Hussein.  Secretary Gates, Admiral Mullen, General Mattis, General Odierno, General Austin, Ambassador Jeffrey, our distinguished and honored Iraqi leaders and military, it’s an honor to be with you today.  It’s an honor to be joined by such a distinguished group of Americans and Iraqi commanders and civilian leaders bound together, I might add — as a nation, we are now bound together as well by years of shared struggle and significant sacrifice. In the predawn hours of March 20, 2003, columns of coalition troops set off across the desert and marshlands from Kuwait en route to Baghdad.  Last week — after seven-and-a-half years that tested our mettle like no conflict in recent American history — the last of our combat units followed that same dusty highway out of Iraq, on their way home

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Remarks by Vice President Joseph Biden at the Change of Command Ceremony for United States Forces-Iraq

Columbus, Ohio  1:18 P.M.

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Remarks by the President at Luncheon Reception for Governor Ted Strickland

 WASHINGTON — Vice President Biden today announced 94 Recovery Act investments in broadband projects that will create jobs and expand economic opportunities within 37 states.  These investments in high-speed Internet infrastructure will help bridge the technological divide in communities that are being left in the 20th century economy and support improvements in education, healthcare, and public safety

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Vice President Biden Announces Recovery Act Investments in Broadband Projects to Bring Jobs, Economic Opportunity to Communities Nationwide

Milwaukee, Wisconsin August 16, 2010 1:00 P.M. CDT THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Milwaukee!  (Applause.)  Thank you!  Thank you so much.  Thank you very much, everybody.  (Applause.) Everybody, please have a seat.  Have a seat.  It is good to be back in Milwaukee — (applause) — good to be back in the Midwest.  Good to be out of Washington once in a while.  (Laughter.)  Good to be in the great state of Wisconsin.  And looking out at this crowd, I know that so many of you did so much on behalf of my campaign.  You were with us when we were up; you were with us when we were down.  So if it weren’t for so many of you, I would not be standing here as President today.  And I am grateful to all of you.  So thank you very much

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Remarks by the President at Luncheon for Mayor Tom Barrett

On August 17, 2001, consistent with the authority provided to the President under the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (50 U.S.C. 1701 et seq.), the President issued Executive Order 13222. In that order, he declared a national emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States in light of the expiration of the Export Administration Act of 1979, as amended (50 U.S.C

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Notice from the President on the Continuation of Emergency Regarding Export Control Regulations

Rose Garden 11:43 A.M. EDT THE PRESIDENT:  Good morning, everybody.  One of the biggest challenges of this recession has been its impact on state and local communities.  With so many Americans unemployed or struggling to get by, states have been forced to balance their budgets with fewer tax dollars, which means that they’ve got to cut critical services and lay off teachers and police officers and firefighters.

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Remarks by the President on Teacher Jobs

Private Residence Dallas, Texas August 9, 2010 4:34 P.M. CDT   THE PRESIDENT:  Well, thank you very much, everybody.  It is wonderful to be with you.  And I just first of all want to thank Russell and Dori for the wonderful hospitality in a gorgeous home.  So thank you very much.  Give them a big round of applause.  (Applause.)    And I want to also say thank you for doing such a great job training my Ambassador Ron Kirk.  (Laughter.)  He has been doing yeoman’s work internationally, and I know it’s because he has such good friends in Dallas who, along with Matrice, keep him straight.  (Laughter.)  So we are pleased to have him in the administration.  He is just a great friend as well as a great national leader.

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Remarks by the President at a DSCC Finance Event in Dallas, Texas

Four Seasons Hotel Austin, Texas 12:55 P.M. CDT THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hello, Austin!  Thank you so much.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Please have a seat, have a seat, have a seat.  Well, first of all, thank you, Linda, for that terrific introduction.  I would have heard it again.  (Laughter.)  I would have been happy.   A few other great friends — your own, somebody from Texas, but who is doing a great job internationally on behalf of all the American people as my Trade Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk is here.  (Applause.)  More importantly, Ambassador Ron Kirk’s mom is here.  (Applause.)  A wonderful congressman who is battling day in, day out on behalf of the people of Texas and the folks in his district — Lloyd Doggett is here.  (Applause.)  I want to thank Mayor Lee Leffingwell for his hospitality.  (Applause.)  Texas Democratic Party chair Boyd Richie and his lovely wife Betty are here.  (Applause.)  And our DNC deputy national finance chair Kirk Rudy is here.  (Applause.)  It’s good to be back in Texas.  And it’s really good to be back in Austin.  (Applause.)  I just love Austin, Texas.  I do.  Every time I come here I like the people, I like the food, I like the music.  I like that there are a bunch of Democrats here.  (Laughter.)  I like that, too.  (Applause.)  It is wonderful.  And as I look out throughout this crowd, there’s so many of you who did so much on behalf of our campaign, on behalf of my election.  You were with us when we were up; you were with us when we were down — and you will recall we had some down days.  And I know that if it weren’t for you I might not be standing here as President of the United States.  So, to all my good friends here in Texas, thank you very much for everything that you’ve done.  (Applause.)  Of course, whenever I talk to my supporters I am reminded of a story Abraham Lincoln liked to tell:  A man comes to the White House demanding to see the President — and this is at a time when things were a little more relaxed in terms of security — so he insists that he was a big supporter of President Lincoln.  Finally he gets through reception, gets an audience with the President, and says, “If it weren’t for me you would not be President of the United States.”  And President Lincoln says, “I forgive you.”  (Laughter.)  It is an extraordinary honor, obviously, to be your President.  But I will also say that the last few years have been incredibly challenging for so many people throughout America.  You know that here.  It’s certainly true all across the country.

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Remarks by the President at a DNC Finance Event in Austin, Texas

Four Seasons Hotel Austin, Texas 12:55 P.M. CDT THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, everybody!  (Applause.)  Hello, Austin!  Thank you so much.  Thank you very much.  (Applause.)  Please have a seat, have a seat, have a seat.  Well, first of all, thank you, Linda, for that terrific introduction.  I would have heard it again.  (Laughter.)  I would have been happy.   A few other great friends — your own, somebody from Texas, but who is doing a great job internationally on behalf of all the American people as my Trade Representative, Ambassador Ron Kirk is here.  (Applause.)  More importantly, Ambassador Ron Kirk’s mom is here.  (Applause.)  A wonderful congressman who is battling day in, day out on behalf of the people of Texas and the folks in his district — Lloyd Doggett is here.  (Applause.)  I want to thank Mayor Lee Leffingwell for his hospitality.  (Applause.)  Texas Democratic Party chair Boyd Richie and his lovely wife Betty are here.  (Applause.)  And our DNC deputy national finance chair Kirk Rudy is here.  (Applause.)  It’s good to be back in Texas.  And it’s really good to be back in Austin.  (Applause.)  I just love Austin, Texas.  I do.  Every time I come here I like the people, I like the food, I like the music.  I like that there are a bunch of Democrats here.  (Laughter.)  I like that, too.  (Applause.)  It is wonderful.  And as I look out throughout this crowd, there’s so many of you who did so much on behalf of our campaign, on behalf of my election.  You were with us when we were up; you were with us when we were down — and you will recall we had some down days.  And I know that if it weren’t for you I might not be standing here as President of the United States.  So, to all my good friends here in Texas, thank you very much for everything that you’ve done.  (Applause.)  Of course, whenever I talk to my supporters I am reminded of a story Abraham Lincoln liked to tell:  A man comes to the White House demanding to see the President — and this is at a time when things were a little more relaxed in terms of security — so he insists that he was a big supporter of President Lincoln.  Finally he gets through reception, gets an audience with the President, and says, “If it weren’t for me you would not be President of the United States.”  And President Lincoln says, “I forgive you.”  (Laughter.)  It is an extraordinary honor, obviously, to be your President.  But I will also say that the last few years have been incredibly challenging for so many people throughout America.  You know that here.  It’s certainly true all across the country.

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Remarks by the President at a DNC Finance Event in Austin, Texas

President Obama has directed his Administration to stand with the Pakistani people and to assist them as they confront the worst flooding in Pakistan’s history.   Knowing that continuing heavy monsoon rains over the next few days will only add to the challenges of this humanitarian crisis, the United States Government has been rushing a wide range of assistance to the Pakistani people in close coordination with the Government of Pakistan. The United States Government has provided an additional $35 million in financial aid to the $7.5 million that was already designated to assist people in the affected area, as well as food, shelter, medical supplies and other life sustaining items.  This funding is being provided by the U.S

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Statement by the National Security Advisor General James Jones on the U.S. Response to Flooding in Pakistan