What Government Did Today

New York University, Tishman Auditorium New York, New York 10:59 A.M.

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Remarks by Vice President Joe Biden on Foreign Policy at a Camapaign Event

Stopping the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike In his State of the Union Address, President Obama laid out a blueprint for an economy built to last—an economy built on American manufacturing, American energy, skills for American workers, and a renewal of American values. The President has worked tirelessly to get our economy growing again, but he knows there’s much more we can and must do, and that includes making smart investments in education that lead to better jobs and a stronger middle class. The strength of the American economy is inextricably linked to the strength of America’s education system: particularly at this make-or-break moment for the middle class we must continue to invest in creating an American workforce that has the skills for success in the global economy.  At a time when the average earnings of college graduates is twice that of workers with only a high school diploma, higher education is the clearest pathway into the middle class

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Educating Our Way to an Economy Built to Last: Stopping the Student Loan Interest Rate Hike

National Monument will honor veterans, serve as hub for conservation and recreation President Obama today will sign a Proclamation to designate federal lands within the former Fort Ord as a National Monument under the Antiquities Act.  Fort Ord, a former military base located on California’s Central Coast, is a world-class destination for hikers, mountain bikers, and outdoor enthusiasts who come to enjoy the area’s history and scenic landscapes.  “Fort Ord’s dramatic landscape lives in the memories of thousands of veterans as their first taste of Army life, as a final stop before deploying to war, or as a home base during their military career.  This national monument will not only protect one of the crown jewels of California’s coast, but will also honor the heroism and dedication of men and women who served our nation and fought in the major conflicts of the 20th century,” said President Obama. “Already, over 100,000 people come every year to enjoy all that Fort Ord has to offer.

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President Obama to Sign Proclamation Designating Fort Ord National Monument

WASHINGTON, DC – On April 24-25, President Obama will travel to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa to launch an effort to get Congress to prevent interest rates on student loans from doubling in July. More than 7.4 million students with federal student loans will see their interest rates double on July 1 unless Congress steps in to keep them low. For each year Congress allows the rate to double, the average student with these loans racks up an additional $1,000 in debt.

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President Obama to Travel to North Carolina, Colorado and Iowa, Calling on Congress to Prevent Student Interest Rates from Doubling

Today the Obama Administration announced new efforts to help combat and prevent domestic violence in the federal workplace.  President Obama today signed a memorandum that will require federal agencies to develop policies to address the effects of domestic violence and provide assistance to employees who are experiencing domestic violence.

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We Can’t Wait: President Signs Memorandum Establishing Policies for Addressing Domestic Violence in the Federal Workplace

WASHINGTON, DC— In this week’s address, President Obama urged Congress to pass the Buffett Rule, a principle of fairness that says if you make more than $1 million a year, you should pay at least the same percentage of your income in taxes as middle class families.  Meanwhile, if you make under $250,000 a year – like 98 percent of American families do – your taxes shouldn’t go up.  The President has been pushing Congress to pass the Buffett rule to help ensure we have a system that’s fair, where everyone plays by the same set of rules and we can continue to make the investments we need to grow our economy and help the middle class and those trying to get in it. Remarks of President Obama Weekly Address The White House April 14, 2012 One of the fundamental challenges of our time is building an economy where everyone gets a fair shot, everyone does their fair share, and everyone plays by the same rules. And as many Americans rush to file their taxes this weekend, it’s worth pointing out that we’ve got a tax system that doesn’t always uphold the principle of everyone doing their part.  Now, this is not just about fairness.  This is also about growth.  It’s about being able to make the investments we need to strengthen our economy and create jobs.  And it’s about whether we as a country are willing to pay for those investments.  In a perfect world, of course, none of us would have to pay any taxes.

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WEEKLY ADDRESS: It’s Time for Congress to Pass the Buffett Rule

WASHINGTON, DC — On Thursday, April 19, President Obama will welcome the BCS National Champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide to the White House to honor their 14th championship and their exceptional 2011-2012 season.  The President will also continue his tradition of honoring sports teams for their efforts both on and off the field by recognizing the efforts by the Crimson Tide to give back to their community.

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President Obama to Honor BCS National Champion University of Alabama Crimson Tide at the White House

Oval Office 1:17 P.M.

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Remarks by President Obama and President Rousseff of Brazil after Bilateral Meeting

Today in Washington, President Obama and President Rousseff reviewed the accomplishments of the Global Partnership Dialogue (GDP), elevated to the Presidential level in March 2011, which strengthens U.S.-Brazil partnership across a range of global issues including the advancement of educational cooperation, scientific and technological cooperation, and multilateral and trilateral cooperation.  The GDP provides for engagement on key topics such as economic cooperation, non-proliferation, space security, cooperation in political-military affairs and efforts to combat translational crime, social inclusion and human rights, and hemispheric issues.  Secretary Clinton will join Foreign Minister Patriota in Brasilia on April 16 for the next meeting of the GPD. Since President Obama’s visit to Brazil last March, the United States Brazil have significantly advanced our educational cooperation and our coordination of global issues.  The links below highlight examples of our joint progress and collaboration: Fact Sheet on Trilateral Cooperation The United States and Brazil have a long history of partnership in delivering development assistance to maximize resources to fight poverty.  Current initiatives work to improve health and food security in Africa, to combat child labor in Haiti, to partner on a trilateral basis with Bolivia on counternarcotics cooperation, and to promote biofuels in Central America, the Caribbean, and Africa.  Fact Sheet on Education Cooperation Presidents Obama and Rousseff have set complementary goals on education.  President Obama's “100,000 Strong in the Americas” program has as its goal to increase the number of students from Latin America and the Caribbean studying in the United States and the number of U.S. students studying in these regions to 100,000 in each direction by 2020.  President Rousseff’s Science without Borders initiative aims to build and expand Brazil’s role as a global leader by sending 101,000 Brazilians to study in science and technology fields abroad in the next four years, with at least half attending U.S.

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Fact Sheet: The U.S.-Brazil Global Partnership Dialogue

President Obama and President Rousseff recognize the importance of science, technology, and innovation to the well-being and economic strength of our countries.  At the March 12-13, 2012, Joint Commission Meeting (JCM) on Science and Technology cooperation in Brasilia, the United States and Brazil deepened their already strong science and technology partnership.  The two countries reaffirmed their shared commitment to collaboration in a wide range of disciplines, from studies of our oceans to outer space and from nanotechnology to natural disasters.  Accomplishments of this bilateral partnership and activities planned for the years ahead include: Understanding Oceans, Weather, and Climate Change The United States and Brazil enjoy a growing partnership in space weather, Earth observations, advocacy for data sharing, participation in the International Space Environment Service, the training of scientists from Brazil at the U.S. National Weather Service, and collaboration on shark and billfish management

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Fact Sheet: U.S.-Brazil Science and Technology Cooperation