Hi, all. Today's report features:
• Weekly Address: The President discusses his visit to a company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and his agenda for America to "win the future" spelled out in the State of the Union Address.
• The President speaks about Egypt: The President urges the Egyptian government to show restraint and address the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people.
• White House press briefing: Mr. Gibbs takes questions on the Administration’s response to events in Egypt and other issues.
• President on health reform: The President reaffirms the benefits of the Health Reform Law at the Families USA Health Action Conference.
• Vice President on PBS NewsHour: Vice President Biden discusses Egypt, gun control, the economy and other issues.
• First Lady interview: First Lady Michelle Obama discusses the consequences of childhood obesity, poor childhood nutrition and lack of physical exercise on military readiness.
• WEEKLY ADDRESS •
White House, Jan. 29, 2011:
Weekly Address: Out-Innovating, Out-Educating & Out-Building Our Competitors
The President discusses his visit to a company in Manitowoc, Wisconsin and how it exemplified his agenda for America to "win the future" spelled out in the State of the Union Address.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 29, 2011:
Weekly Address: America Will Win the Future by Out-Innovating, Out-Educating, and Out-Building Our Competitors
In this week’s address, President Obama called Orion Energy Systems in Manitowoc, Wisconsin an example of how America can win the future by being the best place on Earth to do business. Orion was able to open with the help of small business loans and incentives that are creating demand for clean energy technologies. By sparking innovation and spurring new products and technologies, America will unleash the talent and ingenuity of American workers and businesses, which will lead to new, good jobs.
I’m speaking to you today from Manitowoc, Wisconsin, where I’m at an innovative company called Orion Energy Systems.
Just a few years ago, this was an empty warehouse. A major employer had shut down this factory, moved its operations abroad, and took a lot of jobs away from this town.
But today, as you can see behind me, this is a thriving enterprise once more. You are looking at a factory where 250 workers are building advanced clean energy systems – state-of-the-art technologies that use solar power and energy efficiency to save farms and businesses thousands of dollars on their utility bills.
I’m here because this business and others like it are showing us the way forward. And in the coming days, I’ll be shining a spotlight on innovators across America who are relying on new technologies to create new jobs and opportunities in new industries.
That’s what companies like Orion are doing. And that’s how America will win the future – by out-innovating, out-educating, and out-building our competitors. We’ll win the future by being the best place on Earth to do business. That is what we are called to do at this moment. And in my state of the union, I talked about how we get there.
It starts by making sure that every single child can get a good education and every American can afford college or career training. Because that’s what will help light the spark in the minds of innovators – and ensure that our people have the skills to work for innovative companies.
We also need to make sure that America can move goods and information as fast as any of our competitors, whether on the road or online. Because good infrastructure helps our businesses sell their products and services faster and cheaper.
We have to reform our government and cut wasteful spending, so that we eliminate what we don’t need to pay for the investments we need to grow, like education and medical research.
And as we can see here in Manitowoc, we need to ensure that we are promoting innovation – especially in promising areas like clean energy. This is going to be key to growing our economy and helping businesses create jobs. Orion, for example, was able to open with the help of small business loans and incentives that are creating demand for clean energy technologies like wind power and solar panels.
That’s why I’ve proposed a bigger tax credit for the research that companies do. And to give these companies the certainty of knowing there will be a market for what they sell, I’ve set this goal for America: by 2035, 80 percent of electricity should come from clean energy.
This is going to help spark innovation at businesses across America. This is going to spur new products and technologies. This is going to lead to good, new jobs. And that’s how we win the future – by unleashing the talent and ingenuity of American businesses and American workers in every corner of this country.
So to those who say that America’s best days are behind us, let them come here, to Manitowoc. Let them come to this once-shuttered factory that is now bustling with workers building new technologies for the world. Let them come here to see the incredible promise of our country.
This is the future. And it’s bright.
Thank you.
• PRESIDENT SPEAKS ABOUT EGYPT •
White House, Jan. 28, 2011:
President Obama on the Situation in Egypt
The President speaks out on the protests in Egypt, urging the Egyptian government to show restraint and address the legitimate grievances of the Egyptian people.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 28, 2011:
Remarks by the President on the Situation in Egypt
THE PRESIDENT: Good evening, everybody. My administration has been closely monitoring the situation in Egypt, and I know that we will be learning more tomorrow when day breaks. As the situation continues to unfold, our first concern is preventing injury or loss of life. So I want to be very clear in calling upon the Egyptian authorities to refrain from any violence against peaceful protestors.
The people of Egypt have rights that are universal. That includes the right to peaceful assembly and association, the right to free speech, and the ability to determine their own destiny. These are human rights. And the United States will stand up for them everywhere.
I also call upon the Egyptian government to reverse the actions that they’ve taken to interfere with access to the Internet, to cell phone service and to social networks that do so much to connect people in the 21st century.
At the same time, those protesting in the streets have a responsibility to express themselves peacefully. Violence and destruction will not lead to the reforms that they seek.
Now, going forward, this moment of volatility has to be turned into a moment of promise. The United States has a close partnership with Egypt and we've cooperated on many issues, including working together to advance a more peaceful region. But we've also been clear that there must be reform -- political, social, and economic reforms that meet the aspirations of the Egyptian people.
In the absence of these reforms, grievances have built up over time. When President Mubarak addressed the Egyptian people tonight, he pledged a better democracy and greater economic opportunity. I just spoke to him after his speech and I told him he has a responsibility to give meaning to those words, to take concrete steps and actions that deliver on that promise.
Violence will not address the grievances of the Egyptian people. And suppressing ideas never succeeds in making them go away. What’s needed right now are concrete steps that advance the rights of the Egyptian people: a meaningful dialogue between the government and its citizens, and a path of political change that leads to a future of greater freedom and greater opportunity and justice for the Egyptian people.
Now, ultimately the future of Egypt will be determined by the Egyptian people. And I believe that the Egyptian people want the same things that we all want -- a better life for ourselves and our children, and a government that is fair and just and responsive. Put simply, the Egyptian people want a future that befits the heirs to a great and ancient civilization.
The United States always will be a partner in pursuit of that future. And we are committed to working with the Egyptian government and the Egyptian people -- all quarters -- to achieve it.
Around the world governments have an obligation to respond to their citizens. That's true here in the United States; that's true in Asia; it is true in Europe; it is true in Africa; and it’s certainly true in the Arab world, where a new generation of citizens has the right to be heard.
When I was in Cairo, shortly after I was elected President, I said that all governments must maintain power through consent, not coercion. That is the single standard by which the people of Egypt will achieve the future they deserve.
Surely there will be difficult days to come. But the United States will continue to stand up for the rights of the Egyptian people and work with their government in pursuit of a future that is more just, more free, and more hopeful.
Thank you very much.
• WHITE HOUSE PRESS BRIEFING •
White House, Jan. 28, 2011:
1/28/10: White House Press Briefing
White House Press Briefings are conducted most weekdays from the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room in the West Wing.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 28, 2011:
Press Briefing by Press Secretary Robert Gibbs, 1/28/2011
MR. GIBBS: Good afternoon. I apologize for the delay. Obviously we are watching and monitoring very closely a very fluid and dynamic situation, so I will do my best to answer some of your immediate questions. We may take some of those, again, as events, as we can all see, are changing very quickly....
Let me start by giving you a little bit of a rundown in the President’s briefings thus far today. Overnight he received a memo from the National Security Advisor on the latest situation. I think you all have been briefed on the fact that the President’s PDB was about 40 minutes in the Oval Office this morning entirely on the situation in Egypt. We convened not too long ago, about 12:30 p.m., a deputies committee meeting in the Situation Room run by Denis McDonough where we heard directly from Ambassador Margaret Scobey from Egypt and the State Department and others. Those -- that briefing was relayed back to the President not too long ago in the Oval Office....
I would point you to what I think we’ve said over the course of this, Ben, and that is this is not about picking a person or picking the people of a country. And as you heard Secretary of State Clinton say today, we are deeply concerned about the images and the events that we see in Egypt today. We monitor those events closely.
The security personnel in Egypt need to refrain from violence. Protesters should refrain from violence, as well. We’ve said that throughout this. We think the government, as many of us have said throughout the day, need to turn the Internet and social networking sites back on.
The legitimate grievances that have festered for quite some time in Egypt have to be addressed by the Egyptian government immediately, and violence is not the response. A space has to be created for a meaningful dialogue that addresses, again, those very legitimate grievances. Our belief in their right on the freedom of expression, of association and of assembly -- we have, and I outlined some yesterday, some very specific things that the government must begin to do immediately....
Q: .... What can the President do if these matters are not –
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, first and foremost, this is a situation that will be solved by the people in Egypt. I will say this, that we -- sorry -- we are monitoring closely the situation, as I’ve said. We will be reviewing our assistance posture based on events that take place in the coming days. So that's certainly part of it. But this is -- this will be solved by the Egyptian people. But it is important -- and there’s a very important opportunity for the Egyptian government to address, again, grievances that have been in place for a number of years....
Q: .... I mean, it seems that it would be more powerful if the President can pick up the phone, call President Mubarak and make the same remarks.
MR. GIBBS: Dan, I think it’s important to understand that we have -- we are in continual contact with -- throughout levels of our government with the Egyptian government....
Q: And finally, what -- can you kind of talk to us a bit about the role that Egypt has played in that region?....
MR. GIBBS: Well, look, again, I think obvious -- you know, we have seen the role that, on issues like Middle East peace, that, either in current negotiations or historically, the government of Egypt has played, and that's important.
But there is a responsibility that is had by the government of Egypt regardless of the role that they have played internationally or regionally over the course of any number of years. They also have to address the grievances that have built up for those same number of years within the country of Egypt.
This is an important opportunity to institute concrete and legitimate political reforms, to address the deep concerns of the Egyptian people and make some substantive progress. And that's what we’re looking for....
Q: Robert, why does the U.S. still support countries and regimes that we know do not respect human rights, like Egypt?
MR. GIBBS: Well, again, we have documented, again, the concerns that some have had for quite some time. As is the case with a country like China, we have a whole host of bilateral issues that we deal with countries on, as we did in the recent trip. There were economic, security and basic human rights issues that we discuss when the President meets with his counterparts.
Our belief is it is important to have those conversations very directly with those leaders. If you walk away from the table of engagement, you can’t deliver that message in a face-to-face manner. And the President believes obviously that's tremendously important.
Q: You talk about urging restraint. Has that message been communicated from the United States directly to the Egyptian military to refrain from violence, or is just from the podium?
MR. GIBBS: No, it has been communicated not just from this podium, not just in the remarks of the Secretary of State, but at levels within the Pentagon to the Egyptian military from the Egyptian military, from the State Department, from the words and conversations that have been had by Ambassador Scobey -- all levels -- and also the words, most importantly, of the President yesterday....
Let’s be clear, Mike. Urging restraint and then seeing violence is obviously very counter to what we believe should be had. And we would strongly condemn the use of any violence on either side during this situation, absolutely....
Q: Has the United States, through the ambassador or somebody, officially condemned the house arrest of El Baradei?
MR. GIBBS: Obviously -- I don't -- I did not hear the ambassador discuss it directly. Obviously, again, this goes into -- directly into our concern about expression, association and assembly.
Q: If he is under house arrest, do you guys condemn --
MR. GIBBS: Let me say this, that this is an individual who is a Nobel Laureate, who the President has -- knows and has worked with on a host of nuclear security issues, as the former -- as the once head of the IAEA. And these are the type of activities that the government has a responsibility to change....
Q: One more. Apparently Vodafone -- it’s a British company -- is the company that turned off Internet access for the people of Egypt. Is there any way or any thought to pressuring Vodafone to put that network back on?
MR. GIBBS: Let me take the specific company question and make sure that I’m clear on whatever role any company is playing.
Obviously, without getting into the individual company, which I’ll check on with NSC, we have a -- it is our strong belief that inside of the framework of basic individual rights are the rights of those to have access to the Internet and to sites for open communication and social networking....
Q: On the communications <q>
MR. GIBBS: Well, we got a very thorough rundown from the ambassador who’s at the embassy right now.
Q: But you’re not -- none of these shutdowns, in terms of the Internet, it’s not affecting your ability to gather information?
MR. GIBBS: No, we have a host of ways to gather information....
Q: And then just to follow real quick on the aid that you’re saying you’re reviewing, you’re confident that prior to you announcing it here, the Egyptians are aware that their aid is under review?
MR. GIBBS: Again, I want to be careful, Hans, that -- I don’t know every conversation that’s been had. But suffice to say, I think I was rather clear in what I said....
.... I think we’ve been very clear about what needs to happen. Violence in any form should stop immediately, and grievances should be addressed. We will monitor what is and what has happened and future events as we undertake a review of our assistance posture....
I think that if -- I think we are watching very closely the actions of the government, of the police, of all the security forces, and all of those in the military. That their actions may affect our assistance would be the subject of that review....
Q: Can I ask you about China? ....
MR. GIBBS: I think that -- again, I think it would be -- if I’m not going to generalize across a region, I probably shouldn’t generalize across several regions.
Q: I just want to know about one country, not --
MR. GIBBS: No, no, I understand. But to discuss this as it relates to one other country would be to do -- would be to dip my toe into the pool of generalization, which I’m certainly not going to do.
I will say this. Again, I think the issues that the President talked with President Hu of China about and the issues with which President Hu told all of you that there was work to be done, that is the case regardless of what happens in any other country in the world. And the President has expressed his concerns about that, and I think you saw those concerns quite honestly expressed by President Hu....
Q: Looking at the seriousness of the situation, who is the person you are in touch with in Cairo?....
MR. GIBBS: We are in touch with -- again, I don't have a list of every conversation that's been had. We are in touch with the Egyptian government throughout entities in this building and throughout this administration. The Pentagon is obviously in touch with the military. The State Department is in touch with -- directly with the government and in touch with the Foreign Ministry. Again, there are conversations that are had in many different buildings and at many different levels....
Q: ...concretely what types of reforms are you urging for?
MR. GIBBS: Well, let me -- I outlined a couple of things yesterday and repeated them today the types of things that we certainly would envision.
I think -- and I repeat those -- obviously, I mentioned free and fair elections, I mentioned our condemnation of the extension of emergency law, and that that should be ended. But the grievances of the people have to be addressed directly by the government, and I think there has to be a significant and thorough dialogue to address, again, a whole host of individual rights that the people rightly believe are lacking.
So I think there has to be a concrete process that involves -- and I think it’s not -- would not be something that would be only enumerated from our perspective. It has to be enumerated and addressed directly from the perspective of those in Egypt....
Q: Do you need a common strategy of the West -- I mean, the --
MR. GIBBS: We need a strategy by the Egyptian government to address the grievances of the Egyptian people. I think the world -- and I think several leaders have expressed the same -- the very same concerns about violence that the President, the Secretary of State, and others have addressed, the Vice President. I think that the basic and universal rights that have to be reformed -- I think there’s a pretty common response and reaction to the images that we’re seeing now....
Is there anything that I could say that would be more clear than that the people of Egypt have -- should and have full access to social networking sites and the Internet; that the people of Egypt should have their concerns about freedom of expression, assembly and association addressed directly by their government?...
I don't think I could be clearer. I don't think the people of Egypt could be clearer. We’ve reached a point where the grievances of those have to be addressed in concrete reforms. Have to. Must. Unequivocal....
Q: .... as far as presidential address to the union the other day, it came to surprise around the globe, the people were surprised when the President said that China is now head of super-computer once the U.S. lost the leader, and also in solar power. What people are asking now if China has compromised the U.S. security as far as leading in super-computers and all --
MR. GIBBS: Let’s be clear. I think -- let’s be clear. We, as the President said in his speech, need to take important steps to win the future. We need to out-innovate and out-build and out-educate any of our competitors.
I don't think people should be confused about the size of our economy and the size of their economy. Our economy is three times the size of the Chinese economy, with a quarter of its people.
Again, we need to take steps, because as you’ve heard the President say a number of times, people in one state in this country aren’t competing against people the next town over or two states away. It’s a global economy and we have global challenges, and I think the President addressed and outlined many of them, and over the course of the coming weeks and months we’ll outline specific plans to address them....
• PRESIDENT ON HEALTH REFORM •
White House, Jan. 28, 2011:
President Obama on Health Reform at Families USA
The President reaffirms the benefits of the Health Reform Law at the Families USA Health Action Conference.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 28, 2011:
Remarks by the President at Families USA Health Action Conference
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Everybody, please have a seat. Thank you. Thank you, Ron, for not only the generous introduction but for the wonderful leadership and for sharing some of your applause with me. (Laughter.) To Phil and Kate Villers, for founding Families USA, we thank them. (Applause.) Thank you. To all of you -– organizers and advocates and activists, all of you who believe that change does not come from the top down, it comes from the bottom up, and you guys activated the country -- thank you so much for your great work. (Applause.)
On Tuesday, I gave this little speech here in town -- (laughter) -- the State of the Union. I outlined my vision for an America that’s more determined, more competitive, better positioned for the future -- an America where we out-innovate, we out-educate, we out-build the rest of the world; where we take responsibility for our deficits; where we reform our government to meet the demands of a new age.
That’s what will be required for the new jobs and new businesses of the 21st century to set up shop here in the United States. That’s how our people will prosper within our communities. That’s how America will remain a place where each of us is free to choose our own destiny and make of our lives what we will.
Now, for most families, that freedom requires a job that pays the bills, covers your mortgage, helps you look after your children. It means a chance to send those children to college, save enough for retirement. And it means access to quality, affordable health care. That is part of the American Dream. (Applause.)
That security is part of the American Dream. And that’s what brought me here, to this conference, four years ago this week. I looked younger then. (Laughter.) I didn't have as much gray hair. (Laughter.)
Even before the pangs of this historic recession that we’ve just gone through -- so four years ago, that was still on the horizon -- our friends and neighbors were already dealing with the anxiety and the cruelty of a health care system that just did not work for too many American citizens.
We believed we could change that. We believed that we could finally guarantee quality, affordable care for every American. And even though I hadn’t announced my candidacy for this office, I joined you that day in a promise, that we would make health reform a reality by the end of the next President’s first term. That was our commitment. (Applause.)
That was our commitment, and together that is what we did. That is what you did. So thank you for all those years of work to help make it happen. I couldn’t be prouder of you. (Applause.)
Now, since I signed the Affordable Care Act into law 10 months ago, Americans already have more power, greater freedom, stronger control of their health care. This law will lower premiums. It is limiting costs. It is reining in the worst abuses of the insurance industry with some of the toughest consumer protections this country has ever known. (Applause.) This is making a real difference for families across this country as we speak.
Now, it’s no secret that not everyone in Congress agrees with this law. (Laughter.) And as I said on Tuesday, I believe that anything can be improved. As we work to implement it, there are going to be times where we say, you know what, this needs a tweak, this isn’t working exactly as intended, exactly the way we want. Here’s a way of doing it smarter, better. We may be able to serve families to lower costs and improve care every more.
And so I’m willing to work with anyone, Republican or Democrat, to make care better or to make their health care more affordable. I’ve even suggested we begin by correcting what was a legitimate concern, a flaw, in the legislation that placed unnecessary bookkeeping burdens on small businesses. I’m open to other ideas, including patient safety innovations and medical malpractice reform.
But here’s what I’m not open to, and I said this on Tuesday. I am not willing to just refight the battles of the last two years. I’m not open to efforts that will take this law apart without considering the lives and the livelihoods that hang in the balance. Families USA, we are moving forward -- we are moving forward. (Applause.)
Already, small business owners are taking advantage of the new health care tax credit that can offset as much as 35 percent of the cost of covering their employees.
We've got small business owners like Janine Vaughn of Spokane, Washington. Janine always tried to do the right thing and cover her workers. But she explained, "We’re a small business. We care about everybody who works here." But over the last 12 years, her premiums have tripled, so that was eating away at her profit margin.
But today, that new tax credit that was part of the Affordable Care Act is helping her cover her workers. And in 2014, she’s going to be able to pool together with other small business owners to shop for a better deal for her staff and for herself, just like large companies can do.
As we speak, Americans are enrolling in new programs that provide affordable coverage for folks who had been shut out of the insurance market because of preexisting conditions. People like Gail O’Brien of Keene, New Hampshire, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of lymphoma while working full-time as a preschool teacher at a school that couldn't afford to offer insurance to its employees.
Because she was sick, no insurer would cover her. As she put it, she was scared to death -– not of cancer, but how she’d pay her bills with each round of chemo that cost $16,000. And she thought that she and her husband, Matt, would have to spend everything they saved to pay for their two sons’ college education in order to afford treatment.
Gail was the first person in New Hampshire to sign up for the program available under the Affordable Care Act, and today she is doing great. And by 2014, no insurer will be able to discriminate against her or any one of the up to 129 million other Americans with a preexisting condition. (Applause.) They’ll have more affordable private insurance options through state exchanges that promote competition and transparency and better deals for consumers.
Parents of children who suffer from a preexisting condition can finally breathe a sigh of relief, too. Parents like Dawn Josephson of Jacksonville, Florida. Dawn is self-employed, so she buys insurance on the individual market. And her son Wesley, who I had a chance to meet -- he’s adorable -- he has an eye condition that demands frequent surgeries.
So in the past, insurers have excluded important benefits from Dawn’s plan. As her premiums soared, she called around last summer, after the Affordable Act -- Affordable Care Act had taken effect, to find any plan that would cover Wesley. So she finds a company, it’s offering her a reasonable rate, but out of habit, Dawn is ready for the runaround. She says, "What’s not covered?" And the insurer says, "No, you’re covered. Everything’s covered." And Dawn says, "I'm not being very clear here. What about my son?" And after going back and forth a few times, the insurer made it clear. He said, "No. Your son is covered. We can no longer exclude preexisting conditions for children. Wesley is covered." (Applause.)
Imagine what that felt like. Imagine the relief that comes with knowing that treatment for your sick child no longer has to threaten the dreams you’ve worked a lifetime to build for him. You’re not going to have to make these heartbreaking choices.
That’s happening now. Millions of young Americans can stay on their parents’ plans until they turn 26. Millions of older Americans are receiving better access to preventive services and more affordable prescription drugs. We’ve torn down the barriers that stood between the American people and their doctors so that inside your network, you can see the primary care physician, the pediatrician, the OBGYN of your choice, and you can use an emergency room outside your network without your insurer sticking you with extra charges.
As of last fall, every American who buys a new plan can access preventive care like mammograms, immunizations, and prenatal care to get and stay healthy for free. And all of this information about the new choices and new rights available to you is available in one simple place: Healthcare.gov. You can even log on, plug in your zip code, and compare prices for different insurance -- private insurance plans. Right now you can do that.
And this is all before we set up the exchanges that will allow 30 million Americans to get access to care and will allow small companies to finally get the same deal that big companies get, and people being part of a big pool that gives them a better deal across the board.
Now, as important as what is happening right now is what isn’t happening right now. You may have heard once or twice that this is a job-crushing -- (laughter) -- granny-threatening -- (laughter) -- budget-busting monstrosity. That's about how it’s been portrayed by opponents. And that just doesn’t match up to the reality. I mean this thing has been in place now for 10 months, all right? (Applause.)
So let’s look at what’s happened over the last 10 months. Not only has the economy grown and added jobs since the Affordable Care Act became law, but small businesses across the country have already chosen to offer health care to hundreds of thousands of their employees, many for the first time. That’s something that regardless of politics, we should all celebrate. (Applause.)
Estimates from the Business Roundtable -- now this isn’t some left-wing organization -- the Business Roundtable, the organization of all the country’s largest corporations, and other experts indicate that health insurance reform could save large employers anywhere from $2,000 to $3,000 per family, per year, that they cover in health care costs by 2019. And that’s money that businesses can use to grow and invest and to hire. That’s money that workers won’t have to see vanish from their paychecks or bonuses in the form of higher deductibles or bigger co-payments. That’s good for all of us.
And I can report that granny is safe. (Laughter and applause.) In fact, grandma’s Medicare is stronger than ever. And if she was one of the millions of seniors who fell into the doughnut hole last year, she received a $250 check, or soon will, to help her afford her medications, and a new 50 percent discount on brand-name drugs, as part of the Affordable Care Act. (Applause.)
Finally, because it is absolutely true that we’ve got to get a handle on our deficits, that the debt we are carrying right now is unsustainable if we don't start taking action, it is important for us to be clear about the truth when it comes to health care reform.
Health reform is part of deficit reform. (Applause.) We know that health care costs, including programs like Medicare and Medicaid, are the biggest contributors to our long-term deficit. Nobody disputes this. And this law will slow these costs. That’s part of the reason why nonpartisan economists, why the Congressional Budget Office, have said that repealing this law would add a quarter of a trillion dollars to our deficit over the next decade, and another trillion dollars to our deficit in the decade after that. They’re not just making this up. And what’s more, repeal would send middle-class premiums up, would force large employers to pay that extra $2,000-$3,000 per worker, and shift control of your health care right back to the insurance companies.
Now, I’ve repeatedly said, I believe that our system of private insurance is strong and viable, and we need it to be. It saves lives. It employs large numbers of Americans. And by the way, it’s still making pretty good profits. But just as we are a people who believe in the power of the individual, the promise of the free market, we are also a people who believe, from the time of our founding, that we aspire to protect one another from harm and exploitation. (Applause.)
Our task has always been to seek the right balance between the dynamism of the marketplace, but also to make sure that it’s serving people. And sometimes that means removing barriers to growth by lifting rules that place unnecessary burdens on business, but other times it means enacting common-sense safeguards like these -- like the Affordable Care Act -- to ensure our American belief that hard work and responsibility should be rewarded by a sense of security and fair play.
That’s at the heart of this reform. That’s why we fought so hard for this reform. That’s why we have to keep on telling people across the country about the potential of this reform and what it means for them and their families. And that’s why we’re not going to fall back.
I don’t want to tell students that we’re booting them off their parents’ coverage. I don’t want to tell seniors that their medicine is out of reach again. I don’t want to tell Janine her taxes are going back up, or Gail that she’s got to choose between keeping her home and getting well. I don’t want to tell Dawn, or any other mother, that their child can’t get the care that he or she needs after all.
I don’t want that for America. I don't want that for our families. That’s not who we are and that’s not what we stand for. (Applause.) We don’t believe that people should have to hope against hope that they’ll stay healthy, or hang all their fortunes on chance. We don't believe, in a country like ours, that one in 10, one in eight of our citizens should be that vulnerable no matter how hard they’re working. We believe in something better.
So the time for fighting the battles of the last two years has now passed. It’s time to move forward. And these efforts -– strengthening our families, getting our fiscal house in order, allowing small businesses to grow, allowing entrepreneurs to strike out on their own free from crushing costs –- they’re critical to our economic success. And by reforming our health care system so it doesn’t dictate anybody’s economic fate, America can decide its own.
Now, as vital as this reform is, as committed as we are to getting our implementation right, to win the future in this new and changing world is going to require more from us –- and I believe we're up to the task. I think that we can create the jobs of the future by fortifying our lead in innovation -– including investing in biotechnology that can deliver new cures for crippling diseases. We can fill those jobs by guaranteeing all our children have the best skills and education possible. We can convince the businesses and industries of the 21st century to take root right here by building and deploying a new network of infrastructure.
We can bring down our deficits by taking responsibility, just as we’ve done in our own lives, to cut wasteful and excessive spending wherever we can find it. And we can restore our people’s belief in our capacity to meet this moment by reforming our government so it’s smarter and nimbler and equal to our times.
We can do all these things. All of you believe we can do all these things, because just think back to where we were standing four years ago. Think of all the hard work and all the heart you put into a cause that you believed in for years -- for years. And think of the feeling you had the moment your efforts finally paid off, that feeling when your faith was rewarded. (Applause.)
All of you are a reminder -- you are proof of the fact that we are a people that can change our country for the better. And if all of us summon that spirit now, through all the hardships and the ups and downs and twists and turns, then I am absolutely convinced that our best days still lie ahead.
So I could not be prouder of you, Families USA. Thank you for your extraordinary work. Thank you, Ron. Let’s keep on going. God bless you. (Applause.)
• VICE PRESIDENT ON PBS NEWSHOUR •
PBS NewsHour, Jan. 27, 2011:
Vice President Biden: Egypt's Mubarak an Ally, Not a Dictator, But People Have Right to Protest
In an exclusive interview with Jim Lehrer, Vice President Joe Biden discussed the U.S. attitude toward intensifying anti-government protests in Egypt and elsewhere in the Middle East, plus the White House's agenda for the economy and gun control, disagreements with Republicans and his relationship with President Obama.
Transcript: PBS NewsHour interview with Vice President Biden
(On President Mubarak.)
.... JIM LEHRER: : Has the time come for President Mubarak of Egypt to go, to stand aside?
JOE BIDEN: No, I think the time has come for President Mubarak to begin to move in the direction that -- to be more responsive to some of the needs of the people out there.
These are -- a lot of the people out there protesting are middle-class folks who are looking for a little more access and a little more opportunity.
And the two things we have been saying here, Jim, is that violence isn't appropriate and people have a right to protest. And so -- and we think that -- I hope Mubarak, President Mubarak, will -- is going to respond to some of the legitimate concerns that are being raised....
JIM LEHRER: : Some people are suggesting that we may be seeing the beginning of a kind of domino effect, similar to what happened after the Cold War in Eastern Europe. Poland came first, then Hungary, East Germany.
We have got Tunisia, as you say, maybe Egypt, who knows. Do you smell the same thing coming?
JOE BIDEN: No, I don't.
I wouldn't compare the two. And you and I used to talk years ago about what was going on in Eastern Europe.
JIM LEHRER: : Yes.
JOE BIDEN: A lot of these nations are very dissimilar. They're similar in the sense that they're Arab nations, dissimilar in the circumstance.
For example, Tunisia has a long history of a more progressive middle class, a different set of circumstances, a different relationship with Europe, for example. And the difference between Tunisia and Egypt is real, beyond the fact that Egypt's the largest Arab country in the world.
So, I don't see any direct relationship, other than there seems -- it might be argued that what is happening in one country sparks whatever concern there is in another country. It may not be the same concern. It may not be even similar, but the idea of speaking out in societies where, in the recent past, there hadn't been much of that occurring.
But I don't -- I think it's a stretch at this point. But I could be proven wrong. But I think it's a stretch to compare it to Eastern Europe.
JIM LEHRER: : The word -- the word to describe the leadership of Mubarak and Egypt and also in Tunisia before was dictator. Should Mubarak be seen as a dictator?
JOE BIDEN: Look, Mubarak has been an ally of ours in a number of things and he's been very responsible on, relative to geopolitical interests in the region: Middle East peace efforts, the actions Egypt has taken relative to normalizing the relationship with Israel.
And I think that it would be -- I would not refer to him as a dictator....
We're encouraging the protesters to, as they assemble, do it peacefully. And we're encouraging the government to act responsibly and to try to engage in a discussion as to what the legitimate claims being made are, if they are, and try to work them out....
On gun control.)
JIM LEHRER: : New subject, Mr. Vice President.
In light of the Tucson tragedy, are you in favor of federal legislation that would ban the sale of these multiround cartridges, holders?
JOE BIDEN: Jim, you may remember, in the old days, when I had some real power...
JIM LEHRER: : Oh, yes.
JOE BIDEN: I was chairman of the Judiciary Committee.
(LAUGHTER)
JOE BIDEN: I'm the guy that first passed and wrote the assault-weapons ban and -- and also tried to pass legislation relative to the size of magazines, that is the -- those clips that hold all the bullets that get shoved up into the rifle....
But here's what's going on right now in the administration. There are a number of proposals coming forward that are going to be looked at by the Justice Department and the president will speak to, as he takes a look at what some of the suggestions are relative to how to deal with what is deemed by most Americans as, you know, not appropriate or consistent with the Second Amendment, which we strongly support.
And -- but -- but the president has not made a decision on those at this point. And we're just getting the input from the House and the Senate and others. And the Justice Department is looking at it. And the president, as his spokesman said, will be speaking to those.
JIM LEHRER: : But if the president asks you, the answer is going to be, yes, ban them, right?
JOE BIDEN: Well, my advice, as you know -- and you have been doing this so long -- shoot, if it's going to have any impact, it shouldn't be delivered to him through a news program.
JIM LEHRER: : Gotcha.
JOE BIDEN: It should be delivered to him by me personally....
(On SOTU.)
JOE BIDEN: Well, look, there's so many things -- I was asked earlier, why didn't the president mention mental health? Why didn't he mention -- there's a thousand things that could have legitimately been mentioned.
And had he 10 hours, or this were going to be five States of the Union, there's a lot more that could have been mentioned. His purpose was to, number one, recognize the tragedy and the human loss and the impact it's had on the individual families, as a consequence of what happened to Gabby Giffords' town hall or grocery store meet-and-greet, and to recognize how -- how barbaric and how sort of totally out of character with our American democratic system that kind of action is.
My guess is that, just as his, I thought, incredibly, incredibly moving talk in Tucson was, this is -- he does not -- did not want to get into this blame-game issue and have it divert from -- the main concern right now is the empathy for those who have passed, the prayers and help of them whose have survived and trying to make it, like Congresswoman Giffords, as well as talk about the state of the union.
And the state of the union, I think, he laid out very well. He pointed out, Jim, that, relative to the rest of the world, we shouldn't forget we are so much better positioned than any part the world. Our GDP is three times what the Chinese is. Our individual GDP is one -- theirs is one-twelfth.
We are a vibrant, vibrant country -- reminding people the base from which we start, but saying, if we're going to maintain this position, the rest of the world is starting to move, and we have to invest in education, innovation and infrastructure in order to maintain our leadership in the 21st century....
Well, I think, in fact, the president did speak directly to (job creation) by pointing out that the initiatives we have taken, as controversial as they were, are actually beginning to bear fruit, that, if you look at the surveys, a significant portion of the corporations in America are saying they're going to be hiring beginning the middle of this year and moving on.
We -- he could have used as the example the automobile industry, which has hired now back over 75,000 people, how we are beginning the confidence and the economic recovery is taking root. People are beginning to invest. The one -- one dark spot for a while here is going to be housing and housing foreclosure. But almost every other indicia of growth and -- and employment is moving up.
And so he -- what the message was, what we have done is taking root. It's going to increase, and it's going to increase much more rapidly. But, in order to be able to move to a better place than we were before we went into this god-awful recession, which we inherited, we have got to begin to put in place the things that are going to sustain us and kick-start us for the next 20 years....
First of all, the Recovery Act, which was much maligned by the opposition, still has a -- billions of dollars left to spend out over the remainder of this first six months, which is acting as stimuli and actually employing people.
The second piece of this is the -- the tax deal we negotiated in the lame-duck session with Republicans. Remember, it was thought it was going to be a terrible thing. And I remember coming out and pointing out that this is going to raise the GDP by somewhere one and one-and-a-half percent, increase employment and confidence.
It has. It's just kicking in. The payroll tax is kicking in now. People are beginning to realize what, in fact, they will have, which will mean they will have at least $1,000 bucks more in their paycheck this year. It's like a $1,000-buck tax break.
Consumer confidence is responding to the fact that we're actually beginning to work together, and that payroll tax cut, along with the whole deal on taxes, so -- and what the president's proposing, as well, in terms of innovation, particularly in infrastructure.
Infrastructure creates jobs. Now, I know our Republican friends talk about it's another spending program and let free enterprise do it. Name me a company that's going to build an interchange to allow them to get in and out of their corporate headquarters. Name me a company that's building highways or railroad beds in order to have their products be able to get to market.
Name me a country that's -- a company that's able to invest what is needed in order to -- expanding broadband across the United States of America, so that we can increase economic activity and independence.
So, the fact of the matter, infrastructure creates jobs. And the only outfits that can do it are the government. And so it has a dual effect of enhancing our ability to grow, but also immediately putting people to work.
And the president's proposed it. We will see how -- you know, that old thing. You know, it's the president's to propose and the Congress' to dispose. But hopefully, they will see the wisdom in something we offered....
And one of the things that was pointed out is, Congressman Ryan's response, for example -- he's a bright and totally earnest guy -- but it reflects the fundamental, philosophic difference that exists about the role of government.
For example, I find it fascinating, today's Republicans eschew what former Republican presidents have done, whether you go back, the -- the government has no role. The Intercontinental Railroad would not have been built, were it not for the fact that a Republican named Lincoln decided to give $16,000 in government bonds for every mile of railroad that private enterprise would build across the country.
It would have taken another 20 to 30 years for it to happen. Dwight D. Eisenhower, we -- you know, we talk about the Sputnik moment. What everybody forgets, he said, look, we have -- we have got to make some big changes. And he set up this thing in the Defense Department called ARPA, which is a research arm in the defense piece.
ARPA spent $25 million to come up with a thing called ARPANET. ARPANET is the Internet. No company was prepared to invest that kind of money.
So, the idea that, somehow, investing seed money in innovative projects is somehow contrary to the free enterprise system and what is needed by government -- I find it interesting. The Chamber of Commerce endorsed -- the Chamber of Commerce, who spent, legitimately, millions of dollars to defeat Democratic candidates, as they -- their right, endorsed our plan relative to infrastructure.
And, yet, you have Republican congresspersons up there saying, no, no, boy, this is not -- this is just wasteful government spending.
It's a philosophic difference on the role of government....
(On his relationship with the President.)
JOE BIDEN: It's one that -- I will tell you how he's described it. He's described it as one where we have become close, personal friends.
Literally, today, we were talking about a matter relating to foreign policy, and I said, "You know what's made this" -- this is literally a conversation, where I said: "You know what's made" -- I won't tell you the exact subject, but I said: "You know what's made this job so easy for me? Of all the candidates running for president when we were debating one another, the only two that didn't have one single philosophic difference are you and I."
And it's literally true. If you go back and look at every disagreement all the candidates had, the only one -- ours were slight, nuanced differences. But we were philosophically on the same page in everything, which also makes it easier, and makes it easier, because he can just -- he can give me big chunks of responsibility, and says just do it, no checking on it: "Do Iraq, Joe. Do it. Do the -- do the Recovery Act" -- or whatever.
So, it's been a really -- this was an office I did not seek, and I wasn't, as you probably heard, enthusiastic about wanting to do it to begin with.
(LAUGHTER)
JOE BIDEN: It's the best decision I have made.
And he is -- he says -- I'm sure he's just trying to be nice to me -- he says it's the best decision he's made.
I think that's how we both feel about it. The relationship is really good. But, most of all, there's absolute trust. And he knows I will always have his back, and I know he has mine.
JIM LEHRER: : Do you expect to be on the 2012 ticket with him?
JOE BIDEN: He asked me if I would do that over a year ago.
(LAUGHTER)
JOE BIDEN: And I told him I would, yes.
JIM LEHRER: : All right.
Mr. Vice President, thank you very much.
JOE BIDEN: Thank you.
• FIRST LADY INTERVIEW: CHILDREN'S HEALTH AS NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUE •
Department of Defense, Jan. 28, 2011:
First Lady Michelle Obama Interview
The Pentagon Channel's SSgt Josh Hauser sits down with First Lady Michelle Obama to discuss the consequences of childhood obesity, poor childhood nutrition and lack of physical exercise in an exclusive one-on-one interview.
Department of Defense, Jan. 27, 2011:
First Lady Michelle Obama Visits Fort Jackson
By Susanne Kappler, Fort Jackson Public Affairs Office
First Lady Michelle Obama paid a visit (to Fort Jackson, South Carolina on Thursday) to learn from Army leaders about how childhood obesity and physical inactivity affects military readiness and what the Army does to combat these effects.
The first lady's first stop was the Drill Sergeant School, where she was briefed by Lt. Gen. Mark Hertling, the deputy commanding general for U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command’s initial military training, and the command’s health and fitness programs. Obama founded the Let's Move campaign, which focuses on overcoming the challenge of childhood obesity.
Before the briefing, Obama said she was excited to learn how the military deals with those challenges.
"The military can model so many wonderful solutions," Obama said. "And I am excited about making the rest of the country aware of not just the challenges we face, but the work you do to get these young recruits and trainees back on track, because a lot of people around the country could use the same kind of support."
Hertling said that 75 percent of America's youth are ineligible to join the military for a variety of reasons. Out of those ineligible, 17 percent are disqualified because of obesity.
He outlined the problems obesity creates in recruiting new soldiers and the challenges physically unfit recruits face during basic training.
"Our challenge is to fix it quickly," Hertling emphasized.
Last August, the Army introduced new physical training guidance, which aims to improve physical conditioning while reducing the risk of injury. In addition, the Army has started the soldier fueling initiative, which emphasizes healthful nutrition habits for soldiers.
Hertling told Obama the new program has been effective.
"What we're seeing is, the choices of the soldiers are changing in basic training and they're feeling better, and we get a lower attrition rate," Hertling said.
Obama observed the results of the nutrition initiative first hand, when she visited the 2nd Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment's dining facility. As part of the program, dining facilities changed their menus with a focus on performance-focused menu items and healthful beverage options. In addition, a new labeling system at the dining facilities helps soldiers identify optimal food choices.
Obama also met with drill sergeants and soldiers before speaking at the graduation of 1st Battalion, 34th Infantry Regiment, on Hilton Field.
"I'm especially thrilled [to be] with the extraordinary men and women who are graduating today," Obama told the audience. "On behalf of myself and my husband and a grateful nation, I want to start off today by saying congratulations on all that you've achieved, and, of course, 'Hooah!'"
Obama also praised Army initiatives that ensure new soldiers are physically fit to serve.
"You've learned something that is also near and dear to my heart -- and I know that some of the moms here would probably agree with me on this one -- through the new Fueling the Soldier initiative here at Fort Jackson, you learned how to make better choices about what you eat," she said.
The first lady also praised the families of friends of the graduating soldiers for encouraging their loved ones to serve.
"Thank you for holding these men and women tight for all those years, but most of all, thank you for letting them go, so that they can serve this country and protect and defend this great nation that we all love," Obama told the families. "In these soldiers -- your sons and daughters, your spouses, siblings and parents -- we see the very best America has to offer."