President Obama Announces More Key Administration
Posts

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

WASHINGTON – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

• Michael P. Botticelli – Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
• Christy Romero – Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program

The President also announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a key Administration post:

• Alex Mehran – Member, Board of Directors of the Presidio Trust

President Obama said, “These dedicated and accomplished individuals will be valued additions to my administrations as we tackle the important challenges facing America.  I look forward to working with them in the months and years ahead.”

President Obama announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key Administration posts:

Michael P. Botticelli, Nominee for Deputy Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy
Michael P. Botticelli is currently the Director of the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services in the Massachusetts Department of Health (MDPH).  Since joining MDPH in 1994, Mr. Botticelli has served as Chief of Staff of the MDPH Commissioner’s Office (2000-2003), Assistant Director for Policy and Planning within the HIV/AIDS Bureau (1996-2000), Contract Manager in the HIV/AIDS Bureau (1995-1996), and Alcoholism Program Coordinator within the Bureau of Substance Abuse Services (1994-1995).  He received a B.A. from Siena College and an M.Ed. from St. Lawrence University.

Christy Romero, Nominee for Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program
Christy Romero is the Deputy Special Inspector General for the Troubled Asset Relief Program (SIGTARP), a position she has held since February 2011.  Between 2009 and 2011, Ms. Romero served as the Chief of Staff of SIGTARP.  From July 2010 through September 2010, she served as the Acting Deputy SIGTARP and from March 2011 through Oct 2011 she served as Acting SIGTARP.  Ms. Romero came to SIGTARP from the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) where, from December 2007 through August 2009, she served as counsel to SEC Chairman Mary Schapiro and Chairman Christopher Cox.  From 2003 through 2007, as an attorney in the Division of Enforcement, she investigated financial fraud, insider trading, and other violations of the securities laws.  Prior to joining the SEC, Ms. Romero was a litigator specializing in financial restructuring at the law firms of Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld; Snell & Wilmer; and Jenner & Block.  She also clerked for the Honorable Robert C. Jones, United States Bankruptcy Judge for the District of Nevada and Ninth Circuit Bankruptcy Appellate Panel.  Ms. Romero earned a B.S. in Business from Old Dominion University and a J.D. from Brigham Young University Law School.

President Obama also announced his intent to appoint the following individual to a key Administration post:

Alex Mehran, Appointee for Member, Board of Directors of the Presidio Trust
Alex Mehran is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Sunset Development Company, a real estate development, investment, construction and management company based in San Ramon, CA.  Mr. Mehran also serves as Chairman of the Contra Costa Economic Partnership, a Trustee of the San Francisco Ballet, and as a Member of the University of California, San Francisco Chancellor’s Associates.  In addition, he is a past Chairman and current Executive Committee Member of the Bay Area Council.  Mr. Mehran earned a B.A. from Harvard College with honors and received an LL.B. from Cambridge University, England, also with honors.

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Remarks by the President at a Campaign Event

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

Mandarin Oriental Hotel
Washington, D.C.

4:44 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)  Thank you, everybody.  Thank you.  Please, please have a seat.  It is wonderful to see all of you here this afternoon.  Some old friends and some new friends.

As you know, I’m not here tonight just as President, but also as an adopted member of the Crow Nation.  (Applause.)  If my adoptive parents were here, I know what they’d say:  Kids just grow up so fast.  (Laughter.)

When I made that visit to Montana, I said that my job wasn’t just to win an election.  It was to make sure that Washington started to focus on you.  And I took that commitment seriously.

My commitment is deeper than our unique nation-to-nation relationship.  It’s a commitment to making sure that we get that relationship right.  Native Americans have to be full partners in our economy.  Your children and your grandchildren have to have an equal shot at the American Dream.

And that’s why for three years in a row now, we’ve brought tribal leaders to Washington to develop an agenda that reflects your hopes and your aspirations and the needs of your tribes.  I’ve appointed Native Americans to senior positions in my administration and in my White House.  And many of you have had a chance to work with Kim Teehee, who does an extraordinary job coordinating our Native American affairs in the White House.  (Applause.)  And we’ve worked together to tackle some of the most difficult challenges facing Native American families.

And we should be proud of what we’ve done so far.  But it should also sharpen our resolve to do even more.

As long as Native Americans face unemployment rates that are far higher than the national average, we’ve got more work to do.  And I wake up every day focused on how do we restore America’s promise for all our people, including our first Americans.

So in my State of the Union address this week, I laid out my blueprint for an economy that’s built to last, an economy built on American manufacturing and American energy, skills for American workers and a return to American values of fair play and responsibility.  And that’s what we’re fighting for.

And I want you guys to be full partners in that fight because I believe that one day we’re going to be able to look back on these years and say this was a turning point in nation-to-nation relations; that this was turning point when the nations all across the country recognized that they were full partners, treated with dignity and respect and consultation; that this wasn’t just a side note on a White House agenda, but this was part and parcel of our broader agenda to make sure that everybody has opportunity.

And it’s also a moment when we build a strong middle class in Indian country.  It’s not simply a ward but is able to marshal the resources to create its own agenda and its own destiny and its own economic development and its own businesses.  That’s what we’re looking for.

We want new businesses and new opportunities to take root on the reservation.  We want to stop repeating the mistakes of the past and begin building a better future -- one that honors old traditions and also welcomes every single Native American into the American Dream.

We’ve done some great work together -- whether it’s making sure that Indian Health was permanently extended and that we were putting additional resources to make sure that we’re picking up the health of Native Americans all across the country.  Whether it’s an executive order that specifies our focus on education with all of your tribes, whether it’s making sure that we are working hard to allow the expansion of land in trust on behalf of nations to go further, we’ve made some significant progress.  But we’ve got a lot more to do.

And I’m going to need all of you to continue to consult with us, to continue to work with us, continue to partner with us.  I guarantee you that the work we’ve done over these first three years is not the end, it’s just the beginning.

And if you stick with me, I promise you guys I’m going to be sticking with you.  All right, God bless you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

END
4:52 P.M. EST

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Presidential Memorandum--Delegation of Certain
Function under Section 308(a) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT: Delegation of Certain Function under Section 308(a) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, I hereby delegate to you, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, the function to provide to the Congress the information specified in section 308(a) of the Intelligence Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2012 (Public Law 112-87).

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

BARACK OBAMA

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Remarks by the President at the House Democrats
Issues Conference

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

Hyatt Regency Hotel
Cambridge, Maryland

1:36 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Thank you!  Thank you, everybody.  (Applause.)  Thank you.  All right, everybody have a seat.  Now, let me begin by saying I was told that on a CD that I've just received -- (laughter) -- that all of you participated in a rendition of Al Green.  (Laughter.)  What I did not realize was that you also had a reverend who can preach as good as Al Green in John Larson.  (Applause.)  I kept on looking for the collection plate getting passed.  (Laughter.)  But, John, thank you for that rousing introduction. 

To the leader of this august body and soon to be once again Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi -- (applause.)  To the rest of the leadership team -- Steny Hoyer, Jim Clyburn, Xavier Becerra, and the best possible chair we could have for the DNC, Debbie Wasserman Schultz.  (Applause.)  We've got an all-star team assembled and ready to get to work.

I know that you guys have been here quite a bit.  You already had to suffer through a relatively long speech from me this week, so I'm not going to speak too long.  What I wanted to do, first of all, was just say thank you. 

So many of you have served this country, your districts, for years, through good times and through bad times.  And let's face it, public service doesn’t always get the credit that it deserves.  But knowing each and every one of you personally, understanding the sacrifices that you and your family members -- some who are here today -- make each and every day, understanding how much your heart bleeds when you see constituents are going through a tough time and how much you want to make sure that government serves as a force for good in their lives, I just want to say thank you for everything that you do. 

You guys are putting it all on the line because you believe in an America in which everybody gets a fair shot and everybody does their fair share and everybody plays by the same set of rules.  That's what you have been about, that's what this caucus is about, and that's the vision that we're fighting for, this year and in years to come.

Now, as I said at the State of the Union, the critical debate in this country right now, the defining question that faces all of us, is whether we are going to restore that sense of an American promise where if you work hard, if you're carrying out your responsibilities, if you're looking out for your family, if you're participating in your community, if you're doing what you're supposed to be doing, you have the chance to get a job that allows you to support your family, you won't be bankrupt when you get sick, you can send your children to college, you can retire with some dignity and some respect, you can expect that the next generation -- your children and grandchildren -- will do better than you did -- that American promise, that central driving force in what has created the greatest country, the largest economy, and the broadest middle class on Earth, that promise has been eroding for too many people.  And all of you know it. 

And this is not a new trend.  This is something that's been going on for years now.  Wages and incomes stagnant at the same time that costs keep going up and up and up.  Outsourcing, and jobs moving elsewhere.  Young people wondering, even if they invest in a college degree, are they going to be able to find a job that supports an ever-increasing load of debt.  And all of that was before the economic crisis hit in 2008-2009 that put millions of people out of work.

Now, here's the good news.  The good news is that we are moving in the right direction.  Thanks to your efforts, thanks to some tough votes that all of you took, thanks to the leadership that Nancy Pelosi and the rest of the leadership team showed, we righted the ship.  We did not tip into a Great Depression.  The auto industry was saved.  Credit started flowing to small businesses again.  And over the last 22 months, we have seen 3 million jobs created, the most jobs last year since 2005, more jobs in manufacturing than we’ve seen since the ‘90s.  (Applause.)  A lot of that has to do with tough decisions that you took.

I just came from Michigan.  And there are very few states that have been harder hit by these long-term trends than Michigan.  But you can feel this sense of renewed purpose and renewed hope in that state.  They understand that had we not acted, a million jobs might have been lost.  They understand that had we not acted, the Big Three automakers, but then, all the suppliers, the entire ecosystem of the economy in that state would have been decimated.  And now, they’re thinking, GM is number one again -- (applause) -- and Chrysler is on the move again and Ford is investing in plants and equipment again.  And you get a sense of movement, a restoration of hope and possibility. 

But people understand that the job is not done, not even close to being done yet.  And they understand that if we’re going to finish the job, then we’ve got to, first of all, make sure that American manufacturing is strong.  And that means that we’re out there creating a tax code that doesn’t provide tax breaks for companies that are shipping jobs overseas.  We are focusing on companies that are investing right here in the United States, because we believe that when you make it in America everybody benefits, everybody does well.  (Applause.)
 
 They understand that we need American energy.  And part of my goal on Tuesday was to dispel this notion that somehow we haven’t been on top of developing American energy -- oil and gas production up higher than they’ve been in eight years, percentage of imports lower than in the last 16.  We’ve been developing and opening up millions of acres to develop. 

But what we’ve also said is oil is not enough.  We’ve got to think about the future, not just look backwards at the past.  We’ve got to invest in solar and wind and biofuels.  We’ve already doubled our fuel efficiency standards on cars and trucks. We’ve got to make sure that we build on these successes, which are good for our economy and create jobs and, by the way, are also good for our environment.  And that’s important to the American people as well.  (Applause.)

I know the other side doesn’t always believe in this agenda. They think that the only subsidy that’s worth providing is subsidies to oil companies.  Well, as I said, we’ve been subsidizing oil companies for close to a century now.  Rarely have they been more profitable.  Let’s take some of that money, let’s take some of those tax breaks and make sure that we’re investing in a clean energy future that’s just as promising.

Skills for American workers, making sure that every young person in this country has the skills to succeed.  I told the story at the State of the Union, but I want to make sure everybody hears this, because we’re going to have to work hard on this.  Companies are starting to say it makes economic sense for us to move back here into the United States.  (Applause.)  Wages in places like China are going up faster than productivity.  American workers have never been more productive.  Energy costs increasingly are competitive here in the United States, partly because of all of the development that’s taking place around natural gas.  Transportation costs are higher from other places.
When you look at the whole package, a lot of companies are saying, we want to be here, close to our market.  But one of the biggest impediments is we’ve got to be able to find the skilled workers that are going to be managing million-dollar pieces of equipment. 

They don't all have to go to four-year colleges and universities -- although we need more engineers and we need more scientists, and we’ve got to make sure that college is affordable and accessible.  But we also need skilled workers who are going to community colleges, or middle-aged workers who are allowed to retrain, have a commitment to work, have that work ethic, but want to make sure that technology is not passing them by -- and so focusing on our community colleges, and making sure that they're matched up with businesses that are hiring right now, and making sure that they help to design the programs that are going to put them -- put people in place to get those jobs right away.

Making college more affordable, which I just spoke about at Michigan -- we’ve got an average of $24,000 worth of debt for every young person that's graduating right now.  They're starting off in a hole that most of us didn't have to start off with, and it’s brutal.  And there are ways we can solve it.  This caucus helped to make sure that we increased Pell Grants, and we increased student aid, but now -- there's some concrete things we’ve got to do right now, like making sure that the interest rates don't double on student loans this year, in July.  (Applause.)  We’re going to require Congress to act.

We’re going to also put pressure on states to make sure they’re prioritizing higher education.  We’re going to make sure that colleges and universities are held accountable and that they do what they need to do to hold down costs. 

But most of all, we’ve got to restore a commitment to the American values of hard work and responsibility and shared responsibility. 

Over the last three days, I’ve traveled around the country amplifying what we said on Tuesday.  One of the points I make -- and everybody understands this -- I say, if we’re going to make the investments we need, if we’re going to invest in basic science and research that leads to inventions like the Internet that create entire industries, entire platforms for long-term economic growth, if we're going to invest in the skills of our workers, if we're going to make sure we've got the best infrastructure in the world, if we're going to pay for this incredible military that just saved this young woman -- (applause) -- out of Somalia, if we're going to take care of the veterans once they're finished serving so that we serve them as well as they serve us -- (applause) -- all of those things cost money.  We've got to pay for it.

And if we're serious about paying for it, then, yes, we've got to cut out programs that don't work.  This caucus has gone ahead and been willing to make some of the toughest cuts we've ever made -- $2 trillion -- over $2 trillion in deficit reduction.  But we've also said, at a certain point, you know what, everybody has got to participate in this. 

And when we've got a trillion -- more than $1 trillion worth of tax breaks that were supposed to be temporary for the top 2 percent slated to continue, we've got a tax code full of loopholes for folks who don't need them and weren't even asking for them -- we've got to ask ourselves, what's more important to us?  Is it more important for me to get a tax break, or is it more important for that senior to know that they've got Medicare and Social Security that's stable?  (Applause.)  Is it more important for me to get a tax break, or is it better for that young person to get a break on their college education?  Is it more important for me to get a tax break, or is it more important that we care for our veterans?

This is -- one of the biggest things I'm going to be pushing back against this year is this notion that somehow this is class warfare, that we're trying to stir up envy.  Nobody envies rich people.  (Laughter.)  Everybody wants to be rich.  (Laughter.)  Everybody aspires to be rich, and everybody understands you got to work hard if you're going to be financially successful.  That's the American way.  The question is are we creating opportunity for everybody, which requires some investments.  And the question is how do we pay for that -- because when you give me a tax break that I don't need and the country can't afford, two things happen:  Either the deficit increases or, alternatively, somebody else has to pay the tab -- that senior, or that student, or that family who’s struggling to make ends meet.

So we’re going to push hard for the Buffett Rule.  We’re going to push hard to make sure that millionaires, somebody making over a million dollars a year isn’t getting tax breaks and subsidies that they don’t need.  (Applause.)  Not out of envy, but out of a sense of fairness and a sense of mutual responsibility and a sense of commitment to this country’s future.  (Applause.) 

That’s what we’re fighting for.  And the American people understand that.  (Applause.)

The same way that they understand we’re going to have to keep in place smart regulations that assure that a health care company can’t drop you right when you get sick, or charge women differently than men.  These other folks want to roll back financial regulatory reform.  After all that we’ve been through, you want to water down and weaken rules that make sure that big banks and financial institutions have to play by the same rules as everybody else?  That makes no sense.

The American people understand that.  You understand that.  That’s what you’ve been fighting for.

So obviously we’re in an election season, and when the other side decides who it is that they want to be their standard bearer, then we’re going to have a robust debate about whose vision is more promising when it comes to moving this country forward.  And it’s going to be a tough election, because a lot of people are still hurting out there and a lot of people have lost faith generally about the capacity of Washington to get anything done.

The main thing I want to urge all of you is that even as we are out there making our case, even as we push hard to persuade not just the American people, but hopefully some folks on the other side about the brightness of our future if we work together, I think it’s important during the course of this year not to forget that there’s still work that we can do right now. 

We can extend the payroll tax cut right now without drama and without delay.  (Applause.)  We can work together right now to help startups and entrepreneurs get easier financing and use R&D more effectively.  There are things we can do right now.

And so even as we engage in a robust debate with the other side, I want us all to remember that there are folks out there that are still counting on us.  There are people out there who are still hurting, and wherever we have an opportunity, wherever there is the possibility that the other side is putting some politics aside for just a nanosecond in order to get something done for the American people, we’ve got to be right there ready to meet them.  We’ve got to be right there ready to meet them.  (Applause.)

On the other hand, where they obstruct, where they're unwilling to act, where they're more interested in party than they are in country, more interested in the next election than the next generation, then we’ve got to call them out on it.  We’ve got to call them out on it.  (Applause.)  We’ve got to push them.  We can't wait.  We can't be held back.

At the State of the Union, obviously I talked about our military.  I had a chance to see some folks out at Buckley in Colorado as well.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yay, Colorado!

THE PRESIDENT:  There you go.  (Laughter.)  Obviously, the work that our military has done this last decade has filled us with awe.  I think, as you saw during the State of the Union, everybody stands up when you mention the military -- and appropriately so.  That's something that should not be partisan. But the point that I tried to make on Tuesday, and I hope we all keep in mind, is there’s a reason we admire them, and it’s not just because they do their job so well.  It’s not just because of their incredible capacity and training and skill.  It’s also because of an ethic that says, you know what, we’re all in this together.  I can only succeed if the guy next to me and the gal next to me are successful as well.  I can only succeed if somebody has got my back.

We do not succeed on our own.  We all have to pull our weight.  We all have to do our work.  America is not about handouts or bailouts or copouts.  We all have to focus on what our responsibilities are.  We have to do our jobs, but we also understand that we are always more successful when we do it together. 

Black, white, Hispanic, Asian, Latino, Native America, gay, straight -- it doesn't matter.  What matters is that we have this sense of common purpose and common resolve.  That's what is going to help ensure that this recovery continues.  That's what is going to make sure that this country’s future is bright.  That is at the core, I believe, not only of what it means to be a Democrat, but I also think that's at the core of what it means to be an American.

I believe in you guys.  You guys have had my back through some very tough times.  I’m going to have your back, as well.  And together we’re going to move this country forward. 

God bless you.  God bless the United States of America.  (Applause.)  And thank you, Democratic caucus, for all the great work that you do.  (Applause.)  Let’s go out there and change the country.  Thank you.

END 
1:59 P.M. EST

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Executive Order -- Assignment of Functions
Relating to Certain Promotion and Appointment Actions in the Armed Forces

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

EXECUTIVE ORDER
- - - - - - -
ASSIGNMENT OF FUNCTIONS RELATING TO CERTAIN PROMOTION
AND APPOINTMENT ACTIONS IN THE ARMED FORCES

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 301 of title 3, United States Code, it is hereby ordered as follows:

Section 1. Assignment of Functions to the Secretary of Defense. The Secretary of Defense shall perform the functions of the President under the following provisions of title 10, United States Code:

(a) the first sentence of section 14111(a) with respect to reports relating to the grades of brigadier general or above, or rear admiral (lower half) or above;

(b) sections 629(c)(2) and 14310(c)(2) with respect to extending officer promotion eligibility periods; and

(c) section 6222(c)(2) with respect to appointments of members of the Marine Band and members of the Marine Drum and Bugle Corps to grades not above the grade of captain.

Sec. 2. Reassignment of Functions Assigned. The Secretary of Defense may reassign the functions assigned to him by sections 1(a) and (b) of this order only to civilian officers within the Office of the Secretary of Defense (as defined in section 131(b) of title 10, United States Code) who hold a position for which the President makes an appointment by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. The Secretary of Defense may not reassign the function assigned to him by section 1(c) of this order.

Sec. 3. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order shall be construed to limit or otherwise affect the authority of the President as Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces of the United States, or under the Constitution and laws of the United States to nominate or to make or terminate appointments.

(b) This order is not intended to, and does not, create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural, enforceable at law or in equity by any party against the United States, its departments, agencies, or entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any other person.
 

BARACK OBAMA

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Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jay Carney en
route Joint Base Andrews, 1/27/2012

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Joint Base Andrews

12:11 P.M. EST

MR. CARNEY:  Okay, welcome to the sort of final leg of this journey.  I know you have all the fact sheets and stuff on the President’s college affordability proposals that he talked in front of a very enthusiastic University of Michigan crowd this morning, marking the end of a -- what he feels was an excellent trip around the country talking about the proposals he put forward in his State of the Union Tuesday night.

With that, I’ll take your questions.

Q    Jay, a number of economists are saying that beneath today’s GDP numbers, it shows that we’re not going to hit 2 percent of the first quarter of this year, and some are calling -- saying it shows we’re still in a danger zone.  Does the President agree that we’re still in a danger zone?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, I wouldn’t want to use that language, but I would say simply that this President has made clear, at least since he introduced the American Jobs Act, that while our economy has been recovering and our economy has created over 3 million private sector jobs in the last 22 months, we need to do everything we can to boost growth and boost job creation.  The recovery, as the President has said, remains fragile.  And we -- and that’s why we need to pass the elements of the American Jobs Act that have not yet been passed, and that begins with Congress passing, without drama, without political theater and sideshows, debates about extraneous issues, the full extension of the payroll tax cut and unemployment insurance.

Q    What’s the President’s message to Democrats going to be today?

MR. CARNEY:  To work with him and with their colleagues in Congress to pass important initiatives to get the economy moving, growing jobs.  He’ll certainly talk about some of the other initiatives in the State of the Union address -- the push to boost American manufacturing, to boost the trend towards insourcing, the need to develop American skills so that we have the workforce necessary for the jobs of the 21st century economy, the need to make college affordable for as many Americans as possible, which he discussed today.

So his State of the Union agenda will pretty much be the focus.

Q    Some Democrats sometimes get upset when he refers to the obstructionist Congress, and they feel that he’s lumping them in with Republicans, and I’m wondering if he’s going to make a distinction --

MR. CARNEY:  I certainly don’t think you’ve heard that kind of concern expressed by Democrats in any -- in recent memory.  I think we’ve made pretty clear, because the facts are incontestable, that the unfortunate obstructionism the country has encountered in passing common-sense, mainstream measures to get the economy going, in passing a balanced approach to deficit reduction and long-term control of our debt, have been Republicans exclusively.

So let me be clear:  The obstacles that we face, the obstructionism we face in Congress have been thrown up by Republicans, unfortunately, and House Republicans in particular.  I mean, we saw at the very end of December with the back-and-forth over extending the payroll tax cut for two months.  What happened then has been the case on too many occasions, where a section of the House Republican caucus has been causing a lot of problems when it comes to getting common-sense, mainstream measures passed that could help the economy and boost job creation.

Q    Yesterday, when the President was announcing his clean energy initiatives, there was a Las Vegas manufacturer of solar panels that had received stimulus funds that announced that 200 people working for it are going to be laid off.  Does that undercut his message?

MR. CARNEY:  Look, the economy remains -- or the recovery, rather, remains fragile, as we’ve discussed.  I’m not familiar with the details of this particular company, but I’m sure -- I know, of course, that when you do a report on that story or when you have done a report, you will note the 3.2 million private sector jobs that have been created in the last 22 months overall in the country.

There are obviously -- even as overall payroll -- the workforce has expanded and unemployment has been gradually ticking down, some companies contract as others expand.  We need to do everything we can to continue to grow the economy and create jobs.  We need to pass the American Jobs Act, the portions that haven’t passed yet.  We need to -- Congress needs to act on the measures that require congressional action in the State of the Union address and the President’s agenda, so that we can build on the progress we’ve made already towards digging ourselves out of this terrible recession.

Q    Other than the payroll tax cut, which I guess is at the top of the agenda, how does the President prioritize the various legislative initiatives that he’s been talking about?  I mean, where does he put manufacturing?  Where does he put the tuition assistance in controlling costs?  What does he want done first by Congress?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, payroll tax cut, as you know, extension is the pressing matter because of the deadline that is approaching, again, on that issue.  As I made clear and he’s made clear, the overarching priority that he has are the things that he can do with Congress and through his own executive authority to grow the economy and create jobs.

So the broader impact of making college more affordable is building a foundation for long-term economic growth to ensure that we have a workforce that’s educated, prepared for the jobs of the 21st century.  And that’s more of a long-term.

Q    So that’s not an immediate priority?

MR. CARNEY:  Well, again, you want to rank things.  I mean, these are all -- the things that he discussed in these past three days are his absolute top priorities.  But the thing that he focuses on more than any other every day is economic growth and job creation.

Q    This -- I know this trip is official business, but this last rally felt kind of campaign-y, with a big cheering crowd, “four more years.”  He was certainly in the mode where he was making his case in a very passionate way.  What would you say to people who would look at that and say that this looked like a campaign rally?

MR. CARNEY:  Look, I mean, obviously the President appreciates the enthusiasm of the crowd, but the President came and spoke about policy initiatives.  He didn’t deliver a campaign speech.  Throughout this three-day trip and five-state trip, he's been discussing the substantive and sometimes quite detailed policy proposals that he put forward in the State of the Union address.  So, I mean, that’s a fact.  I mean, again, we can’t -- we're not going to tell people not to applaud or be happy to see him.

Q    When the President watches this bruising Republican primary contest that’s going on, has he expressed any concern that he might be stepping into a general election that will be equally as rough-and-tumble?

MR. CARNEY:  He hasn’t to me.  As you know, because you've heard him say so, he doesn’t really watch the Republican primary.  He reads about it, he just doesn’t -- you haven't asked me yet if he watched the debate last night, but he didn’t.  Not because, again, it’s just he doesn’t watch a lot of TV.

Q    He hasn’t watched a lot of the debates?

MR. CARNEY:  He hasn’t watched any of them.  He doesn’t watch a lot of TV, except for sports.  But he certainly reads about and keeps up with what's going on.  But he hasn’t expressed that concern, no.  I mean, he --

Q    Newt Gingrich, does he have any preference?

MR. CARNEY:  -- the President has had his own experience with tough campaigns, certainly in 2008, the primary campaign in particular.  I mean, that campaign, what was notable about it was it really was -- both that and the general election were focused primarily on the issues.  And he looks forward to having a debate about the issues in the general election when the time comes.  Right now he's going to focus on doing the things he needs to do for the country as President.

Q    Jay, the President, during this trip, has also been talking to Spanish-language media about immigration, for instance.  Yesterday in the debate, there was a big brouhaha between Gingrich and Romney on that issue.  Does he believe that any of the Republican candidates is anti-immigrant, as Gingrich has characterized Romney?

MR. CARNEY:  The President is committed to comprehensive immigration reform.  He's also committed to enforcing our laws and dealing with illegal immigration, as you’ve heard him say.  Under his presidency, there are more boots on the ground on the border than before and fewer illegal crossings.

I think a distinction that he has made and you in the media have made has to do in particular with the DREAM Act, which both leading candidates in the Republican primaries have said they would veto.  The President strongly disagrees with that position, and you’ve heard him say so in interviews with not just Latino media but general press conferences and others.  So that’s a very stark difference, as is the fact that setting aside the presidential race, but the comprehensive immigration reform used to have the support of some extremely high-profile Republicans, elected officials, including the President’s predecessor George W. Bush, including the President’s opponent in general election 2008, John McCain, senator from Arizona -- including a number of others.

It requires that kind of bipartisan support to get it done.  And the President certainly hopes that Republicans in Congress will once again acknowledge that we need a comprehensive approach to immigration reform.  The President has demonstrated through his actions his commitment to enforcing the law, to putting boots on the ground on the border.

Q    Would he describe him as anti-immigrant, though?

MR. CARNEY:  Jim, that’s -- I’m not going to wade into the Republican primary.

Q    Can you give us a week ahead?

MR. CARNEY:  I should have said at the beginning that we do not yet have a week ahead, but we’ll get it to you.  It will be a great week.

Q    There will be a week ahead?

Q    Do you have anything on the fundraising event tonight?

MR. CARNEY:  I don’t have anything on that.  I’d have to check.  I didn’t even see that in my schedule.

Q    You’re probably not going to know the answer to this, but is the President planning any purely campaign swings in the next -- at anytime  soon, just like -- I don’t know how you would define it, but is that on the horizon?

MR. CARNEY:  I don’t have any travel -- I don’t have any travel to announce, and I don’t -- I’m not aware of any upcoming travel like that.  But that -- I don’t know when our next trip is, so I’m not much help to you.

Q    Can you just describe his mood at all at the end of this -- at the end of this trip after the State of the Union?  With some good news, again, polling news from this week, just how he’s feeling about his standing right now politically in the campaign.

MR. CARNEY:  I would -- I’m not going to talk about the campaign.  I mean, I’ll answer questions about charges and stuff because I speak for him and defend him, obviously.  But he’s certainly in a very good mood, and those of you who have seen him up close I think can confirm that.  He always enjoys getting out in the country.  And this was I think a particularly rewarding trip because he was able to go a lot of different places, a lot of different audiences, speak about very substantive issues that matter to Americans on the ground in Colorado, Arizona, Michigan, Iowa.  Where else did we go?

Q    Arizona.

MR. CARNEY:  Arizona.  Did I say that?

Q    Is he talking about Arizona?  (Laughter.)

MR. CARNEY:  I love Arizona, and so does the President.  I think I said Nevada, didn’t I?  I can’t remember.  Anyway, five states.  So he’s in a very good mood.  Obviously the State of the Union address seems to have been very well received, both it was well received in the hall and it was well received broadly across the country.  And the initiatives that he’s put forward seem to have a great deal of support, which he thinks is a good thing, because they’re important to growing our economy and creating jobs.  I think that -- when you’re President, that makes for a good week.  And obviously the super performance of our special forces on Tuesday night added to the week.

Q    Thanks.

MR. CARNEY:  Thanks, guys.  We’ll get you a week ahead.

END                12:27 P.M. EST

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FDA approves Inlyta to treat patients with a type
of advanced kidney cancer

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Inlyta (axitinib) to treat patients with advanced kidney cancer (renal cell carcinoma) who have not responded to another drug for this type of cancer.

Read The Full Article:
http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Newsroom/PressAnnouncements/ucm289423.htm

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Statement from the President on the Departure of
Aneesh Chopra

WASHINGTON, DC — The White House today announced the departure of Aneesh Chopra, Assistant to the President and the federal government’s first Chief Technology Officer (CTO).
 
President Obama said, “As the federal government’s first Chief Technology Officer, Aneesh Chopra did groundbreaking work to bring our government into the 21st century.  Aneesh found countless ways to engage the American people using technology, from electronic health records for veterans, to expanding access to broadband for rural communities, to modernizing government records. His legacy of leadership and innovation will benefit Americans for years to come, and I thank him for his outstanding service.”

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Remarks by the President on College
Affordability, Ann Arbor, Michigan

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, Michigan

10:00 A.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Michigan!  (Applause.)  Oh, it is good to be back in Ann Arbor.  (Applause.)

Thank you, Christina, for that introduction.  I also want to thank your president, Mary Sue Coleman.  (Applause.)  The mayor of Ann Arbor, John Hieftje, is here.  (Applause.)  My outstanding Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan, is in the house.  (Applause.) We have some outstanding members of Congress who are here as well, who are representing you each and every day.  Give them a round of applause -- come on.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you, President Obama!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  (Applause.)

So in terms of -- boy, we've got all kinds of members of Congress here, so -- (laughter.)

Where's Denard?  (Applause.)  Denard Robinson is in the house.  (Applause.)  I hear you're coming back, man.  (Applause.)  That is a good deal for Michigan.  (Applause.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Denard Robinson in 2012!  (Laughter.)

THE PRESIDENT:  Oh, oh, come on.  They're trying to draft you for President.  (Laughter.)  He's got to graduate before he runs for President.  (Laughter.)  There's an age limit.  (Laughter.)

Well, it is wonderful to be here.  I want to thank all of you for coming out this morning.  I know for folks in college, this is still really early.  I remember those days.  It is good home -- good to be in the home of the Sugar Bowl champion Wolverines.  (Applause.)  And with Denard Robinson coming back, this will be a team to be reckoned with.  I understand your basketball team is pretty good this year, too.  (Applause.)  All right -- go, Blue!  (Applause.)  It's always good to start with a easy applause line.  (Laughter.)   

But the reason I'm here today -- in addition to meeting Denard Robinson -- (laughter) -- is to talk with all of you about what most of you do here every day -- and that is to think about how you can gain the skills and the training you need to succeed in this 21st century economy.  And this is going to be one of the most important issues that not just you face, but this entire country faces:  How can we make sure that everybody is getting the kind of education they need to personally succeed but also to build up this nation -- because in this economy, there is no greater predictor of individual success than a good education.

Today, the unemployment rate for Americans with a college degree or more is about half the national average.  Their incomes are twice as high as those who don’t have a high school diploma.  College is the single most important investment you can make in your future.  And I'm proud that all of you are making that investment.  (Applause.)

And the degree you earn from Michigan will be the best tool you have to achieve that basic American promise -- the idea that if you work hard, if you are applying yourself, if you are doing the right thing, you can do well enough to raise a family and own a home and send your own kids to college, put away a little for retirement, create products or services -- be part of something that is adding value to this country and maybe changing the world.  That's what you're striving for.  That's what the American Dream is all about.  

And how we keep that promise alive is the defining issue of our time.  I don’t want to be in a country where we only are looking at success for a small group of people.  We want a country where everybody has a chance.  (Applause.)  Where everybody has a chance.  We don't want to become a country where a shrinking number of Americans do really well while a growing number barely get by.  That’s not the future we want.  Not the future I want for you, it's not the future I want for my daughters.  I want this to be a big, bold, generous country where everybody gets a fair shot, everybody is doing their fair share, everybody is playing by the same set of rules.  That’s the America I know.  That’s the American I want to keep.  That's the future within our reach.  (Applause.)

Now, in the State of the Union on Tuesday, I laid out a blueprint that gets us there.  Blueprint -- it's blue.  (Laughter and applause.)  That's no coincidence.  I planned it that way, Michigan.  (Laughter.)  A blueprint for an economy that’s built to last.

It’s an economy built on new American manufacturing -- because Michigan is all about making stuff.  (Applause.)  If there's anybody in America who can teach us how to bring back manufacturing, it is the great state of Michigan.  (Applause.)

On the day I took office, with the help of folks like Debbie Stabenow, your senator, and Carl Levin and -- (applause) -- John Conyers -- the American auto industry was on the verge of collapse.  And some politicians were willing to let it just die.  We said no.  We believe in the workers of this state.  (Applause.)  I believe in American ingenuity.  We placed our bets on the American auto industry, and today, the American auto industry is back.  Jobs are coming back -- (applause) -- 160,000 jobs.

And to bring back even more jobs, I want this Congress to stop rewarding companies that are shipping jobs and profits overseas, start rewarding companies who are hiring here and investing here and creating good jobs here in Michigan and here in the United States of America.  (Applause.)

So our first step is rebuilding American manufacturing.  And by the way, not all the jobs that have gone overseas are going to come back.  We have to be realistic.  And technology means that a larger and larger portion of you will work in the service sector as engineers and computer scientists.  (Applause.)  There you go.  We got the engineering school -- there you go.  (Applause.)  And entrepreneurs.  So there’s going to be a lot of activity in the service sector.  But part of my argument, part of the argument of Michigan’s congressional delegation is that when manufacturing does well, then the entire economy does well.

The service sector does well if manufacturing is doing well, so we’ve got to make sure that America isn’t just buying stuff, but we’re also selling stuff -- all around the world, products stamped with those three proud words:  Made In America.  (Applause.)

An economy built to last is also one where we control our energy needs.  We don't let foreign countries control our energy supplies.  Right now, America is producing more of our own oil than we were eight years ago.  That's good news.  (Applause.)  As a percentage, we’re actually importing less than any time in the last 16 years.

But -- I think young people especially understand this -- no matter how much oil we produce, we’ve only got 2 percent of the world’s oil reserves.  And that means we’ve got to focus on clean, renewable energy.  (Applause.)  We’ve got to have a strategy that, yes, is producing our own oil and natural gas.  But we’ve also got to develop wind and solar and biofuels.  (Applause.)

And that is good for our economy.  It creates jobs.  But it’s also good for our environment.  (Applause.)  It also makes sure that this planet is sustainable.  That’s part of the future that you deserve.

We've subsidized oil companies for a century.  That’s long enough.  Congress needs to stop giving taxpayer dollars to an oil industry that’s never been more profitable, and double down on a clean energy future that’s never been more promising.  (Applause.)

I don’t want to cede the wind or the solar or the battery industry to China or Germany because we were too timid, we didn’t have the imagination to make the same commitment here.  And I want those jobs created here in the United States of America.  And I also want us to think about energy efficiency, making sure -- we’ve already doubled fuel efficiency standards on cars.  Part of Detroit coming back is creating more fuel-efficient cars here in Michigan -- (applause) -- and more fuel-efficient trucks.  And we’ve got to revamp our buildings to make them more fuel-efficient.

And we -- if we are focused on this, we can control our energy future.  That’s part of creating an America that’s built to last.

And we’ve got to have an economy in which every American has access to a world-class higher education, the kind you are getting right here at the University of Michigan.  (Applause.)

My grandfather got the chance to go to college because this country decided that every returning veteran of World War II should be able to afford it.  My mother was able to raise two kids by herself because she was able to get grants and work her way through school.  I am only standing here today because scholarships and student loans gave me a shot at a decent education.  Michelle and I can still remember how long it took us to pay back our student loans.  (Laughter.)

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Tell the First Lady we wish her happy birthday!

THE PRESIDENT:  I will tell Michelle you said happy birthday.  (Applause.)

But I just want all of you to understand, your President and your First Lady were in your shoes not that long ago.  (Laughter.)  We didn’t come from wealthy families.  The only reason that we were able to achieve what we were able to achieve was because we got a great education.  That’s the only reason.  (Applause.)  And we could not have done that unless we lived in a country that made a commitment to opening up opportunity to all people.  (Applause.)

The point is, this country has always made a commitment to put a good education within the reach of all who are willing to work for it, and that’s part of what helped to create this economic miracle and build the largest middle class in history.
And this precedes even college.  I mean, we were -- we helped to begin the movement in industrialized countries to create public schools, public high schools, understanding that as people are moving from an agricultural sector to an industrial sector, they were going to need training.

Now we've moved to an information age, a digitalized age, a global economy.  We've got to make that same commitment today.  (Applause.)

Now, we still have, by far, the best network of colleges and universities in the world.  Nobody else comes close.  Nobody else comes close.  (Applause.)  But the challenge is it's getting tougher and tougher to afford it.  Since most of you were born, tuition and fees have more than doubled.  That forces students like you to take out more loans and rack up more debt.

In 2010, graduates who took out loans left college owing an average of $24,000.  That's an average.  Are you waving because you owe $24,000 or -- (laughter.)

Student loan debt has now surpassed credit card debt for the first time ever.  Think about that.  That’s inexcusable.  In the coming decade, 60 percent of new jobs will require more than a high school diploma.  Higher education is not a luxury.  It's an economic imperative that every family in America should be able to afford.  And when I say higher education, I don't just mean four-year colleges and universities; I also mean our community colleges and providing lifelong learning for workers who may need to retrain for jobs when the economy shifts.  All those things cost money, and it's harder and harder to afford.  (Applause.)

So we've got to do something to help families be able to afford -- and students to be able to afford -- this higher education.  We've all got a responsibility here.

Thanks to the hard work of Secretary Duncan, my administration is increasing federal student aid so more students can afford college.  (Applause.)  And one of the things I'm proudest of, with the help of all these members of Congress, we won a tough fight to stop handing out tens of billions of dollars in taxpayer subsidies to banks that issue student loans and shift that money to where it should go, directly to the students and to the families who need it.  (Applause.)

Tens of billions of dollars that were going to subsidies for banks are now going to students in the form of more grants and lower rates on loans.  We’ve capped student loan payments so that nearly 1.6 million students -- including a bunch of you -- are only going to have to pay 10 percent of your monthly income towards your loans once you graduate -- 10 percent of your monthly income.  (Applause.)

So that’s what we’ve been doing.  Now Congress has to do more.  Congress needs to do more.  They need to stop the interest rates on student loans from doubling this July.  That's what’s scheduled to happen if Congress doesn't act.  That would not be good for you.  (Laughter.)  So you should let your members of Congress know:  Don't do that.  Don't do it.  Don't do it.

They need to extend the tuition tax credit that we’ve put in place that’s saving some of you and millions of folks all across the country thousands of dollars.  And Congress needs to give more young people the chance to earn their way through college by doubling the number of work-study jobs in the next five years.  (Applause.)

So the administration has a job to do.  Congress has a job to do.  But it’s not just enough to increase student aid, and you can imagine why.  Look, we can’t just keep on subsidizing skyrocketing tuition.  If tuition is going up faster than inflation, faster than even health care is going up, no matter how much we subsidize it, sooner or later, we’re going to run out of money.  And that means that others have to do their part.  Colleges and universities need to do their part to keep costs down as well.  (Applause.)

Recently, I spoke with a group of college presidents who’ve done just that.  Here at Michigan, you’ve done a lot to find savings in your budget.  We know this is possible.  So from now on, I’m telling Congress we should steer federal campus-based aid to those colleges that keep tuition affordable, provide good value, serve their students well.  (Applause.)  We are putting colleges on notice -- you can’t keep -- you can't assume that you’ll just jack up tuition every single year.  If you can’t stop tuition from going up, then the funding you get from taxpayers each year will go down.  We should push colleges to do better.  We should hold them accountable if they don’t.  (Applause.)  

Now, states also have to do their part.  I was talking to your president -- and this is true all across the country -- states have to do their part by making higher education a higher priority in their budgets.  (Applause.)  Last year, over 40 states cut their higher education spending -- 40 states cut their higher education budget.  And we know that these state budget cuts have been the largest factor in tuition increases at public colleges over the past decade.

So we’re challenging states:  Take responsibility as well on this issue.  (Applause.)  What we’re doing is, today we’re going to launch a Race to the Top for college affordability.  We’re telling the states, if you can find new ways to bring down the cost of college and make it easier for more students to graduate, we’ll help you do it.  We will give you additional federal support if you are doing a good job of making sure that all of you aren’t loaded up with debt when you graduate from college.  (Applause.)  
And, finally, today I’m also calling for a new report card for colleges.  Parents like getting report cards.  I know you guys may not always look forward to it.  (Laughter.)  But we parents, we like to know what you’re doing.  From now on, parents and students deserve to know how a college is doing -- how affordable is it, how well are its students doing?  We want you to know how well a car stacks up before you buy it.  You should know how well a college stacks up.

We call this -- one of the things that we’re doing at the Consumer Finance Protection Board that I just set up with Richard Cordray -- (applause) -- is to make sure that young people understand the financing of colleges.  He calls it, “Know Before You Owe.”  (Laughter.)  Know before you owe.  So we want to push more information out so consumers can make good choices, so you as consumers of higher education understand what it is that you’re getting.

The bottom line is that an economy built to last demands we keep doing everything we can to bring down the cost of college.  That goes along with strengthening American manufacturing.  It means we keep on investing in American energy.  It means we double down on the clean energy that’s creating jobs across this state and guaranteeing your generation a better future.  (Applause.)

And you know what else it means?  It means that we renew the American values of fair play and shared responsibility.  (Applause.)  Shared responsibility.

I talked about this at the State of the Union.  We’ve got to make sure that as we’re paying for the investments of the future that everybody is doing their part, that we’re looking out for middle-class families and not just those at the top.  The first thing that means is making sure taxes don’t go up on 160 million working Americans at the end of next month.  (Applause.)  People can’t afford to lose $40 out of every paycheck.  Not right now.  Students who are working certainly can’t afford it.

Your voices encouraged and ultimately convinced Congress to extend the payroll tax cut for two months.  Now we’ve got to extend it for the whole year.  I need your help to get it done again.  Tell them to pass this tax cut, without drama, without delay.  (Applause.)  Get it done.  It’s good for the economy.  (Applause.)    

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Four more years!   

THE PRESIDENT:  Okay.  (Laughter and applause.)

Now, in the longer run, we’re also going to have to reduce our deficit.  We’ve got to invest in our future and we’ve got to reduce our deficit.  And to do both, we’ve got to make some choices.  Let me give you some examples.

Right now, we’re scheduled to spend nearly $1 trillion more on what was intended to be a temporary tax cut for the wealthiest 2 percent of Americans.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  That's not fair.

THE PRESIDENT:  That's not fair.  A quarter of all millionaires pay lower tax rates than millions of middle-class households.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Not fair.  Warren Buffett pays a lower tax rate than his secretary.  I know because she was at the State of the Union.  She told me.  (Laughter.)  Is that fair?

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Does it make sense to you?

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Do we want to keep these tax cuts for folks like me who don’t need them?  Or do we want to invest in the things that will help us in the long term -- like student loans and grants -- (applause) -- and a strong military -- (applause) -- and care for our veterans -- (applause) -- and basic research?  (Applause.)

Those are the choices we've got to make.  We can't do everything.  We can't reduce our deficit and make the investments we need at the same time, and keep tax breaks for folks who don't need them and weren't even asking for them -- well, some of them were asking for them.  I wasn't asking for them.  (Laughter.)  We've got to choose.

When it comes to paying our fair share, I believe we should follow the Buffett Rule:  If you make more than $1 million a year -- and I hope a lot of you do after you graduate -- (laughter) -- then you should pay a tax rate of at least 30 percent.  (Applause.)  On the other hand, if you decide to go into a less lucrative profession, if you decide to become a teacher -- and we need teachers -- (applause) -- if you decide to go into public service, if you decide to go into a helping profession -- (applause) -- if you make less than $250,000 a year -- which 98 percent of Americans do -- then your taxes shouldn’t go up.  (Applause.)

This is part of the idea of shared responsibility.  I know a lot of folks have been running around calling this class warfare.  I think asking a billionaire to pay at least as much as his secretary in taxes is just common sense.  (Applause.)  Yesterday, Bill Gates said he doesn't think people like him are paying enough in taxes.  I promise you, Warren Buffett is doing fine, Bill Gates is doing fine, I’m doing fine.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Koch Brothers.

THE PRESIDENT:  They're definitely doing fine.  (Laughter.)   

We don't need more tax breaks.  There are a lot of families out there who are struggling, who’ve seen their wages stall, and the cost of everything from a college education to groceries and food have gone up.  You’re the ones who need that.  You’re the ones who need help.  And we can't do both.

There have been some who have been saying, well, the only reason you’re saying that is because you're trying to stir people up, make them envious of the rich.  People don't envy the rich.  When people talk about me paying my fair share of taxes, or Bill Gates or Warren Buffett paying their fair share, the reason that they're talking about it is because they understand that when I get a tax break that I don't need, that the country can't afford, then one of two things are going to happen:  Either the deficit will go up and ultimately you guys are going to have to pay for it, or alternatively, somebody else is going to foot the bill -- some senior who suddenly has to pay more for their Medicare, or some veteran who's not getting the help that they need readjusting after they have defended this country, or some student who’s suddenly having to pay higher interest rates on their student loans.

We do not begrudge wealth in this country.  I want everybody here to do well.  We aspire to financial success.  But we also understand that we’re not successful just by ourselves.  We’re successful because somebody started the University of Michigan.  (Applause.)  We’re successful because somebody made an investment in all the federal research labs that created the Internet.  We’re successful because we have an outstanding military -- that costs money.  We’re successful because somebody built roads and bridges and laid broadband lines.  And these things didn’t just happen on their own.

And if we all understand that we’ve got to pay for this stuff, it makes sense for those of us who've done best to do our fair share.  And to try to pass off that bill onto somebody else, that’s not right.  That’s not who we are.  (Applause.)  That’s not what my grandparents' generation worked hard to pass down.  That’s not what your grandparents and your great-grandparents worked hard to pass down.  We’ve got a different idea of America, a more generous America.  (Applause.)

Everybody here is only here because somebody somewhere down the road decided we’re going to think not just about ourselves, but about the future.  We’ve got responsibilities, yes, to ourselves but also to each other.  And now it’s our turn to be responsible.  Now it’s our turn to leave an America that’s built to last.  And I know we can do it.  We’ve done it before and I know we can do it again because of you.

When I meet young people all across this country, with energy and drive and vision, despite the fact that you’ve come of age during a difficult, tumultuous time in this world, it gives me hope.  You inspire me.  You’re here at Michigan because you believe in your future.  You’re working hard.  You’re putting in long hours -- hopefully some at the library.  (Laughter.)  Some of you are balancing a job at the same time.  You know that doing big things isn’t always easy, but you’re not giving up.

You’ve got the whole world before you.  And you embody that sense of possibility that is quintessentially American.  We do not shrink from challenges.  We stand up to them.  And we don’t leave people behind; we make sure everybody comes along with us on this journey that we’re on.  (Applause.)

That’s the spirit right now that we need, Michigan.  (Applause.)  Here in America, we don’t give up.  We look out for each other.  We make sure everybody has a chance to get ahead.  And if we work in common purpose, with common resolve, we can build an economy that gives everybody a fair shot.  And we will remind the world just why it is that the United States of America is the greatest nation on Earth.  (Applause.)

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

END           10:33 A.M. EST

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Statement by the President on International
Holocaust Remembrance Day

Release Time:  For Immediate Release

This International Holocaust Remembrance Day, Michelle and I join people in the United States, in Israel, and across the globe as we remember the six million Jews and millions of others who were murdered at the hands of the Nazis.

We commit ourselves to keeping their memories alive not only in our thoughts, but through our actions. As we remember all those who perished in camps from Auschwitz to Treblinka, Dachau to Sobibor, we pledge to speak truth to those who deny the Holocaust.

As we celebrate the strength and resilience of survivors, we pledge to stand strong against all those who would commit atrocities, against the resurgence of anti-Semitism, and against hatred in all its forms.

As we draw inspiration from the righteous gentiles who risked their lives to save friends, neighbors, and even strangers, we pledge to continue the hard work of repairing the world.

Together with the State of Israel, and all our friends around the world, we dedicate ourselves to giving meaning to those powerful words: “Never Forget. Never Again.”

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