Fwd: EMBARGOED until 6:00pm ET today: Weekly Address: The President and First Lady Extend Christmas Greeting and Express their Gratitude to America's Servicemen and Women

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 PM ET, THURSDAY, December 24, 2009

 

WEEKLY ADDRESS: The President and First Lady Extend Christmas Greeting and Express their Gratitude to America's Servicemen and Women

 

WASHINGTON –  In this week's address, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama offered their best Christmas wishes to families across the country, and expressed their gratitude to the men and women of the American military and their families for their service to the country.  The First Couple encouraged Americans to visit www.whitehouse.gov to learn how they can show their support to our soldiers and their loved ones.

 

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

 

Remarks of President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama

Weekly Address

December 24, 2009

 

PRESIDENT:  Hello everyone, and Merry Christmas.  As you and your families gather to celebrate the holidays, we wanted to take a moment to send greetings from our family—from me, from Michelle, from Malia and Sasha—and from Bo.

 

FIRST LADY:  This is our first Christmas in the White House, and we are so grateful for this extraordinary experience.  Not far from here, in the Blue Room, is the official White House Christmas Tree.  It's an 18-foot tall Douglas-fir from West Virginia and it's decorated with hundreds of ornaments designed by people and children from all over the country.  Each one is a reminder of the traditions we cherish as Americans and the blessings we're thankful for this holiday season.  

 

PRESIDENT:  That's right, especially as we continue to recover from an extraordinary recession that still has so many Americans hurting: parents without a job who struggled to put presents under the Christmas  tree; families and neighbors who've seen their home foreclosed; folks wondering what the new year will bring.   

 

But even in these tough times, there's still so much to celebrate this Christmas.  A message of peace and brotherhood that continues to inspire more than 2,000 after Jesus' birth.  The love of family and friends.  The bonds of community and country.  And the character and courage of our men and women in uniform who are far from home for the holidays, away from their families, risking their lives to protect ours.

 

To all our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen—I have no greater honor than serving as your Commander in Chief.  I've been awed by your selfless spirit, your eagerness to serve—at the Naval Academy and West Point.  I've been energized by your dedication to duty—from Baghdad to the Korean Peninsula.  Michelle and I have been moved by your determination—wounded warriors at Walter Reed and Bethesda, fighting to recover, to get back to your units.

 

And I've been humbled, profoundly, by patriots who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom.  In flag-draped caskets coming home at Dover.  In the quiet solitude of Arlington.  And after years of multiple tours of duty, as you carry on with our missions in Iraq and Afghanistan, your service, your readiness to make that same sacrifice, is an inspiration to us and to every American.

 

FIRST LADY:  And so are your families.  As First Lady, one of my greatest privileges is to visit with military families across the country.  I've met military spouses doing the parenting of two—keeping the household together, juggling play dates and soccer games, helping with homework, doing everything they can to make the kids feel OK even as they try to hide their own fears and worries. 

 

I've met kids who wonder when mom or dad is coming home; grandparents and relatives who step in to care for our wounded warriors; and folks trying to carry on after losing the person they loved most in the world. 

 

And through it all, these families somehow still find the time and energy to serve their communities as well—coaching Little League, running the PTA, raising money to help those less fortunate than they are, and more. 

 

But even these strong military families can use a hand, especially during the holidays.  If you live near a military base, you can reach out through your workplaces, your schools, your churches.  There are so many ways to help—with child care, with errands, or by just bringing over a home-cooked meal.  Even if you don't know a military family nearby, your family can still help by donating or volunteering at organizations that support military families.

 

PRESIDENT:  You can also reach out directly to our forces around the world.  Kids can make a card that will bring a smile to an American far from home.  Adults can send a care package or a pre-paid phone card that makes the tour at little easier.  Every American can do something to support our troops, even if it's as simple as just saying thank you.  For more ways to let our troops know you care, go to www.whitehouse.gov

 

So to all our men and women in uniform spending the holidays far from home—whether it's at a base here in the states, a mess hall in Iraq or a remote outpost in Afghanistan, know that you are in our thoughts and our prayers.  And this holiday season—and every Holiday season—know that we are doing everything in our power to make sure you can succeed in your missions and come home safe to your families.

 

FIRST LADY:  And to all Americans, from our family to yours, Merry Christmas.

 

PRESIDENT:  Merry Christmas, everybody.

Fwd: EMBARGOED: Vice President Biden Reports on Recovery Act Progress Building a Clean Energy Economy

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

 

EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST

December 14, 2009

 

Vice President Biden Reports on Recovery Act Progress Building a Clean Energy Economy

Memo to President Details Specific Advances Being Made as a Result of Early Foundation Laid by Administration

**Embargoed until Midnight EST**

 

Washington, DC – Vice President Biden has delivered a progress report to President Obama on how the Recovery Act is helping build a cleaner, more energy-efficient economy by tapping homegrown sources of energy.  In his memo to the President, the Vice President reports on specific advances already underway as a result of the foundation the Administration has laid through the Recovery Act and other initiatives, and details how our economy will be transformed by these investments in the coming years.  The Vice President's memo can be viewed HERE. 

 

"I'm pleased to report that the administration is laying the foundation for a clean energy economy that will create a new generation of jobs, reduce dependence on oil and enhance national security," Vice President Biden writes in his memo.  "Through the Recovery Act and more effective use of programs already in existence, the administration is taking the critical steps to transform the United States into a global clean energy leader."

 

The new assessment, which was produced at the request of the Vice President by the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change, the Office of the Vice President, the Council of Economic Advisors and the Department of Energy, details the specific measurable advancements the United States is making in areas ranging from advanced battery production to smart energy meter installation because of clean energy investments through the Recovery Act and other initiatives.  Key findings include:

 

·         Renewable Energy: The U.S. is on-track to double renewable energy generation, including solar, wind and geothermal, and double renewable manufacturing capacity in just three years because of Recovery Act investments. 

 

·         Vehicles and Fuels of the Future: Over the next six years, three new electric vehicles plants—the first ever in the U.S.—and 30 new battery plants will be fully operational because of the Administration's $16 billion investment in plug-in hybrids, all-electric vehicles and the infrastructure needed to power them, as well as new clean fuels.   When President Obama took office there were just 2 advanced battery and electric drive component factories in the U.S.

 

·         Grid Modernization: Twenty-six million smart meters will be installed in U.S. homes by 2013 – more than triple the number currently in service – as a result of the Administration's $4 billion Recovery Act investment in a smart energy grid and the one-to-one match in private sector funding.  This technology allows consumers to monitor and regulate their own energy usage and costs.

 

·         Energy Efficiency: Because the Administration is making the largest single investment in home energy efficiency in U.S history through the Recovery Act and other initiatives, nearly one million home energy efficiency retrofits will have happened by 2012.

 

·         Carbon Capture:  Because of Recovery Act funding and existing loan guarantee authority, there will be 5 commercial scale power plants operating with large carbon capture sequestration facilities by 2015.  When President Obama took office, there were zero.

 

·         Science and Innovation – Through the Recovery Act, the Administration is investing $400 million in some of the most advanced research in wind, solar, and geothermal technologies through the ARPA-E program to make these clean sources of energy more affordable and easier to store and transport.  A year ago, this critical program was unfunded.

 

The clean energy components of the Recovery Act represent the largest single investment in clean energy in U.S. history.  The Vice President's memo notes that the Recovery Act's over $80 billion investment in clean energy technology will produce as much as $150 billion in clean energy projects.  In addition, existing investment programs are expected to produce an additional $90 billion in clean energy projects, for a total of up to $240 billion in clean energy projects to be launched as a result of the early foundation laid by the Administration.  These projects will not only transform the way the country generates and uses energy, but also help make the United States a global leader in the clean energy sector and create new job opportunities in manufacturing and technology.

 

The memo comes as the President prepares to discuss additional clean energy job creation measures in a visit to Home Depot tomorrow and meet with world leaders in Copenhagen on climate change later this week.  The Vice President will also discuss how the United States can leverage investments in clean energy to reinvigorate the manufacturing industry at a Middle Class Task Force event on Wednesday.

EMBARGOED: Vice President Memo Lays Out Progress on Building an American Clean Energy Economy

EDIT (5:24 EST): The pdf is avaiable here: http://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B2flofRftjsKOTFlMTI5NGItNGU4Zi00NzdmLTk5MGEtM2U4MDc5NmRmNjc1&hl=en

---

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Vice President

EMBARGOED UNTIL MIDNIGHT EST

December 14, 2009

 

Attached is the memorandum referenced during today's conference call on Clean Energy Progress held by Chief Economic Adviser to the Vice President Jared Bernstein and Director of the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change Policy Carol Browner. The memorandum is from the Vice President to the President on the administration's progress in building a clean energy economy through the Recovery Act and other initiatives.  The memo was produced at the request of the Vice President by the White House Office of Energy and Climate Change, the Office of the Vice President, the Council of Economic Advisors and the Department of Energy. The attached memorandum and the conference call is embargoed until midnight EST.

Re: EMBARGOED: Weekly Address: President Obama Says Employment Trends Are Improving; But Remains Focused on Job Creation

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, December 5, 2009

 

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Says Employment Trends Are Improving; But Remains Focused on Job Creation

 

WASHINGTON –  In his weekly address, President Obama said the jobs numbers released yesterday indicate that the job loss trend is improving, but that his administration remains committed to accelerating these trends and putting more Americans back to work.  Next week, the President will announce additional ideas about growing the economy and adding jobs to our economy.

 

The audio and video will be available at 6:00am Saturday, December 5, 2009 at www.whitehouse.gov.

 

Remarks of President Barack Obama

As Prepared for Delivery

Weekly Address

Saturday, December 5, 2009

 

Every month since January, when I became your President, I've spoken to you about the periodic reports of the Labor Department on the number of jobs created or lost during the previous month; numbers that tell a story about how America's economy is faring overall.  

 

In those first months, the numbers were nothing short of devastating. The worst recession since the 1930s had wreaked havoc on the lives of so many of our fellow Americans. Yesterday, the numbers released by the Labor Department reflected a continuing positive trend of diminishing job loss.

 

But for those who were laid off last month and the millions of Americans who have lost their jobs in this recession, a good trend isn't good enough. Trends don't buy the groceries. Trends don't pay the rent or a college tuition. Trends don't fulfill the need within each of us to be productive, to provide for our families, to make the most of our lives, to reach for our dreams.

 

So, it is true that we, as a country, are in a very different place than we were when 2009 began. Because of the Recovery Act and a number of other steps we've taken, we're no longer facing the potential collapse of our financial system or a second Great Depression. We're no longer losing jobs at a rate of 700,000 a month. And our economy's growing for the first time in a year.

 

But too many of our neighbors are still out of work because the growth we've seen hasn't yet translated into all the jobs we need. Stung by this brutal recession, businesses that have kept their doors open are still wary about adding workers.  Instead of hiring, many are simply asking their employees to work more hours, or they're adding temporary help. 

 

History tells us this is usually what happens with recessions – even as the economy grows, it takes time for jobs to follow. But the folks who have been looking for work without any luck for months and, in some cases, years, can't wait any longer. For them, I'm determined to do everything I can to accelerate our progress so we're actually adding jobs again.

 

That's why, this week, I invited a group of business owners from across the country to the White House to talk about additional steps we can take to help jumpstart hiring. We brought together unions and universities to talk about what we can do to support our workers today and prepare our students to outcompete workers around the world tomorrow. We brought together mayors and community leaders to talk about how we can open up new opportunities in our cities and towns.

 

On Friday, I spent the day in Allentown, Pennsylvania, and met with workers and small business owners there. I stopped by a steel company called Allentown Metal Works, and spoke at Lehigh Community College. I visited folks at a job placement center, and stopped by a shift change at Alpo.  The stories and concerns I heard mirrored the countless letters I receive every single day. And they speak louder than any statistic or government report. The folks in Allentown – and in all the Allentowns across our country – are the most dedicated, productive workers in the world. All they're asking for is a chance, and a fair shake.

 

And that's exactly what I'm working to give them. In the coming days, I'll be unveiling additional ideas aimed at accelerating job growth and hiring as we emerge from this economic storm.

 

And so that we don't face another crisis like this again, I'm determined to meet our responsibility to do what we know will strengthen our economy in the long-run. That's why I'm not going to let up in my efforts to reform our health care system; to give our children the best education in the world; to promote the jobs of tomorrow and energy independence by investing in a clean energy economy; and to deal with the mounting federal debt.

 

From the moment I was sworn into office, we have taken a number of difficult steps to end this economic crisis. We didn't take them because they were popular or gratifying. They weren't. We took these steps because they were necessary.

 

But I didn't run for President to pass emergency recovery programs, or to bail out banks or to shore up auto companies. I didn't run for President simply to manage the crisis of the moment, while kicking our most pressing problems down the road. I ran for President to help hardworking families succeed and to stand up for the embattled middle class. I ran to fight for a country where responsibility is still rewarded, and hard-working people can get ahead.  I ran to keep faith with the sacred American principle that we will deliver to our children a future of even greater possibility.

 

And my commitment to you, the American people, is that I will focus every single day on how we can get people back to work, and how we can build an economy that continues to make real the promise of America for generations to come.

EMBARGOED: Weekly Address: President Obama Delivers Thanksgiving Greeting

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, THURSDAY, November 26, 2009

 

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Delivers Thanksgiving Greeting

 

WASHINGTON – In the midst of these challenging times for our nation, President Barack Obama used his weekly address to express gratitude to America's military men and women and their families, and give thanks for our nation's many blessings.  He also discussed the steps his administration is taking to repair the damaged economy, so that next Thanksgiving, Americans across the country can give thanks for a brighter and stronger economy.

 

The audio and video will be available at 6:00am Thursday, November 26, 2009 at www.whitehouse.gov.

 

Prepared Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

Thursday, November 26, 2009

 

For centuries, in peace and in war, in prosperity and in adversity, Americans have paused at this time of year to gather with loved ones and give thanks for life's blessings. This week, we carry on this distinctly American tradition.  All across our country, folks are coming together to spend time with family, to catch up with old friends, to cook and enjoy a big dinner – and maybe to watch a little football in between.

 

As always, we give thanks for the kindness of loved ones, for the joys of the previous year, and for the pride we feel in our communities and country. We keep in our thoughts and prayers the many families marking this Thanksgiving with an empty seat – saved for a son or daughter, or husband or wife, stationed in harm's way. And we say a special thanks for the sacrifices those men and women in uniform are making for our safety and freedom, and for all those Americans who enrich the lives of our communities through acts of kindness, generosity and service.

 

But as much as we all have to be thankful for, we also know that this year millions of Americans are facing very difficult economic times. Many have lost jobs in this recession – the worst in generations. Many more are struggling to afford health care premiums and house payments, let alone to save for an education or retirement. Too many are wondering if the dream of a middle class life – that American Dream – is slipping away.  It's the worry I hear from folks across the country; good, hard-working people doing the best they can for their families – but fearing that their best just isn't good enough. These are not strangers.  They are our family, our friends, and our neighbors. Their struggles must be our concern.

 

That's why we passed the Recovery Act that cut taxes for 95 percent of working people and for small businesses – and that extended unemployment benefits and health coverage for millions of Americans who lost their jobs in this turmoil.  That's why we are reforming the health care system so that middle-class families have affordable insurance that cannot be denied because of a pre-existing condition or taken away because you happen to get sick. We've worked to stem the tide of foreclosures and to stop the decline in home values. We're making it easier to save for retirement and more affordable to send a son or daughter to college.

 

The investments we have made and tough steps we have taken have helped break the back of the recession, and now our economy is finally growing again.  But as I said when I took office, job recovery from this crisis would not come easily or quickly. Though the job losses we were experiencing earlier this year have slowed dramatically, we're still not creating enough new jobs each month to make up for the ones we're losing.  And no matter what the economists say, for families and communities across the country, this recession will not end until we completely turn that tide.

 

So we've made progress. But we cannot rest – and my administration will not rest – until we have revived this economy and rebuilt it stronger than before; until we are creating jobs and opportunities for middle class families; until we have moved beyond the cycles of boom and bust – of reckless risk and speculation – that led us to so much crisis and pain these past few years.

 

Next week, I'll be meeting with owners of large and small businesses, labor leaders, and non-for-profits from across the country, to talk about the additional steps we can take to help spur job creation. I will work with the Congress to enact them quickly. And it is my fervent hope – and my heartfelt expectation – that next Thanksgiving we will be able to celebrate the fact that many of those who have lost their jobs are back at work, and that as a nation we will have come through these difficult storms stronger and wiser and grateful to have reached a brighter day.

 

Thank you, God bless you, and from my family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving.

EMBARGOED: Weekly Address: President Obama's Overseas Trip Focused on Better Relations with Asia and Creating Jobs at Home

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, November 21, 2009

 

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama's Overseas Trip Focused on Better Relations with Asia and Creating Jobs at Home

 

WASHINGTON – In this week's address, President Barack Obama described the progress made during his trip to Asia, and detailed steps the administration is taking to spur job creation.  The President explained how increasing exports to Asia Pacific nations can create hundreds of thousands of jobs in America and described the upcoming jobs forum which will host CEOs, labor unions, economists, and nonprofits.

 

The full audio of the address is HERE. The video can be viewed online at www.whitehouse.gov.

 

Remarks of President Barack Obama

Weekly Address

Saturday, November 21, 2009

 

Hi.  I'm recording this message from Seoul, South Korea, as I finish up my first presidential trip to Asia.  As we emerge from the worst recession in generations, there is nothing more important than to do everything we can to get our economy moving again and put Americans back to work, and I will go anywhere to pursue that goal. 

 

That's one of the main reasons I took this trip.  Asia is a region where we now buy more goods and do more trade with than any other place in the world – commerce that supports millions of jobs back home.  It's also a place where the risk of a nuclear arms race threatens our security, and where extremists plan attacks on America's soil.  And since this region includes some of the fastest-growing nations, there can be no solution to the challenge of climate change without the cooperation of the Asia Pacific.

 

With this in mind, I traveled to Asia to open a new era of American engagement.  We made progress with China and Russia in sending a unified message to Iran and North Korea that they must live up to their international obligations and either forsake nuclear weapons or face the consequences.  As the two largest consumers and producers of energy, we developed a host of new clean energy initiatives with China, and our two nations agreed to work toward a successful outcome at the upcoming climate summit in Copenhagen – an outcome that leads to immediate action to reduce carbon pollution.  And I spoke to young men and women at a town hall in Shanghai and across the internet about certain values that we in America believe are universal:  the freedom of worship and speech; the right to access information and choose one's own leaders. 

 

But above all, I spoke with leaders in every nation I visited about what we can do to sustain this economic recovery and bring back jobs and prosperity for our people – a task I will continue to focus on relentlessly in the weeks and months ahead. 

 

This recession has taught us that we can't return to a situation where America's economic growth is fueled by consumers who take on more and more debt.  In order to keep growing, we need to spend less, save more, and get our federal deficit under control.  We also need to place a greater emphasis on exports that we can build, produce, and sell to other nations – exports that can help create new jobs at home and raise living standards throughout the world. 

 

For example, if we can increase our exports to Asia Pacific nations by just 5%, we can increase the number of American jobs supported by these exports by hundreds of thousands.  This is already happening with businesses like American Superconductor Corporation, an energy technology startup based in Massachusetts that's been providing wind power and smart grid systems to countries like China, Korea, and India.  By doing so, it's added more than 100 jobs over the last few years. 

 

Increasing our exports is one way to create new jobs and new prosperity.  But as we emerge from a recession that has left millions without work, we have an obligation to consider every additional, responsible step we can take to encourage and accelerate job creation in this country. That's why I've announced that in the next few weeks, we'll be holding a forum at the White House on jobs and economic growth. I want to hear from CEOs and small business owners, economists and financial experts, as well as representatives from labor unions and nonprofit groups, about what they think we can do to spur hiring and get this economy moving again.

 

It is important that we do not make any ill-considered decisions – even with the best of intentions – particularly at a time when our resources are so limited.  But it is just as important that we are open to any demonstrably good idea to supplement the steps we've already taken to put America back to work.  That's what I hope to achieve in this forum.  

 

Still, there is no forum or policy that can bring all the jobs we've lost overnight.  I wish there were, because so many Americans – friends, neighbors, family members – are desperately looking for work.  But even though it will take time, I can promise you this:  we are moving in the right direction; that the steps we are taking are helping; and I will not let up until businesses start hiring again, unemployed Americans start working again, and we rebuild this economy stronger and more prosperous than it was before.  That has been the focus of our efforts these past ten months – and it will continue to be our focus in the months and years to come. 

 

Thanks. 

Fwd: EMBARGOED: Weekly Address: President Obama Extends Condolences to the Fort Hood Community

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

______________________________________________________________________________

EMBARGOED UNTIL 6:00 AM ET, SATURDAY, November 7, 2009

 

WEEKLY ADDRESS: President Obama Extends Condolences to the Fort Hood Community

 

WASHINGTON – In this week's address, President Barack Obama expressed his sadness for the tragedy at Fort Hood and praised the selfless valor of those who came to the aid of the wounded. While we mourn the heartbreaking violence, we should honor the heroism of the soldiers and civilians who rushed to help their comrades. That is the heroism which makes the U.S. military the finest in the world. 

 

The audio and video will be available at 6:00am Saturday, November 7, 2009 at www.whitehouse.gov.

 

Remarks of President Barack Obama

As Prepared for Delivery

Weekly Address

Saturday, November 7, 2009

 

I'd like to speak with you for a few minutes today about the tragedy that took place at Ft. Hood. This past Thursday, on a clear Texas afternoon, an Army psychiatrist walked into the Soldier Readiness Processing Center, and began shooting his fellow soldiers.

 

It is an act of violence that would have been heartbreaking had it occurred anyplace in America. It is a crime that would have horrified us had its victims been Americans of any background. But it's all the more heartbreaking and all the more despicable because of the place where it occurred and the patriots who were its victims.

 

The SRP is where our men and women in uniform go before getting deployed. It's where they get their teeth checked and their medical records updated and make sure everything is in order before getting shipped out. It was in this place, on a base where our soldiers ought to feel most safe, where those brave Americans who are preparing to risk their lives in defense of our nation, lost their lives in a crime against our nation.

 

Soldiers stationed in Iraq, Afghanistan, and around the world called and emailed loved ones at Ft. Hood, all expressing the same stunned reaction: I'm supposed to be the one in harm's way, not you.

 

Thursday's shooting was one of the most devastating ever committed on an American military base. And yet, even as we saw the worst of human nature on full display, we also saw the best of America. We saw soldiers and civilians alike rushing to aid fallen comrades; tearing off bullet-riddled clothes to treat the injured; using blouses as tourniquets; taking down the shooter even as they bore wounds themselves.

 

We saw soldiers bringing to bear on our own soil the skills they had been trained to use abroad; skills that been honed through years of determined effort for one purpose and one purpose only: to protect and defend the United States of America.

 

We saw the valor, selflessness, and unity of purpose that make our servicemen and women the finest fighting force on Earth; that make the United States military the best the world has ever known; and that make all of us proud to be Americans.

 

On Friday, I met with FBI Director Mueller, Defense Secretary Gates, and representatives of the relevant agencies to discuss their ongoing investigation into what led to this terrible crime. And I'll continue to be in close contact with them as new information comes in.

 

We cannot fully know what leads a man to do such a thing. But what we do know is that our thoughts are with every single one of the men and women who were injured at Ft. Hood. Our thoughts are with all the families who've lost a loved one in this national tragedy. And our thoughts are with all the Americans who wear – or who've worn – the proud uniform of the United States of America; our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, and coast guardsmen, and the military families who love and support them.

 

In tribute to those who fell at Ft. Hood, I've ordered flags flying over the White House, and other federal buildings to be lowered to half-staff from now until Veterans Day next Wednesday. Veterans Day is our chance to honor those Americans who've served on battlefields from Lexington to Antietam, Normandy to Manila, Inchon to Khe Sanh, Ramadi to Kandahar.

 

They are Americans of every race, faith, and station. They are Christians and Muslims, Jews and Hindus and nonbelievers. They are descendents of immigrants and immigrants themselves. They reflect the diversity that makes this America. But what they share is a patriotism like no other. What they share is a commitment to country that has been tested and proved worthy. What they share is the same unflinching courage, unblinking compassion, and uncommon camaraderie that the soldiers and civilians of Ft. Hood showed America and showed the world.

 

These are the men and women we honor today. These are the men and women we'll honor on Veterans Day. And these are the men and women we shall honor every day, in times of war and times of peace, so long as our nation endures.