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THE PRESIDENT:  Good afternoon.  And on behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House. Every day at the White House we receive thousands of letters from folks all across America.  And at night, upstairs in my study, I read a few.  About three years ago, I received a letter from a mom in…

The President today declared an emergency exists in the State of Connecticut and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local response efforts due to the emergency conditions resulting from a severe winter storm beginning on February 8, 2013, and continuing. The President’s action authorizes the Department of Homeland Security, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA),…

Hi, everybody. Over the last few years, Democrats and Republicans have come together and cut our deficit by more than $2.5 trillion through a balanced mix of spending cuts and higher tax rates for the wealthiest Americans. That’s more than halfway towards the $4 trillion in deficit reduction that economists and elected officials from both…

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE: Sarah Jewell, of Washington, to be Secretary of the Interior, vice Kenneth Lee Salazar. Marilyn B. Tavenner, of Virginia, to be Administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, vice Donald M. Berwick, resigned. Mary Jo White, of New York, to be a Member of the Securities and Exchange…

Unless Congress acts by March 1st, a series of automatic cuts—called a sequester—that threaten thousands of jobs and the economic security of the middle class will take effect.  There is no question that we need to cut the deficit, but the President believes it should be done in a balanced way that protects investments that…

Michelle and I send our warmest wishes to all those who will be celebrating the Lunar New Year this Sunday, February 10th.  Here in America and around the world, people of Asian and Pacific Islander descent will welcome the Year of the Snake.  In Chinese tradition, the snake represents wisdom, and a thoughtful approach to…

WASHINGTON, DC – On February 15, 2013, President Obama will welcome to the White House the recipients of the 2012 Presidential Citizens Medal, the nation’s second-highest civilian honor. “It is my distinguished honor to award these individuals the 2012 Citizens Medal for their commitment to public service,” said President Obama. “Their selflessness and courage inspire…

WASHINGTON, DC—In this week’s address, President Obama urged Congress to act to avoid a series of harmful and automatic cuts—called a sequester—from going into effect that would hurt our economy and the middle class and threaten thousands of American jobs.  The President urged Congress to find a balanced approach to deficit reduction that makes investments…

THE PRESIDENT:  In the years between the world wars, a young married couple in Italy packed up what few belongings that they had and boarded a boat for a new world.  They passed under the Statue of Liberty and went through the lines of Ellis Island. Carmelo and Carmelina Panetta had no money and spoke…