Tag Archives: United States Congress

May 8 2012

President Obama Calls on Congress to Act on “To Do List” to Create Jobs

President Obama calls on Congress to move forward with a concrete plan that creates jobs and helps restore middle class security.

At this make-or-break moment for the middle class Congress needs to take action on these common sense initiatives.  We need to create an economy built to last that creates secure American jobs and makes things the rest of the world buys – not one built on outsourcing, loopholes, or risky financial deals.

Congress’ To Do List:

  1. Reward companies who bring jobs back to the U.S. with lower taxes and pay for it by eliminating tax incentives for companies to ship jobs overseas.
  1. Cut red tape so hard working, responsible homeowners who are paying their mortgage can refinance at today’s lower rates.
  1. Help hard working small business owners create jobs by giving them a tax credit for new hires.
  1. Invest in American clean energy manufacturers who create American jobs through innovation of new technologies and new fuels that reduce our reliance on foreign oil and lead to more secure energy sources.
  1. Ensure our commitment to our veterans is as strong as they are by creating a Veterans Job Corps that helps hire veterans as cops, firefighters, and serving their communities.

Insourcing:

  • The President will travel to New York to talk about the importance of creating jobs and bringing jobs back to America.
  • The President believes we must attract and keep good jobs in the U.S. by rewarding companies who bring jobs back to America with lower taxes and pay for it by eliminating tax incentives for companies to ship jobs overseas.
  • Specifically, the President calls  on Congress to pass legislation that gives companies moving operations back to the U.S. a new 20 percent tax credit for moving expenses and pay for it by ending the tax break that allows companies to deduct expenses associated with moving operations overseas.
  • It is simply wrong that companies get tax breaks for shipping U.S. jobs to foreign countries.  No company should be rewarded for outsourcing production and jobs.
  • We should be rewarding those companies that bring jobs back to our shores with tax credits.  This tax credit will cover moving expenses for businesses that close down production abroad and bring jobs back to the U.S.
  • Rather than moving forward to reward companies that bring jobs back to America, Republicans are fighting to preserve tax breaks that incentivize sending jobs overseas.
Dec 10 2011

Weekly Women’s Update: “We are greater together”

The White HouseFriday, December 9, 2011

Weekly Women’s Update: “We are greater together”

Hi Everyone –

Over the past week the President continued to urge Congress to extend and expand the payroll tax cut. If Congress doesn’t act, taxes on the middle class will go up in 22 days. That’s when President Obama’s payroll tax cut—signed into law last year—will end. If it expires, the typical family earning $50,000 a year would pay an additional $1,000 in taxes in 2012. Not only is it important for the economy as a whole – it will make a real difference to working Americans, helping them pay bills while spurring spending and hiring.

Passing the payroll tax cut is the right thing to do, as the President highlighted in his powerful speech in Kansas, this past Tuesday. In the speech, which marked the 100 year anniversary of Teddy Roosevelt’s “New Nationalism” speech, President Obama told the audience, “it is a view that says in America we are greater together — when everyone engages in fair play and everybody gets a fair shot and everybody does their fare share.” That’s why the President proposed not only extending that tax cut, but expanding it to give the typical working family a tax cut of $1,500 next year. It would be paid for by asking a little more of millionaires and billionaires. But last week, virtually every Senate Republican voted against that tax cut.

Be sure to check out some of our highlights below and enjoy the rest of your week!

Retaining Women in STEM

Today, December 9th at 3:30pm, the White House will honor individuals who help to recruit and retain “Women in STEM,” or Science-Technology-Engineering-and Math, as this week’s “Champions of Change.”

President Obama has made it a priority to recruit and retain women in STEM in his Administration as well. Leading up to this Friday’s event, we will be featuring a number of key women in STEM in the Obama Administration, beginning with our fantastic EPA Administrator (and Engineer!), Lisa Jackson.

Additionally, take a look at this super blog, “A Student’s Clear Lesson on Clean Air,” by Naomi Shah, the sixteen-year-old winner of the Google science fair. Her blog introduces readers to for her project focusing on the effects of air quality on asthma, and the importance of clean air in ensuring human health.Highlights

A Focus on Women and AIDS: Nationally and Abroad
Last week, we marked World Aids Day on December 1st, and the President spoke about the progress made in the fight against the disease worldwide. Although rates of HIV/AIDS have been decreasing across many countries, there are many factors that have kept women and girls at risk. In the U.S.,1 in 139 women will be diagnosed with HIV infection at some point in her lifetime; with Black and Hispanic/Latina women at higher risk than women of other races/ethnicity. Please check out our blog on Women and AIDS to learn more.

Meeting with Lady Gaga on Inclusion and Equality for Our Young People
Lady Gaga is a source of strength for many young people who feel isolated and scared at their schools. Tuesday, December 6th, Valerie Jarrett had the opportunity to welcome her to the White House, where we discussed ways we could work together to make sure that no child comes under attack, regardless of his or her race, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other factor.

In the photo, President Barack Obama, with mother-in-law Marian Robinson, daughters Malia and Sasha, and First Lady Michelle Obama, react after pushing the button to light the National Christmas Tree during a ceremony on the Ellipse in Washington, D.C., Dec. 1, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

The Obama Family Starts New Tradition at National Tree Lighting Ceremony
Last Thursday, December 1st, President Obama was joined by First Lady Michelle Obama, their daughters Malia and Sasha and ”Grandmother in Chief” Marian Robinson to light a brand new National Christmas Tree in the President’s Park outside the White House. Also, he First Lady welcomed military families to the White House on November 30th for a preview of this year’s holiday decorations. This year’s White House Holiday theme “Shine.Give.Share” celebrates the countless way we can lift up those around us and share our blessings with all.

President Obama Welcomes 2011 Kennedy Center Honorees to the White House
President Obama and the First Lady welcomed the 2011 Kennedy Center Honorees to the White House. Every year the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts celebrates individuals who have made a lifetime contributions to American culture through the performing arts—whether in dance, music, theater, opera, motion pictures, or television. This year’s honorees are singer Barbara Cook, singer and songwriter Neil Diamond, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins and actress Meryl Streep.

Preventing Hunger and Protecting Taxpayers: Our Renewed Efforts to Combat SNAP Fraud
In recent years, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) – formerly known as food stamps – has demonstrated an exceptional record in program integrity and stewardship of taxpayer dollars. The program currently serves as a bridge to success for over 46 million Americans who are at risk of being hungry when they face challenging economic times. More than half of those who rely on the program are children, elderly or the disabled, and many participants are newly unemployed and never thought they would be living in poverty.

Stay Engaged

Join Director of the Office of Public Engagement Jon Carson for Twitter Q&A events. Today, December 9, Jon Carson will be answering questions with @ONECampaign at 12:30 p.m. EST, and with @DhaniJones and @bowtiecause at 3:00 p.m. Follow along at @JonCarson.

Get Updates

If you aren’t already receiving our email updates, sign up for our newsletter using this form (and forward this to your friends and family!). We would like to send you updates and engage with you in other ways. Please fill out this contact form in you are interested.

Stay Connected

facebook Facebook twitter Twitter youtube YouTube flickr Flickr itunes iTunes

This email was sent to wfchange@gmail.com
Sign Up for Updates from the White House

Click here to unsubscribe | Privacy Policy
Please do not reply to this email. Contact the White House

The White House • 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW • Washington, DC 20500 • 202-456-1111
Mar 18 2011

“Seriously – WTF?!” – sign the petition from MOVEON.ORG

What kind of country cuts food aid to hungry pregnant women and children in the middle of an economic crisis—while giving a giant tax break to billionaires?
Seriously. WTF?!
The Republicans are winning the battle over the budget, hands down, even though what they’re fighting for is, put simply, immoral. A cut of at least $400 million from a crucial program that puts food on the table for pregnant women and small children. Crippling the EPA. Completely eliminating funding for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, AmeriCorps, and high-speed rail.1
Instead of creating jobs, the Republican budget would destroy 700,000 of them. Our only hope is a public outcry strong enough to stiffen Democrats’ spines and cause Republicans to back down.
The petition says: “Cutting food aid to hungry women and children in the middle of an economic crisis is wrong. Please oppose the devastating cuts in the Republican budget.”
Mar 17 2011

DemocracyForAmerica.com » Join Sen. Gillibrand in urging Congress to repeal DOMA!

DemocracyForAmerica.com » Join Sen. Gillibrand in urging Congress to repeal DOMA!.

Senator Gillibrand (NY) is terrific and is working hard to protect the rights of all Americans – join in by signing the petition above.

mmk