Statement by the President on the Attack in France

 

The White House Wednesday released the following statement on the killing in Paris (shared unedited here):
 

"I strongly condemn the horrific shooting at the offices of Charlie Hebdo magazine in Paris that has reportedly killed 12 people.  Our thoughts and prayers are with the victims of this terrorist attack and the people of France at this difficult time.  France is America’s oldest ally, and has stood shoulder to shoulder with the United States in the fight against terrorists who threaten our shared security and the world.  Time and again, the French people have stood up for the universal values that generations of our people have defended.  France, and the great city of Paris where this outrageous attack took place, offer the world a timeless example that will endure well beyond the hateful vision of these killers.  We are in touch with French officials and I have directed my Administration to provide any assistance needed to help bring these terrorists to justice."

Statement by President Obama on Net Neutrality

In a release, the White house put out the statement and video below (unedited here and provided as a public service) on President Obama's statement on "Net Neutrality"

 

Today, in a statement and video message posted online, President Obama announced his plan for a free and open internet. The text of the President’s statement is below, and an online version of his statement and video can both be found here .

 

An open Internet is essential to the American economy, and increasingly to our very way of life.  By lowering the cost of launching a new idea, igniting new political movements, and bringing communities closer together, it has been one of the most significant democratizing influences the world has ever known.

 

“Net neutrality” has been built into the fabric of the Internet since its creation — but it is also a principle that we cannot take for granted.  We cannot allow Internet service providers (ISPs) to restrict the best access or to pick winners and losers in the online marketplace for services and ideas.  That is why today, I am asking the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to answer the call of almost 4 million public comments, and implement the strongest possible rules to protect net neutrality.

 

When I was a candidate for this office, I made clear my commitment to a free and open Internet, and my commitment remains as strong as ever.  Four years ago, the FCC tried to implement rules that would protect net neutrality with little to no impact on the telecommunications companies that make important investments in our economy.  After the rules were challenged, the court reviewing the rules agreed with the FCC that net neutrality was essential for preserving an environment that encourages new investment in the network, new online services and content, and everything else that makes up the Internet as we now know it.  Unfortunately, the court ultimately struck down the rules — not because it disagreed with the need to protect net neutrality, but because it believed the FCC had taken the wrong legal approach. 

 

The FCC is an independent agency, and ultimately this decision is theirs alone.  I believe the FCC should create a new set of rules protecting net neutrality and ensuring that neither the cable company nor the phone company will be able to act as a gatekeeper, restricting what you can do or see online.  The rules I am asking for are simple, common-sense steps that reflect the Internet you and I use every day, and that some ISPs already observe.  These bright-line rules include:

 

·         No blocking.  If a consumer requests access to a website or service, and the content is legal, your ISP should not be permitted to block it.  That way, every player — not just those commercially affiliated with an ISP — gets a fair shot at your business.

·         No throttling.  Nor should ISPs be able to intentionally slow down some content or speed up others — through a process often called “throttling” — based on the type of service or your ISP’s preferences.

·         Increased transparency.  The connection between consumers and ISPs — the so-called “last mile” — is not the only place some sites might get special treatment.  So, I am also asking the FCC to make full use of the transparency authorities the court recently upheld, and if necessary to apply net neutrality rules to points of interconnection between the ISP and the rest of the Internet.

·         No paid prioritization.  Simply put: No service should be stuck in a “slow lane” because it does not pay a fee.  That kind of gatekeeping would undermine the level playing field essential to the Internet’s growth.  So, as I have before, I am asking for an explicit ban on paid prioritization and any other restriction that has a similar effect.

 

If carefully designed, these rules should not create any undue burden for ISPs, and can have clear, monitored exceptions for reasonable network management and for specialized services such as dedicated, mission-critical networks serving a hospital.  But combined, these rules mean everything for preserving the Internet’s openness.

 

The rules also have to reflect the way people use the Internet today, which increasingly means on a mobile device.  I believe the FCC should make these rules fully applicable to mobile broadband as well, while recognizing the special challenges that come with managing wireless networks. 

 

To be current, these rules must also build on the lessons of the past.  For almost a century, our law has recognized that companies who connect you to the world have special obligations not to exploit the monopoly they enjoy over access in and out of your home or business.  That is why a phone call from a customer of one phone company can reliably reach a customer of a different one, and why you will not be penalized solely for calling someone who is using another provider.  It is common sense that the same philosophy should guide any service that is based on the transmission of information — whether a phone call, or a packet of data.

 

So the time has come for the FCC to recognize that broadband service is of the same importance and must carry the same obligations as so many of the other vital services do.  To do that, I believe the FCC should reclassify consumer broadband service under Title II of the Telecommunications Act — while at the same time forbearing from rate regulation and other provisions less relevant to broadband services.  This is a basic acknowledgment of the services ISPs provide to American homes and businesses, and the straightforward obligations necessary to ensure the network works for everyone — not just one or two companies.

 

Investment in wired and wireless networks has supported jobs and made America the center of a vibrant ecosystem of digital devices, apps, and platforms that fuel growth and expand opportunity. Importantly, network investment remained strong under the previous net neutrality regime, before it was struck down by the court; in fact, the court agreed that protecting net neutrality helps foster more investment and innovation.  If the FCC appropriately forbears from the Title II regulations that are not needed to implement the principles above — principles that most ISPs have followed for years — it will help ensure new rules are consistent with incentives for further investment in the infrastructure of the Internet.

 

The Internet has been one of the greatest gifts our economy — and our society — has ever known.  The FCC was chartered to promote competition, innovation, and investment in our networks.  In service of that mission, there is no higher calling than protecting an open, accessible, and free Internet.  I thank the Commissioners for having served this cause with distinction and integrity, and I respectfully ask them to adopt the policies I have outlined here, to preserve this technology’s promise for today, and future generations to come.

Read: Obama's remarks at 9/11 memorial ceremony

This is an unedited release from the White House of President Obama's remarks at a 9/11 ceremony:

 

PRESIDENT OBAMA:  Good morning.  Scripture tells us, “We count as blessed those who have persevered.”

 

     Secretary Hagel, General Dempsey, members of our Armed Forces, and, most of all, the survivors of that September day and the families of those we lost –- Michelle and I are humbled to be with you once again. 

 

     It has now been 13 years.  Thirteen years since the peace of an American morning was broken.  Thirteen years since nearly 3,000 beautiful lives were taken from us, including 125 men and women serving here at the Pentagon.  Thirteen years of moments they would have shared with us.  Thirteen years of memories they would have made. 

 

     Here, once more, we pray for the souls of those we remember, for you, their families, who love them forever, and for a nation that has been inspired by your example -- your determination to carry on, your resolve to live lives worthy of their memories. 

 

As Americans, we draw strength from you.  For your love is the ultimate rebuke to the hatred of those who attacked us that bright, blue morning.  They sought to do more than bring down buildings or murder our people.  They sought to break our spirit and to prove to the world that their power to destroy was greater than our power to persevere and to build.  But you, and America, proved them wrong. 

 

America endures in the strength of your families who, through your anguish, kept living.  You have kept alive a love that no act of terror can ever extinguish.  You, their sons and daughters, are growing into extraordinary young men and women they knew you could be.  By your shining example, your families have turned this day into something that those who attacked us could never abide, and that is a tribute of hope over fear, and love over hate.

 

America endures in the tenacity of our survivors.  After grievous wounds, you learned to walk again and stand again.  After terrible burns, you smiled once more.  For you, for our nation, these have been difficult years.  But by your presence here today, in the lives of service that you have led, you embody the truth that no matter what comes our way, America will always come out stronger.  

 

America endures in the dedication of those who keep us safe.  The firefighter, the officer, the EMT who carries the memory of a fallen partner as they report to work each and every day, prepared to make the same sacrifice for us all.  Because of these men and women, Americans now work in a gleaming Freedom Tower.  We visit our great cities, we fill our stadiums and cheer for our teams.  We carry on, because, as Americans, we do not give in to fear -- ever. 

 

America endures in the courage of the men and women who serve under our flag.  Over more than a decade of war, this 9/11 Generation has answered our country’s call, and three months from now, our combat mission in Afghanistan will come to an end.  Today, we honor all who have made the ultimate sacrifice these 13 years, more than 6,800 American patriots.  And we give thanks to those who serve in harm’s way to keep our country safe and meet the threats of our time.

 

America endures in that perennial optimism that defines us as a people.  Beginning tomorrow, there will be teenagers –- young adults –- who were born after 9/11.  It’s remarkable.  And while these young Americans did not know the horrors of that day, their lives have been shaped by all the days since -- a time that has brought us pain, but also taught us endurance and strength; a time of rebuilding, of resilience, and of renewal.  What gives us hope –- what gives me hope -– is that it is these young Americans who will shape all the days to come. 

 

Thirteen years after small and hateful minds conspired to break us, America stands tall and America stands proud.  And guided by the values that sustain us, we will only grow stronger.  Generations from now, Americans will still fill our parks, our stadiums, our cities.  Generations from now, Americans will still build towers that reach toward the heavens; still serve in embassies that stand for freedom around the world; still wear the uniform and give meaning to those words written two centuries ago:  Land of the free.  Home of the Brave.  Generations from now, no matter the trial, no matter the challenge, America will always be America.    

 

“We count as blessed those who have persevered.” 

 

May God bless your families, who continue to inspire us all.  May God bless our Armed Forces and all who serve to keep us safe.  And may God continue to bless the United States of America.

 

War Powers Resolution: Obama sends letter to Speaker of the House

From the White House regarding the turmoil in Iraq:

"Attached and signed today is a letter from the President to the Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President pro tempore of the Senate regarding the War Powers Resolution letter regarding Iraq."
(Below the letter, read the "Statement from Pentagon Press Secretary RADM John Kirby on DoD Support to US Embassy Baghdad")

 

Read the letter:

 

2014iraqwarpowers.idl.Rel

Statement from Pentagon Press Secretary RADM John Kirby on DoD Support to US Embassy Baghdad
"At the request of the U.S. State Department, the Department of Defense continues to provide security assistance for embassy personnel inside Iraq. Over the weekend, a number of teams totaling approximately 170 U.S. personnel began arriving in Baghdad from within the U.S. Central Command Area of Responsibility. We have also moved approximately 100 personnel into the region to provide airfield management, security, and logistics support, if required. All of these forces are trained to integrate with existing U.S. Embassy security teams or operate as a stand alone force as directed. The safety of personnel serving in diplomatic missions abroad is among our highest priorities. The presence of these additional forces will help enable the State Department to continue their critical diplomatic mission and work with Iraqis on challenges they are facing."

President Obama statement on death of Maya Angelou

 

The White House today released this statement on the death of poet and author Maya Angelou (unedited here):

 

 

Statement by the President on the Passing of Maya Angelou

 

When her friend Nelson Mandela passed away last year, Maya Angelou wrote that “No sun outlasts its sunset, but will rise again, and bring the dawn.” 

 

Today, Michelle and I join millions around the world in remembering one of the brightest lights of our time – a brilliant writer, a fierce friend, and a truly phenomenal woman.  Over the course of her remarkable life, Maya was many things – an author, poet, civil rights activist, playwright, actress, director, composer, singer and dancer.  But above all, she was a storyteller – and her greatest stories were true.  A childhood of suffering and abuse actually drove her to stop speaking – but the voice she found helped generations of Americans find their rainbow amidst the clouds, and inspired the rest of us to be our best selves.  In fact, she inspired my own mother to name my sister Maya. 

 

Like so many others, Michelle and I will always cherish the time we were privileged to spend with Maya.  With a kind word and a strong embrace, she had the ability to remind us that we are all God’s children; that we all have something to offer.  And while Maya’s day may be done, we take comfort in knowing that her song will continue, “flung up to heaven” – and we celebrate the dawn that Maya Angelou helped bring.

What Obama had to say about the Affordable Care Act

A release from the White House today contained the text of President Obama's remarks on the Affordable Care Act.

Here is the text as sent by the White House (unedited here):

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON THE AFFORDABLE CARE ACT

Prince George’s Community College

Largo, Maryland

10:50 A.M. EDT

     THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, Maryland!  (Applause.)  Hello, PGCC! (Applause.)  It’s good to be back in PG County.  (Applause.)   

Give it up for one of the hardest-working, most effective  governors in the country, Governor Martin O’Malley.  (Applause.)

Well, it is great to be with all of you here today --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  I love you!

THE PRESIDENT:  I love you back.  It’s wonderful being here. (Applause.) 

We also have a few folks who work so hard on behalf of the people of Maryland every single day:  Senator Ben Cardin is here. (Applause.)  Congressman Steny Hoyer is here.  (Applause.)  And Congresswoman Donna Edwards is here.  (Applause.)  

And all of you are here.  (Applause.)  Sometimes you just need to escape Beltway politics for a little bit -- even if you're just a mile or two outside the Beltway.  

Now, I know that a lot of you have seen some of the antics going on in Congress right now.  (Laughter.)  So I wanted to take a little bit of time today to speak with you -- the people who send us to serve -- about something that is critical to our families, critical to our businesses, critical to our economy.  And that is the reforms that we are making to our health care system.

There’s been a lot of things said, a lot of misinformation, a lot of confusion.  But there are few things more fundamental to the economic security of the middle class and everybody who’s trying to get into the middle class than health care. 

For a long time, America was the only advanced economy in the world where health care was not a right, but a privilege.  We spent more, we got less.  We left tens of millions of Americans without the security of health insurance.  By the time the financial crisis hit, most folks’ premiums had more than doubled in about a decade.  About one in 10 Americans who got their health care through their employer lost that coverage.  So the health care system was not working.  And the rising costs of health care burdened businesses and became the biggest driver of our long-term deficits. 

But this has always been about more than just statistics.  Everywhere I went as I ran for President back in 2007, 2008, everyplace I've gone as President, I would hear stories from folks just like you of insurers that denied a child coverage because he had a preexisting condition like asthma; of cancer survivors that had to choose between their home or their health care; of small businesses who wanted to do the right thing by their employees but had seen their insurance premiums go up so high that they just couldn't do it anymore. 

And these stories were personal for me, because I remember my mother worrying about how she was going to deal with her finances when she got very sick.  I remember the fear Michelle and I felt when Sasha was a few months old and she got meningitis.  And we raced to the hospital and they had to give her a spinal tap.  And we didn’t know what was wrong and we were terrified, never felt so scared or helpless in all of my life.  But we were fortunate enough to have good health insurance. 

And I remember looking around that emergency room and thinking -- what about the parents who aren’t that lucky?  What about the parents who get hit with a bill of $20,000 or $30,000 and they’ve got no idea how to pay for it?  What about those parents whose kids have a chronic illness like asthma and have to keep on going back to the emergency room because they don't have a regular doctor, and the bills never stop coming?  Who is going to stand up for them?

In the wealthiest nation on Earth, no one should go broke just because they get sick.  (Applause.)  

In the United States of America, health care is not a privilege for the fortunate few -- it is a right.  And I knew that if we didn’t do something about our unfair and inefficient health care system, it would keep driving up our deficits, it would keep burdening our businesses, it would keep hurting our families, and it would keep holding back economic growth.

That's why we took on a broken health care system.  That's why, with the help of folks like Steny and Ben and Donna, we got it through Congress.  That’s why we’ve been implementing it.  That’s why we are going to see it through.  The Affordable Care Act is here.  (Applause.)

I don’t have to tell you it was a challenge to get it done. (Laughter.)  A lot of special interests who liked the system just the way it was fought us tooth and nail.  Then Republicans decided it was good politics to fight it, even though the plan we proposed drew on a lot of Republican ideas. 

But despite all the obstacles, the Affordable Care Act passed both houses of Congress.  I signed it into law.  (Applause.)  The Supreme Court ruled it constitutional.  (Applause.)  Republicans in Congress have now voted more than 40 times to undermine or repeal it.  Their candidate for president ran on a platform to repeal it.  And at every step, they’ve been unsuccessful.  (Applause.)

Now, five days from now -- five days from now -- on October 1st, millions of Americans who don’t have health insurance because they’ve been priced out of the market or because they’ve been denied access because of a preexisting condition, they will finally be able to buy quality, affordable health insurance.  (Applause.)  In five days.  (Applause.) 

Preexisting conditions, whether it’s back pain or allergies that were sticking you with sky-high premiums, those no longer will prevent you from getting affordable coverage that you need. That’s going to happen in five days. 

Now, of course, the closer we’ve gotten to this date, the more irresponsible folks who are opposed to this law have become. Some of the same Republicans who warned three years ago that this law would be “Armageddon” -- that’s what they said -- “Armageddon” -- now they’re threatening steps that actually would badly hurt our entire economy -- not because of the Affordable Care Act but because of what they’re threatening to do. 

Some have threatened a government shutdown if they can’t shut down this law.  Others have actually threatened an economic shutdown by refusing to pay America’s bills if they can’t delay the law.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  That’s not going to happen as long as I’m President.  (Applause.)  The Affordable Care Act is here to stay.  (Applause.) 

And so today, I want to speak plainly, clearly, honestly, about what it means for you and for the people you care about.

Now, let’s start with the fact that even before the Affordable Care Act fully takes effect, about 85 percent of Americans already have health insurance -– either through their job, or through Medicare, or through the individual market.  So if you’re one of these folks, it’s reasonable that you might worry whether health care reform is going to create changes that are a problem for you -- especially when you’re bombarded with all sorts of fear-mongering. 

So the first thing you need to know is this:  If you already have health care, you don’t have to do anything.  In fact, for the past few years, since I signed the Affordable Care Act, a lot of you have been enjoying new benefits and protections that you didn’t before even if you didn’t know they were coming from Obamacare.  (Applause.)

Let me just give you a few examples.  Because of the Affordable Care Act, more than 100 million Americans have gotten free preventive care like mammograms and contraceptive care with no copays.  (Applause.)  

Because of the Affordable Care Act, 3 million young adults under age 26 have gained coverage by staying on their parents’ plan.  (Applause.)

Because of the Affordable Care Act, millions of seniors on Medicare have saved hundreds of dollars on their prescription medicine.  They’ve been getting their prescription drugs cheaper. (Applause.)

Because of the Affordable Care Act, just this year, 8.5 million families actually got an average of $100 back from their insurance companies because the insurance companies spent too much on things like overhead, and not enough on actual Medicare  -- medical care.  (Applause.)

Because of the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies can no longer put lifetime limits on the care your family needs, or discriminate against children with preexisting conditions.  And starting on January 1st, they won’t be able to charge women more for their insurance just because they're women.  (Applause.)  That's a good thing.

So tens of millions of Americans are already better off because of the benefits and protections provided by the Affordable Care Act.  Like I said, they may not know why that rebate check came in the mail.  (Laughter.)  They may not notice that they're not having to copay for some preventive care that they received.  But they're getting those benefits.  That's already happening.  That's already in place today.  It’s been going on for several years.

Those are the benefits of Obamacare -- the law that Republicans want to repeal.  Although it’s interesting -- when you ask Republicans whether they’d repeal the benefits I just mentioned, when you say to them, well, do you think it’s the right thing to do to let young people stay on their parents’ plans so they can keep insurance, or do you want to prevent seniors from getting more discounts on their prescription drugs, then they’ll say, no, no, no, we like those.  Those things are okay.  (Laughter.)  So they don't like Obamacare in theory, but some of the component parts, at least those that poll well, they don't mind. 

But that's already in place.  Now, here’s the second thing you need to know.  If you’re one of over 40 million Americans who don’t have health insurance –- including hundreds of thousands of folks right here in Maryland –- starting on Tuesday, five days from now, you’ll finally have the same chance to buy quality, affordable health care as everybody else.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Thanks, Mr. President!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  And I want to break this down for you.  I want you to know exactly how it works.  The major reason why people don’t have health insurance is either they don’t have a job, or they do have a job but their employer doesn’t offer health insurance, or they’re self-employed.  If you’ve ever tried to buy health insurance on your own, you know it is really, really expensive.

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  It’s even worse if you have a preexisting condition –- and up to half of all Americans have a preexisting condition.  See, the reason it's really expensive if you're buying it on your own is because you're not part of a big group, you're not part of a group plan.  And what groups do is they spread risk between sick and healthy people, between older and younger people.  And groups -- because insurance companies want the business of groups -- that’s a lot of customers -- they'll negotiate a better deal with a group than they will with an individual. 

So if you're on your own, you're out there trying to negotiate with an insurance company, they're looking and they're saying, well, you take it or leave it, I'm going to charge you a whole lot of money.  And if you've got a preexisting condition, they'll say, we don’t even want to insure you because we think you might get sick later on and we don’t really want to pay, we just want to take in premiums. 

So if you're not part of a group, you're either uninsurable, or you need to spend a small fortune on insurance that oftentimes is not very good.  That’s what's happening right now.  The Affordable Care Act was designed to solve that problem.  And here’s how we do it.

Starting on Tuesday, every American can visit HealthCare.gov to find out what’s called the insurance marketplace for your state.  Here in Maryland, I actually think it's called MarylandHealthConnection.gov.  (Applause.)  MarylandHealthConnection.gov.  But if you go to HealthCare.gov, you can look and they'll tell you where to go.  They'll link to your state. 

Now, this is real simple.  It’s a website where you can compare and purchase affordable health insurance plans, side-by-side, the same way you shop for a plane ticket on Kayak -- (laughter) -- same way you shop for a TV on Amazon.  You just go on and you start looking, and here are all the options. 

It’s buying insurance on the private market, but because now you’re part of a big group plan -- everybody in Maryland is all logging in and taking a look at the prices -- you’ve got new choices.  Now you've got new competition, because insurers want your business.  And that means you will have cheaper prices.  (Applause.) 

So you enter in some basic information about yourself, what level of coverage you’re looking for.  After that, you’ll be presented with a list of quality, affordable plans that are available in your area.  It will say clearly what each plan covers, what each plan costs.  The price will be right there.  It will be fully transparent. 

Before this law, only a handful of states required insurance companies to offer you instant price quotes, but because of this law, insurers in all 50 states will have to offer you instant price quotes.  And so if you’ve ever tried to buy insurance on your own, I promise you this is a lot easier.  It's like booking a hotel or a plane ticket. 

And here's another thing about these new plans.  If you’re one of those folks who has a preexisting condition, these plans have to offer you coverage.  They can't use your medical history to charge you more than anybody else.  If you couldn’t afford coverage for your child because he had asthma, he's covered.  If you couldn’t afford coverage because you were told heartburn was a preexisting condition, you're covered.  (Laughter.)  If you’re one of the 45 million Americans with a mental illness, you are covered. 

If you’re a young adult or entrepreneur striking out on your own, you’re covered.  (Applause.)  If you’re a young couple who previously had insurance that didn’t include maternity benefits and now suddenly you need some maternity benefits, you’re covered.  (Applause.)  If you lose your job and your health care with it, you’re covered.  (Applause.)   

So all those things that would deny you coverage in the past, that were the cruelties of a broken health care system, on January 1st, when these plans take effect --

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  October 1st.

THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, no, no -- hold on.  (Laughter.)  Hold on.  I know what I'm talking about.  You sign up starting on Tuesday.  (Laughter.)  The plan will take effect on January 1st. And when these plans take effect, all those things change forever.

Now, what about choice and cost?  In states where the federal government helps run these marketplaces, the average American will have more than 50 different plans to choose from, with different levels of coverage.  And because insurance companies are competing against one another for your business, a lot of Americans will pay significantly less for their insurance than they do now.  Premiums are going to be different in different parts of the country, depending on how much coverage you buy.  But 95 percent of uninsured Americans will see their premiums cost less than was expected.  And many families, including more than two-thirds of all young adults who buy health care through these online marketplaces, are also going to be eligible for tax credits that bring down the cost down even further.  (Applause.)

So let me be specific.  Right here in Maryland, average 25-year-old -- have we got any 25-year-olds here?  (Applause.)  All right, so we've got a few.  Some of you raised your hand -- I'm not sure you're -- (laughter.) 

Here in Maryland, average 25-year-old making $25,000 a year could end up getting covered for as little as $80 a month -- $80 a month.  (Applause.)  Here in Maryland, a family of four making $60,000 a year could get covered for as little as $164 a month. 

It’s the same story across the country.  In Texas, average 27-year-old making $25,000 could get covered for as little as $83 a month.  In Florida, a family of four making $50,000 could get covered for as little as $104 a month. 

And keep in mind the government didn’t set these prices.  The insurance companies -- they proposed these prices because they want to get in with these big groups, with all these new customers.  The insurance companies are saying these marketplaces, this law, will work.  They're putting money on the line because they think it will work.  Competition, choice, transparency -- all these things are keeping costs down. 

Knowing you can offer your family the security of health care -- that’s priceless.  Now you can do it for the cost of your cable bill.  Probably less than your cellphone bill.  (Laughter and applause.)  Think about that.  Good health insurance for the price of your cellphone bill, or less. 

And let’s say you’re a young woman, you just turned -- I’m interested in this, because I got two daughters, right?  Let’s say you just turned 26.  Let’s say you can’t stay on your parents’ plan anymore.  If you buy health care through the marketplace, your plan has to cover free checkups, flu shots, contraceptive care.  So you might end up getting more health care each month than you’re paying for the premiums.

All told, nearly 6 in 10 Americans without health insurance today will be able to get covered for $100 or less.  It would actually be 8 in 10 if every governor were working as hard as Governor O’Malley to make the Affordable Care Act work for their citizens.  (Applause.) 

Unfortunately, we’ve still got a few Republican governors who are so opposed to the very idea of the law -- or at least they’re doing it for politics -- that they haven’t lifted a finger to help cover more people.  Some of them have actually tried to harm the law before it takes effect.

But a lot of Republican governors are putting politics aside and doing the right thing.  (Applause.)  And they deserve congratulations for that.  It wasn’t easy for them.  But you’ve got conservative governors in Ohio, in Michigan, in Pennsylvania and Arizona -- about eight Republican governors in all, they’ve decided to expand Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act to cover more people in their states.  And millions of Americans without insurance will get coverage through these programs.

So that’s what the Affordable Care Act is.  That’s what all the fuss is about.  We’re giving more benefits and protections for folks who already have health insurance, and we created a new market -- basically a big group plan -- for folks without health insurance so that they get a better deal, and then we’re providing tax credits to help folks afford it. 

You would think that would not be so controversial.  (Laughter.)  You would think people would say, okay, let’s go ahead and let’s do this so everybody has health insurance coverage.  The result is more choice, more competition, real health care security. 

And one question people ask:  How is it possible to do all this and keep costs down?  Well, part of what we did was build into the law all sorts of measures to assure that the growth of health care costs would start slowing down.  And it has.  See, under the old system, doctors and hospitals, they were rewarded not for the quality of care, but for the quantity of care.  They’d get paid for the number of procedures they did instead of whether they were working or not.  Now, there are penalties for hospitals with high readmission rates.  And last year, surprisingly enough, for the first time ever, hospital readmission rates for Medicare patients actually fell.  (Applause.)  Right?  That means fewer taxpayer dollars go to providers that don’t serve their patients well. 

Over the past five years, we’ve more than doubled the adoption of electronic health records for physicians.  So that means they can track what’s going on better and make fewer mistakes.  New technology startup companies are coming up with new inventions to monitor patient health, prevent infections.  There’s innovation going on all across the country.  As a consequence, today, Medicare costs per enrollee are rising at the slowest rate in years.  Employer-based health care costs are growing at about one-third the rate of a decade ago. 

All told, since I signed the Affordable Care Act into law, we have seen the slowest growth in health care costs on record.  (Applause.)

So let’s think about this.  If you got health insurance, you’re getting better protections, better benefits.  If you don't have health insurance, you're now getting to be part of a group plan.  And health care costs overall are rising much more slowly than they did before we signed the law.  So far, so good.  So what’s all the fuss about?  What is it that everybody -- what is that these Republicans are just so mad about?

AUDIENCE:  Booo --  

THE PRESIDENT:  No, no, no, look, I want to be honest.  There are parts of the bill that some folks don’t like.  To help pay for the program, the wealthiest Americans –- families who make more than $250,000 a year -– will have to pay a little bit more.  Extremely costly health insurance plans will no longer qualify for unlimited tax breaks.  And most people who can afford health insurance now have to take responsibility to buy health insurance, or pay a penalty.  (Applause.) 

Right?  Now, the reason we do that is, when uninsured people who can afford to get health insurance don’t, and then they get sick or they get hit by a car, and they show up at the emergency room, who do you think pays for that? 

AUDIENCE:  We do. 

THE PRESIDENT:  You do, in the form of higher premiums.  Because the hospitals, they've got to get their money back somehow.  So if they're treating somebody who doesn’t have health insurance, they jack up premiums for everybody who does have health insurance.  It’s like a hidden tax of $1,000 per family every year who has got health insurance.  So we're saying that’s not fair.  If you can afford to get health insurance, don’t dump the costs on us.  The law also requires employers with more than 50 employees to either provide health insurance for your workers or pay a penalty. 

    

Now, some folks say, well, that’s not fair.  But if you are an employer, you can afford to provide health insurance, you don’t, your employees get sick, they go to the emergency room or they end up on Medicaid because you're not doing what you're doing -- you should be doing -- why is it everybody else should be bearing those costs? 

Now, there are some folks who disagree with me on this.  They say that violates people's liberty, telling them they've got to get health insurance.  Well, I disagree.  So did Congress when it passed this bill into law.  It is unfair for folks to game the system and make the rest of us pay for it.  (Applause.)  It's unfair for responsible employers who are doing the right thing, giving their employees health insurance, to get undercut by some operator that’s not providing health insurance for their employees.  That puts the employer who's doing the right thing at a disadvantage, right? 

So this idea that you've got responsibilities -- everybody  -- that’s what Massachusetts did when they passed their health care plan a few years ago.  And, by the way, today, in Massachusetts, almost everybody is covered and the system works pretty well.  (Applause.) 

All right, let me just wrap up by saying this:  Like any law, like any big product launch, there are going to be some glitches as this thing unfolds.  Folks in different parts of the country will have different experiences.  It's going to be smoother in places like Maryland where governors are working to implement it rather than fight it.  (Applause.)  But somewhere around the country, there's going to be a computer glitch and the website's not working quite the way it's supposed to, or something happens where there's some error made somewhere -- that will happen.  That happens whenever you roll out a new program.  And I guarantee you, the opponents of the law, they'll have their cameras ready to document anything that doesn’t go completely right, and they'll send it to the news folks and they'll say, look at this, this thing is not working.

But most of the stories you'll hear about how Obamacare just can't work is just not based on facts.  Every time they have predicted something not working, it's worked.  (Applause.)  I mean, they said that these rates would come in real high and everybody's premiums would be sky high.  And it turns out, lo and behold, actually, the prices came in lower than we expected -- lower than I predicted.  That’s how well competition and choice work.  (Applause.) 

They said this would be a disaster in terms of jobs.  There's no widespread evidence that the Affordable Care Act is hurting jobs.  One of John McCain's former economic advisors admitted just this week -- and I'm quoting here -- “I was expecting to see it.  I was looking for it," but "it’s not there.”  It’s not there.  (Applause.) 

The reason is reforming health care is going to help the economy over the long term.  Not only will it help lower costs for businesses, not only will it help families, it will free up entrepreneurship in this country.  Because if you’ve got a great idea for your own business but you’ve never tried it because your spouse had a preexisting condition and you didn't want to lose your employer-based coverage, you've got the ability now to get your own coverage.  That's security.  That’s freedom.

So we’re now only five days away from finishing the job.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Five days away.

THE PRESIDENT:  Five days.  (Applause.)  Starting on Tuesday, you can sign up.  But you don't have to sign up on Tuesday.  You've got six months to enroll in these new plans.  You can go to the website; you can check it out; you can see if what I'm saying is true.  (Laughter.)  You can sign up next week. You can sign up next month.  You can sign up two months from now, three months from now.  But you can sign up. 

Tell your friends, tell your classmates, tell your family members about the new health care choices.  Talk to folks at your church, in your classroom.  You’re going to a football game, basketball game -- talk to them.  Tell them what the law means. 

And over the next few months, state and local leaders from across the country are going to hold events to help get the word out.  Go out there and join them.  Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius is in Texas right now, working with folks on the ground to make sure this law works for Texas families.  All across the country, people are getting ready.  All kinds of people are working hand-in-hand because we’re all in this together -- that’s when America is at its best.  That’s what this country is all about.

But we need you to spread the word.  But you don't have to take my word for it.  If you talk to somebody who says, well, I don't know, I was watching FOX News and they said this was horrible -- (laughter) -- you can say, you know what, don't take my word for it, go on the website.  See for yourself what the prices are.  See for yourself what the choices are.  Then make up your own mind. 

That's all I'm asking.  Make up your own mind.  I promise you, if you go on the website and it turns out you're going to save $100, $200, $300 a month on your insurance, or you'll be able to buy insurance for the first time, even if you didn't vote for me -- (laughter) -- I’ll bet you’ll sign up for that health care plan.  (Applause.)

     So you don’t need to listen to the politicians.  You don’t need to listen to me.  Just go check it out for yourself.  Make up your own mind whether this works for you. 

Look, part of the reason I need your help to make this law work is because there are so many people out there working to make it fail.  One of the biggest newspapers in the country recently published an editorial I thought was pretty good.  They said, the Republicans in Congress are poisoning Obamacare, then trying to claim it’s sick.  (Laughter.)  That’s exactly what’s been happening. 

I mean, they have tried to put up every conceivable roadblock.  They cut funding for efforts to educate people about what’s in the law.  Some of them said if their constituents called them, we won’t even try to explain to them what’s in the law.  They actually opened up an investigation into people who try to help churches and charities understand how to help people sign up for the law. 

Some of the tea party’s biggest donors -- some of the wealthiest men in America -- are funding a cynical ad campaign trying to convince young people not to buy health care at all.  I mean, think about it.  These are billionaires several times over. You know they’ve got good health care.

AUDIENCE:  Right!  (Applause.)

THE PRESIDENT:  But they are actually spending money on television, trying to convince young people that if you’ve got the choice between getting affordable health care or going without health care, you should choose not having any health care.  Now, do you think if you get sick or you get hurt, and you get stuck with a massive bill, these same folks, they’re going to help you out? 

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  Are they going to pay for your health care?

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  It is interesting, though, how over the last couple years, the Republican Party has just spun itself up around this issue.  And the fact is the Republicans’ biggest fear at this point is not that the Affordable Care Act will fail.  What they’re worried about is it’s going to succeed.  (Applause.)  I mean, think about it.  If it was as bad as they said it was going to be, then they could just go ahead and let it happen and then everybody would hate it so much, and then everybody would vote to repeal it, and that would be the end of it. 

So what is it that they’re so scared about?

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  You!  (Laughter and applause.) 

THE PRESIDENT:  They have made such a big political issue out of this, trying to scare everybody with lies about “death panels” and “killing granny” -- (laughter) -- right?  “Armageddon.”  So if it actually works, they’ll look pretty bad.  If it actually works, that will mean that everything they were saying really wasn’t true and they were just playing politics. 

AUDIENCE:  That's right!

THE PRESIDENT:  Just the other day, one Republican in Congress said we need to shut this thing down before the marketplaces open and people get to see that they’ll be getting coverage and getting these subsidies because -- and I’m going to quote him here -- he said, “It’s going to prove almost impossible to undo Obamacare.”  (Laughter.)  Right?  So in other words, we’ve got to shut this thing down before people find out that they like it.  (Laughter and applause.)  That’s a strange argument.  Don’t you think that’s a strange argument?

AUDIENCE:  Yes!

THE PRESIDENT:  And the closer we get, the more desperate they get.  I mean, over the last few weeks the rhetoric has just been cranked up to a place I’ve never seen before.  One congressman said that Obamacare is “the most dangerous piece of legislation ever passed.”  (Laughter.)  Ever.  In the history of America, this is the most dangerous piece of legislation.  (Laughter.)  Creating a marketplace so people can buy group insurance plans -- the most dangerous ever.

You had a state representative somewhere say that it’s “as destructive to personal and individual liberty as the Fugitive Slave Act.” 

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Think about that.  Affordable health care is worse than a law that let slave owners get their runaway slaves back.

AUDIENCE:  No!

THE PRESIDENT:  I mean, these are quotes.  I’m not making this stuff up.  And here’s one more that I’ve heard -- I like this one -- we have to -- and I’m quoting here -- “We have to repeal this failure before it literally kills women, kills children, kills senior citizens.”  Now, I have to say -- that one was from six months ago -- I just want to point out we still have women -- (laughter) -- we still have children, we still have senior citizens.  (Applause.)

All this would be funny if it wasn’t so crazy.  And a lot of it is just hot air.  A lot of it is just politics.  I understand that.  But now the tea party Republicans have taken it to a whole new level because they’re threatening either to shut down the government, or shut down the entire economy by refusing to let America pay its bills for the first time in history -- unless I agree to gut a law that will help millions of people.

AUDIENCE:  Booo --

THE PRESIDENT:  Think about this.  Shutting down the government just because you don’t like a law that was passed and found constitutional, and because you don’t like the idea of giving people new access to affordable health care -- what kind of idea is that? 

Think about how that would impact Maryland.  This is an area where lots of people would be badly hurt by a government shutdown.  A lot of people around here wake up and go to serve their country every single day in the federal government -- civilians who work at military bases, analysts, scientists, janitors, people who process new veterans’ and survivors’ benefit claims.  They’d all have to stay home and not get paid.  And we all know it would badly damage the economy.

     Whatever effect Obamacare might have on the economy is far less than even a few days of government shutdown.  (Applause.)   I mean, even if you believe that Obamacare somehow was going to hurt the economy, it won't hurt the economy as bad as a government shutdown.  And by the way, the evidence is that it’s not going to hurt the economy.  Obamacare is going to help the economy.  And it’s going to help families and help businesses.  (Applause.)

     As for not letting America pay its bills, I have to say, no Congress before this one has ever – ever -- in history been irresponsible enough to threaten default, to threaten an economic shutdown, to suggest America not pay its bills, just to try to blackmail a President into giving them some concessions on issues that have nothing to do with a budget. 

I mean, this is the United States of America.  We’re not a deadbeat nation.  We don't run out on our tab.  We don't not pay our note.  We are the world’s bedrock economy, the world’s currency of choice.  The entire world looks to us to make sure that the world economy is stable.  You don't mess with that.  (Applause.)  You don’t mess with that. 

And that's why I will not negotiate on anything when it comes to the full faith and credit of the United States of America.  (Applause.)  

We’re not going to submit to this kind of total irresponsibility.  Congress needs to pay our bills on time.  Congress needs to pass a budget on time.  Congress needs to put an end to governing from crisis to crisis.  (Applause.)  

Our focus as a country should be on creating new jobs and growing our economy, and helping young people learn, and restoring security for hardworking, middle-class families.  (Applause.) 

This is not about the fortunes of any one party.  This is not about politics.  This is about the future of our country.  If Republicans do not like the law, they can go through the regular channels and processes to try to change it.  That's why we have elections.  So they can go through the normal processes and procedures of a democracy, but you do not threaten the full faith and credit of the United States of America.  (Applause.)

And, meanwhile, we're going to keep implementing the law. 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  It's the law!

THE PRESIDENT:  It's the law.  And like I said, there are going to be some glitches along the way.  Every law has hiccups when it’s first starting off.  People forget, by the way, Medicare Part D -- passed by my predecessor, George Bush, passed by a Republican House of Representatives -- the prescription drug bill passed into law 10 years ago was even more unpopular than the Affordable Care Act before it took into effect.  Everybody was saying what a disaster it was going to be.  The difference was Democrats worked with Republicans to make it work even better.  (Applause.)  Steny remembers this.  Even though Democrats weren't happy that the law wasn’t paid for and was going to add hundreds of billions of dollars to the deficit, and we weren't negotiating a better deal with the drug companies, everybody worked -- once it was the law -- to try to make it work.  And today, about 90 percent of seniors like their prescription drug coverage.

So we may not get that same level of cooperation from Republicans right now.  But the good news is I believe eventually they’ll come around.  Because Medicare and Social Security faced the same kind of criticism.  Before Medicare came into law, one Republican warned that “one of these days, you and I are going to spend our sunset years telling our children and our children’s children what it once was like in America when men were free.”  That was Ronald Reagan.  And eventually, Ronald Reagan came around to Medicare and thought it was pretty good, and actually helped make it better.

So that’s what's going to happen with the Affordable Care Act.  And once it's working really well, I guarantee you they will not call it Obamacare.  (Laughter and applause.) 

     Here is a prediction for you:  A few years from now, when people are using this to get coverage and everybody is feeling pretty good about all the choices and competition that they've got, there are going to be a whole bunch of folks who say, yes, I always thought this provision was excellent.  (Laughter.)  I voted for that thing.  You watch.  (Laughter.)  It will not be called Obamacare.  (Laughter.) 

But I’m always willing to work with anybody from either party.  If you’ve got a serious idea for making the Affordable Care Act better, or making our broader health care system better, I'm happy to work with you -- because that’s what the majority of the American people want.  They don’t want posturing; they want governing.  They don’t want politics; they want us to work together to make the lives of ordinary Americans a little bit better, a little bit more secure.  (Applause.)

So, Maryland, I’m asking for your help.  (Applause.)  I need your help.  (Applause.)  We may have some very well-funded opponents.  We may have some very talkative opponents.  But you're going to be the best, most credible messengers to spread the word about this law and all the benefits that the American people stand to get and have earned. 

So tell your friends, tell your family.  Get covered.  Get on that website.  Answer the questions of folks who don’t know what this is all about.  Point them to HealthCare.gov.  Teach them how to use the website.  Make sure they sign up.  Let's help our fellow Americans get covered.  (Applause.)  

Then let's keep on working to rebuild the middle class.  (Applause.)  Let's go and focus on creating more good-paying jobs.  Let's build more ladders of opportunity for everybody willing to work hard.  (Applause.)  Let's make sure the United States of America keeps being a place where you can make it if you try. 

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

                   END               11:42 A.M. EDT

Read: "U.S. Government Assessment of the Syrian Government’s Use of Chemical Weapons on August 21"

This is a press release from the White House:

08.30.2013++USG+Assessment+on+Syria

Map+Accompanying+USG+Assessment+on+Syria

President Obama tells Asbury Park he loves New Jersey

In a release, the White House sent out a copy of the president's remarks made at Asbury Park in New Jersey. The remarks are unedited here:

THE WHITE HOUSE

Office of the Press Secretary

_________________________________________________________________

For Immediate Release                            May 28, 2013

REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT

ON REOPENING OF JERSEY SHORE BOARDWALKS

Asbury Park Convention Hall

Asbury Park, New Jersey

1:26 P.M. EDT

THE PRESIDENT:  Hello, New Jersey!  (Applause.)  It is good to be back in Jersey.

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  We love you!

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

Let me, first of all, say thank you to Governor Christie for that introduction and the great work he’s done here.  (Applause.) Your Mayor, Ed Johnson, is here as well and has been working tirelessly on your behalf.  (Applause.)  We’ve got three great representatives in Congress from New Jersey -- Rush Holt, Frank Pallone, Donald Payne, Jr.  (Applause.)

Now, last week, my

advisors asked me -- they said, Mr. President, do you want to spend next Tuesday in Washington, or would you rather spend it at the Jersey Shore?  (Applause.)  And I’ve got to say I’ve got to make some tough decisions as President, but this wasn’t one of them.  (Laughter.) 

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  (Inaudible.)

THE PRESIDENT:  I appreciate that.  (Applause.)  

Governor Christie and I just spent some time on the Point Pleasant boardwalk.  I got a chance to see the world’s tallest sandcastle being built.  We played some Touchdown Fever -- I got to say, Christie got it in the tire the first try -- (laughter)  -- although I did pay for his throws.  (Laughter.)  I played a little Frog Bog, and Governor Christie’s kids taught me the right technique for hitting the hammer to get those frogs in the buckets the way I was supposed to.  (Laughter.)  And, of course, I met with folks who are still rebuilding after Sandy. 

Now, we all understand there’s still a lot of work to be done.  There are homes to rebuild.  There are businesses to reopen.  There are landmarks and beaches and boardwalks that aren’t all the way back yet.  But thanks to the hard work of an awful lot of people, we’ve got wonderful shops and restaurants and arcades that are opening their doors.  And I saw what thousands of Americans saw over Memorial Day Weekend:  You are stronger than the storm.  (Applause.)  After all you’ve dealt with, after all you’ve been through, the Jersey Shore is back and it is open for business, and they want all Americans to know that they’re ready to welcome you here.  (Applause.)

And I’ve got to say, if they ever let me have any fun, I’d have some fun here.  (Laughter and applause.)  I was telling my staff on the ride over, I could see being a little younger -- (laughter) -- and having some fun on the Jersey Shore.  (Applause.)  I can’t do that anymore.  (Laughter.)  Maybe after I leave office.  (Laughter and applause.)

I think a friend of mine from here once put it pretty well:  “Down the shore, everything’s all right.”  (Applause.)  He’s the only guy a President still has to call “The Boss.”  (Laughter.)  Other than the First Lady.  (Laughter.)   

But for generations, that’s what this place has been about. Life isn’t always easy.  We’re a people who have to work hard and do what it takes to provide for our families -- but when you come here, everything’s all right.  And whether you spend a lifetime here, or a weekend, or a summer, the Shore holds a special place in your heart and a special place in America’s mythology, America’s memory.

When I was here seven months ago, Hurricane Sandy had just hammered communities all across the East Coast, and lives were lost, and homes and businesses were destroyed, and folks were hurting.  And I remember something Chris said back then.  He said, “We cannot permit that sorrow to replace the resilience that I know all New Jerseyans have.”

AUDIENCE MEMBER:  Yes, we do!

THE PRESIDENT:  And it didn’t.  You didn’t let it.  You kept going.  Because these towns have a special character -- not just in the summer but all year round.  From the moment the hurricane hit, first responders worked around the clock to save lives and property.  And neighbors opened their homes and their hearts to one another.  And you came together as citizens to rebuild. 

And we’re not done yet, and I want to make sure everybody understands that, because for somebody who hasn’t seen their home rebuilt yet or is still trying to get their business up and running again, after all those losses, we don't want them to think that somehow we’ve checked a box and we’ve moved on.  That's part of the reason I came back, to let people know we’re going to keep on going until we finish.  (Applause.) 

But if anybody wondered whether the Shore could ever be all right again, you got your answer this weekend.  (Applause.)  From Sea Bright to Bay Head, from Belmar to Seaside Heights, folks were hanging out on balconies and beaches.  Shows were sold out at the Stone Pony.  (Applause.)  Kids were eating ice cream and going on rides, going and eating some more ice cream.  (Laughter.)  Guys were trying to win those big stuffed animals to impress a special girl.  So like I said, the Jersey Shore is back in business. 

The work is not over, though.  Seven months ago, I promised you that your country would have your back.  I told you we would not quit until the job was done, and I meant it.  I meant it.  (Applause.) 

Craig Fugate, the head of FEMA, he couldn’t be here today, but I want to thank him and his team for their ongoing work.  FEMA was here before Sandy made landfall; they’re still here today.  They’re working with the Governor’s team and with the task force I set up to support families and communities who still need help.  Since the storm hit, we’ve provided billions of dollars to families and state and local governments across the region, and more is on the way. 

And even as my team is helping communities recover from the last hurricane season, they’re already starting to prepare for the next hurricane season, which starts this Saturday -- because if there’s one thing that we learned last year, it’s that when a storm hits, we’ve got to be ready.  Education, preparation -- that's what makes a difference.  That's what saves lives.  And anyone who wants to make sure they’re ready -- for a hurricane or any other disaster -- I want them to visit something -- a website called Ready.gov.  Make a plan.  It’s never too early.

We’ve also got to remember that rebuilding efforts like these aren’t measured in weeks or months, but they're measured in years.  That’s why just this past Thursday, we announced billions of new relief aid for New York and New Jersey transit agencies.  And that's why the Army Corps of Engineers is working to restore beaches and strengthen the Shore’s natural defenses.  That's why last year I joined Governor Christie and your representatives, fighting to get a relief package through Congress.  We’re going to keep doing what it takes to rebuild all the way and make it better than it was before, make it stronger than it was before, make it more resilient than it was before.  (Applause.)  

So, Jersey, you’ve still got a long road ahead, but when you look out on this beach -- this beautiful beach here, even in the rain, it looks good.  You look out over the horizon, you can count on the fact that you won’t be alone.  Your fellow citizens will be there for you -- just like we’ll be there for folks in Breezy Point and Staten Island -- (applause) -- and obviously, we’re going to be there for the folks in Monroe [sic], Oklahoma, after the devastation of last week.  (Applause.)

Part of the reason I wanted to come back here was not just to send a message to New Jersey, but send a message to folks in Oklahoma:  When we make a commitment that we’ve got your back, we mean it -- (applause) -- and we’re not going to finish until the work is done.  Because that’s who we are.  We help each other as Americans through the bad times, and we sure make the most of the good times.  (Applause.)

So let’s have some good times on the New Jersey Shore this summer.  (Applause.)  And next summer and the summer after that, and all year long, America, bring your family and friends.  Spend a little money on the Jersey Shore.  (Applause.)  You’ll find some of the friendliest folks on Earth, some of the best beaches on Earth.  And you’ll see that even after a tough couple of months, this place is as special as ever, and down the Shore, everything is still all right.  (Applause.) 

Thank you, everybody.  God bless you.  (Applause.)  God bless America.  (Applause.) 

                       

END            1:35 P.M. EDT