Weekly Address: Congress Must Act to Create Jobs and Grow the Economy

President Obama describes how the House of Representatives left town without finishing important work that would create jobs and strengthen our economy.

Watch President Obama's weekly address.

President Barack Obama tapes the Weekly Address in the Blue Room of the White House, Sept. 21, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

Weekly Wrap Up

Here's a quick glimpse at what happened this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Team USA Behind the Scenes: Last week, the President and the First Lady welcomed the 2012 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic teams to the White House to honor their participation and success in this year's Olympic and Paralympic Games in London. On Tuesday, we released a new video that lets you go behind the scenes and hear from the athletes as they describe their visit. Check it out here.

We also released a video of Paralympian Champion Lt. Brad Snyder sharing his story with First Lady Michelle Obama. "Overcoming adversity is a decision that everyone makes," Brad said, "And you can let that beat you or you can make the decision to move forward." Watch the video here.

Celebrating the 2011 WNBA Champions: On Tuesday, President Obama welcomed the Minnesota Lynx to the White House, congratulating them on their successful season and thanking them for continuing to set an important example for young women across the country:

"As the husband of a tall, good-looking woman and as the father of two tall, fabulous girls, it is just wonderful to have these young ladies as role models. There's something about women's athletics -- we know for a fact that when girls are involved in athletics, they do better across the board. They're more confident. They do better in school."

Aung San Suu Kyi at the White House: On Wednesday, President Obama met with Aung San Suu Kyi, Burmese Nobel Laureate and leader of the National League for Democracy Party. The President expressed his admiration for her courage, determination and personal sacrifice in championing democracy and human rights over the years. To learn more, see the full readout of the meeting.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell: Yesterday marked the one year anniversary of “Don't Ask, Don't Tell” finally and formally being repealed, allowing gay and lesbian service members to serve openly in our nation's armed forces. In a statement marking the anniversary, President Obama said that repealing the law “upheld the fundamental American values of fairness and equality.”

President Obama signed repeal into law in December of 2010, and in July of 2011 the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff certified that the Department of Defense had taken all the steps needed to prepare the military for repeal. Sixty days after that, at 12:01 a.m. on September 20, 2011, the era of Don't Ask, Don't Tell was over.

For more information:

• Read President Obama's statement on the one-year anniversary of Don't Ask, Don't Tell repeal

• Watch President Obama sign the Don't Ask, Don't Tell Repeal Act of 2010 into law

• Watch a behind the scenes video: Signing Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell

National POW/MIA Recognition Day: Today marks the commemoration of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, where the nation honors those service members who endured captivity and whose remains have yet to be recovered. The day serves as a stark reminder of the risks and sacrifices that American service members and their families make every day. It is important that we acknowledge service members and their families. To see how you can support those who serve and our veterans, please visit joiningforces.gov.

You're Invited: This fall, the White House will once again open its gardens and grounds to visitors from across the country, continuing First Lady Michelle Obama's commitment to opening up the White House to as people as possible. To all of our social media followers, we invite you to join the White House Fall Garden Tour with a special tour of the Jacqueline Kennedy Garden, Rose Garden, and South Lawn, including the White House Kitchen Garden.

Interested in joining? Apply to attend the White House Social Fall Garden Tour today.

Stay Connected

This email was sent to t_history@pchome.com.tw
Manage Subscriptions for t_history@pchome.com.tw
Sign Up for Updates from the White House
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