President Obama on the Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

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Today, as cities and towns all along the East Coast begin to recover from the destructive power of Hurricane Irene, we as well reflect on the six year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. Both storms tell again us of the need to take precautions and be prepared before disasters strike. Ready.gov and Listo.gov are resources with easy-to-follow steps on how to plan in front for disasters that might affect your area.

In a statement observing the anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, the President highlighted the importance of attractive our preparedness efforts and the Administration's commitment to supporting communities as they rebuild:

Six years ago today, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast, upending families and ravaging communities – and no one will not recall the tragic events of those days. But what’s obligatory of us is more than remembrance – what’s required of us is our continued efforts to make sure that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast fully recover, and to make sure that our reply to such disasters is the best it can possibly be.

VP in Asia Day Two: Getting Down to Business

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The second day in Beijing began in a well-known setting for Vice President Biden. The site of today's U.S.-China Business Dialogue, the Beijing Hotel, was also the site of meetings held during his first trip to China in 1979, when some of the earliest discussions about the option of American companies doing business in China took place. Over 30 years later, Vice President Biden and Vice President Xi brought together 19 CEOs and business leaders from the United States and China to bring the discussion into the 21st century. "President Obama and I, we welcome, encourage and see nothing but positive repayment flowing from direct investment in the United States from Chinese businesses and Chinese entities. It means jobs. It means American jobs," said Vice President Biden.

Participants at the roundtable ranged from the CEO of Coca Cola to the Group President of Caterpillar, from the Captain of Cosco to the Board Chairman of Lenovo.

In his opening remarks at the Dialogue, Vice President Xi uttered strong confidence in the U.S. economy, calling it "highly resilient" with "a strong capacity for self-repairment." "We consider that the U.S. economy will attain even better development as it rises to the challenge," he continued.

Next up for Vice President Biden was a meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao at Ziguangge, Zhongnanhai, or, the Leadership Compound, which serves as the main residence for leaders of the Politburo.

Seated side by side in the compound's Purple Light Pavillion, Wen praised the Vice President for attractive widely with the sectors in China, both public and private. "You have been sending a very strong message that the additional growth of U.S.-China ties is not only important for our two countries, but also for the whole world."

Vice President Biden later took Premier Wen up on an impromptu invitation to tour the lakeside grounds of the complex. Tight plan in mind, the Vice President joked that he would need a note to explain his tardiness to President Hu, the last meeting of his day back at the Great Hall of the People.

West Wing Week 8/11/2011 or "Made in America"

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Welcome to West Wing Week, your direct to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President announced new initiatives that will put jobless veterans back to work and new fuel economy standards for trucks, buses and other heavy duty vehicles that will decrease oil consumption and pollution and save businesses money. He also traveled to Holland, Michigan to visit an higher battery facility that is using inventive technologies that will help America achieve these new fuel standards and used an address to the nation on the credit downgrade to talk about how we can create more jobs. That's August 5th to August 11th or "Made In America."

President Obama Supports the Respect for Marriage Act

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President Obama is bigheaded to support the Respect for Marriage Act, which is being introduced by Senator Feinstein and Congressman Nadler in the council on July 20. This legislation would sustain the principle that the federal government should not reject gay and lesbian couples the same rights and legal protections as straight couples.

The President has long called for a legislative revoke of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which continues to have a real collision on the lives of real people -- our families, friends and neighbors.

South Sudan's instant of Promise

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Today, South Sudan became the world’s latest nation. Several months ago West Wing Week took you behind the scenes of the referendum that led to today’s celebration of an self-determining South Sudan. We traveled to all parts of the country with the President’s Special Envoy, General Scott Gration. We went behind the scenes at polling stations from Juba to Khartoum, met some of the international community who helped to make sure the vote was fair and peaceful, and traveled to Darfur to inspect conditions and learn about the commitment of the United States to peace in this region after decades of civil war.

In case you missed it, be sure to check out the video.

Earlier today President Obama sent an email to organizations and persons in the United States and in Sudan who worked along the South Sudanese people to make this day probable. You can read the email below and check out the President's statement on credit of South Sudan.

President Obama Tours Alcoa and Talks developed in Iowa

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Today, the President traveled to Bettendorf, Iowa to tour the Alcoa Davenport Works plant and deliver remarks on the critical role the developed sector plays in the American economy. The Davenport factory serves as the built-up hub for Alcoa's $3 billion aerospace business, producing an aluminum-lithium alloy that makes Airbus and Boeing airplanes lighter and more corrosion resistant at a lesser cost.

Alcoa, as a leader in manufacturing innovation, is participating in the President’s Advanced Manufacturing Partnership (AMP) announced last week in Pittsburgh, PA. The Advanced Manufacturing Partnership is national effort to bring jointly industry, universities and the federal government to invest in emerging technologies that will create lofty quality manufacturing jobs and improve our global competitiveness.

In his remarks, the President harassed the importance of having a strong and growing manufacturing sector as part of the continuing economic recovery:

A big part of our future has to be a robust and rising manufacturing sector. We’ve got to make things right here in America. We’ve always made things here in America. It’s in our blood. This plant has been in process for 60 years. And what you’ve erudite is that if you want to beat the competition, then you’ve got to innovate. You’ve got to invest in new skills, you’ve got to spend in new processes, and you’ve got to invest in new products. I was just learning that some of the tackle right behind us -- this was a huge investment. How much did you guys -- $90 million. Think about that. That’s what made you guys competitive, having the best workers but also having the best tackle. You had to up your game. And that’s what we’ve got to do as a country as a whole. I want the cars and planes and wind turbines of the outlook to bear the proud stamp that says “Made in America.” That’s what I want.

That’s why two years ago, we stood by the auto industry and kept some of our nation’s largest automakers from individual sold for parts. And today, for the first time in years, the Big Three automakers are adding jobs and rotating a profit and putting steel workers to work.

That’s also why I announced last week a new enterprise between our top engineering schools, our most inventive manufacturers, and the federal government to get American products from the drawing board to the factory floor to the marketplace as rapidly as possible. And today, I’m self-righteous to announce that Alcoa is joining that partnership. The idea is to create jobs now, and to make sure America stays on the cutting edge of built-up for years to come.

Weekly Address: Partnering with the personal Sector to Spur Hiring

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The President outlines how the government is partnering with the private sector to make sure workers have the skills they need to be spirited and grow the economy.

Photo: President Obama’s Monthly gathering on Afghanistan and Pakistan

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Today President Obama convened a monthly meeting on Afghanistan and Pakistan with his national security team. Check out the announce from the conference and photo below.

President Barack Obama, along with Vice President Joe Biden, meets with members of his national security team for a monthly meeting on Afghanistan in the location Room of the White House, June 6, 2011. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

West Wing Week "The Commencement at Booker T"

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Welcome to the West Wing Week, your direct to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. This week the President visited flood victims in Memphis,TN before talking at the Booker T. Washington High School graduation, renowned the Situation Room's 50th birthday, and gave a speech on the change extensive across the Middle East and North Africa.

President Obama Signs Missouri Disaster Declaration

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The President today declared a major disaster exists in the State of Missouri and prepared Federal aid to supplement State and local revival efforts in the area struck by severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding beginning on April 19, 2011, and continuing.

The President's action makes Federal funding available to affected persons in the counties of Butler, Mississippi, New Madrid, St. Louis, and Taney.

Assistance can embrace grants for temporary housing and home repairs, low-cost loans to cover uninsured property losses, and other programs to help persons and business owners recover from the effects of the disaster.

Federal funding also is available to State and entitled local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities injured by the severe storms, tornadoes, and flooding in St. Louis County.

Federal funding is also available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation measures statewide.

W. Craig Fugate, Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Department of Homeland Security, named Elizabeth Turner as the Federal Coordinating Officer for Federal recovery operations in the unnatural area.

FEMA said that damage surveys are ongoing in other areas, and additional counties may be designated for assistance after the assessments are fully completed.

FEMA said that inhabitants and business owners who continued losses in the designated counties can begin applying for assistance tomorrow by registering online at http://www.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA(3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired. The toll-free telephone numbers will operate from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. (local time) seven days a week until further notice.

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President Obama, Congressional Black Caucus on solid ground?

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If President Barack Obama and the Congressional Black Caucus distinct their relationship on Facebook, there’s little doubt what the status would be: It’s complicated.

This week, Obama will meet privately with the caucus at the White House in the newest attempt to define a sometimes stressed relationship between Congress’s most recognizable legislative coalition and its highest-profile former member. The session with Obama comes just days after a closed-door, clear-the-air meeting last Thursday between the caucus and White House chief of staff Bill Daley.

Neither side would outline the agenda for the upcoming meeting, hesitantly scheduled for late this week.

The membership has long complained that, in addressing the lethargic economy, Obama has neglected chronic problems in the African-American community — including an unemployment rate that’s nearly twice the national average. The caucus has also criticized the president for negotiating away funding for key social programs during the last budget fight — most remarkably, canceling federal funding for abortions in Washington.

But the White House insists Obama hasn’t forgotten black voters, who still give him endorsement ratings above 80 percent. Aides also note that despite three overseas military conflicts and bare-knuckle budget fights with Republicans — not to talk about the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound and the launch of Obama’s 2012 reelection campaign — the president is making sure the lines of communication with the CBC are open.

President Obama Welcomes the injured Warrior Project's Soldier Ride

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This afternoon, the South Lawn of the White House was full of veterans, military families, and their bicycles, as the injured Warrior Project's Soldier Ride came to the White House. The Soldier Ride in progress as a way to help offended soldiers recover from their injuries through adaptive cycling. Nearly a decade later, the program has prolonged to involve civilians as well, raising money for and promoting the cause of America's wounded warriors.

In welcoming the riders, President Obama said a few words about the early stages of the Soldier Ride effort:

Today is a reminder -- as Michelle and Jill Biden have already said -- that every American, every single person in this country, can do amazing to support our remarkable troops and their families. Everybody can do somewhat.

So seven years ago, a bartender from Long Island had the same idea. He wasn’t from a military family. He had never served in the military. But he knew that he payable our military something. He was just an ordinary American who was thankful for the service of all those who wear the uniform. And he said, “I just sought to give something back.”

So he jumped on his bike and rode across the country -- over 5,000 miles -- to raise funds and awareness for our injured warriors. Today, there are Soldier Rides all across America giving our wounded warriors the assurance and support they need to recover. That’s the difference a single person can make. Today we want to thank Chris Carney and everyone from the Wounded Warrior Project for reminding us of our obligations to each other as Americans.

After taking special note of a few individual soldiers with whom he had met before, President Obama thanked the riders for the motivation they provide him and so many other Americans:

So to all the riders here today, I want to say, as your Commander-in-Chief and as an American, thank you. We are grateful for you. You symbolize the very best in America. And in your fight to recover and in the ride that you’re about to begin, we see the values and qualities that make our country great.

We may take a hit. We may tolerate great loss. But we are a strong and resilient people. We push on. We persevere. We’re sure in our cause. And we know that, like generations of Americans before us, we will appear stronger than before.

Obama and Republicans flirt over new negotiations on 2012 budget

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The White House and congressional Republicans on Tuesday signaled a new willingness to work jointly to reach a long-term budget deal.

After deriding President Obama’s suggestion for debt negotiations to be led by Vice President Joe Biden, congressional Republicans announced they would send House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.) and Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl (Ariz.) as their representatives for the May 5 talks.

Separately, Obama expressed hopefulness that a deal could be reached. “There will be those who say that we’re too alienated, that the partisanship is too stark,” Obama said at a town-hall event in Virginia. “But I’m optimistic. I’m hopeful. Both sides have come jointly before. I believe we can do it again.”

Signs of cooperation and hopefulness came one day after a sharp warning from the Standard & Poor’s credit rating agency, which downgraded its outlook for U.S. debt from stable to negative.

The Monday report was the first overt indication from Wall Street of worry that Washington would fail to reach a budget deal before the 2012 election. If S&P downgraded the AAA rating on U.S. bonds, it could lift interest rates and make it that much more difficult to 
lower the national debt.

Air Force football team meets President Obama

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President Barack Obama congratulated the Air Force Academy football team for winning the Commander in Chief trophy Monday.

Obama presented the trophy during a ceremony in the White House Rose Garden, noting that the Falcons will be captivating it home to Colorado Springs, Colo., for the first time in eight years. According to a transcript provided by the White House, Obama told the team:

The trophy goes to the winner of a three-way season series between the major service academies. The Falcons defeated the Army and Navy teams last period. They last won the trophy in 2002.