PBS News Hour: President Obama Talks About the Second Amendment And Gun Rights

WATCH: During our #POTUSonNewsHour town hall with Barack Obama in 2016, the president stuck around after the broadcast to answer more questions.

When asked about Second Amendment rights and gun control, he said that "there is a way for us to have common sense gun laws." He explained how.

President Obama's Last Weekly Address 9/3/16: Building Upon the Legacy of Labor Day

What a difference a year makes,when there was an adult in the White House and not someone who is interested in dismantling the progress made the past eight years.

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama commemorated Labor Day by highlighting the economic progress we’ve made over the course of his administration. Over the past seven and a half years, we've rescued our economy from another depression, cut our unemployment rate in half, and unleashed the longest string total job growth on record. The President said that although the country has made significant progress, there’s still work to do in the years to come. He emphasized that despite the boisterous political season, we must not lose sight of the policies that will actually help working families get ahead. President Obama said if we are going to restore the sense that hard work is rewarded with a fair shot to get ahead, we must build on the legacy of those who came before us – that means exercising our right to speak up in the workplace, to join a union, and to vote.

President Obama's Weekly Address 1/14/17: The Honor of Serving You as President

WASHINGTON, DC — This week, President Obama delivered his final weekly address thanking the American people for making him a better President and a better man. Over the past eight years, we have seen the goodness, resilience, and hope of the American people. We’ve seen what’s possible when we come together in the hard, but vital work of self-government – but we can’t take our democracy for granted. Our success as a Nation depends on our participation. It’s up to all of us to be guardians of our democracy, and to embrace the task of continually trying to improve our Nation. Despite our differences, we all share the same title: Citizen. And that is why President Obama looks forward to working by your side, as a citizen, for all of his remaining days.

President Obama's Weekly Address 1/6/17: President Obama’s Farewell Address to the Nation

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama discussed his upcoming farewell address to the nation. In 1796, as George Washington set the precedent for a peaceful, democratic transfer of power, he also set a precedent by penning a farewell address to the American people. And over the 220 years since, many American presidents have followed his lead. Next week, the President will return to his hometown of Chicago to say a grateful farewell to the nation. This will mark the first time that a President has returned to his hometown to deliver such a speech. The President has said that the running thread through his career has been the notion that when ordinary people get involved, get engaged and come together, things change for the better. This belief is at the heart of the American experiment in self-government – and it gives purpose to new generations. Through his address, the President will thank his supporters, celebrate the ways we have changed this country for the better these past eight years, and offer his vision on where we all go from here. The President will deliver his farewell address at 9:00 PM EST on Tuesday, January 10, at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois. To tune in on Tuesday, visit WhiteHouse.gov/live.

President Obama's Weekly Address 12/31/16: Working Together to Keep America Moving Forward

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama reflected on the significant progress we’ve made since he took office in 2009. Over the past eight years, we’ve turned the recession into recovery; 20 million more Americans have health insurance; we’ve brought 165,000 troops from Iraq and Afghanistan; we took out Osama bin Laden; and we brought nearly 200 nations together around a climate agreement that could save the planet for our kids. The President reminded us that this extraordinary progress wasn’t inevitable – it was the result of tough choices, and the hard work and resilience of the American people. It will take all of us working together to sustain and build on all that we’ve achieved – that’s how we keep America moving forward.

President Obama's Weekly Address 12/24/16: Merry Christmas from the President and the First Lady

In this week’s address, the President and the First Lady wished all Americans a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. They reflected on the honor of serving the American people as President and First Lady over the past eight years and the progress that has been made. The President and the First Lady recognized our troops and their families for their service, and they encouraged everyone to visit JoiningForces.gov to find out how to support service members, veterans, and military families in your community.

President Obama's Weekly Address 12/3/16: Pass the 21st Century Cures Act

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, President Obama highlighted the 21st Century Cures Act, a bill in Congress that could help us find a cure for Alzheimer's, end cancer as we know it, and help those who are seeking treatment for opioid addiction. This week, the House passed the bill overwhelmingly with bipartisan support – and the President called on the Senate to do the same when they vote in a few days. Because that's what this is all about: coming to a compromise based on the belief that we should seize every chance we have to find cures as soon as possible.

President Obama's Weekly Address: Coming Together On Thanksgiving

In this week's address, President Obama wished the American people a happy Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving reminds us that no matter our differences, we are still one people, part of something bigger than ourselves. Because what makes us American are the ideals to which we pledge our allegiance. And it's about our ability to live up to the creed "E Pluribus Unum" -- that out of many, we are one.

President Obama's weekly Address 11/12/16: Honoring Our Veterans

In this week's address, President Obama recognized the service and sacrifice of our Nation's military members and veterans. These men and women serve as an example of what our Nation strives to be every day. From the example of the 9/11 Generation signing up to serve in response to tragedy, to the example of our military's unity and diversity, our Nation's veterans and service members represent the best of our country. To all of our Nation's veterans: thank you for your service.

President Obama's weekly Address 11/5/16: The Progress We've Made Because of the Affordable Care Act

This week, President Obama discussed Open Enrollment on the Health Insurance Marketplace, which began November 1 and will end on January 31. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, 20 million American adults have obtained health insurance, and an additional three million children have gained coverage since the President took office. The uninsured rate is the lowest level on record. Today, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your preventive care is free; there are no more annual or lifetime limits on essential health care; you can’t get charged more just for being a woman; young people can stay on a parent’s plan until they turn 26; seniors get discounts on their prescriptions; and no one can be denied coverage because of a pre-existing condition. To sign up for health care coverage, visit HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596.

Remarks of President Barack Obama as Prepared for Delivery Weekly Address

The White House

November 5, 2016

Hi, everybody. Americans have been fighting for the idea that health care is a right and not a privilege since the second-to-last time the Cubs won the World Series. I’m not talking about the 2016 Cubs – I’m talking about the 1908 Cubs.

That’s a really long time. And thanks to the efforts of so many of you, we did it. Today, 20 million more American adults know the financial security of health insurance. On top of that, another three million more kids have coverage than when I took office. In fact, never in American history has the uninsured rate been lower than it is right now – and health care prices have been rising slower than they have in 50 years.

If you haven’t gotten covered yet, now’s the time to do it. It’s open enrollment season. That means you can go to HealthCare.gov and shop for insurance plans in a marketplace where insurers compete for your business. HealthCare.gov is faster and easier to use than ever before. With a few clicks, you can start comparing plans to see which one is right for you and your family. You can even look up your doctor and medications as you shop. Most Americans who get coverage through HealthCare.gov can find an option that costs less than $75 a month. That’s probably less than your cell phone bill.

Now, most of us don’t get our health care through the Marketplace. We get it through our job, or through Medicare or Medicaid. And what you should know is that, thanks to the Affordable Care Act, your coverage is better today than it was before. You now have free preventive care. There are no more annual or lifetime limits on essential health care. Women can get free checkups, and you can’t get charged more just for being a woman. Young people can stay on a parent’s plan until they turn 26. Seniors get discounts on their prescriptions. And no one can be denied coverage just because of a preexisting condition.

That’s because our goal wasn’t just to make sure more people have coverage – it was to make sure more people have better coverage. And as we continue working to make the system better, there’s something you can do to help yourself and help the country. Go to HealthCare.gov. Get covered. And if there’s someone you care about who hasn’t signed up yet, help them get covered today, too.

Enrollment is open right now, but only until January 31. If you sign up by December 15, you’ll be covered by the beginning of the year. So go check out HealthCare.gov or call 1-800-318-2596, and someone will personally help you find a plan that’s right for you.

Insurance is based on the idea that we’re all in it together. That’s what makes it work. And it’s the same idea that’s always made America great. Thanks everybody, and have a good weekend.

President Obama's Weekly Address 10/29/16: Achieving the Mission of the Cancer Moonshot

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, Vice President Joe Biden discussed the progress of the White House Cancer Moonshot, an initiative with the goal to make a decade’s worth of advances in cancer prevention, diagnosis, and treatment, in five years. Recently, the Cancer Moonshot Task Force released a report that outlines what we need to do to achieve this goal, including: enhancing prevention efforts, expanding access to care, increasing collaboration and sharing data amongst cancer researchers, and building an international commitment to the fight against cancer. The report also highlighted the progress we’ve made since the launch of the Moonshot. Today, federal agencies are working together to share research – such as the National Institutes of Health using NASA’s research on radiation and its effects on the human body. In the past few months, more than 70 public and private sector commitments have been made to join the fight against cancer – such as IBM, which offered its supercomputer, Watson, to partner with the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs to help patients determine specific therapies they need for their cancer treatment. The Vice President said the Moonshot is about all of us doing our part in the fight against cancer. To learn how you can volunteer to help, visit Cancer.Serve.Gov, and to learn about clinical trials nearby, visit Trials.Cancer.Gov.

Sue Fulton for Monmouth County Freeholder

Sue Fulton is a 1980 graduate of West Point, a member of the Academy's first class to admit women. She commissioned in the Army as a signal officer, serving as both a platoon leader and company commander in Germany before receiving an honorable discharge at the rank of Captain. Sue currently serves on the prestigious West Point Board of Visitors, appointed by President Obama with the ranks of numerous Senators and Congress Members.

Sue Fulton is running for Monmouth County Freeholder with Belmar Mayor, Matt Doherty.

President Obama's Weekly Address: Ensuring America Leads the World Into the Next Frontier

In this week’s address, President Obama highlighted the White House Frontiers Conference, where many of America’s leading innovators came together to discuss how we can empower people through science, technology, and innovation to lead our communities, our country, and our world in the future. The President said the advances we’ve made as a nation demonstrate how investing in science and technology can help develop new jobs and industries, and new discoveries that improve lives – and that innovation is in our nation’s DNA. And that’s why the President made the largest single investment in basic research in history; modernized the government’s approach to innovation for the 21st Century; and spurred a clean energy revolution, among many other accomplishments in science and technology. That’s what the President’s leadership has been about – ensuring America is the nation that leads the world into the next frontier. Click here to learn more about the President’s accomplishments in science, technology, and innovation – and click here to learn more about the White House Frontiers Conference.

President Obama's Weekly Address 10/1/16: It’s Time to Give Families Access to Paid Sick Leave

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama discussed the importance of ensuring that American families have access to paid leave. Today, millions of Americans do not have access to paid sick leave and have to face tough choices when their families face illness – choices that could risk their jobs or their health. The President has repeatedly called on Republicans in Congress to pass a law guaranteeing most workers the chance to earn seven days of paid sick leave each year. To this day, no action has been taken in the Republican Congress. But, that hasn’t stopped the President from taking action where he can to help more Americans access paid sick time, and starting January 1st, federal contractors will be required to give their employees working on new federal contracts up to seven paid sick days each year. That’s because paid leave isn’t something that just nice to have – it’s a must have.

President Obama's Weekly Address 9/17/16: It’s Time for Republicans in Congress To Do Their Jobs

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, President Obama called on Republicans in Congress to do their jobs. With Congress back in session there is a lot of business that needs to get done, including funding the fight against Zika, providing resources to help the flood victims in Louisiana, and giving Supreme Court nominee Chief Judge Merrick Garland the courtesy of a fair hearing and a vote. The President said addressing these problems is all within our reach – and we need Congress to work as hard as the American people do. We should expect Republicans in Congress to do their jobs – to protect us from disease, help us recover from disaster, and keep the Supreme Court above politics.

President Obama's Weekly Address 9/10/16: Upholding the Legacy of Those We Lost on September 11th

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama marked the 15th anniversary of the September 11th attacks and paid tribute to the victims, survivors, first responders, and those who have served our country. The President said that although a lot has changed over the past 15 years, the core values that define us as Americans have remained the same. As Americans we are resilient, we will never give into fear, and we will always look out for one another. Our strength is in our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, and our fair treatment of everyone – no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith. The President said that’s part of what makes our country great – and if we uphold those values, we will carry on the legacy of those we lost and keep our nation strong and free.

Remarks of President Barack Obama as Prepared for Delivery

Weekly Address

The White House

September 10, 2016

Fifteen years ago, a September day that began like any other became one of the darkest in our nation’s history. The Twin Towers were reduced to rubble. The Pentagon was in flames. A Pennsylvania field burned with the wreckage of an airplane. And nearly 3,000 innocent lives were lost. Sons and daughters, husbands and wives, neighbors and colleagues and friends. They were from all walks of life, all races and religions, all colors and creeds, from across America and around the world.

This weekend, we honor their memory once more. We stand with the survivors who still bear the scars of that day. We thank the first responders who risked everything to save others. And we salute a generation of Americans—our men and women in uniform, diplomats and our intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement professionals -- who serve, and have given their lives, to help keep us safe.

A lot has changed over these past 15 years. We’ve delivered devastating blows to the al Qaeda leaders that attacked us on 9/11. We delivered justice to Osama bin Laden. We’ve strengthened our homeland security. We’ve prevented attacks. We’ve saved lives.

At the same time, the terrorist threat has evolved, as we’ve seen so tragically from Boston to Chattanooga, from San Bernardino to Orlando. So in Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria and beyond, we’ll stay relentless against terrorists like al Qaeda and ISIL. We will destroy them. And we’ll keep doing everything in our power to protect our homeland.

As we reflect on these past 15 years, it’s also important to remember what has not changed—the core values that define us as Americans. The resilience that sustains us. After all, terrorists will never be able to defeat the United States. Their only hope is to terrorize us into changing who we are or our way of life. That’s why we Americans will never give in to fear. And it’s why this weekend we remember the true spirit of 9/11. We’re still the America of heroes who ran into harm’s way; of ordinary folks who took down the hijackers; of families who turned their pain into hope. We are still the America that looks out for one another, bound by our shared belief that I am my brother’s keeper, I am my sister’s keeper. /p>

In the face of terrorism, how we respond matters. We cannot give in to those who would divide us. We cannot react in ways that erode the fabric of our society. Because it’s our diversity, our welcoming of all talent, our treating of everybody fairly—no matter their race, gender, ethnicity, or faith—that’s part of what makes our country great. It’s what makes us resilient. And if we stay true to those values, we’ll uphold the legacy of those we’ve lost, and keep our nation strong and free. God bless you, and God bless the United States of America.

President Obama's Weekly Address 9/3/16: Building Upon the Legacy of Labor Day

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week’s address, President Obama commemorated Labor Day by highlighting the economic progress we’ve made over the course of his administration. Over the past seven and a half years, we've rescued our economy from another depression, cut our unemployment rate in half, and unleashed the longest string total job growth on record. The President said that although the country has made significant progress, there’s still work to do in the years to come. He emphasized that despite the boisterous political season, we must not lose sight of the policies that will actually help working families get ahead. President Obama said if we are going to restore the sense that hard work is rewarded with a fair shot to get ahead, we must build on the legacy of those who came before us – that means exercising our right to speak up in the workplace, to join a union, and to vote.

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/27/16: Taking Action Against the Zika Virus

WASHINGTON, DC — This week, President Obama called on Republicans in Congress to take action and vote to fund the Administration’s response to the Zika virus. In February, the President asked Congress to fund emergency resources, including mosquito control, fast-tracking diagnostics tests and vaccines, tracking the spread of the virus, and monitoring women and babies with Zika. Unfortunately, Republicans in Congress have failed to take action on this issue. So the President continues to direct his Administration do what it can without help from Congress, with the primary focus of protecting pregnant women and families planning to have children. Today, the CDC continues to work with state public health officials and has an emergency response team on the ground in South Florida, agencies have moved to expedite the development of a vaccine, and the administration is working with the private sector to develop more options to test and prevent infection. The President reiterated this is about more than politics and Republicans should make this their top priority when they return from their summer recess.

President Obama's Weekly Address 8/20/16: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the National Park Service

WASHINGTON, DC — In this week's address, President Obama commemorated the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service and encouraged Americans to "Find Your Park." First Lady Michelle Obama and Mrs. Laura Bush are serving as honorary co-chairs of the National Parks Centennial Celebration to raise awareness and help Americans connect with their favorite parks and public lands. Today, military families can access all national parks for free through the Joining Forces initiative, and families with a fourth grader can get a free pass by visiting EveryKidInAPark.org. The President emphasized his commitment to building on the American tradition of conservation - noting his record of protecting more lands and waters than any other administration. With the threat of climate change, the President said that protecting our public lands and waters is more important than ever. In the years to come, we must do what we can to continue to protect our parks and our planet for future generations.

Pallone Statement on Justice Department Ending Use of Private Prisons

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 19, 2016


Washington, DC - Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (NJ-06) released the following statement after the Justice Department announced it will end contracts with private prisons.

“The Justice Department’s decision is an important step towards correcting the nation’s issues with mass incarceration. Last week’s Inspector General Report yet again demonstrated that private prisons suffer from a myriad of issues that run contrary to the mission of promoting public safety and rehabilitation. Profit motive has no place in our justice system.

“To build on these reforms, Congress must also enact comprehensive criminal justice reform to address the many other factors that have made the nation’s incarceration rate the highest in the world. I am thankful that President Obama and the Department of Justice have taken this necessary step and look forward to working with them as we move forward.”