White House Blog

President Obama discusses the reforms to Wall Street that he put in place to protect consumers and make Wall Street play by the same set of rules -- and calls on lawmakers to finish implementing these reforms so that we can prevent excessive risk-taking and help create an economy that is built to last.

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A quick glimpse at this week on WhiteHouse.gov:

Fight for Your Seat: President Obama traveled to New York City to deliver his first commencement address of the year at Barnard College, one of the famous “Seven Sisters” private female liberal arts colleges. HIs first piece advice to the graduates was: “Don’t just get involved. Fight for your seat at the table. Better yet, fight for a seat at the head of the table.”

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Approximately 1 billion people worldwide suffer from chronic hunger-- a prolonged, life-threatening lack of food.

Hunger threatens the health and well-being of a nation’s citizens, and increases a country’s risk of democratic failure, rioting, violence, and civil conflict. It costs developing countries approximately $450 billion per year in lost GDP.

Poverty is a principal cause of hunger—it prevents people from having access to food and the tools they need to grow it. Natural disasters, conflict, lack of infrastructure, and poor farming practices also contribute to the growing problem of hunger as the world population increases.

But as President Obama explained today at the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security, history teaches us that one of the most effective ways to pull people and entire nations out of poverty is to invest in their agriculture.

This weekend, G8 and African leaders will meet to discuss a major new alliance with private sector partners to reduce hunger and lift 50 million people out of poverty by investing in Africa’s agricultural economy. This new partnership builds on the commitment leaders made during the 2009 G8 meeting in L’Aquila to put the fight against hunger at the forefront of global development.

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President Barack Obama holds a bilateral meeting with President François Hollande of France in the Oval Office, May 18, 2012 (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

President Obama today met with French President Francois Hollande for the first time when the newly-inaugurated leader stopped at the White House in advance of the G8 Summit which starts tonight at Camp David.

While much of the conversation in the Oval Office was focused on the economic situation in the eurozone -- which President Obama said will also be central to the discussions throughout the weekend when they are joined by leaders from Britain, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia  -- others issues concerning areas of our nations' mutual cooperation were on the agenda:

We also discussed the situation in Afghanistan, in anticipation of our NATO meeting in Chicago on Saturday and Sunday. And we agreed that even as we transition out of a combat phase in Afghanistan that it's important that we sustain our commitment to helping Afghans build security and continue down the path of development. 

We also identified the issues of Iran and Syria, the transition that's taking place in countries like Egypt and Tunisia as topics of critical importance. And we'll be devoting extensive time to those issues throughout the G8 meeting. France has shown great leadership on these issues, and as I indicated to President Hollande, when the United States and France, along with our other key allies, make up our minds to stand firm on the side of democracy and freedom and development, that enormous progress can be made.

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President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. May 18, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

At today’s Symposium on Global Agriculture and Food Security, President Obama announced that leaders at this weekend’s G8 meeting would devote a special session to the urgent challenge facing nearly 1 billion men, women and children around the world: the injustice of chronic hunger and the need for long-term food security.

G8 and African leaders will launch a major new alliance with private sector partners to reduce hunger and lift 50 million people out of poverty by investing in Africa’s agricultural economy. The partnership builds on the commitment leaders made during the 2009 G8 meeting in L’Aquila to put the fight against hunger at the forefront of global development.

And that fight is about more than delivering aid, President Obama said. True, sustainable development is about promoting economic growth that helps nations develop. "The whole purpose of development is to create the conditions where assistance is no longer needed, where people have the dignity and the pride of being self-sufficient,” he said. 

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Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for young people in the summer of 2012. It's about helping people find their first jobs.

Today Cris Comerford is the Executive Chef at the White House. In the video below, she talks about her first job, which was also in the food industry. Chef Comerford says her days spent as a salad bar girl in Chicago were lacking in glamour, but they taught her a great deal that she still uses today in the White House Kitchen. It also taught her an appreciation for the salad bar girls who work help out during big events hosted by the President and First Lady.   

So far, employers have listed more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.

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This weekend, the leaders of the world’s largest economies and four African heads of state will come together at the 2012 G8 Summit at Camp David for a very different kind of discussion on Africa. Joined by private sector leaders for the first time, the President will host a dynamic discussion on global efforts to fight food insecurity and improve nutrition. In 2009 at the G8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy, President Obama and G8 leaders responded to the spike in world food prices and focused attention on strengthening food security to help countries end hunger. Reversing decades of decline in global agricultural development, L’Aquila committed leaders to supporting comprehensive plans designed by the developing countries themselves and built around smarter, more focused investments.

This weekend, the G-8 and African partners will launch the next phase of these efforts: the New Alliance for Food and Nutrition Security. The New Alliance is a commitment by G8 nations, African countries and private sector partners to lift 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years through inclusive and sustained agricultural growth.

A boy and a woman struggle with dusty wind looking for water in Wajir, Kenya (by Jervis Sundays, Kenya Red Cross Society)

Across history, the private sector has served as an engine of growth and transformation in nearly every country in the world. But although foreign direct investment flows to Africa now hover around $80 billion and trade has tripled over the last decade, this private sector boom has largely missed Africa’s agricultural economy. 

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This weekend, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and Russia will join President Obama at Camp David. The G8 is a gathering of eight of the world's leading economies, which meets annually. This will be the first meeting in the United States since 2004, and it will be the largest gathering of world leaders ever to assemble at Camp David.  

Their agenda for this weekend includes talks on growing the world economy, the nuclear situations in Iran and North Korea, and energy and climate issues. We’ll broadcasting a number of events from the weekend live on WhiteHouse.gov. Check out the schedule below:

Tonight at 7:40 PM – The Leaders Greeting
Saturday at 10:45 AM – The Family Photo
Saturday at 5:45 PM – A Statement from President Obama

Safety is the number one priority at the US Department of Transportation (DOT), so National Transportation Week is the perfect time for DOT to help launch the Obama Administration's critical Safety Data Initiative--an historic effort to make government data relating to every aspect of safety, from transportation to crime to consumer products, much more accessible, and to stimulate the development of innovative apps and services fueled by those data.

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Welcome to the West Wing Week, your guide to everything that's happening at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. This week, the President discussed his plan to help responsible homeowners in Reno, gave the commencement address at Barnard College, honored law enforcement officers, awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for heroism in the Vietnam War, and continued to call on Congress to act on a “To Do List” that will create jobs and help restore middle class security, highlighting the need to invest in small businesses and jumpstart new hiring. That's May 11th to May 17th, or "Reach High and Hope Deeply."

This has been an exciting week for Let’s Move! On Monday, First Lady Michelle Obama joined Team USA to announce new programs that will help connect more than 1.7 million kids with athletic opportunities in their communities.

Today, we launched a new section on LetsMove.gov dedicated to helping schools, communities and families start their own gardens. Find out how you can get started on a garden of your own with checklists for schools, communities and kitchens.

Do you have questions about the Let’s Move! initiative or how to get your garden growing this spring?

On Friday, May 18th at 1:00 pm ET, we’re holding a special session of White House Office Hours with Sam Kass, White House Chef and Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, to answer your questions on Twitter.

Join Sam for Office Hours at 1:00 p.m. ET on Friday, May 18th. Here's how it works:

• Ask your question on Twitter with the hashtag #WHChat
• Sam Kass, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, responds to your questions in real-time via Twitter from @LetsMove
• Follow the Q&A through the @WHLive or @LetsMoveTwitter accounts
• If you miss the live event, the full Q&A will be posted on LetsMove.gov and Storify.com/LetsMove

First Lady Michelle Obama and Sam Kass, Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives, join students for the spring White House Kitchen Garden planting on the South Grounds, March 26, 2012. Helping here are girls from Girl Scout Troop 60325 in Fairport, N.Y. March 26, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Sonya N. Hebert)

Today, as many as 5.1 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s. As the baby boomers march past age 65, that number could more than double in just a few decades.

We’ve made considerable progress in the fight against Alzheimer’s and other dementias, but much more needs to be done right away, because people who face the challenges of caring for someone with Alzheimer’s need help now.

The Obama administration has announced an historic $156 million commitment to address what is needed to confront Alzheimer’s disease. The National Plan to Address Alzheimer’s Disease is a roadmap that will help us meet our goal to prevent and effectively treat Alzheimer’s disease by 2025. This is a truly national plan, based on a strong partnership with every part of the Alzheimer’s community, including scientists, patient advocates, and people living with the disease.

This plan lays out a blueprint for expanding research in prevention and treatment and getting the most-promising drugs from discovery into clinical trials. We will also figure out ways to move best practices out of the research journals and into exam rooms as soon as possible.

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Summer Jobs+ is a call to action for businesses, non-profits, and government to work together to provide pathways to employment for young people in the summer of 2012. It's about helping people find their first jobs.

Today Jon Carson is the Director of the Office of Public Engagement at the White House. In the video below, he talks about his first job -- working on a farm in Wisconsin. He bailed hay, which meant spending his summer days unloading hay onto an elevator in a hot and dusty barn. His hard work paid off however, because this job is where he also earned his first raise.

So far, employers have listed more than 300,000 jobs, mentorships, and other employment opportunities this summer through Summer Jobs+.

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Thursday is the fourth day of National Women’s Health Week. Women often play a leading role in making medical decisions for their families, but their own health needs are often unmet, which is why President Obama worked to make health care more accessible and affordable for women across the country through his health reform law, the Affordable Care Act.

For example, women who purchase health insurance on the individual market pay an additional $1 billion each year because insurance companies charge them more than men, simply because of their gender. Thanks to the Affordable Care Act, health insurers will be prohibited from discriminating against women by charging higher premiums.

President Obama’s health reform law also requires new health insurance plans to cover preventive services such as mammograms, pap smears, and well-woman visits with no co-pay or deductible. Because of this provision in the Affordable Care Act, more than 20.4 million women with private health insurance have received preventive health services at no additional cost.

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Ed note: This was cross-posted from tradeology, the official blog of the International Trade Administration

Today Commerce Secretary John Bryson presented 41 U.S. companies and organizations with “E” Awards and “E Star” Awards recognizing their significant contributions to the expansion of U.S. exports. These awards fall into two categories. The “E” Award for Exports honors manufacturers and service businesses, demonstrating a sustained increase over several years in selling U.S. products and services to overseas consumers. The “E” Award for Export Service honors export service providers that demonstrate how over several years they have assisted businesses to increase their exports.

The “E” Award was created by President John F. Kennedy on December 5, 1961, “to award suitable recognition to persons, firms, and organizations making significant contributions to the increase of American exports.” The “E Star” Award, which was authorized by the Secretary of Commerce in 1969, recognizes previous “E” Award winners for their continuing significant contributions to U.S. export expansion.

This year marks the 50th anniversary of the “E” Award and since its inception, more than 2,500 companies and organizations have been recognized for their excellence in exporting. The honorees this year are the largest group to be recognized with the “E” Awards and “E Star” Awards for their export achievements and the diversity of industries and communities represented is impressive. The 2012 recipients come from across the United States, from Bakersfield, Calif., to Baton Rouge, La., Bolingbrook, Ill., and Bradford, Pa. Of the companies recognized at today’s ceremony, 35 are small or medium-sized enterprises, 20 are manufacturers, and 17 companies are both.

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Today, join Ambassador Susan E. Rice and New York Times columnist Nicholas D. Kristof as they break ground on the frontier of social media and U.S. foreign policy. In a live Google+ Hangout, Ambassador Rice and Mr. Kristof will discuss the world’s most pressing challenges and America’s role in an increasingly interconnected world. They will be joined live by a selection of citizens who will ask questions from the U.S. and overseas. 

Watch the conversation live at 2:30 p.m. EST on The Times’s homepage or on the New York Times Google+ page, and join the conversation on Twitter using the hashtag #NYTHangout. For more work on U.S. work at the United Nations, follow @AmbassadorRiceand @USUN on Twitter and ‘Like’ Ambassador Rice on Facebook.

Ed. Note: Follow the White House on Google+ for news, behind-the-scenes photos and chances to join White House Hangouts with administration officials.

President Barack Obama presents the Medal of Honor to Rose Sabo-Brown, widow of Specialist Leslie H. Sabo, Jr., U.S. Army, in the East Room of the White House, May 16, 2012. Specialist Sabo received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions in combat on May 10, 1970, while serving in Se San, Cambodia. (Official White House Photo by Lawrence Jackson)

In a poignant ceremony today in the East Room, President Obama awarded a Medal of Honor for valor above and beyond the call of duty to an Army Specialist who died while serving in Cambodia in 1970. 

The story of Leslie H. Sabo, Jr.'s courage and sacrifice was almost lost to history. In 1999, Alton Mabb, a Vietnam veteran from the 101st, was doing research at the National Archives when he found a file that included a proposed citation for the Medal of Honor for Leslie Sabo. Mabb began the work to make sure Sabo was recognized for the heroic actions that saved the lives of his comrades, who meant more to him than life.

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Jon Bon Jovi is a singer, a songwriter, an actor -- and a member of the President's Council for Community Solutions. President Obama tasked the Council with finding ways to bring the best resources of the public, private, non-profit and philanthropic sectors in communities across the country together to work on solving local problems.

Following extensive outreach and research, the Council determined that providing opportunities for employment for disconnected youth was key, and that if these communities could pull together to move these young people onto critical pathways toward education, employment, and ongoing civic participation, the benefits would be far-reaching. The result is Summer Jobs Plus:

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Nearly 2 million companies that make new hires or increase wages would receive a tax credit under the small business hiring income tax credit President Obama is calling on Congress to pass.

The tax credit, the third item on President Obama’s job-creating To-Do List for Congress, would encourage more than $200 billion in new hiring and pay raises by providing a 10 percent income tax credit on wages added in 2012. The credit would be available to all companies, but would be capped at $500,000 per business to specifically spur small business hiring. And, companies that claim the credit would be able to do so on a quarterly basis, which means businesses would see tax relief sooner rather than later after making new hires.

By providing targeted tax relief to the businesses that are expanding and making investments in their workforce, the Small Business Hiring Credit will grow the economy, create jobs, and strengthen the recovery. In fact, the Congressional Budget Office recently found that this type of targeted credit is the single most effective business tax option for boosting hiring and spurring economic growth.

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When Casey Patten and David Mazza moved from Philadelphia to Washington, DC, they were consistently disappointed by their inability to find a decent hoagie. So the two friends decided to take matters into their own hands. In 2008, they opened Taylor Gourmet -- with all the sandwiches named after streets in their former hometown. And it became a hit.

They've since expanded operations to three additional locations and seen their hoagies reviewed in the Washington Post, New York Times, and Travel & Leisure.

Today, they got a visit from President Obama.

He stopped by their newest restaurant on 14th Street in Washington, DC to talk about how his To-Do List for Congress would help small business owners like Patten and Mazza.

Before ordering a Spruce Street (roast turkey, prosciutto, roasted red peppers and sharp provolone), the President said:

One of the items on that “To-Do” list would be to provide tax breaks for companies like these that are hiring new employees or raising the wages and salaries of their existing employees. Either way, what that does is it gives them an incentive as their expanding to say, maybe we hire an extra two people. Maybe we hire an extra three people. Maybe we hire an extra ten people. 

When the President returned to the White House, he sat down for lunch with leaders from Congress. On the menu? Some of the hoagies from Taylor and another example of why lawmakers should act to help boost the economy.

Learn More

• President Obama Calls for a Simpler Refinancing Process
• President Obama: "Stop rewarding companies who ship jobs overseas"
• Moving America's Small Businesses & Entrepreneurs Forward: A Report from the National Economic Council